What does your "stuff" weigh?

[SilvrT]

Duplicating this from the "Intro" forum ...

I'm retiring in July (wife is already retired) and we're planning on becoming full-time RVers for a couple years at least. Plan to travel to East coast Canada, then down to Florida, back across to New Mexico, maybe the Baja, and back here for the required 6 months and away we will go again.

Have done a lot of research on this topic and we've settled on a truck / 5th wheel setup for our travels. Got the truck ('03 Ford F350 V10) already set up for a 5th wheel. Now we're narrowing down what 5th wheel we want.

Currently looking at 2 units of the same make and year. One is a "light" version, the other a standard. The light version is 31.5 ft and has a GVWR of 9995 Lbs with a ccc of 2500. The standard is 33.5 ft and 12300 GVWR (appx) with ccc of 3500.

I've calculated out the available ccc for our "stuff" after factoring in the holding tanks weight when full and what "stuff" we'll carry in the truck.

The light model will leave us with appx 1250 lbs for our stuff and the standard model will be appx 1900 lbs.

So, I'm a bit "on the fence" between the two of them coz I just don't know what "stuff" weighs.

Hoping folks here can shed some light on this for me.

What does your "stuff" weigh (clothes, bedding, dishes, pots 'n pans, cutlery, food, miscellaneous items, etc)

A bit undecided which way to go at this time...

[oldbird]

On our six month trips the 5er weighed 12K and when at Mor/ryde they weighted it at 16K. Stuff weighs a lot! lol

[SilvrT]

Originally Posted by oldbird

On our six month trips the 5er weighed 12K and when at Mor/ryde they weighted it at 16K. Stuff weighs a lot! lol

Thanks M8T. I figure my "stuff" don't weigh much but my wife's on the other hand ..... LOL

BTW, we've made our decision and going to buy the "standard" model with the larger ccc. Hopefully pick it up this weekend.

[hobo2]

My 2016 DRV38rssa and F-350 dually 2016 was just over 29,000lbs spare 50gal fuel tank. My wife had a big breakfast.

[wingnut60]

SilvrT,
Hope the new unit works out as you plan. One piece of advice as to weight of 'stuff'--take the trailer straight to a scales BEFORE you add anything to it for camping/living. Get all the correct figures for the axle weight and the pin weight. Once you have these numbers, you will know where you stand for adding your 'stuff'--but probably the trailer as you pick it up will weigh MORE than you think, and your 'stuff' will also weigh more than you think. 'Stuff' also seems to gain weight just sitting around, kind of like us...
Again, can't emphasize enough that you weigh it BEFORE you start adding anything--you will never again have this chance to know where you stand before making it yours--don't take published weights or anything they tell you for gospel.
Joe

[Rhagfo]

We are full timing in a 32’ 5er with a 12,360# GVWR and a CCC of 2,106# after not including 374# of FW. We not weighed in the last year, but based on last weights likely right at 1,800# of stuff.

[Notanlines]

We weighed the Raptor before the sale, loaded for travel without the motorcycle and gear and then again when it was empty headed to the new owner and just like Rhagfo, it was 1900 pounds. Where does this "stuff" come from?

[CHAPS2018]

We are 2+ dogs, four season, camp about 60 nights/yr and our stuff is 1200lbs

[Deb Phelps]

Originally Posted by wingnut60

SilvrT,
Hope the new unit works out as you plan. One piece of advice as to weight of 'stuff'--take the trailer straight to a scales BEFORE you add anything to it for camping/living. Get all the correct figures for the axle weight and the pin weight. Once you have these numbers, you will know where you stand for adding your 'stuff'--but probably the trailer as you pick it up will weigh MORE than you think, and your 'stuff' will also weigh more than you think. 'Stuff' also seems to gain weight just sitting around, kind of like us...
Again, can't emphasize enough that you weigh it BEFORE you start adding anything--you will never again have this chance to know where you stand before making it yours--don't take published weights or anything they tell you for gospel.
Joe

this is a great way to put it... "It will way more just sitting around". i think it multiplies while its waiting and gaining too

i remember the lady behind the scales counter said well just go empty it and we can weigh it again . ALL my worldly possessions it took me and both my adult kids helping me over a month to downsize and get me situated and she thought id be able to empty all by myself right there at the truck stop scales. yes weigh first. i hear it can cost lots if we try to plead ignorant and are over weight at random highway stops. so i have been to shy to throw money at that issue again. i am curious tho too. but not that curious . luckily everyone i run into says there is no way i am over especially since i am the only one this thing has to fit.

[OneReallyOldGuy]

I did it backwards. Loaded up the truck with all our stuff, weighed it then dumped it all in the trailer. Reweighed and lo and behold we just put 1240lbs. of “stuff” in our new trailer.
I’m off to the CAT scale tomorrow in our loaded to travel 39DBRS3 and I’ll have to do some math to figure out what my “mty” weight was. The dealer says it’s 17,400. We’ll see........
I’ll keep you posted.

[wingnut60]

Deb,
Don't get hung up on worrying about being stopped for overweight--never heard of it happening--'random highway stops', doesn't happen. You will have to be doing something stupid--speeding/weaving/etc--and you still won't be weighed, just cited/warned for what prompted the stop.