Please divide my BOT weight capacity into groups for bug out with the possibility of not returning and do not exceed 1685 pounds, accounting for zero preps at BOL.

5x8 Enclosed with v-front

2500 GVW

load capacity of 1685 pounds.







Water

Shelter

Food

Tools

Weapons

Fuel

Please keep in mind that the vehicle will either be a 3/4 ton pickup with 8 foot bed, or could be a standard five passenger SUV (v6). So I cannot count on the load capacity of the BOV to compensate for extra weight...the truck would be ideal, but this is worst case scenario, get out of Dodge with what ever vehicle was available at the time.


Here is MY allocation of weight, what would yours be?:

Water = 8.34lbs per gallons x 50 = 450lbs (417lb + container weight)

Shelter - 25lb (tent & gear)

Food - 450lb of LTS Staples

Tools- 160lb of "tools"

Weapons & ammo - 275lb

Fuel - 6.4lb per gallon (gas) x 50 gallons= 325lb (300lb + can weight)

Totals = 1685lbs

So am I too heavy in one category or too lite in another? Building the list was easy, but try and divide it up by weight! The tow vehicle will have a standard BOB for every occupant.

The list of items within each category is not important, it is too complex and would require an entirely different thread.........Thanks ahead of time!

Get a spare tire for that trailer.  Make sure you have a lug wrench that fits too.  Also, if those are Carlisle trailer tires, then expect them to wear badly if you use the trailer loaded very much.  I have a similar trailer in 6x10 that I use for construction, and I will be looking new tires soon.  I hope to find something a little more durable than the Carlisles.  

Otherwise, I can't help you much on loading a BOT.  Just wanted to pass it on about the tires.  Good luck with it.

You are going to want your tongue weight about 225-250 pounds.

I would mount the water centered over the axle.

That's a shitton of weapons and ammo.

Don't get me wrong, if TSHTF and I had time, I'd be taking everything I owned, too, but I also wouldn't be too worried about overloading the trailer or BOV at that point, either. I wouldn't have that much 'loaded and ready to go' in a BOT.

As for the rest, load it ever so slightly forward, and if you have any concerns about the axles or tires, replace them with something better.  Trailer axles are not expensive, nor are spare tires. Make sure you have them.

I don't have a trailer 'ready to go*', myself, they have other purposes.  I'd be dumping and going, and probably be using water/gas cans to move the COG around if it was a problem.

*-ETA: Jeep can be loaded fast, but anything that went in a Trailer would be what is nominally bug-in supplies that I'm taking with me. I'm not sure the trailer can get out of town some of the ways I might go (and finding out would potentially break a recreational asset that would only be used to move nonessential supplies anyway...)

Plan for 1700lbs, but if shtf, you'll throw more than that in there. Count on it.

Do you know what the axel is rated for? Tires?

I don't know about just throwing numbers out there.



I also am a big fan of taking empty vehicles to a weigh station, just the cat scales or a gravel scale or something.  



I would pay attention to the vehicles weight ratings and what not.



Just filling that v6 suv with a few people and gear might get it close to the weight rating and then add in the tongue weight of the trailer and it might be overloaded.



Now I am not saying things self destruct when overloaded but it is something to be aware of.



Being in florida and depending on where you are going you might plan on half that much actual water and a serious water filter setup and some tarps/awnings for collecting rain water.  Other options are to gather water from streams or puddles or whatever and filter it.



When it comes to weapons and ammo I would get a bathroom scale and start seeing what actual weight you are talking.



I guess if the food is heavy on dehydrated I could see adding in more wawa.  If the food is heavy on canned stuff with water packing then consider uses for that water instead of just draining it and tossing it.  I tend to use it in soups and what not.



One thing I would consider with a trailer is that you want to have a concept of what happens if the trailer needs to be left behind once on the road.



I won't argue fuel because fuel is awfully important and when towing the weight added to the vehicle will drop mileage.



One thing I have been doing with tools is learning what all can be used on my specific vehicle or trailer.  Playing on some of the sites for offroading show some inventive folks who get by with 1/3 the tools I started with.  And generally they could do the exact same or even more than I could because of experience with the vehicle or trailer.



Right now I am vehicle heavy and very very far behind on what they can actually haul and having what needs to be hauled ready to go.



It is a work in progress and just something that is taking some time to actually mess with and get figured out in my real world.



For instance, packing stuff was mentioned.  



I don't know how you are planning to carry your water or fuel but containers can affect weight.  Containers also affect how weight can be distributed.



And when we come back to an accident or something killing off the trailer you will have to decide what to cut loose and what to try to carry on in the vehicle itself.



My sucky answer is that if something is so bad I am bugging out then so if a whole lot of the extended family.  Due to me being me most of them are bringing vehicles here if possable to load up with supplies and head out in one group or maybe a couple groups depending on stragglers.



My job does not stop in major disasters so I will be at work for most stuff.

believe it is a 2000 lb axle and six ply trailer tires rated at 1430lb, was told trailer weighs around 800 pounds dry....load capacity of 1685 from MFR.

I know I could beef up the axles and tires, but I have to keep this thing lite enough to tow with the SUV.

Perhaps I am too heavy on weapons, just can't imagine leaving them behind.

I know I will exceed the rating on this trailer when in a true bug out, but planning ahead of time to exceed my limits does not sit right with me.

The SAR team I am on has one of those trailers.  The frame is very marginal at full load, ours is bent like a banana and needs replaced.


Ops

That's a shit ton of water too. Set up a versatile filter system with storage.

Spare bearings/hub.

Id get 2 spair tires. Ive had a double blow out on my race trailer and it SUCKS. I would never go long distance with out 2 spairs and a heavy duty jack.

What's the tow capacity on the v6? 1500? 3500?

A heavier axel, maybe a couple of light channels welded up below deck.