Truck Camper Worksheet/Instructions for Calculator |
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| 1. Enter the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) found on the certification label usually located near the driver’s side door. The GVWR is the maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded truck including liquids, passengers, cargo, kingpin, tongue and/or camper. | GVWR | |
| 2. Enter the front Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) found on the certification label usually located near the driver’s side door. The front GAWR is the maximum allowable weight on the front axle assembly measured at the tires. | Front GAWR | |
| 3. Locate the tire max load weights on the sidewall of the tire. Enter the maximum load weight allowed for the maximum cold air pressure for single tire use. | (F) Max Tire Wt. | |
| 4. Enter the rear Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) found on the certification label usually located near the driver’s side door. The rear GAWR is the maximum allowable weight on the rear axle assembly measured at the tires. | Rear GAWR | |
| 5. Locate the tire max load ratings on the sidewall of the tires. Normally, all tires should be rated the same. But, if there is one that is rated lower than the rest, you must use the max weight of the lowest rated tire. | (R) Max Tire Wt. | |
| 6. Enter SRW for single rear wheel or DWR for dual rear wheel for your truck configuration. | ||
| 7. Enter the wheel base distance in inches between the center line of the front axle and rear axle. The wheel base distance may be found in your owner's manual or in the truck brochure. | Inches Only | |
| 8. Enter the distance between the front of the truck cargo box and the center line of the rear axle in inches. Note: You'll need to measure the distance with tape measure. | Inches Only | |
| 9. Enter the weight in pounds of the dry camper as publish by the manufacturer. Note: Many manufacturers under-state the dry weight. If the actual dry weight cannot be confirmed, it is recommended to add 5% to 10% to the stated amount. | Camper Dry Wt. | |
| 10. Enter the Center of Gravity (COG) distance as shown by the manufacturer. The COG may be found in the manufacturer's publication or on their website or on a sticker on the camper. | COG | |
| Weighing your truck: It is important that you weigh your truck without any cargo other than yourself in the driver's seat. Two weight measurements are required: Truck front tires (steering axle) and truck rear tires (drive axle). Instructions below are for two types of scale systems commonly available. | ||
| A/B. Weighing the Truck at CAT Scale: Drive the truck to the nearest CAT Scale location. When you arrive at the scale, inform the scale master you are a noncommercial RV owner. Drive onto the scale so that your steer axle is positioned on platform 1 (A) and your drive axle on platform 2 (B). After receiving your printout enter the weights on the right. | A. Steer Axle Wt. | |
| A/B. Weighing Your Truck on a Single Scale Platform: As you drive on the scale, the facility operator may instruct you where to stop. If this is your first experience weighing your truck, tell the operator. A - Drive forward just enough so that only the front truck tires (steering axle) are on the scale. No more than 3 feet past the leading edge of the scale is necessary. B - Drive forward until only the rear truck tires (drive axle) are on the scale. Obtain the two weights from the scale master and enter the weights on the right. | B. Drive Axle Wt. | |
| C. Enter the number of camper propane tanks and propane weight capacity in pounds. Typically 5 gallon tanks hold 20 pounds and 7 gallon tanks hold 30 pounds. | #Tanks |
Weight |
| D. Enter the maximum capacity of fresh water (gallons) the camper will hold or enter the number of gallons of fresh water you intend to transport during your travels. | Fresh Water (Gal) | |
| E. Enter the maximum capacity of gray water (gallons) the camper will hold or enter the number of gallons of gray water you intend to transport during your travels. | Gray Water (Gal) | |
| F. Enter the maximum capacity of black water (gallons) the camper will hold or enter the number of gallons of black water you intend to transport during your travels. | Black Water (Gal) | |
| G. Excluding the driver, enter the number of additional passengers that will or may travel in the truck for any camping trip. Note: Food, clothing and personal supplies are calculated per person. | Passengers | |
| H. Extra Gear. This is the tricky part that requires careful thought and some estimation. Besides the truck and camper, there's additional hardware that is required to carry the camper safely. This additional hardware could weigh as much as 300 pounds depending on several factors. It's not uncommon for truck camper owners to suggest adding up to 1,000 pounds. But be careful and consider the weight of items C through G when planning the rest of the cargo. Example: 45 gallons of water weighs 375 pounds. Safety first! Avoid overloading. | Food-Clothing-Gear | |
| ©2016 Fifth Wheel Street. All rights reserved. Permission granted to print for personal use only. | ||
You may download and save this single page worksheet in PDF format HERE.