RockyMtnRay
01-17-2004, 02:20 PM
As I've occasionally mentioned, one of the smartest things I've ever done safety-wise was to get my rig (TV & TM) weighed at an RV Safety Foundation weigh-in. They use portable scales and give you the weight on each of the tires of both your tow vehicle and trailer. The tow vehicle is weighed with and without the trailer hooked up so you can determine your hitch weight...and how well you're distributing the hitch weight with a WDH. Because TM builds many of its models with all the tanks on the street (off-door) side, that side of your TM can be over 200 lbs heavier than the curb (door) side if those tanks are full. Or, in other words, your TM's total axle weight (as measured at a regular scale) may be within limits yet the street side tire could be dangerously overloaded thus giving you a false sense of security.
These events are an evening seminar about RV loading, tire capacities, etc. followed by a weigh-in the next day. My local RV dealer hosted the one I attended so I didn't even have to pay a fee...this may or may not be the case at a seminar nearer to others but in any case I don't think the fee is terribly large ($20?). The link below has the 2004 schedule...I suggest you contact the host organization several months in advance to get on the weigh-in schedule as the limited number of slots at each location fills quite fast.
http://www.rvsafety.org/schedule.cfm
These events are an evening seminar about RV loading, tire capacities, etc. followed by a weigh-in the next day. My local RV dealer hosted the one I attended so I didn't even have to pay a fee...this may or may not be the case at a seminar nearer to others but in any case I don't think the fee is terribly large ($20?). The link below has the 2004 schedule...I suggest you contact the host organization several months in advance to get on the weigh-in schedule as the limited number of slots at each location fills quite fast.
http://www.rvsafety.org/schedule.cfm