What it Really Weighs - Page 6

Mr. Adventure · 09-15-2010, 02:32 PM

Pop beavers, RE: "I'm not sure where reliability fits in the picture."

I'm pretty impressed with the way the TM's hold up and hold their value. You won't see so many other people still proud of their old travel trailers from other manufacturers (except maybe the Airstreams).

An old joke for an old computer guy:
The salesman, the software support engineer and the hardware support engineer were on their way to visit an important client. The salesman, having the nicest car, was driving, and on the way he had a flat tire.
Surveying the damage, he said "Oh #$&%$@#!!!, where can I buy a new car in time for our meeting?"
The software engineer said "Don't be silly. We'll just call somebody to come out and fix this for us."
The hardware engineer said "Aw c'mon. I can fix this myself and we'll be on our way in no time." So he took the spare out of the trunk and started swapping tires until he found the flat.

scrubjaysnest · 12-07-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ED-n-KEL

Apparently I'm wasting my breath, but I'll repeat for those new users actually trying to make an educated decision...
You never exceed the TC of your TV, just as you would never purposely plan to run 4500psi pressure through a hose designed for 3500psi.
Most products have a "safety factor" build in, but it's not for you as a user to discount this to fit your needs.
Saying that I can tow 4500 lbs behind a TV that is designed for 3500 lbs is an accident waiting to happen.

Let me see if I have this straight..... my tc is 7100# per the Dodge web site, no the sticker on the door says 6700#, No the factory hitch is 5000#/500# TW because I cannot use a WDH. Even verified this today with the TM factory "you can't use a WDH on some 2720SL's with the swing tongue" . Now lets look at the TM : the sticker says GAWR is 3640# and GVWR is 4217# all this on a per TM a 3500# axle???????????I'm so confused

**ShrimpBurrito** · 12-07-2010, 06:31 PM

Not all of the TM's weight rests on the axle. You have 400-600 lbs of tongue weight, and probably 300 lbs of wheels, brakes, tires, and the axle itself, none of which are supported by the axle.

Dave

**Bill** · 12-07-2010, 06:52 PM

Quote:

the TM factory "you can't use a WDH on some 2720SL's with the swing tongue"

Wait a minute! Where did that come from? Since all 2720SLs with the swing tongue are the same, I suspect that what you heard was "can't use some WDH's on the 2720SL with the swing tongue". Subtle but important difference. There have been at least two threads on choosing the proper springbars to allow use of WDH on a 2720SL, and for sure, short (28") springbars cause trouble. But most springbars do not cause trouble. I have used a WDH on a 2002 and a 2006 2720 with swing tongue with no problems. So have many many other owners. When there is a problem, it always comes down to short (28") springbars.

Did that make sense? It doesn't solve any of the other issues you mentioned - and I understand the confusion - but let's not add a dimension that doesn't exist.

Bill

Wavery · 12-07-2010, 06:57 PM

The only thing that I come away with from this discussion is that some TM owners are not confident in their TV. These owners may want to think about upgrading to a TV that they do have confidence in. Then they won't have to think so hard about these discussions any more.

scrubjaysnest · 12-07-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito

Not all of the TM's weight rests on the axle. You have 400-600 lbs of tongue weight, and probably 300 lbs of wheels, brakes, tires, and the axle itself, none of which are supported by the axle.

Dave

The tires are mounted to the wheels which are bolted to the hub which contains the bearings which ride on the axle. There for they are part of the weight the axle sees.

The bottom line here is most RV's on the road today are overloaded and we get away with it. Most of us have TV's insuffiecient for the job. When we bought the doge it was to improve our TC over the Grand Cherokee pulling a pop-up.
We looked at the TM figures and decided the additional 500#'s of the TM wouldn't be a problem for our camping style. I would not pull a TM with an S-10 or an Astro both of which have similar tow ratings. I had both an Astro and an S-10 and nether had the guts to pull anything near 3000#, our pop-up weighed loaded, no water, 40# propane, and one size 27 deep cycle battery 2800#, 2640# on the axle. I pulled the pop-up 20k miles with the dodge no problems. I pulled the TM 1100 miles even easier then the pop-up and my best guess it was 500# heavier then the pop-up. The tongue weight of the TM was heavier then the pop-up but at present I can't say how much.

Barb&Tim · 12-07-2010, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrubjaysnest

Let me see if I have this straight..... my tc is 7100# per the Dodge web site, no the sticker on the door says 6700#, No the factory hitch is 5000#/500# TW because I cannot use a WDH. Even verified this today with the TM factory "you can't use a WDH on some 2720SL's with the swing tongue" . Now lets look at the TM : the sticker says GAWR is 3640# and GVWR is 4217# all this on a per TM a 3500# axle???????????I'm so confused

----------------------------------------------------------------------
<<Even verified this today with the TM factory "you can't use a WDH on some 2720SL's with the swing tongue">>

Since i don't seem to be having a problem using a WDH with a 2720SL with swing tongue i have to wonder about the info you are getting from the factory.

(Who?) at the factory, the statement seems clear as mud! Which 2720SL's?, How do you identify which 2720SL's with swing tongue cannot use a WDH?, And Why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
<<GAWR is 3640# and GVWR is 4217# all this on a per TM a 3500#>>

3640# minus 140# of (wheels/rims ect.) equals 3500#

The (wheels/rims ect.) are not supported by the axle so are not part of the axle load but will show up in an axle weight reading -- so they just add the 140# to the 3500# to provide a corrected GAWR.

GVWR is just simply the total maximum weight -- GAW+TW should not exceed GVWR with loaded trailer.

Tim

Wavery · 12-07-2010, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb&Tim

----------------------------------------------------------------------

<<GAWR is 3640# and GVWR is 4217# all this on a per TM a 3500#>>

3640# minus 140# of (wheels/rims ect.) equals 3500#

The (wheels/rims ect.) are not supported by the axle so are not part of the axle load but will show up in an axle weight reading -- so they just add the 140# to the 3500# to provide a corrected GAWR.

GVWR is just simply the total maximum weight -- GAW+TW should not exceed GVWR with loaded trailer.

Tim

^ What he said ^

scrubjaysnest · 12-07-2010, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barb&Tim

----------------------------------------------------------------------
<<Even verified this today with the TM factory "you can't use a WDH on some 2720SL's with the swing tongue">>

Since i don't seem to be having a problem using a WDH with a 2720SL with swing tongue i have to wonder about the info you are getting from the factory.

(Who?) at the factory, the statement seems clear as mud! Which 2720SL's?, How do you identify which 2720SL's with swing tongue cannot use a WDH?, And Why?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim

To answer the question Eddie picked up the phone first and then went and got Ed. No last names given. No specific years given.

Bill uses the same length spring bar I have and has no problem on his 2720SL.
Maybe this is only a 2011 model problem. There rear of the truck only settles two inches which "Ed" says isn't a problem.

I really like everyones comments as it helps to sort all this out. I've pulled much bigger and a lot smaller trailers and thought the TM was going to be a piece of cake. Now it looks like I will have to be very careful were I put stuff. Both in the TM and the TV.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 12-07-2010, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrubjaysnest

The tires are mounted to the wheels which are bolted to the hub which contains the bearings which ride on the axle. There for they are part of the weight the axle sees.

This not possible. Thanks to gravity, the only weight the axle sees is the weight that is aboveit. If you look under your TM, you'll see the frame is connected to the axle at 2 points, one on the inside of each wheel. All of the weight supported by the axle are at those 2 points.

The weight of the tires, wheels, and brakes, along with the weight of the axle and all the weight supported by the axle, is supported by the tires.

Dave