Please see weights in pic. Am I reading this right? Is my tongue weight 20% of my campers weight?
looks like WDH is only transferring 240 lbs to the front. If my assumptions are correct, my 1000 lb spring bars are too weak for the 1100+ lb tongue weight. Any thoughts?
Weights are a) with spring bars engaged, b) without Springs engaged, c) vehicle only.
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In my experience those bars do have some wiggle room, but you are at the top of that limit. What brand? When I found mine were too light, I was able to trade and upgrade via where I purchased, Camping World.
Can you shift anything backwards, off the tongue?

 

Hey Burgy,
They are EAZ-Lift and probably came from Camping World... but they came second hand to me when I bought the camper from the original owner.

I have been brainstorming what I can shift to the back, but, I would either need to drain my fresh tank ( I run with 1/4 full) or pull the propane tanks from A frame. Both really need to stay as is.
My tow vehicle rarely has anything in the rear besides a cooler and one child's bike.

I am just baffled that a 6000lb trailer can have such a heavy tongue weight.

 

It looks like your WDH is doing its job. The unladen and laden with WDH weights are pretty close. You didn't say what vehicle you're towing with. With a Superduty it is harder to visibly transfer the weight because the front is so stiff. The weight transfer still happens but it just doesn't look like it.

Your tongue weight does seem high, but it also includes the weight of the hitch and tow bars.

Does it tow OK in that configuration? If it does then I wouldn't be worried about it.

 

Thanks for the reply. I am towing with a 6.0 Excursion. See mods in sig. It does tow like I have a fat girl sitting on the hitch. Plenty of power to pull it, but feel the weight on the back end. Looking for that "tows like its not even back there" feeling... since the weight is only half tow capacity of this diesel.

 

wonder if you expectations are the problem. Or maybe I've just been doing it wrong for decades, but I have never towed anything with anything and not felt it, truck camper, travel trailer, fifth wheel, you name it. Are you having a problem or just too caught up in CAT tickets?

Steve

 

not felt it... is a dead butt....or dead sensors of the human body..

if its back there.. you better feel it..

my 1500 with a 300 pound motorcycle trailer . OK..
with the 800 pound motorcycle on the trailer,,,, I could feel it..

as for weights... if front is almost same with or without trailer... its good.
you do not want trailer to remove weight from the front wheels of truck.
WDH should deal with that.

 

In your first post I think your A,B,C descriptions at the bottom are jumbled as the weight slips are labeled Weight carrying, WDH and Vehicle, I think A & B are switched...?


To CORRECTLY calculate the actual Tongue Weight you want to subtract the unloaded vehicle drive axle weight from the Weight Carrying drive axle weight, 4820 - 3700 = 1120. Now take that answer and subtract the amount of weight lost from the steer axle on the Weight Carrying ticket, the drive axle is carrying the tongue weight PLUS what was lost from the steer axle. 3680 - 3360 = 320. Now subtract the lost steer axle weight from the total drive axle gain, 1120 - 320 = 800. That is the actual tongue weight of the trailer, 800lbs. So with a total trailer weight of 6100lbs that 800 is about 13%, right on target for a TT tongue weight. And well within the capacity of the 1000lb spring bars on your hitch.

 

That there is some good stuff, thanks for education. I'll be hitting some CAT scales in a few weeks for the 1st time to see more precisely where I'm at with my stuff. This helps with how to read the tickets.

 

Thanks, the big thing to remember when you go to the scales is to make sure you get the steer, drive and trailer axles fully onto the proper scale pads.

 

My first run will be truck only and I'll throw the 1st time user questions at the agent before coming back with loaded trailer.

 

If you do all the weigh-ins on the same day you only pay full price (about $9 or $10) for the initial trip over the scales, then any subsequent reweighs that day are only a buck or two.

 

Thanks, I'm learning.

 

Just tossing this out. There is s good deal of leeway in weight distribution for most combinations and simply using the old tried and true height measurements at the fenders frequently results in a pretty good set-up. And it is possible to have good CAT numbers and not have a great tow, In the end it is how it feels going doing the road that makes a difference.

Steve

 

WE3ZS, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! I have researched this calculation multiple times, but have never seen the lost steer axle weight in the calculation. Makes total sense!!!! I appreciate your kind and thorough answer!