I finally stopped at the Pilot down the street on my way home from our trip last week to weigh my whole rig. I got the true "ready-for-camping" numbers. I'm getting ready for my official tow report and had a few questions.
The scale had four areas.
On the first weigh, I left it all hitched and set up like this:
Area 1: Truck front tires
Area 2: Truck rear tires
Area 3: TT tires (both axles)
On the second weigh, I unhitched the TT and pulled the truck forward a little so that it was like this:
Area 1: Truck front tires
Area 2: Truck rear tires
Area 3: TT tongue
Area 4: TT tires (both axles)
We weighed with no people in the vehicle; nothing was added or removed between the weighs.
The printout only showed the gross plus three areas: "Steer", "Drive", and "Trailer". I was hoping for all four distinct numbers on the re-weigh. Also, there is a little disparity - the entire rig was 40 lbs. lighter on the 2nd go-round. It was $8.00 for the first weigh and $1.00 for the re-weigh.
Here were the numbers: FIRST (HITCHED); SECOND (UNHITCHED) GROSS:11,440; 11,400 STEER:3,340; 3,500 DRIVE:3,880; 3,060 TRAILER:4,220; 4,840
Here are my truck's specifications:
2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LS Crew Cab SB 4x4 6.0 liter gas
26 gallon tank (full for weighs)
4.10 rear end
LT285/75R16 Load Range D tires (Max Load Single: 3,300 lbs.)
GVWR: 9,200 lbs.
GAWR Front: 4,670 lbs.
GAWR Rear: 6,084 lbs.
Cargo Weight Rating: 2,455 lbs.
Max Trailer Weight: 9,900 lbs.
GCWR: 16,000 lbs.
Max Pin Weight: 3,300 lbs.
Questions:
1) On the re-weigh, I had four areas and the report only showed three numbers. Can I assume that the "Trailer" section on the readout added the 3rd (TT tongue) and 4th areas (TT tires) together?
2) What could account for the missing 40 lbs.?
3) I'm using a WD setup, but the front axle was heavier on the second weigh. I assume this means that the weight of the TT tongue on the rear axle lifting the front axle overpowered the additional weight to the front from the WD bars. Sound reasonable? The WD bars barely get any tension in them - I use the 5th link and I can usually unhook them by hand without the bar. I chalk it up to the 3/4 ton suspension - the truck doesn't squat at all when I lower the TT.
4) Why didn't the 4th area print out separately?
5) Any conclusions?
After reading the first responses, this question has been answered. . . I'm afraid my tires are overloaded even running unloaded. . . have I calculated it wrong? Don't know why the previous owner put D's instead of E's. . . as soon as these wear out, I'll put E's on it.
EDIT TO ADJUST TIRE RATING AND REMOVE ONE QUESTION
* This post was
edited 03/24/08 05:11pm by fickman *
2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Crew Cab SB LS 6.0L 4x4 4.10
DW, DD (born in May, 2007), and me
Personally, I think you got your weight rating for your tires wrong. My stock Passenger tires were rated higher than that...1900+ My E range are well over 3000 each. Your weights look good. Your trailer is not heavy enough to give the 2500 a good workout. I suggest that you double check your tire ratings.
04 Lariat Supercrew 4x4,5.4,3.73, Edge tuner, flowmaster duals
06 Trail Bay 31BH, nicely optioned
Equal-i-zer
Prodigy
Follow vehicle, 05 KIA Sorento EX for the golden retrievers.
Quote: LT285/75R16 Load Range D tires (Max Load Single: 1,500 lbs.)
You would be better off with stock LT245/75R16E's since they are several inches shorter than the 285's. BTW max load on 285 D's are about 3300 not 1500.
Quote: LT285/75R16 Load Range D tires (Max Load Single: 1,500 lbs.)
Sure it isn't 1500KG/3300lbs?
Yep - that's it! I'll fix it. I heard everybody else and was going nuts trying to find it online. . . I'm only 27 but I've got macular degeneration, so I missed those all-important letters next to the numbers when reading the sidewall. Thanks!
You would be better off with stock LT245/75R16E's since they are several inches shorter than the 285's.
Yep - when it's time to buy new tires, I plan to ask on here about the RPM implications of different sizes. Part of my tow report will include the fact that the oversize tires force me to lock the transmission into 3rd while towing, because 4th is running too low and has no power. I assume that going back to stock or putting 265's will let me tow in 4th at about 2500 RPM's at about 60 mph.
Thanks for the input!
btw: the new name is still throwing me off, but I laughed out loud when I saw it was you. . .
1. Assume nothing. You only get 3 weights from the scale. Get a Sherline if you want to know the actual tongue weight. Trying to get a tongue weight other than a "close" guess from a CAT scale is expensive and inaccurate.
2. See above. 40# is nothing for scale variance, 10 weighs will likely result in 10 different weights.
3. Your WDH is apparently doing nothing, but then with an aprox tongue weight of ~700# you dont need a WDH with that truck. Any handling problems?
4. See above. Truck scales are set up for big rigs, steer, drive, trailer axle.
No handling problems. . . only using a friction sway bar but it hasn't been an issue. I know I'm not towing heavy - about 50% of capacity and it's about as long as the truck. It's almost overkill, but my 1/2 ton truck didn't do so well. . . one of my problems was that it didn't come factory equipped with a tow package, so I was trying to make a grocery getter into a tow dog. 3.42 rear, no limited slip, added the tranny cooler, the hitch receiver, the wiring for the brake controller, the brake controller, etc., etc., etc. and was never fully comfortable. This new truck gave me plenty of capacity and allowed me to have a crew cab without sacrificing the standard bed.
No handling problems. . . only using a friction sway bar but it hasn't been an issue. I know I'm not towing heavy - about 50% of capacity and it's about as long as the truck. It's almost overkill, but my 1/2 ton truck didn't do so well. . . one of my problems was that it didn't come factory equipped with a tow package, so I was trying to make a grocery getter into a tow dog. 3.42 rear, no limited slip, added the tranny cooler, the hitch receiver, the wiring for the brake controller, the brake controller, etc., etc., etc. and was never fully comfortable. This new truck gave me plenty of capacity and allowed me to have a crew cab without sacrificing the standard bed.
So the way I figure (trying for my temporary Weight Police certification here):
Curb weight of the truck is ~ 6,500 lbs. (Taken from STEER + DRIVE on the unhitched weights.) I had about 150-200 lbs. of camping gear in the bed, so normal curb weight is around 6,400 lbs.
The TT is about 1,000 lbs. under it's GVWR. I never have water in the tanks (about 2-3 gallons in gray and black to slosh around, but no fresh and never a full waste tank). If I ever needed to fill a tank and tow, I have the room.
Nothing revolutionary here, but it was a fun experience. Fun to do the weighing, fun (and relaxing) to know your real weights, and fun to puff out the chest just a little more when I meet campers who don't know their real weights! (J/K - I'd never do that last one.)
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(J/K - I'd never do that last one.) 
