Hitch Pin Weights & Other

[RickFox]

Advertised empty weight for the 3950 is 14043# and hitch pin weight is 3346#

The actual weight posted on a 2011 unit I looked at was 14697#. What would be the expected hitch pin weight on this unit?

Also, I assume that the following extra weight items must be added to the above 14697 figure:
1) Water - maybe 75 gal @ 8.33# = 625#
2) Propane - 60#
3) Gen and toy gas - 40 gal @ 6# = 240#
4) Battery - 30#

Total above = 954#

Assuming no waste fluids, this would up the total trailer weight to 15651, leaving a cargo carrying capacity of 2349#

My 2 Harleys weigh in at 750# each, leaving a remaining cargo capacity of 849#. This is the maximum weight of all other things I might load into the trailer: clothes, food, tools, etc.

Do these figures make sense?

 

[Rickhansen]

You are OK in figuring total weight in this manner, but there's not a good way to the calculate pin weight.
Remember that you are dealing with a big lever. Add weight in the rear of your 3850 and using the axles as a fulcrum, weight can/will come off the pin. Ride height of the trailer (truck/hitch setup) will also affect the weight distribution. You can also consider that either the front or rear axle can be carrying significantly more weight than the other. I saw someone's post recently that their rear axle was more than 1000 pounds heavier than the front axle due to the nose of their rig being 2-3 inches higher than the tail. Sid to side can be different as well.

You also need to factor for loading of the truck. Fuel, cargo, passengers, and the hitch also play in the dynamic against the GCVWR.

You can only take your best guess, or reach out to someone with a similar setup. As you start putting this together, find a Cat Scale locally to have your truck weighed, and then the truck and rig weighed together.

Unfortunately, your quite limited on the ability to adjust weight distribution other than some minor hitch adjustments and through loading.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Rick, to answer your question, yes. Your calculations make perfect sense. But as Rick says, it's very difficult to calculate pin weight. Too many factors affect it. If you're concerned about exceeding the capacity of your truck, you probably need a bigger truck. It's good to see that you're doing some homework though.

 

[RickFox]

In a round about way, I was asking a question but at the same time making a statement.

I am hoping the factory, or someone with a 3950, has actually measured the pin weight on an as-delivered 3950. It would be good to know what the starting point weight would be.

In a round about way, my statement was that it seems there is very little actual cargo capacity left once much of the fluids are added. I can easily add 1500# in food, tools, clothes, BBQ grill, chairs, etc. Adding this much would easily push the trailer weight above the GVWR of 18,000". The solution to this problem is to leave something else behind - water, gas, one of my Harleys???

What amazes me is that several guys I talked with at the recent Dallas RV show both wanted more garage space to haul more toys. One wanted to take 6 ATV's. Clearly they must not be concerned about being over weight!

 

[WilmanJim]

If you would see some of the Desert Rats that travel Southern California with triple axle Toy Haulers so overloaded and to begin with the trucks are 3' higher in the front than the rear it is so scary. Somehow they get there and back but sure has to be a lot of luck involved. The best thing to do it try to stay in front of them or wayyyy behind.

 

[porthole]

Advertised empty weight for the 3950 is 14043# and hitch pin weight is 3346#

The actual weight posted on a 2011 unit I looked at was 14697#. What would be the expected hitch pin weight on this unit?

Also, I assume that the following extra weight items must be added to the above 14697 figure:
1) Water - maybe 75 gal @ 8.33# = 625#
2) Propane - 60#
3) Gen and toy gas - 40 gal @ 6# = 240#
4) Battery - 30#

Total above = 954#

Assuming no waste fluids, this would up the total trailer weight to 15651, leaving a cargo carrying capacity of 2349#

My 2 Harleys weigh in at 750# each, leaving a remaining cargo capacity of 849#. This is the maximum weight of all other things I might load into the trailer: clothes, food, tools, etc.

Do these figures make sense?

Buy your self a scale for some piece of mind. I got the 5000 pound version of the scale on the bottom of this page.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#trailer-scales/=914bfr

Shop around, I got mine for $85 delivered.

My cyclone has a varying pin weight:
Pin weightGolf cart and bike2450Bike only2700Garage empty2800