Anyone have actual weights on their rigs?

[Ask10]

Hi all,

Anyone have actual weights (at scales) of their rigs? I'm doing the maths for my "dream plan" but can't find an accurate weight for my truck. It's a 2wd V8 sport...

"Curb weight" says 4210 online, but then again my 3rd gen's actual weight is 4275 with a full tank and misc "gear", but the reg says 3960.

I plan to do some towing eventually, but I want to make sure I stay within the legal limits and such and know how much wiggle room I have for some mods when the time comes. I don't want to get caught in legal B/S over a few hundred pounds if anything happens.

Thanks in advance!

Ask10

 

[BlackWorksInc]

What legal limits do you have to stay within? I mean I doubt you're more than a Tundra which can tip near 7,000lbs... and I have never seen a Tundra (let alone an F250, F350, 2500, ect) go against some legal weight limit.

 

[Ask10]

Sorry, I'll clarify.

*I'm towing a "heavy" trailer and am trying to stay within the GVWR of 5500* I see no GCWR (SUV I assume)

I'll be a towing a 2500 lb trailer with a 3100 ish lb vehicle on top plus 700-800 lb of fuel, wheels/tires, gear and tools as well. 6.3-6.4k lb ish total, est tongue weight of 750 lb (12%).

GVWR says 5500 lbs on my door jamb.

4210 lbs + 750 lb + my wife and I (220 lb) = 4960, or no big deal.

But, should I go for a 4WD like I am considering, seems like it'll add 300 lb. 5200 now.

If a add any amount of accessories like I want (winch, brush guards, etc) I might add 100 - 150 lbs. Then if any of my "race buddies" want a ride, I'm technically over weight. Then if I take my Jeep, I need to shift stuff into 4runner, and if I only have 100-200 lb of wiggle room, while likely no big deal, I don't want any trouble should anything happen regarding a wreck and some person be intent on suing me in this wonderful country

Even though I know that cops don't have scales and such, I just want to be well in the clear, and the weight of the truck seems to be able to vary from 4200 to 4700 lb, and those 500 lb can potentially take me to the limit.

Sorry, confusing.

 

[hearno]

Even though I know that cops don't have scales and such,

Yes, we do. Portable scales that go with the officers whose job it is to use them. They're accurate too.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Yes, we do. Portable scales that go with the officers whose job it is to use them. They're accurate too.

So what you're saying is the next time I get pulled over, I should ask the officer to weigh me since they already are there? :couch2:

 

[ebg18t]

If you tow often and your trailer is going to be 6200-6500# I would give some serious thought to you vehicle selection. With misc gear and people inside you are pushing the max. If you are using a open trailer you don't need to worry about the frontal area addition (wind resistance on trailer). We tow a double axle travel trailer and had to add in the frontal area to the calculation since it adds a lot if wind resistance.

But you are still going to need a brake controller, potentionaly upgraded rear suspension with that high if a tongue weight, maybe a WDH w/sway control depending on where you drive... While I really like 4Runner you might want to also look at the Tundra.

 

[S p a r k y]

Hi all,

Anyone have actual weights (at scales) of their rigs? I'm doing the maths for my "dream plan" but can't find an accurate weight for my truck. It's a 2wd V8 sport...

"Curb weight" says 4210 online, but then again my 3rd gen's actual weight is 4275 with a full tank and misc "gear", but the reg says 3960.

I plan to do some towing eventually, but I want to make sure I stay within the legal limits and such and know how much wiggle room I have for some mods when the time comes. I don't want to get caught in legal B/S over a few hundred pounds if anything happens.

Thanks in advance!

Ask10

Swing by your local Landfill if you have one, they will do it free. i did that a few years ago but forgot what they weight was!

 

[hearno]

So what you're saying is the next time I get pulled over, I should ask the officer to weigh me since they already are there? :couch2:

Can't hurt to ask. However, if you get stopped by a motor carrier officer, and you have a possible overweight issue... I've seen fines in excess of $20,000.00 though for being overweight limits on bridges etc so ask at your own risk.

 

[wkeryder4]

There was a thread recently where everyone was discussing the driver side lean and someone had just stopped at a highway weigh station and they were able to weigh their truck there to figure out the weight distribution. Maybe you could try that. I know here in Florida there is a weigh station once every 40-50 miles.

 

[aha2988]

herno can correct me if i'm wrong... but typically as long as your not hauling excessive equipment such as grading equipment or massive amounts of lumber.. anything "commercial" like, the DOT officers and local law enforcement will leave you alone..

the rated wait on a "normal" tag gives a window of 4500 (in north carolina anyway), my gross weight alone is over that without me in it.. I think it runs an extra 100 bucks to add 1000 pounds to my tag weight.. I just can't justify purchasing a weighted tag..

the fines are astronomic for every pound your over weight though its a hairy situation.. My father an I have always pulled a 3500lb boat behind his tundra or my 4runner, which certainly puts us over the tag weight but I've never seen or heard of any law enforcement giving us or anyone else at the landing without a weighted tag any trouble...

 

[Sungod]

Yes, we do. Portable scales that go with the officers whose job it is to use them. They're accurate too.

I have been stopped a few times in VA when towing a skid steer with my ram 2500 by the state police. They like to sit on roads where the rock trucks travel. They said they have stop vehicles at random, but I think they pulled me because they knew it would be easy. I am not a commercial vehicle so I don't have all the paper work. The routine is fairly straight forward. They ask for drivers license and registration. They do a safety check with lights, brakes, hitch, etc. Then they I drive on their portable scales. As long as I am under the manufacturer specs for the truck and trailer, they send me on my way. I did have a time where they started writing a citation and told me I had to leave the trailer. After I got my blood pressure down, I noticed they had looked up the wrong truck.

 

[hearno]

[MENTION=49]Sungod[/MENTION] is spot on. Our department is big enough that we have our own unit instead of relying on VASP but it's the same routine. Down here it's more log trucks than rock trucks but our guys are notorious regionally. Truckers go out of their way to avoid our town. Obviously their main targets are commercial motor vehicle enforcement but like he said... come along in a diesel truck towing something heavy and you might get inspected.

 

[Ask10]

Wow, didn't realize there were portable scales! Sorry to spread misinformation in ignorance.

I don't plan to tow very often, maybe 2 or 3 times a year at most, so I am not sweating the wear and tear. I also look at it as being a lot cheaper to have just one tow vehicle/daily driver vs. a car and truck, or a bigger truck I use occasionally.

I might just have to make a trip to the landfill now Good idea! Or get pulled over...

 

[fullboogie]

Any decent (i.e. NHRA certified) drag strip will have a very accurate scale. They do not charge for it - just roll up, look at a digital display in a window, and roll off. Catch a free "grudge race" night and get your rig weighed too.

 

[Martinjmpr]

My '07 V6 4x4 came in right around 4375 which is close to the "official" curb weight.

If you have a landscaping sand/gravel/rock seller near you, sometimes they will give you a weight for free. I got my vehicle weight as a consequence of weighing our teardrop trailer last year before we did some work on it.

I got 3 weights and from that I was able to extrapolate 2 more. I did it like this:

Drove onto the scale with the trailer hooked up. Trailer and tow vehicle weight (Combination weight) was recorded: Weight 1.

Then drove off the ramp so only the trailer was on, and still hooked up to the truck. Trailer weight MINUS tongue weight recorded: Weight 2.

Then got out of the truck, dropped the trailer jack and disconnected the trailer from the truck so the total weight of the trailer was on the scale. Recorded trailer weight: Weight 3.

Subtracting Weight 2 from weight 3 gave me my tongue weight, and subtracting weight 3 from weight 1 gave me my vehicle weight.

Our local sand/gravel place will do this for free if you don't need a "certified" weight (like for taxes or registration.) If you need it certified I think it's $4.00.

 

[Ask10]

Sorry, forgot about this thread. Updating for anyone curious.

Anyway, I took an unconventional method. My neighbor is a cop, and he has a 4th gen V8 2wd as well, although it's an 05. He got me the weight of his truck, 4450, not sure if a full tank or not.

I've installed light bars, radio equipment and strobes on cars before, so I knew to take off 70-100 lbs for everything added, police wise, although these were Crown Vics. I've seen the equipment on his rig though, and if anything, it looks to be the same roughly in terms of power supplies, radio boxes, bars, etc.

4350-80

Then I took two bathroom scales and weight myself plus each individual interior or "motor" piece I took off (back seats, spare tire, eliminated cats vs. straight pipe section, etc).

Minus 260 lbs.

4090-4120.

Given that fuel is probably 150 lbs ish (20 gals), I'll swing it either way of saying the truck is just under 4,000 flat up to 4,300.

So, there you have it.

Rough estimate is high 3,900 to 4,300, stripped out 2WD V8. Also plenty good for what i need.

EDIT: Sorry, by rough estimate, I didn't mean "I think it's this", it was at both extremes of weight regarding fuel and such. A better way would have been for me to put it likes this.

3,900 (stripped out with no fuel), around 4,300 (fully dressed with a full tank). My truck is probably sitting at just over 4,000 lbs with a full tank.