We took his to the local highway scales. Truck is a 2007/5.9L Cummins/48RE/4x4/2500/Megacab. Trailer is a 39' Open Range 5er with 5 slides. Sorry I don't have the model number handy. It is a 2012, 399BHS maybe?
The numbers are as follows, note all weights were with both of us in the truck = 440#:
Truck:
Front axle: 4750#
Rear axle: 3210#
Total: 7960# (with the two of us in it = 440#) Truck curb weight with 5er hitch etc. in it = 7520#.
Some math...
5er pin weight: ~2000#
5er weight: 11,800#
Interestingly, he's over GVWR by 950# (with both of us in the truck), but under GCWR and both GAWRs. The scales are a bit of a drive from my house. The truck's engine is bone stock, truck has 40,000 miles on it. It handled the 39' 5er every bit as good as my 3500 SRW handles my RV (that is 36.5' and ~2000# lighter).
When we first hit the scale, he had 30 psi in the air bags, we dropped them to 10 psi as the truck was too high in the rear IMO. Dropping it to 10 psi levelled the truck out, but added some "chucking" on the drive home. He'll have to experiment to come up with a bag pressure that reduces chucking but doesn't jack the back end of the truck up too much.
He also has one of these he got installed on the 5er's king pin:
***I should point out the picture is a bit deceiving, the RV isn't quite as nose high as it appears in the picture. When I took that picture, the combo was stopped in the middle of the scale paved area, and it is crowned noticeably (for drainage). The RV was on one side, the truck was on another. If you look at the truck, it too appears nose down/rear high as it is on the opposite side of the slope.
The RV does ride nose high, but not as much as it appears in the picture.
* This post was
edited 06/13/12 09:09am by ib516 *
2010 Cougar 322QBS 5er
2007 Dodge 3500 SRW Megacab, 4x4, 5.9L Cummins, 3.73, 48RE auto HYPERTECH MAX ENERGY or DIABLO PREDATOR tuning MBRP 4" Turbo back Scangauge2 for Boost, Coolant temp, Rail press & Trans Temp
Torklift Stable Loads
Two things I immediately see. First his trailer is really nose high. This is falsely unloading the truck and loading the axles of the trailer. He needs to get it level.
Second there is nothing he can do to reduce/eliminate his overloading situation short of a dually.
At least he has some numbers, but he really needs to get the more truck.
Donn,Lorri,Max (The Rescued Lab)
Resident Know It All
Another one mysteriously pulling weight off the front axle??? Why don't the trailer manufacturers build their units to tow level behind the new trucks? I think if I ever have to go duals I will get a flat deck partially to aid in leveling.
2011 F350 SRW short box 4x4 CC 6.7 PS King Ranch
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2003 Citation Supreme 34 RLTS
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
Nice truck and camper, but i also noticed that nose high situation, i think putting an additional load on the trailers rear axle.
With todays trucks HIGH bed rails, all brands, you getting that level ride between the TV & RV are becoming more of a challange.
Yes the landing gear are down in the pic. We were in the process of hitching or unhitching (can't remember which) when I snapped the pic.
It does ride a bit nose high though. We noticed that too and attempted to adjust for it. We weighed each TRAILER AXLE individually. At first, the rear RV axle was carrying about 1000# more than the front.
We tried this to remedy that:
- dropping some air our of the air bags of the truck, which
- lowers the back of the truck, which in turn
- lowers the nose of the RV, which
- lowers the weight differential between the RVs front and rear axle.
It did work some, but we couldn't get the front and rear RV axles to weigh the same. The front still had 800# less load on it than the rear, though both were also well under their GAWRs (trailer axles).
We hadn't let any air out of the bags yet when I took the pic.
Funny number's Ian. The Open Range 40'er's must be 12k dry?
Like 4x4 said why are the front axles getting lighter when hitched ?
Just me but I'd let some air out cause that front cap isn't close to being level.
Not sure what suspension his RV has but setting in that position the rear axle is going to be carrying much more weight. I suspect the rear ST tires won't last to long.
downtheroad wrote: I don't know.... numbers, numbers (ya, I know, numbers tell the story) but.....for me, a 39 ft. 5 slide 5th wheel needs more truck than a 2500/250..
I would tend to agree, generally speaking. However, it works out like this:
Combo is under the following ratings:
- Truck Front GAWR
- Truck Rear GAWR
- Truck GCWR
- Truck maximum tow rating
- Trailer GVWR
- Trailer GAWRs
Combo exceeds the following rating:
- Truck GVWR
If it was hitched to my truck, it would be under every rating, and the only difference between the two trucks is mine has more rear leaf springs from the factory. He has added air bags, and he almost doesn't need them. 30psi in each bag jacked the back end of the truck way up, and 10 psi in the bags made it sag to level.
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