Gene bought a bathroom scale last month. Not for himself — for the RV. Ok not literally a bathroom scale but you get the idea. We got our fifth wheel weighed at a CAT scale and the results were eye-opening.
We were 800 pounds over the rear axle weight rating. EIGHT HUNDRED POUNDS. And we thought we traveled light.
Why Weight Matters
Every RV has a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) — the maximum safe weight when fully loaded. Exceeding it stresses the tires, brakes, suspension, and frame. Blowouts, brake fade, and handling problems all get more likely the more overweight you are.
Most RV manufacturers quote "dry weight" which is the rig completely empty. No water, no propane, no clothes, no food, no stuff. The minute you load it up for camping youre adding hundreds or thousands of pounds.
How to Weigh Your RV
CAT scales are at most truck stops. Its about $12-15 per weigh. You drive on, they weigh each axle separately, and you get a printed ticket. Takes 10 minutes.
For the most accurate reading, weigh it fully loaded — how you actually travel. Water tanks full, pantry stocked, all your gear aboard.
What We Did About It
We went through every storage compartment and were ruthless. That second set of pots and pans Lisa insisted on? Gone. The "just in case" tool collection that filled an entire bay? Trimmed by half. Books switched to Kindle. We shed about 500 pounds and rearranged the remaining weight more evenly.
Still over by about 300 pounds which means we need to make more cuts. Its an ongoing process.
Get your rig weighed. You might be surprised. Better to know now than to find out the hard way on a mountain pass.
Comments (16)
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yep been saying this for years
Thanks! More content coming soon.
Really useful info. The details make all the difference.
Right?! We felt the same way.
This is so helpful — wish I had found this article sooner.
Thanks! More content coming soon.
Bookmarked! Sending this to everyone in our RV group chat.
Sound advice. This is the kind of content the community needs.
We learned most of this the hard way. Nice to see it written out clearly.
good read. sharing with friends
Really useful info. The details make all the difference.
Appreciate you reading! Happy trails.
Question — does this work the same with a smaller rig?
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. All accurate.
The discipline aspect is real. Good habits from service translate well.
Well written. Not too long, gets to the point. Appreciate that.