I bumped the WD Hitch up to be just one notch more agressive, the bars are now at the second to most aggressive setting. The bars wouldn't consistantly mount onto the most aggressive setting so this will have to do. Wifey also spent 2-days stocking the trailer so a little bit of weight has been added. Here's what I weighed at today:
Armada with Trailer attached +1 notch on the Equal-i-zer bars for more aggressive WD (and +180-lbs of additional gear):
Bob - interesting data. You didn't by any chance get a weight of just the trailer, not hooked to the Armada? Would like to know the tongue and axle weight of the trailer, to see how it compares to the weights when it is hooked to the Armada.
Did you weigh with the Armada empty, or with people / cargo? How about fuel? What did you have in the trailer? Batteries, propane, water, beer, ?????
Keith
__________________
06 Armada LE, 4WD, Red Brawn, QX56 Wheels
00 Maxima SE, Manual Trans
65 Buick Skylark Gran Sport Convertible, 401 ci, 64,000 orig miles
Prowler Lynx 826M Travel Trailer, 26', 5000#'s "How often we fail to realize our good fortune in living in a country where happiness is more than a lack of tragedy."
--Paul Sweeney, author
I couldn't unhitch on the scale because there were also trucks weighing. The TT has 2-full propane bottles, they're the upgraded bigger ones (35lbs maybe??). I was by myself in the Armada with the Equal-i-zer hitch included in both weighings.
I was putting the TT in storage so the fridge is empty and it's minus our clothes we would pack for traveling. Everything else, we've just been keeping in there. I really think only the fresh water and holding tanks could make much of a difference in these weights, we just wouldn't be packing anything that would make enough of a difference other than packing bottled drinking water into the rear storage bin.
Pops - great data thanks for the PM
So if I am reading this correct you have 200lbs left on the GVWR once you hook up the trailer - correct?
Pretty amazing considering the fact that you have 2900 lbs left on the GCWR...
Was the dry hitch-weight actual or by the manufacturer? You are hitting it right on with the 800lbs so guessing actual
The added weight with the TT is 5900 so 12% of that is 708 -- 800 / 5900 = 13.56% so you should have some room to adjust to get more weight of the car
What it does prove (to me) is that I made the right decision. I would have been going out with 4 adults and 1-2 kids in the car quite frequently and even at 2 Adults and 1 kid I would have been pushing that GVWR. Now lots of people can choose to ignore it, but guess I can't.
Thanks Pop - this is fantastic information backing up a paper exercise
__________________
Armada 08 LE, 4wd, Tech, DVD, Tow Package
The mfg rating according to the website says it's 800-lbs Dry Hitch. According to my math on the Armada Axles, it actually is 800-lbs with 2-full propane tanks. So, according to this particular TT, the MFG specs are dead on with full propane.
My goal here was to get an idea of how close Jayco's mfg specs are compared to how much they actually add to the Armada's GVW.
I have to agree that you made the right choice on that TT and should feel good about it.
Now, also keep in mind that some bigger TT's that are heavier but have lighter dry hitch weights so not all big TT's are out of the question. The 29FBS is a perfect example. Check this out, the TT is 1,000-lbs heavier than mine but the hitch weight is 100-lbs lighter. This is one that I think would be cool to have, the layout looks nice on paper.
By re-weighing after adjusting the WD hitch to be more aggressive, I'm hoping we'll see from the axle weights what kind of affect WD has on the Armada's GVW, if any at all.
On a side note, I think it's funny that the same floorplan in a Jay Feather (the 28R model) is only 300-lbs lighter with 55-lbs less on the hitch. Makes me feel alot better about not spending more $$$ for a light-weight.
Does it cost you anything to get the trailer weighed? If you are over the weight limits for your rig, do these weigh stations report you to some authority or is it merely informational?
I am pretty confident that I am within weight limits, but have never done the official weigh in.
It cost me $9.00 for the initial weigh and it costs only $1.00 for each re-weigh within 24-hrs. The ticket has a weigh number on it that is used for reference to re-weigh.
Nothing gets reported to anyone, they're only there to help those of us who want to try to stay within specs. The scalemaster was puzzled and asked me why I was weighing. When I explained to him what I'm learning about towing a TT with a 1/2-ton, he said this was the first RV he ever had weigh on the scales and I told him there's also probably quite a few people traveling overweight because of not weighing.
Weighing -- not sure how to look in the phone books, but I called up a local moving company when I wanted to weigh the Armada. They said that they have a scale there and get quite a few people come by all they charge is $7 and they gave me "official" ticket checked that I was in the car and their stamp on it. IF you just want it for your own records I am sure the guy would be willing to write it down on a note-pad and pocket $5
__________________
Armada 08 LE, 4wd, Tech, DVD, Tow Package
29FBS -- Pops - that is the one I had a Contract for.... It is a very nice model and heck I even considered getting a real truck to keep it. Then I realized that if I went with a truck then I would prefer a true 5-th wheel over a TT....
EDIT - nevermind we were getting the 28RBDL that is 6,445 with a tounge weight of 780
Yeah the tounge weight is officially 735, but if you add batteries up front that will add some to it. The other thing I think I told you is that if you buy a new Jayco (and actually most other brands we looked at) they have the actual weights for your unit on one of the cabinet doors -- it is stapled to the actual cabinet door often the first one you see as you step in or at least around the door. Each unit is slightly different depending how it is equipped so they have to have this. Now you bought a used so likely that the previous owner threw it away.
__________________
Armada 08 LE, 4wd, Tech, DVD, Tow Package
That 28RBDL looks like it's spec'd to have a 780-lb dry hitch weight which seems to be close to what we're discussing. I'm not sure how many batteries you're wanting but mine has one battery with the propane tanks. A second battery weighs, what maybe 40-lbs??
I'm guessing you might also be taking some trips with fresh water in the tank (and I won't) so placement of the fresh water tank in relation to the TT axles is something that you might also want to consider.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
Linear Mode
