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How many people can weigh their hitch weight? Not sure if I've seen a 750 pound scale outside of industrial circles. Are cops going to start pulling people over and weighing their hitches? How about SWAT raids for people that are suspected of contemplating it? Thought crime division attack!
You can buy 1000 lb and 2000 lb tongue scales on Amazon all day long.
If you live in a totalitarian nanny state you might have your tongue weighed. Never heard of such a thing in free states.
Tongue weight scales are pretty common and relatively inexpensive. They even make one that is built into the hitch.
The most common option though is pretty simple. Drive to a set of CAT scales (many truck stops have them) with the rig fully loaded as if you were headed on a trip. Drive the truck onto the scales but not the trailer. Record the weight. Then unhook the trailer from the truck (making sure the trailer jack doesn't contact the scales and the hitch isn't touching the ball) and record the weight of the truck. Weight of the truck with the trailer hitched - weight of the truck unhitched = tongue weight.
There are times when rigs just look overloaded and those are the folks who you see getting weighed. If the truck's nose is sitting 1-2" higher than the rear it "may" just mean the rig needs weight distribution. If the nose is sitting 4-5 inches higher than the rear it would be pretty obvious that the rig is overloaded.
No substitute for common sense when it comes to safety. Choosing to tow heavy just because you don't want to spend the money to tow correctly is ridiculous given the number of families that you will be passing on the highway. I've seen far too many accidents caused by someone who doesn't know what they're doing trying to tow a load because they've "done it a million times and never had a problem". That 1,000,001 time might just be the one that gets you and someone else hurt.
My question more than anything is WHY someone would choose to tow heavier than the truck is actually rated to carry. If you can't afford the truck needed to pull the fancy rig you want, choose a less fancy and/or smaller rig that weighs less.
Otherwise, don't start RV'ing. RV'ing isn't a cheap hobby to get into and you're going to pay to play one way or another. Biting the bullet and buying the correct setup is far cheaper than paying medical bills/lawsuits/truck repairs/etc... from trying to save a few thousand dollars on the front end.
I have lived in two different RV's since 2005. The first was a Nomad trailer 33' and it was pure junk. It had wood framing and the slide out leaked. Even though I was living in it I didn't detect the leak because the carpet covered it up. I should have figured out what that musty smell was but I failed and the wood rotted out completely at the base of the walls and floor. I replaced all the wood but this would not have happened if it had aluminum framing, at least the walls anyhow. The Nomad also had corrugated aluminum siding which had pitting from electrolysis. The trailer was wired with standard wire and not typical house wiring. The fuse panel burned up. All the wire in the walls were black (burned) from high resistance. The 30 amp plug melted all the time due to the improper wire in the walls and resistance. I spent about 9 years in that thing and I feel like a idiot. I found a 1999 King of the Road fifth wheel with three axles and three slides that needed work because the skylight leaked in the bathroom and the roof needed repair and the floor around the toilet was leaking and rotted. The air conditioner in the bedroom leaked too. I was able to purchase it real cheap. I fixed the roof and cut out the old rotting wood and installed new wood. I then put on a new coat of EPDM rubber roof coating. The brand Liquid Roof turned to black mold patches and peeled everywhere. It was exhausting getting the peeled flakes off. I then re coated the roof with a brand called "Superior" epdm coating which there has been no problem. Don't buy LIQUID ROOF. They would not give a refund. If you have the option buy a fiberglass roof. The rubber roofs wear out. You will notice the top white chalky layer wash away and when you start seeing black in spots it's time to redo or re-coat the roof. Your lucky if you get 10 years! The manufactures install rubber roof because it's cheaper for them to do so plus they get repeat business when your roof fails. I also have fiberglass siding which is much better than the corrugated aluminum siding. It doesn't pit from electrolysis and it's much easier to clean and maintain. I removed the air conditioner and patched the hole in the bedroom. I replaced the floor in the bathroom. Those were the main issues and the must haves are aluminum framing and fiberglass siding and roof if possible. Good insulation is very important for the winter months. I installed one of those vent free propane heaters for the winter time thinking I would save money from having to use the original propane furnace because so much of the heat is exhausted outside. Well it puts out a lot of heat but the condensation is a problem. I have carbon monoxide sensors and the alarms have never gone off so I am assuming it is safe. I am worried about the condensation though running maybe down the interior walls and down to the wood floor. I will use it sparingly. I hope my experience as a RV full timer will help you.
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