What do you carry in your TaB whilst Camping?

Denny16

Based on a discussion of using a WDH hitch on a TaB, someone mentioned loading a TaB400 to its max weight limit of 3900 lbs when going camping is easy to do (giving a minimum tongue weight of 390 lbs)  Is it easy to overload a TaB?  A TaB400 has a max limit of 3900 lbs (on its axle).  Dry weight of a 2018/2019 is 2690 lbs (battery is part of dry weight which is the trailer as shipped by nüCamp), giving a cargo capacity of 1200 lbs.  If you fill the water tank and add one gallon to the black tank (water is 8.3 lbs per gallon), you are left with 942 lbs for your camping gear.  Personally, I would be hard pressed to put 900 lbs of gear into the TaB just to go camping.  

 

Adding additional heavy batteries would eat into the cargo weight, but we have not needed additional battery capacity, the stock 200 amp hrs battery is enough for our needs.  Our average load is closer to 300 lbs, as heavy items like an outside grill, fuel, and extra water go into our truck.  What goes into the camper is cooking gear (100 lbs max), food (60-100 lbs), bedding and clothes (100 lbs max).  I can see it would be easy to get 400-500 lbs, with extra stuff, like a bicycle, lots of heavy canned goods, a case of beer or wine.  Fishing gear is light weight, as are most recreational accessories.  

What do you load into your TaB and how much weight are you adding?  Are you keeping your trailer’s cargo from exceeding the unit’s max weight ratings?  Are you watching the tongue weight to keep it in the recommended 10-15% of trailer weight?  
 Cheers 

Dutch061

With everything we carry in our 2020 400 BDL, I would guess we never get close to 3500 Lbs. Our CCC is 731 pounds.

So, no we are never overloaded. I use a 3/4-ton truck, I am not concerned about tongue weight at all.

Brad

AnOldUR

Something else to consider @Denny16 is that the 400's GAWR of 3900lbs is as its name implies, an axle rating. Anything distributed to the tongue is not on the axle, so should not be considered as trailer payload placed on the axle. This should not be confused with the GCWR, the combined weight rating. I would also have a hard time going over my 320's axle rating, but the combined weight is the one that I place the most importance on.

Denny16

Good point, many campers are likely to exceed their GCWR, before they get to the 3900 GAWR.  

Brad, you still need to keep at least 10% of the trailer’s total weight on the tongue, and closer to 12-13% is better.  In your case, you have the TV capacity to carry extra tongue weight.
Cheers 

Dutch061

@Denny16

I understand tongue weight, and what can happen if it is not enough. Been there, done that, and have thrown the stained underwear away from that episode 20 years ago. That episode involved a 24-foot enclosed trailer that was way overloaded and very much tail heavy. The trailer was much heavier and longer than the vehicle I was towing with. In the case of the 400 BDL even if it weighs 4000 lbs., it is half the weight of the truck I am towing with and much shorter. It is not going to move my truck around.

I am merely stating that tongue weight doesn't concern me at all in response to your question "Are you watching the tongue weight to keep it in the recommended 10-15% of trailer weight?"

Brad

Denny16

Makes sense Brad, glad you survived your close encounter moment…
Cheers

rfuss928

Keep in mind that everything that didn't come with the new trailer including modifications and even some factory options are added weight.
Hundreds of pounds accumulates way quicker than you may think.  Check out this thread for some surprising data...
https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/4748/how-much-stuff-do-you-carry-in-your-t-b-cargo-weights
Be careful & have fun...

Denny16

Another good point, any equipment or additional cabinet work you add, counts against your cargo rating and adds to the trailers total weight.  The opposite is true, if you remove the heavy AGM batteries in a TaB400 and replace with lighter lithium batteries, you gain cargo weight.  

On a TaB320 and earlier TaBs the battery is additional cargo, as batteries are dealer installed options.  Same goes for adding solar panels, or any non-factory accessory.  If you carry sewer hoses, water hose, leveling equipment, tools, etc in the trailer, it is also cargo weight.  We allow 50 lbs for these items, which are split between the tongue box and rear cargo area, heavier items in the rear, to counter balance the added weight in the tongue box.  Think balanced loading of the trailer.  

Another idea, is to put heavy items down low, in the bottom lockers, and under bed storage areas, this helps keep the center of gravity low, another loading consideration.
 Cheers