F-350 gvwr

[Dave012]

I weighed my truck and Sundance today, and I think I’m fine on most ratings but one, GVWR, and it surprised me. Here are my weights hitched, with family including dogs, and with a full tank of water (as we are dry camping) and fuel:
F-350 SRW 6.4L crew cab
Front Truck Axle 5,300 (gawr 6,000)
Rear Truck Axle 6,230 (gawr 6,900)
Truck, both axles 11,470 (gvwr 11,400)

Sundance 3300 RLB Weights
Pin 2,530 (20.9% of total weight)
Front Axle 4,630 (gawr 6,000)
Rear Axle 4.960 (gawr 6,000)
Total Weight 12,120 (gwr 13,900)

Combined 21,060 (gcvwr 23,000 or 23,500, I can’t remember)

I know I can drop some of the pin weight by not taking water (when we’re not dry camping) but this just seems odd to me that we’re well within all of the other ratings, but not the GVWR of the truck. I suspect people aren't towing a Sundace with more than a 1 ton truck.

Is my pin weight too high? 21% seemed reasonable to me.
I could stand to lose a few pounds, but is there something else I can (or should) do?

Thanks, Dave

 

[shriver63]

I really don't see a problem. You are under the front axle rating and rear axle rating and the gross combined weight. Looks like you have a great setup. The weight police on here will tell you differently most likely

 

[pmmjarrett]

If you are full of fuel, once you burn 10 gallons (which won't take long if your 6.4 is as bad on fuel as most are) you'll be dead on.

Of course you can move 70 lbs of Mama's clothes out of the closet to the back of the camper too...... or if ya don't wanna take that beating, take 70 lbs of stuff from the basement and move it to the back of the trailer.

 

[Bighurt]

I don't think I'd sweat the 70 lbs.

We have the same setup, mine doesn't even squat with the Sundance on her back, just sits level. I'm a huge proponent of proper weight, the wife has weighed everything going in the trailer. You may just need to re-arrange a few things.

Also I think the fresh water tank is over the tandems, can anyone confirm?

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Dave, if those are your weights while hitched, the front and rear axle weights on your truck INCLUDE your hitch weight. Therefore your trailers axle weight (9590 combined) plus your trucks total weight of 11470, are under your combined weight. You should really weigh your truck empty. Fords are heavier than Chevy & Dodge trucks. Your hitch weight is probably less than you are figuring. Either way, your weights are fine, I wouldn't worry.

 

[jmgratz]

Just a thought. Why carry full tanks (any or all of them) if you do not need them? You gray and black tanks should be emptied before leaving the campground or at least at the first possible time. The fresh water tank shold only be filled when you will be needing it. When traveling we only keed about 1/3 or less in ours. Just enough to flush the toilet while on the road. Water is heavy and that is the easiest place to save weight. Also if you have a toyhauler with a fuel tank, do you need travel with the tank full or can you fill it when you get close to your destination? Just some suggestions.

 

[Dave012]

Thanks everybody for responding. The truck feels fine when pulling it, and like Bighurt's, it doesn't squat either. I had done as Ray suggested and dropped the trailer and weighed the truck alone (with everything/everybody still in it, and that's how I computed the pin weight on the trailer. Had my DW rolling her eyes as she asked whether all of this was necessary, but she also wants to be safe.

I don't think I'll change a thing, other than as DW adds more stuff, it'll probably go towards the back of the trailer, and should therefore reduce the pin weight a bit.

Jim, the reason we had the full water tank was because on this trip we need it. Most we don't, and we won't fill it. We always dump the black and grey before setting out, so those are empty.

Thanks again everbody. Nothing like a peace of mind.

 

[jcarnevale]

Also I think the fresh water tank is over the tandems, can anyone confirm?

Here's a picture I took last week at the factory. This is the Sundance line, not sure which model but I believe they are all similar below the floor. Looks like the fresh water tank is on or just in front of the forward axle, which would make perfect engineering sense for towing with the fresh water tank full for dry camping.

Jay


After a little research it looks like a 3300QS floor plan?

 

[Dave012]

So I decided to switch up the weight a little bit, and moved about 80 lbs from the front to the back of the trailer, which should be a drop in 160 lbs off of the pin weight. And, on the trip back I also wasn't carrying anything in the fresh water tank (and nothing in the black or grey), which was likely a bigger difference in pin weight.

The interesting thing was the distinct difference in chucking. On the way there, with the higher pin weight we had no chucking. On the way back, we had chucking, which the DW commented on as it was quite noticable. I have heard others comment on the forum before about chucking potentially coming from lower pin weights, which seemed to be the situation with us. I would have weighed it again on the way back, but I think the DW would have thought that a little over the top.

I'll put some weight back on it, and see how it goes on our next trip in a couple of weeks.

Dave