Approximate Trailer Weight

[jayhanig]

I took my boat today to get it weighed and did not bother to separate the trailer from the truck. The truck was on one section of the CAT scale; the boat and trailer were on another. Supposedly the truck weighs 3900 lbs and the boat/trailer combination weighs 2640 lbs. I didn't sleep well last night and was too tired to bother doing a reweigh without the trailer... but that's not a real problem. I have access to a closer scale that belongs to the county and can be used 24 hours a day so I can take the truck alone at a later time. I would have done it all there at the county facility but backing out or getting turned around with the trailer was going to be a real problem....

So my question to you applies after I weight the truck alone. Let's say for the sake of argument it agrees with the CAT scale and it weighs 3900 lbs. What is the approximate weight of my empty trailer? It is made out of galvanized C channel, has a single axle with leaf springs, bunks and 13" galvanized wheels (plus a spare). My boat is a 17' 6" V hull I/O Galaxy Bowrider with a 3 liter Mercruiser. Can anybody guestimate how much of the 2640 lbs is boat and how much is trailer?

I know the proper way to determine this is to put the boat in the water and drag the trailer to some scales but it's a PITA no matter where I go. The CAT scales is some distance and the county scales are tighter than I'm comfortable with trying to get the trailer back out of there. So I'm back to estimating the portions of the 2640 lbs. Besides, the truck doesn't care what the load is; it only cares how heavy the load is. But at some point I'm going to replace that trailer, so I care how much the boat weighs.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

just make sure that you get a trailer with a 3500 lb axle or 2 2000 lb axles and you will be fine.... a single 2000 lb won't work so a couple hundred lbs isn't important....

 

[roscoe]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

Are you starting a pool? Winner gets a free boat ride?

My guess is 523#

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

I can give you a boat ride if you want. All you have to do is find your way to Topsail Island on the coast of North Carolina. Is that a legitimate estimate of trailer weight or were you just making fun?

 

[JoLin]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

Are you starting a pool? Winner gets a free boat ride?

My guess is 523#

Too light. The 1500 lb. capacity trailer for my 16' Sylvan, weighs in at 550 lbs. according to the mfr's website. It has 12" wheels and no brakes.

Jay, have you gone to the trailer manufacturer's site? I'd guess 600 lbs.

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

Well Shoreland'r says my 2008 16' trailer is 500# for wharever that's worth.

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

Too light. The 1500 lb. capacity trailer for my 16' Sylvan, weighs in at 550 lbs. according to the mfr's website. It has 12" wheels and no brakes.

Jay, have you gone to the trailer manufacturer's site? I'd guess 600 lbs.

It's a bastardized Magic Tilt trailer of unknown origin. When I first got the boat and trailer, the trailer had one 14" radial belted tire on a painted rim and one 13" polyester tire on a galvanized rim; there was no spare; I had to have a welder make some minor repairs, and I had to replace the hubs, bearings, bunks, winch post and winch. It was in truly sad shape. Now I'm looking at either replacing the axle and leaf springs in another year or two.... or replace the whole thing. I've got time, money and energy invested in this but ultimately it's an old trailer and I'd do better just to find another.

So it sounds like 600 lbs is a safe bet and the boat itself weighs roughly 2150 with full gear and fuel but nobody in it.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

that would be 2150 PLUS whatever (the boat's portion of) the tongue weight is BUT it's still only a guess... Unless you actually weigh the trailer you won't know

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

I can give you a boat ride if you want. All you have to do is find your way to Topsail Island on the coast of North Carolina. Is that a legitimate estimate of trailer weight or were you just making fun?

Spent quite a few summer vacations there. rented a bigggg house on the beach

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

that would be 2150 PLUS whatever the tongue weight is BUT it's still only a guess... Unless you actually weigh the trailer you won't know

How do you figure tongue weight in? The whole trailer weighs what it weighs. Tongue weight is a weight exerted on the hitch. it doesn't add to total weight

 

[dccordell]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

The tongue weight is the portion of the weight of the boat/trailer combo that is being supported by the tow vehicle rather than the trailer axle, so that tongue weight does need to be added to the boat/trailer weight.

The best way to figure the trailer capacity would be to go back to the scales and just weight the trailer/boat itself.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

How do you figure tongue weight in? The whole trailer weighs what it weighs. Tongue weight is a weight exerted on the hitch. it doesn't add to total weight

The tires are holding xlbs and the tounge is holding y lbs when it is attached to a vehicle. SO if he had only the trailer tires on one section of the scale then the weight was short. Should be able to figure that out with a bathroom scale though. Just park the trailer on level ground and stick the landing leg on the scale detached from the truck.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

The tires are holding xlbs and the tounge is holding y lbs when it is attached to a vehicle. SO if he had only the trailer tires on one section of the scale then the weight was short. Should be able to figure that out with a bathroom scale though. Just park the trailer on level ground and stick the landing leg on the scale detached from the truck.

That's true. Just figured it was a known thing to disconnect the trailer from tow vehicle.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

tongue weight IS part of gross trailer weight ... doesn't matter for axle rating but it DOES matter...... especially when it is an unknown... does he currently have 1% tongue weight or 20% or somewhere in between..... If you want to know what the boat weighs you HAVE to know axle weight plus tongue weight and you HAVE to actually weigh the trailer.....

Jay, if the scale it too tight for you to feel comfortable backing the trailer in maybe you could take the trailer off of the truck and walk it onto the scale? or is it uphill?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

How do you figure tongue weight in? The whole trailer weighs what it weighs. Tongue weight is a weight exerted on the hitch. it doesn't add to total weight

the weight of the trailer as measured was supported by 3 points... the numbers above only account for 2 of those 3 points

the 3 points are: the right tire, the left tire, and the hitch.

IF for example there had been 1850 lbs on each tire of a trailer with a gross load rating of 3500 lbs and 350 lbs if tongue weight then the total trailer would have been 3850 lbs even though the axle weight would have been 3500 lbs..... keep in mind tho that he asked what his boat weighed and not what his axle weight was. The point of that statement was that the number he had come up with for the weight of his boat was likely off by anywhere up to maybe 20% even if the 600 lb estimate for the trailer was spot on.

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

The tongue weight is the portion of the weight of the boat/trailer combo that is being supported by the tow vehicle rather than the trailer axle, so that tongue weight does need to be added to the boat/trailer weight.

The best way to figure the trailer capacity would be to go back to the scales and just weight the trailer/boat itself.

Actually, I figure the best way is to drive just the truck and weigh it. Then no back up issues and my gas mileage is 33% better. I have an accurate total weight of the truck, boat and trailer. Subtract the truck from that and all that is left has to be the boat and its trailer. The boat, BTW, was loaded as if it were going to be put in the water with fuel, all the crap I normally carry, etc. Everything but people.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

the weight of the trailer as measured was supported by 3 points... the numbers above only account for 2 of those 3 points

the 3 points are: the right tire, the left tire, and the hitch.

IF for example there had been 1850 lbs on each tire of a trailer with a gross load rating of 3500 lbs and 350 lbs if tongue weight then the total trailer would have been 3850 lbs even though the axle weight would have been 3500 lbs..... keep in mind tho that he asked what his boat weighed and not what his axle weight was. The point of that statement was that the number he had come up with for the weight of his boat was likely off by anywhere up to maybe 20% even if the 600 lb estimate for the trailer was spot on.

Didn't look at it in that perspective.

 

[Mi duckdown]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

Just weight the trailer and boat off the veh. Than weight with boat off.????

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Approximate Trailer Weight

All right. I weighed the truck alone today and it weighs in at 3600 lbs without me in it and about a quarter tank of gas. The gross weight from weighing the truck, boat and trailer at the CAT scale was 6540 lbs. Therefore the boat AND trailer weighs in at 2940 lbs with full fuel, oil and gear on board.

The fact that the CAT scale had weighed the truck portion the other day at 3900 lbs certainly explains why I have to put my guts into lifting the tongue... it apparently weighs 300 lbs, or right at 10% of the trailer/boat weight.

I've been avoiding weighing the trailer without the boat for purely logistical reasons: there's really no place I can leave my boat that I'm comfortable with doing so and then driving to the CAT scale (where backing isn't a problem) involves some distance and time. It's going to be a major PITA for me if I absolutely have to do it but I think I now know what I need to know: an estimated weight of my boat at 2340 lbs plus another 600 lbs for the trailer. So I definitely need a trailer with a 3500 lb axle when I get around to replacing it.

I appreciate all the help, guys.