Light Pop Up Questions

[AustinBoston]

I believe the at least 75% of the people who tow camping trailers (be they hardsided or pup) have never weighd their rig at a scale to really see if they are within the GVWR of either vehicle, the GAWR of each axle, and the GCWR of the entire rig...You don't tow specs, and you don't tow advice. Get your rig weighed so you can really know if you are within "specs" or not.

I have to agree with this.  Whatever else you do, get your rig weighed.

I had calculated everything.  I knew I was well within spec, just over 75% of the GCWR.  But the scale does not lie...I was really at 91% of the rating, almost 2,000 lbs more than I thought.  Every axle was within 100 lbs of it's max weight rating as well.  BTW, if I had used air bags instead of a WDH, the rear GAWR would have been exceeded.  

I have never heard of anyone driving onto a truck scale and finding out they weighed less than they thought.  When working with the specs, you have to work with a large safety margin, because reality will be heavier.  In the end, the only way to know is to get weighed.

Austin

[mike4947]

A couple of FYI's:

According RV Industry News the estimate of RV's (and we're talking ALL classes) that have had their rigs weighed is only 5%.
 
European car do have a "higher" tow rating than in their US models. BUT it has nothing to do with litigation.
Trailers (called caravans over there) are designed/built quite differently than their US counterparts. They are setup to run (as boat trailer are in the US) with tongue weights in the 5 to 6% range.
A very common "tow rating" fior European versions is 75kg/1500kg or 165 pounds/3300 pounds. So if you brought one from overseas you'd be even more limited to the US type trailer with it's 10% or greater tongue weight rating to safely tow.
The US limits on these "identical" cars reflects the US build of trailers. They know if they put out the 165/3300 pound rating in the US the vast majority of folks would only read the 3300.

[abbear]

A couple of FYI's:

According RV Industry News the estimate of RV's (and we're talking ALL classes) that have had their rigs weighed is only 5%.

My gut was that it was at least 90%.  This is why manufacturers build in a "fudge" factor.  They know most of us won't take the time or trouble to be sure we are within limits.  So they just lower the limits a little.

Famous last words: "Hey, we're moving.  I guess we showed those guys! This Yugo is a pretty gutsy little car pulling this 25 footer."
 :yikes:

[Kavoom]

Your point on weight seems to take care of the tongue weight, but what about the rest of it that the Europeans and Aussies are toting irrespective of the tongue weight?  

I do know, for example, that the Australian version of my vehicle in the manual has a low range... (Subaru Forester) and that they come standard down under with the "load leveling" struts, which Subaru ONLY puts on LL Bean versions in the U.S.  (but you can retro them on any Forester after "02").  

So, I see some differences, but still have the question.  And I don't really want to haul that much personally.  Just wondering...  Myself and a couple of others have gotten completely different answers primarily consisting of gobbledy gook from our TV manufacturer.  One rep online said that in informal discussions (at least relative to Subaru) the litigation issue did come up in the conversations.