PIN WEIGHT DELIMA

[Montana_2130]

I have purchased a new 2003 Montana, model 3575. Brochure says dry pin weight is 2040#. The trailer is listed at 10,540# dry. I have been told that often these weights are incorrect. I am purchasing a vehicle to pull it soon.

Can anyone with the same trailer tell me what there actual pin/trailer dry and loaded weights for full-timing are?

[Glass Guy]

I do not have that model but one thing to remember any thing that you put in your trailer in front of the wheels is going to add oin weight, along with any water in the holding tanks, I wold also say that the weight that is listed by Montana is usually pretty close.

[lightningjack11]

Pin wt is going to be determined by actual loading. Except for the 3400 you can make a rough estimate by taking 22.5 percent of trailer wt. This will vary quite a bit. The 3400 appears to be lighter as reported by forum members.

Load up your truck with full tanks, people, hitch and tools and drive it to some truck scales. They will give you the weight on both axles. Add them.

Then when you get on the road loaded with trailer attached drive on the truck scales again. Make sure you have full tanks, people etc. you will get the wt printed out. Add the truck axle readings. Subtract the previous truck axle reading from this reading and you will have your pin wt.

My actual pin wt runs about 2250 for a total of 10.6k trailer wt.

[lightningjack11]

If you use factory values your dry pin is 19.3 percent of the dry wt.

If you load evenly then in theory your pin wt should be 19.3 percent of total wt.

For example if you load to 14K then .193 x 14000 is approx 2700.

Best way is scales.

[8.1al]

Pin weight on ours is 2800 lb.with about 1/3 tank of fresh water

[Montana_2130]

Thanks for the input!

[NJ Hillbilly]

The problem is that all of the outside storage is located in front (except for the FL's I believe) so anything in the basement will add pinweight. Besides some inside cabinets everything I pack adds to pinweight. The galley tank is towards the rear but that's about it.

I brought this issue up to Keystone reps that outside storage compartments could be made behind the axles in the lower section to allow for a little better balance in the loading of the rig.

Rear Kitchens do have the advantage of more interior storage behind the axles.

My loaded pinweight is significantly higher than the advertised. I should have scaled it empty to check.

John

[FredG]

We have a 2004 3575RL and are towing it with a 2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab Long bed, standard output diesel. We have had it since March but have not weighed it.

Two big trips (NY to Florida, and NY to the Rally) and a few short trips without a problem and, aside from some Rubberbanding due to road conditions, it tows nicely.

I would say a 3500 should handle it fine. I had to stick with a 2500 since it's my daily driver and duallys wouldn't fit into the spots at work.

[Gypsy]

Fred, This information is probably too late for your situation, but just FYI, you can get the Dodge Ram 3500 diesel with SRW (single rear wheel). I ordered mine that way so I could still go to car washes and park in normal size spaces at Wal-Mart, supermarkets, etc. I even parallel parked a few times and backed into a tight space in a downtown parking garage in Concord, NH!
Sharon

[FredG]

Sharon,

When I got the 2500, the SRW 3500 wasn't readily available and, even though it has the upgraded suspension and axle, the rated payload capacity was only a couple of hundred pounds more than a 2500. The DRW model's payload capacity is almost 2000 pounds more that the SRW.

At the time that I bought the 2500 (last year), we owned a 32 foot Seabreeze 5er. It was a bit lighter and the truck was more than enough for it, so we didn't really need to seriously look at the 3500 SRW. We upgraded to the 3575RL in March. When it comes time to trade in the truck (a couple years down the road), I'll seriously be looking at the 3500 with a High Output diesel (it would help in the hills around here). I may even bite the bullet and go with duallys. The 4500+ pound payload capacity would be nice to have.

Fred

[dersequim]

The brochure showed the pin weight as 1980#. My actual loaded weight is 2340#.

[dersequim]

The spec sheet showed the pin weight as 1980#. My actual loaded weight is 2340#.