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Old 05-26-2018, 03:22 PM   #4
Bill
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: The mountains of Scottsdale, AZ, and the beaches of Maine
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Larry is right. You don't want to exceed the TM's weight ratings, but you also don't want to exceed your S-10's weight ratings. Check the Gross Axle Weight Rating Rear (on a sticker in the driver's door), and try not to exceed it. Remember that a TM's hitch weight is high. The rule of thumb is that 14% of the TM's total loaded weight comes down on the hitch - not the 10-11% that the usual RV sources tell you. So if your loaded ready-to-camp TM weighs 4000 pounds, the hitch weight will be as high as 560 pounds, and it all comes down on the S-10's rear axle. Yes, you should have a WDH.

Now add all the stuff you put in the back of your S-10, and you will find you are loading the S-10 rear axle pretty heavily.

How to get a picture of all this? Load up your TM ready to camp, load up the back of the S-10 with the weight you would put in it to go camping, put your wife in the front seat, and weigh the rig. It is quick (5 minutes), easy (just drive onto the three-plate platform), and cheap (about $11) any CAT scale (CATScale.com for locations). You'll never know for sure until you check it.

Bill
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