Weight Calculation Check? 2024 Micro Minnie 2108FBS

[Wmlunt-WO]

Just weighed my new set up and think my tongue is a bit light, stepped up to 1000 lb bars on the bluox sway pro as the 750 lb bars took a permanent set last year.

State: Empty grey, 10 gal fresh, 5 gal black, 1-1/2 20 lb tanks propane

CAT scale numbers
10940 total
4900 trailer only, on hitch
5560 jeep only

10940-5560‎ = 5,380 Trailer weight

5380-4900‎ = 480 Tongue weight?

5380/2‎ = 2,690 Trailer axle?

Are my calcs correct?
A bit light on the tongue I think
Thx! Bill

 

[creativepart]

Are the weights fully loaded with typical passengers, fuel, water, full camp setup?

The ideal tongue weight for a travel trailer should be between 10% and 15% of the trailer's gross loaded weight (GTW)

 

[Gunny Rio]

Trailer axle weight would need to be: (Trailer weight - tongue weight) / 2

Your weights seems to align with my slightly shorter1708FB fully loaded weight (500-lbs on tongue, 4800 total)

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

Thanx Gunny!

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

Creative, yes I have all of the typical weights included.
I am a bit confused on where the weight of the hitch should be applied, to the trailer weight or the TV weight?
BluOx sway pro has a heavy hitch and bars.
Maybe I should have released them when weighing the trailer on the scale but still attached to the TV? Likely only about 75 lbs…
Thx! Bill

 

[bcborn]

Your Jeep weight, is it with trailer on ball. if so it will increase the jeeps rear axle weight. Were equalizer bars applied. Remember when equalizer bars are applied trailer tongue weight moves from hitch ball to trailer and tow vehicle. Applies weight to the tow vehicles front axles from the rear.

I found the best way is to weight the tow vehicle separately Front wheels on one pad, rear wheels on second pad (gives you rear axle weight). Next place tow vehicle front wheels on one pad, rear wheels on 2nd pad and trailer axles and jack on 3rd pad if you can.

Worse case place tow vehicle front wheels on one pad, rear wheels on 2nd pad and trailer axles on 3rd pad. No equalizer bars applied. The new 2nd pad weight will be the rear axle including tongue weight. Subtract new 2nd pad weight from original pad 2 jeep weight to get un equalized tongue weight. Add the un equalized tongue weight (calculated) to the 3rd pad weight to get the trailer weight.

Calculate 10%-15% of this weight to get required tongue weight. Take the Calculated unequalized tongue weight and see if it is in range.

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

The free scale I use at WM dump has only one scale.
I weighed both tow and towed, then weighed the tow vehicle separately.
This gives the tow vehicle weight for sure. Subtracting one from the other gives the trailer weight, for sure.
Getting the hitch weight I had the trailer on the hitch with bars on, weighing just the trailer.
Maybe i should have weighed just the tow vehicle, with bars attached? Then I could know how much the hitch weight is adding to the tow vehicle weight?
I certainly have a good total weight, and tow vehicle weight.
Subtracting gives me a certain trailer weight.
Not sure on the tongue load, but evidence showed the 750 lb bars took a set.
Maybe drive just the tow vehicle on, decouple everything, then just the trailer? Decouple everything and get those numbers? Just hate to hog the scale with that much time… how do others do it?
Just not sure if over the 750 lb load, or just bent from a summer of driving.
Thx! Bill

 

[ChrisRiley]

I weigh our tongue on a homemade scale. Very accurate, I might add. What ever that weight is, I add the weight of my WD hitch to get total weight on my truck's hitch. We weigh everything we put in the RV and truck and use a spreadsheet to tally up. Last trip, my Gross was within 25# of what the CAT scale said. Subtract Truck and it's payload and we get RV gross. Our tongue was 12%.

 

[bcborn]

"Maybe i should have weighed just the tow vehicle, with bars attached? Then I could know how much the hitch weight is adding to the tow vehicle weight?"

With trailer attached bars not engaged

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

Chris,
Not sure I want to go to that effort, then throw away the wood balance beam…
Thanks Bcborn, will try that next time we get a chance!
Bill

 

[eatSleepWoof]

This is my process for weighing a trailer:

1. Head to the scales with a full tank and no trailer or hitch. Get weight of both axles.
2. Hook up trailer and head back to the scales. Refill gas tank if the scale is far away. Get weight of all thee axles (2 on vehicle, one on trailer).

This makes it super simple to see the change in tongue weight, weight distribution as a result of the WD hitch setup, and the trailer axle(s) weight.

It helps that I've got a highway scale about 15 mins away from home.

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

Thanks EatSleepWoof, the only scale near me only has one section, and the exit side drops sharply off on one side only.
I can get the total easily, and the jeep I use to tow easily, it is just the trailer by itself which is more difficult.
I would need to decouple the trailer and leave it on the scale, which would likely irritate the commercial truckers that use the scale.

 

[ChrisRiley]

Weighing everything that goes into the RV and truck seems like it would be tedious. However, most things only have to be weighed once. Subsequent trips see us only weighing new additions to the load and those items which are variable. Food and beverages are variable. The Blackstone is not.

 

[bcborn]

If I used a government scale afterhours when closed. The scale still reads and truckers often avoid when they can.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

If I used a government scale afterhours when closed. The scale still reads and truckers often avoid when they can.

This is the way to do it.

Here in BC, highway scales (government ran) are closed on Sundays, but still operate if you drive in. That means there's no one around to hassle you, and you can get a proper weight measurement done.

What's more, if you show up at one of these scales during working hours (when staff are present) and happen to be overweight, they can and will hold you and force you to shed weight before you can drive off (or be towed away + pay fines). I've heard the horror stories from several folks.

 

[Pointyears]

This is the way to do it.

Here in BC, highway scales (government ran) are closed on Sundays, but still operate if you drive in. That means there's no one around to hassle you, and you can get a proper weight measurement done.

What's more, if you show up at one of these scales during working hours (when staff are present) and happen to be overweight, they can and will hold you and force you to shed weight before you can drive off (or be towed away + pay fines). I've heard the horror stories from several folks.

Stupid question, but how would they know? Would they physically look at your weight sticker?

 

[bcborn]

Yes, if they feel something is out of place (size of truck for size of trailer, truck not sitting level, trailer tongue high or low. etc..)

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Stupid question, but how would they know? Would they physically look at your weight sticker?

Yup, they'd simply look. They have similar authority to police, so if they wave you down, you'll have to sit there and wait for them to finish whatever they want to do. One look at your sticker vs. the numbers on the scale, and you can be in for a very bad day if you're over.

 

[Wmlunt-WO]

That’s why I bypassed it, even though it looked like no one was there…. Yikes