greenworks

I weighed the truck and 5th wheel each set of tires at a time at a self weigh station. I assume the weights are in kilograms being I am in Canada here's what I recorded...

Front wheels 2010 kg (4431 lbs)

Drive wheels 1980 kg (4365 lbs)

Trailer (27' 5th wheel) axle(s) 2348 kg (5176 lbs)

What does this mean and am I loaded properly? Pull the 5ver all the time but never stopped at a scale. Kids needed a pee break and I figured kill two birds with one stone I have D range tires and they say 3100 lb am I to heavy? Sorry fellas but I have never done much reading in this area probably should

Thanks Jason

donhov

Need 2 more weights, truck only for each axle and trailer only without truck.

Add truck + trailer weight for total weight.
Figure difference between truck only with seperate axle weights and truck with trailer with seperate axle weights to figure loaded & unloaded axle weights. Finally figure difference between rear axle with trailer and without trailer for pin weight. Oh yeah add any extra weight on the front axle to get pin weight total. That should give you all the weight figures you need.

(I may have missed something but think it's all here).

greenworks

I see now why I never bothered , that would take a day at the scales!

so is there no information that I can learn from what i weighed

bulabula

Jason, you're in good shape. I believe the GVWR of your truck is 8800 lbs, and you're right there with the trailer hooked up (sum of front wheels and drive wheels) - the weight of the kids might put you over slightly but its nothing I would be concerned about. Your gross weight is about 13000 lbs, and I would think that you're trucks GCWR is higher than that - but I don't know for sure.

Your tires have a 3100 lb capacity (each), and with two of them on each axle, the tires can support 6200 lbs per axle - again, at approximately 4400 lbs per axle, you're not overloading the tires.

Having a 2500 you'll want to keep an eye on the weight - everything helps; and having boys, I know that having them pee can save some weight.....

csramsey640

Yeah, no problems. Im usually 3900 lbs front axle, 6200-6400 rear axle, and 16,000+ trailer axles, dont worry youll be fine

dodgeguy71

Did you say "D" rated tires?? Not "E" rated? There was a big debate on this sometime ago. I had "D" rated on my truck before and like someone else said it felt like the front was riding on sponges. I think the manufacturer specifies load range E because of the engine weight, somewhere around 1000#'s.

Here is a bit of what I found, https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ght=load+range
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ght=load+range

This is one that got me to buying my "E" range tires and what sadlerb 98 says about legal issues
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ght=load+range

I would'nt run the "D" rates, rather have to much than just enough or not enough at all. Just my .02

Steve034x4

hey Greenworks,

Here in Alberta they take a look the tire sidewall max weight rating and multiply by 4 to get your max weight. In BC they'll look at the door sticker.

Before buying my truck & slide in camper, I researched this some - wrote to the provincial ministries of transport and spoke with some guy in Ottawa. It was pretty cool - this guy actually answered his email ! Each province does it a bit differently, the point is to be safe.

I've been to BC many times now and am pretty certain that as long as you're not dragging your butt and lighting up the night sky with your headlights (i.e. you need to sit level and look safe) you should be oK as far as getting pulled over. Mind you, having the right tires and suspension makes for a safe ride - especially with family - so it's not worth cutting corners.

greenworks

Steve So based on this do you run D or e rated tires and should I be worried about my load.

Jason

Homestead

Hey Jason

I run way more weight than you, my enclosed is 3200 lbs empty and it's been as high as 12,000 sitting on the tires and I run a D rated tire.

Granted, I don't do it all the time, my weights with a loaded trailer are a little more than yours most of the time.

I wouldn't worry about it at all. I will agree with Steve, if you travel B.C. (Bring Cash) and "look" overwieght or poorly loaded, nose high, they will stop you.

I travel back and forth to the coast all the time towing and have only been hassled once about the trailer. It ended up that the cop was looking for something wrong and couldn't find anything.....weights, load, truck, trailer, nothing to be found, everything was proper.

What your running is not a concern, I wouldn't worry about it.

Jeff

Steve034x4

hi Jason,
Actually I run 'H' rated Michelin 245/70/19.5's. Got some custom wheels from the US as I couldn't find tires rated with sufficent capacity. Probably a bit over the top, but my camper gets loaded heavy when we travel cross country or on long trips to BC (we start out with a full fresh water tank as you don't really know where you'll wind up...). Heavy? I'll scale between 13-13,500 lbs at the self weigh. Send me a PM and I can pass along sources if you 'd like.
cheers, Steve

greenworks

my wife LOADS our 27 ft 5th wheel (roughly 8000 dry weight) and I also take a full tank of water everwhere also . The numbers I posted where weight on the axles, this whole thing confuses me which numer should I be more concerned about. axle weight or towing weight

DBF

We're always confused until we learn the subject. Then you know what to worry about. You're starting correctly, by asking questions.

I'll give a few notes and others will fill in what I miss.

The weight on a tire must not be more than the maker of the tire puts on the sidewall. It's hard to weigh one tire at a time, so most of us divide the axle weight by 2 and comparing that to the rating of one tire.

The axle is only capable of carrying so much weight. The truck mfr specifies this as Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Your observed axle weight must be less than the GAWR. My front axle GAWR is 4000# and my rear axle GAWR is 5450#. Your truck is newer, so your ratings are higher.

The truck has a combined weight called Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This is the total weight the mfr specifies the truck will support in total, loaded. My GVWR is 8810#. You sum the weights of the two axles to get gross vehicle weight - yours is about 8800# and (I'm certain) includes the "pin weight" of the trailer - that part of the trailer's weight that bears down on the kingpin.

It's nice to know the axle weight without the trailer pin weight on it - just the axle weight with an empty bed. Then you can tell how much weight you can put into the bed if you want to haul something like logs.

The trailer also has GAWR's for each axle. You look at the trailer tire ratings and compare with the axle weight. You weighed both axles, not each axle separately; you really should look at them separately so you know that you haven't loaded the trailer funny and overloaded one axle.

The trailer also has a GVWR just like the truck - the max the whole frame & axles will support, according to the mfr. Sum the two axle weights (your is 5176#, since you weighed them together) and add the pin weight to compare with the GVWR. My GVWR is 8500# for my 28' 5er.

To get the pin weight, get the rear axle weight without the trailer, then the rear axle weight with the trailer. The difference is the pin weight.

There's one other weight rating given by the truck mfr - GCWR - Gross Combined Weight Rating. This is the max the truck will support loaded and tow at the same time. To get your combined weight, add all the axle weights with the trailer attached to the truck.

The GAWRs, GVWR & GCWR are posted on the truck driver's door frame. The trailer's GAWRs and GVWR are on the trailer data plate.

Now you know how to prevent overloading a tire, overloading an axle, overloading the truck (or trailer) overall, and overloading the combination when hooked together.

A word on overloading. We all know the truck will carry more, tow more, and haul more, just like it will go faster than the speed limit. You overload at your own risk, just as you do when you speed.

Regards, DBF

greenworks

Excellent post clear as mud now. I have never really paid attention being I do not haul big loads but just the same was curious as to what I do tow. Now I know thanks!


I see I need to head back to the scales being I understand the matter at hand, wish there was a set close to me

Jason

Captain

I personaly dont think the letter "c" "d" "e" or what have you are worth a toot. I go by what the actually weight load is as listed on the tire. For instance my 35" BFG's load range D are like 3200# or so and my 39" michillian XL load range D are almost 4500# a tire. I've also had some load range E tires that were less then 3200#. so for me I just go by the weight listed on the tire and havnt had a problem yet. Thats my $0.02