Pin weight

Oregon_Camper

Well-known member
I know what Heartland say my Pin Weight is (from factory), but has anyone ever tested that number?

If so, how?

I'd be interested in testing my pin weight, but have no clue on how do to this.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I know what Heartland say my Pin Weight is (from factory), but has anyone ever tested that number?

If so, how?

I'd be interested in testing my pin weight, but have no clue on how do to this.

Factory pin weight doesn't include any factory or dealer-installed options, or any of your stuff. And on some models, it may not include "forced options" because manufacturers sometimes private label the coaches without those forced options.

If you go to the Goshen Rally, there may be a team there doing individual wheel weights on truck and trailer. The pin weight is derived from that.

You can also go to a Truck Stop with CAT Scale and take readings. For a small extra charge, you can take 2 readings. The first reading is with both truck and trailer. Truck is positioned on one scale and trailer on the other so there is a separate weight for each. Then pull off the scales, go back to the parking lot next to the scale and unhitch. Then weigh the truck. The difference in truck weight between the two weighings is your pin weight. The difference between the sum of truck and trailer, and truck alone, is your trailer Gross Vehicle Weight.

On ours, the first reading might be 13,500 for the truck and 12,500 for trailer. The second would be 10,000 for the truck. 13,500 (loaded truck) - 10,000 (unloaded truck) = 3,500 pin weight. 13,500 (loaded truck) + 12,500 (trailer axle weight) = 26,000 for combined weight, less 10,000 truck weight = 16,000 trailer GVW.

Last time we weighed, our actual pin weight was 3,700 vs a factory spec of 2,620.
 

Oregon_Camper

Well-known member
If you go to the Goshen Rally, there may be a team there doing individual wheel weights on truck and trailer. The pin weight is derived from that.

I wish!! We're still ~7 years (goal is by age 57) from retirement and Goshen is a weeeee bit to far from Oregon to squeeze in this rally. Someday!!! :)

You can also go to a Truck Stop with CAT Scale and take readings. For a small extra charge, you can take 2 readings. The first reading is with both truck and trailer. Truck is positioned on one scale and trailer on the other so there is a separate weight for each. Then pull off the scales, go back to the parking lot next to the scale and unhitch. Then weigh the truck. The difference in truck weight between the two weighings is your pin weight. The difference between the sum of truck and trailer, and truck alone, is your trailer Gross Vehicle Weight.

On ours, the first reading might be 13,500 for the truck and 12,500 for trailer. The second would be 10,000 for the truck. 13,500 (loaded truck) - 10,000 (unloaded truck) = 3,500 pin weight. 13,500 (loaded truck) + 12,500 (trailer axle weight) = 26,000 for combined weight, less 10,000 truck weight = 16,000 trailer GVW.

Last time we weighed, our actual pin weight was 3,700 vs a factory spec of 2,620.

Ok...Now I know how to do this. We have scales along freeways that I could pull into and do this.
 

Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
Put your entire rig on a truck scale that dose axles weights.
You have steer axle weights, rear axle weights, and Trailer axle weights.
Then drop the trailer and go back and re-weigh the truck. It's usually $10 for first weight then $2 for a re-weigh if you do it on the same day.
You will subtract the rear axle weight with the trailer from the rear axle weight without the trailer.
That is your pin weight.
Hope this make sense

Jerrod



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Abear79

Well-known member
I know what Heartland say my Pin Weight is (from factory), but has anyone ever tested that number?

If so, how?

I'd be interested in testing my pin weight, but have no clue on how do to this.


Go to a truckstop with a CAT scale. and when you get aligned on the scale( you will see the different pads for different axles) Push the button give them a company name and tell them first wieght. Make up a company name we did Hebert-RV. then they will tell you to pull around. Go in pay, unhook the rv go through tell them second weight and same company name. go in and they will print you up a ticket with all your weights on it.
 

CoveredWagon

Well-known member
To anyone who has measured an actual pin weight, how much did your loaded pin weight increase over the factory pin weight ?
 

Abear79

Well-known member
I found my weight papers. Factory was 2020 new pin weight was 2900. I was off by 600 lbs. sorry It cost 21 bucks
 

Paradise2

Active Member
I know what Heartland say my Pin Weight is (from factory), but has anyone ever tested that number?

If so, how?

I'd be interested in testing my pin weight, but have no clue on how do to this.

Hubby said to take it to a CAT scale - truck stop (Pilot etc) weigh the front and back axle of the truck without the axle. Then hook the 5th wheel up to the truck and weight the truck with the 5th attached and subtract the back axle weight from the total of the truck and 5th wheel. Also go to BW website and there is a calculation form you can use. Trailer towing.com also. I have a copy of the form that I can send you via phone email as I can't do it on my mac.

Lynette
 

Gaffer

Well-known member
I know what Heartland say my Pin Weight is (from factory), but has anyone ever tested that number?

If so, how?

I'd be interested in testing my pin weight, but have no clue on how do to this.

Easy to do in Oregon. The roadside scales are often closed but always functioning. Drive your truck over the pad weighing front and rear axles separately. Come back with your trailer and weigh the truck front and rear then the trailer axles. The difference between your truck rear axle weight with and without the trailer is your pin weight. No cost. And with the scales closed, you have all the time in the world to jockey around and get individual tire weight if you want.

My published dry weights are:
Pin 2210
Total 12225
Axles 10015

My loaded weights are:
Pin 2940
Total 14390
Axles 11450
 
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ksucats

Well-known member
OK, I'm apparently missing something. Several have mentioned doing both front and rear axle weights, then removing the trailer, reweigh the truck and then subtract the rear axle weight without from the rear axle weight with the trailer.

My confusion is this - since my hitch sits right on top of the rear axle, or perhaps a bit in front, the addition of the coach adds weight to not only the rear but also to the front axle. Hence, subtracting the weight from only the rear axle will not give a true pin-weight as we also need to determine how much the front axle lost or gained. This also happens to be one of the reasons air-bags are added to the rear suspension - to level the tow vehicle and put some of that weight back on the front axle (per reading of the ads / spec sheets for Ride-Rite air bags.)

Now, this also affects those with travel trailers with weight-distributing hitches. Their purpose is to level the tow vehicle by putting weight, via leverage if I'm thinking correctly, back on the front wheels. Improves handling, braking, etc.

The best solution I see in post above is to take the total weight of the tow vehicle alone, subtract it from the weight of the tow vehicle with the trailer attached, and then that difference is your actual pin weight (the amount of weight added by your trailer via its pin).
 
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Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn

Well-known member
This is true but we're thinking about only a few pounds off ...
I'm my case there was a 20 lbs difference
6ae155c203bb2df3c4733e459b9aa18e.jpg



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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
The sticker on ours says 2015. At the 2011 Goshen rally, it weighed in at 2950.


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Gaffer

Well-known member
OK, I'm apparently missing something. Several have mentioned doing both front and rear axle weights, then removing the trailer, reweigh the truck and then subtract the rear axle weight without from the rear axle weight with the trailer.

My confusion is this - since my hitch sits right on top of the rear axle, or perhaps a bit in front, the addition of the coach adds weight to not only the rear but also to the front axle. Hence, subtracting the weight from only the rear axle will not give a true pin-weight as we also need to determine how much the front axle lost or gained. This also happens to be one of the reasons air-bags are added to the rear suspension - to level the tow vehicle and put some of that weight back on the front axle (per reading of the ads / spec sheets for Ride-Rite air bags.)

Now, this also affects those with travel trailers with weight-distributing hitches. Their purpose is to level the tow vehicle by putting weight, via leverage if I'm thinking correctly, back on the front wheels. Improves handling, braking, etc.

The best solution I see in post above is to take the total weight of the tow vehicle alone, subtract it from the total weight of the tow vehicle/trailer combined, and then that difference is your actual pin weight (the amount of weight added by your trailer via its pin).

Since it is right over the axle, little if any weight will transfer to the front.
 

avvidclif

Well-known member
OK, I'm apparently missing something. Several have mentioned doing both front and rear axle weights, then removing the trailer, reweigh the truck and then subtract the rear axle weight without from the rear axle weight with the trailer.

The best solution I see in post above is to take the total weight of the tow vehicle alone, subtract it from the total weight of the tow vehicle/trailer combined, and then that difference is your actual pin weight (the amount of weight added by your trailer via its pin).

By your figuring my pin weight is 15,100. Tow vehicle is 8240 and total weight is 23,340. ?????
 
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