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techntrek View Drop Down
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Trailer Weight
    Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 11:02am
If you don't have a "beefy" bathroom scale like Bill, here's a trick for measuring your tongue weight at home.  Divide the load half-and-half using a lever. 
 
Get a 2 by 4 about 2 feet long, lay it on its narrow side for strength (the lever).  Get 2 more short pieces of 2 by 4 about 6 inches long.  Put the bathroom scale under one end of the lever, with one of the short pieces laying flat between the top of the scale and the lever (to spread the load).  Under the other side of the lever lay the other short piece and then whatever you can find that will stand as tall as the bathroom scale.  Now you can rest the tongue on the middle of the lever and the weight will be divided between the scale and the other side.  Multiply whatever reading you get from the scale by 2.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Camper Bob View Drop Down
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Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Location: Portland Oregon
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Posts: 913 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 7:25am
Whatever the extra weight from the tongue is, it still is not that important to me.  As I mentioned, I just wanted to get a ball-park idea of the weight I was pulling.  Will at some time take the trailer and unhitch it and get a true weight.  I have a 7,500 tow rating on my vehicle so whatever it weighs is just for statistical purposes.  Safe Travels.
Camper Bob and Camper Sue
Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund)
2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod)
2016 Lance 1685
2015 Nissan Pathfinder
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Bill-GA View Drop Down
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Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Cumming, GA
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Posts: 214 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 7:18am
I just travelled from GA to PA with my loaded 176T. Before I left I took a beefy bathroom scale that 'wraps' past 300# and put it under my pod tongue. It measured 380#. I'm pullin with a beefy truck and it ran pretty good ....  Except for some construction bumpy roads where I was hoping the tongue wouldn't pop off the ball!

It didn't!

. 
Bill & Bev
13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa'
2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out)
2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV
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Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Location: Edmonton AB Can
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Posts: 1004 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 12:50am
Hello Bob.
Your 171 dryweight is 2205#, add AC, furnace, microwave, LP bottles, battery, fridge, and gen. your adding about 450 to 500# so your trailer is at about 2700# and you haven't put anything of your own stuff into it.
If you want something done right, do it yourself.
2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd.


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Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Location: Ocean Shores, W
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Posts: 267 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2012 at 12:31am
Hey Bob,
 
If you just got axle weight for your trailer, don't forget that your tongue weight would need to be added to get the most accurate weight for your trailer-probably 300 lbs. or so  more.
'10 RP 175-Replaced by 2014 Kodiak 173 QBSL
'12 Toyota Tundra
'05 Sportster (half a Harley)
Retired-We're on Beach Time!
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Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Location: Portland Oregon
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Posts: 913 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2012 at 10:33pm
No.  Just the trailer.  Safe Travels.
Camper Bob and Camper Sue
Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund)
2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod)
2016 Lance 1685
2015 Nissan Pathfinder
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2012 at 5:26pm
Good to hear.  Did you get a weight on each axle?
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Joined: 26 Sep 2011
Location: Portland Oregon
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Posts: 913 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2012 at 10:00am
Thanks to Kwickstart and others I did go to a state scale.  As we were leaving Joseph, Oregon, fabulous place, we found a truck scale maintained and operated by the State of Oregon.  After Kwickstarts comments, drove right on the scale and asked if they would weigh it.  No problem.  Now for the weight.  We have a 171 with dual lp tanks and a larger size 27 battery.  Rest of the stuff is normal stuff.  Few gallons in fresh water tank.  Other tanks empty.  Total weight, 2,800 lbs.  Well within the limits of our TV which has a towing ability of 7,500 lbs.  Gas mileage total both ways at 55 was 10mpg.  Oh well.  Do have that big V8 to feed.  When we came home last night had the new clear cover for the shower and the new capacitor for the A/C.  Gonna have some fun on that very tall ladder.  Safe Travels. 
Camper Bob and Camper Sue
Gracie the Wonder Dog (12 LB. Mini Dachshund)
2013 Rpod 171HRE(ORPod)
2016 Lance 1685
2015 Nissan Pathfinder
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Joined: 29 Jul 2009
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Posts: 9062 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2012 at 3:56pm
Another free option may be the local dump - they weigh trucks coming in and going out for billing.  They may not mind if you show up during a slow time.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Location: Ocean Shores, W
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Posts: 267 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2012 at 12:30pm
Hey Bob,
 
I dunno about the Oregon DOT, but here in Washington State, the DOT scales along the freeway are usually available when not in use by the State Patrol for official truck weighing. Just pull off the freeway, set your wheels on the pad, and look in the window. There's also usually plenty of room to dehitch if you want to check your hitch weight or tow rig's weight. Free is lots cheaper than $9.50.
 
P/S My 175 weighs right at 3250 as I tow it loaded.
'10 RP 175-Replaced by 2014 Kodiak 173 QBSL
'12 Toyota Tundra
'05 Sportster (half a Harley)
Retired-We're on Beach Time!
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