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OK I finally put truck/trailer on Cat scale.
Weird thing is camper is less than the dry spec weight.
What do the weights look like to you with more knowledge. No WD is hitched without weight distribution bars hooked.
You asked for input from those with more knowledge but I am going to take a shot at it anyway. When those you asked for weigh in (see what I did there) they can confirm I'm accurate or help both of us learn.
You have a tongue weight of 400 lbs. Seems good to me
You are transferring most of the weight back onto the front axle which is the goal.
Is it close enough? I would think so if it drives ok. Seems good to me.
You are transferring weight back onto trailer axles like you would expect. Seems good to me
It seems your axle weights are likely under limits. Seems good to me.
I would verify axle limits to confirm and then drive it if the trailer is level or slightly nose down.
Did you really unhook your trailer while it was sitting on the scale? Where did the tounge jack sit on the scale? I never thought to do that, I just unhooked in the parking lot and drove the truck with no trailer across the scale.
Anyway, it looks like you are pretty close on your setup. You are moving 380 lbs back onto your steer axle, and are pretty close to your "no trailer" steer axle load.
From here, it's fine tuning. How do the truck and trailer sit as far as level goes? You may need to adjust your hitch up and down to get that dialed in, or tilt your hitch as well.
If a guy had all day to mess around, it would be interesting to try several different configurations of ball tilt, chain linkage etc to see how much they change the numbers. However, on my Curt hitch, it's a pain to adjust these things, so I made my best guess and I'm not adjusting it again.
As Vwags asked, how does it tow? Do you have a lot of bounce going down the highway? I found if I tightened the WD bars too much, it would porpoise at highway speeds.
In my opinion, wags summarized it well. I think you look good. If it tows okay, forget. "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!". I know some folks obsess over weights. I don't obsess over anything as long as it works.
Thanks alot guys. It towed great a few weeks ago to Gulf Shores. I didn't like the rear sag.
This trip I dropped the ball 1 hole and added washer to ball slant.
Since my adjusting it rides/goes excellent. But creaks and pops LOUD at slow speeds. Gonna pull that washer I added and expect to be finished.
Is it pretty common to get trailer weights under the manufacturing spec weight?
Oh yeah my tongue jack was on same scale as trailer.
Yes I just stayed on the scale and played. 15 mins tops .
I screwed up and had to pull back on for no WD weight.
If you go just pull on the 3 scales its easy to tell where to park.
Get weight just like you pulled on. Then take off WD bar get weight. 3 rd go ahead and lift trailer off hitch.
Cost $12.50
Really hard to say so try it. But I personal think a bit more.
There really is no right or wrong answer. But if you feel it a bit unstable at hwy speed you might try that.
Although folks tend to says the manufacturer weights are always light, in my experience it can go either way. For me the acid test of a set-up is how it tows.
something 'aint right' here. or i'm having a brain fart. just looking at 'trailer' wt. column 1 is 8020 lbs. when you hook up and go to column 2, you should have put 10-15 percent of that to the truck, but you didnt. trailer weight went up 80 lbs. tongue jack must have been on scale with the drive axle both unhooked and hooked/no wd. that would explain why your empty trailer weight is less than manufacturers weight.
something 'aint right' here. or i'm having a brain fart. just looking at 'trailer' wt. column 1 is 8020 lbs. when you hook up and go to column 2, you should have put 10-15 percent of that to the truck, but you didnt. trailer weight went up 80 lbs. tongue jack must have been on scale with the drive axle both unhooked and hooked/no wd. that would explain why your empty trailer weight is less than manufacturers weight.
^^^ This ^^^
I agree with Scott, those numbers show only about 5% tongue weight, that TT should be pretty wagging if that were true.
I'm not an Engineer but I don't think it is physically possible for an additional 400lbs on the rear axle to unload 460lbs from the front axle. (unhooked vs hooked without WD).
It would seem that the only way these numbers could happen was if the trailer tongue jack was on the same scale pad as the rear truck tires, that is the only way I could see the trailer weight going up from unhitched to hitched without WD. This would also account for the TT appearing to weigh less than the dry weight listed.
I was pretty sure I had tongue on same scale as trailer.
Not sure now. It will be next week til I can try a different scale near the house. We will be traveling a different route home.
