Trailer Weights

There has always been confusion when it comes to trailer weights. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have seen people read the manufacturers weight label on the outside of the trailer or fifth wheel and assume that they can't tow it. The data plate on the outside gives you the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This is not the actual weight of the trailer; it is the maximum amount of weight that the trailers axles, brakes, tires and other components can support. The trailer might weigh 5,000 pounds, but the GVWR may be 7,000 pounds. This means that you could add 2,000 pounds of weight to the trailer before you reach the GVWR. You need to consider how much weight you will add to the trailer when you are calculating this number. You never want to tow a trailer that exceeds the GVWR. The components on the trailer are not designed to exceed the GVWR and it can be extremely dangerous, or fatal.

Any manufacturer that is a member of the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) is required to have a weight rating label inside the trailer that will give you more weight information. Look for it on the back of a cabinet or closet door. It will provide information on the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), the Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW) or Dry Weight (DW), which it is commonly referred to, the weight of the fresh water tank and LP gas when full, and the Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC) for the trailer.

Rv Awnings

The UVW is the actual weight of the trailer as manufactured at the factory. You also want to find out if this weight includes options on the trailer. When a dealer orders a trailer they list the options they want on it. These options include, but are not limited to, the roof air conditioner, awnings, stabilizer jacks, and a spare tire. You can see how quickly weight can add up on the trailer.

Trailer Weights

Be careful when you look at the weights in the manufacturers brochures. In most cases these weights are for the base model trailer without options, and depending on what they consider to be options the weight can change drastically. It is not uncommon to see a brochure weight of 5,000 pounds, but the actual weight of the trailer is 5,700 pounds or more. 700 pounds can make a big difference when your tow vehicle is on the border of its maximum tow rating.

Happy Camping,

Copyright 2006 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

Trailer Weights

How to Adjust RV Trailer Brakes

Trailer brakes should be adjusted at least once a year, more often depending on the miles traveled, the severity of the downhill grades, and the amount of stop and go traffic that is encountered.This is a chore that most people with average mechanical skills should be able to handle.

You will need a brake adjusting tool, available at most tool supply stores, a jack capable of safely lifting the trailer, and a jack stand to hold the trailer in the jacked position.The following steps are a guide to properly adjusting your trailer brakes. What this entails is the adjustment of the star wheel which in turn sets the brake shoe to brake drum clearance. This adjustment is important - as the brake shoes wear down, the clearance increases. The actuating mechanism must travel further to effectively apply the brakes and a point can be reached where the mechanism is no longer able to so.

Rv Awnings

Adjusting RV Trailer Brakes

How to Adjust RV Trailer Brakes

Park the trailer on firm and level ground.

Block the trailer tires on the opposite side securely so that no forward or rearward movement is possible.

Jack up the trailer following the manufacturers instructions.

Secure the trailer on jack stands of adequate capacity front and rear.

At the back of the wheel, on the brake backing plate, there is a small rubber plug near the bottom of the backing plate. Pry out this plug to give access to the star wheel adjuster.

Some trailers have a drop axle suspension system and the axle covers most of this adjusting hole making it difficult to use the brake tool. Patience will win out in the end if you keep at it.

Insert the brake adjuster tool and maneuver it so that the tool engages with the teeth in the star wheel. The star wheel looks like a gear with exposed teeth on the perimeter. On most trailers you would pull down on the tool handle which levers on the bottom of the hole and turns the star wheel up (as you are looking at it from the back of the wheel. Just to make it more difficult, the star wheel is located well inside and some maneuvering is required - a flashlight will help to locate the star wheel.

Turn the adjuster until the brake locks up, i.e. you can no longer rotate the wheel by hand. This centers the brake shoes on the brake drum so that they are in the correct position.

Now back off the star wheel 8 to 10 clicks or as specified by the manufacturer. The wheel should spin freely with no apparent drag to slow it down. A slight scraping noise is normal as the wheel turns.

Repeat this procedure for all the wheels.

Congratulations, you have successfully adjusted your own trailer brakes ... that wasn't so bad, was it?

Click here to get your free RV Maintenance report

How to Adjust RV Trailer Brakes

Can You Live In A Camper Trailer Year Round?

Whether you have been hit by the travel bug or the economic crisis, a camper is a great means of budget accommodation and low cost travel. But is it something that can be use (or handled) year round?

For those of you wondering what a camper trailer is, let me first explain.

Rv Awnings

A camper trailer is basically a trailer that has a fold out tent attached. They can range from quite small one and two room opens, right up to rather expansive 4 or 5 room options with pull out kitchens and large awnings. They are a great way to travel because they are not as cumbersome as a caravan or motor home but they also have a lot more comfort than a normal tent.

Can You Live In A Camper Trailer Year Round?

So they may be great for traveling but can you live in a camper trailer year round?

The truth is that it basically depends on two things; you and your climate.

A camper trailer is a well-built structure and could easily be used year round whether you are traveling or staying in one place - the big question is, could you live in a camper trailer for a whole year?

Would you start feeling too cramped and contained? Or would it be something that you would be comfortable with?

And secondly, do you live in an area that would allow you to live in a camper year round? Because if your area get's a lot of snow then this could be a problem. Apart from the sheer coldness that you would have to handle - the canvas would struggle under the weight of a decent snow storm.

Can You Live In A Camper Trailer Year Round?

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Ocean Blue color, 2.5m Metric size, 8'-5" size The Campout Awning stores in a durable vinyl bag and a hook and loop fastener strap holds the rolled up canopy securely in place inside the zippered bag. The Campout works great with Carefrees Weekendr room for extra living space. No other bag awning has self-contained hardware or such a wide choice of sizes and colors. Campouts easy set up, Self-storing arms and braces simply fold into the lead bar. Flip-lock levers make arm and brace adjustment quick and easy. Only the Campout Awning offers such ease of setup. Campouts durable construction, Heavy-duty aluminum channels, sturdy hardware and rugged vinyl fabric make the Campout the strongest bag awning available. Campouts best looks, The Campout is available in a wide range of colors to perfectly match your trailer. The storage bag is white.

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RV Awning Zipper Fix Tube. Duration : 3.87 Mins.

If the zipper that secures the pouch that your RV or Pop-Up Camper awning rolls up into, don't spend a lot of money fixing the zipper or replacing the awning. View this video to see a simple and inexpensive way to put your awning back in service.

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Ocean Blue color, 2.5m Metric size, 8'-5" size The Campout Awning stores in a durable vinyl bag and a hook and loop fastener strap holds the rolled up canopy securely in place inside the zippered bag. The Campout works great with Carefrees Weekendr room for extra living space. No other bag awning has self-contained hardware or such a wide choice of sizes and colors. Campouts easy set up, Self-storing arms and braces simply fold into the lead bar. Flip-lock levers make arm and brace adjustment quick and easy. Only the Campout Awning offers such ease of setup. Campouts durable construction, Heavy-duty aluminum channels, sturdy hardware and rugged vinyl fabric make the Campout the strongest bag awning available. Campouts best looks, The Campout is available in a wide range of colors to perfectly match your trailer. The storage bag is white.

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Setting Up Your Jayco Camper Trailer (Including Awnings & Annexes) Tube. Duration : 7.18 Mins.

For more videos in this series visit www.australiancaravans.com.au Australian Caravan Co. - It's easy once you know how. Let us show you how it's done. http

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How to Adjust RV Trailer Brakes

Rv Awning How to Adjust RV Trailer Brakes

Trailer brakes should be adjusted at least once a year, more often depending on the miles traveled, the severity of the downhill grades, and the amount of stop and go traffic that is encountered.This is a chore that most people with average mechanical skills should be able to handle.

You will need a brake adjusting tool, available at most tool supply stores, a jack capable of safely lifting the trailer, and a jack stand to hold the trailer in the jacked position.The following steps are a guide to properly adjusting your trailer brakes. What this entails is the adjustment of the star wheel which in turn sets the brake shoe to brake drum clearance. This adjustment is important - as the brake shoes wear down, the clearance increases. The actuating mechanism must travel further to effectively apply the brakes and a point can be reached where the mechanism is no longer able to so.

Adjusting RV Trailer Brakes

Park the trailer on firm and level ground.

Block the trailer tires on the opposite side securely so that no forward or rearward movement is possible.

Jack up the trailer following the manufacturers instructions.

Secure the trailer on jack stands of adequate capacity front and rear.

At the back of the wheel, on the brake backing plate, there is a small rubber plug near the bottom of the backing plate. Pry out this plug to give access to the star wheel adjuster.

Some trailers have a drop axle suspension system and the axle covers most of this adjusting hole making it difficult to use the brake tool. Patience will win out in the end if you keep at it.

Insert the brake adjuster tool and maneuver it so that the tool engages with the teeth in the star wheel. The star wheel looks like a gear with exposed teeth on the perimeter. On most trailers you would pull down on the tool handle which levers on the bottom of the hole and turns the star wheel up (as you are looking at it from the back of the wheel. Just to make it more difficult, the star wheel is located well inside and some maneuvering is required - a flashlight will help to locate the star wheel.

Turn the adjuster until the brake locks up, i.e. you can no longer rotate the wheel by hand. This centers the brake shoes on the brake drum so that they are in the correct position.

Now back off the star wheel 8 to 10 clicks or as specified by the manufacturer. The wheel should spin freely with no apparent drag to slow it down. A slight scraping noise is normal as the wheel turns.

Repeat this procedure for all the wheels.

Congratulations, you have successfully adjusted your own trailer brakes ... that wasn't so bad, was it?

Click here to get your free RV Maintenance report

Can You Live In A Camper Trailer Year Round?

Rv Awning Can You Live In A Camper Trailer Year Round?

Whether you have been hit by the travel bug or the economic crisis, a camper is a great means of budget accommodation and low cost travel. But is it something that can be use (or handled) year round?

For those of you wondering what a camper trailer is, let me first explain.

A camper trailer is basically a trailer that has a fold out tent attached. They can range from quite small one and two room opens, right up to rather expansive 4 or 5 room options with pull out kitchens and large awnings. They are a great way to travel because they are not as cumbersome as a caravan or motor home but they also have a lot more comfort than a normal tent.

So they may be great for traveling but can you live in a camper trailer year round?

The truth is that it basically depends on two things; you and your climate.

A camper trailer is a well-built structure and could easily be used year round whether you are traveling or staying in one place - the big question is, could you live in a camper trailer for a whole year?

Would you start feeling too cramped and contained? Or would it be something that you would be comfortable with?

And secondly, do you live in an area that would allow you to live in a camper year round? Because if your area get's a lot of snow then this could be a problem. Apart from the sheer coldness that you would have to handle - the canvas would struggle under the weight of a decent snow storm.