Hi folks,
I am running a travel trailer with a 1250lb tongue weight.
I have 1200lb bars on the weight distribution.
How much of the 1250 tongue weight do the bars move to the other axles.? I had heard that the bars will move half of that amount, but don't know for sure, thought I would ask.
Or another way to ask it is how much of the 1250 do the bars stop from resting on the back of the van?
thanks for any help
Andrew

Sunnybrook 3310
Ford E350 V10 4.10
Hensley Arrow

 

Too many variables to answer this without actually weighing it, IMO. Take your van to a scale. Weigh it. Then hitch up and repeat and you will have your answer.

Steve

 

Andrew:

Good questions -

Like Steve (The RV Tech) said, take your rig to a local CAT scale on a Sunday morning (usually their slowest time) and weigh it a half dozen (or so) times. It's best to get off of the scale between weighing for two reasons, one, in case an 18 wheeler needs to get a weigh (these guys need the scales for their job - I try not to hold them up), and, (more importantly), two, after you make the adjustment on the Hensley, make a couple of turns to "shake everything out". Cost of weighing is usually 10 bucks for the first weigh, and then about a buck for each additional weigh in a 12 hour period.

The whole purpose of this excercise is to make certain that you have a safe towing scenario. This means to put as much weight back on the steering axle as you are comfortable with (weight removed when you dropped the tongue of the trailer on the hitch), tension the WD bars to effect safe sway control, and at the same time do not overload your drive axle or trailer axles.

You'll need at least 7 weighs (maybe more). I took a couple of hours to compile the information to construct the following table:




Take your TV (Tow Vehicle) to the scales loaded as you normally tow (put additional weight in the van if you can't get your usual load of passengers to wake up on Sunday morning - be sure to include loaded ice chests and luggage normally carried in the cabin), and, with the trailer in tow, also loaded ready to get on the road, and weight bars adjusted to "normal" (with the Hensley, you have three marks on the lift adjustment bars, with more conventional adjustable bars, people usually count chain links in tension), weigh the front axle, drive axle, and the two trailer axles on the three pads available on the scale. I usually take a helper along to position the tires correctly on the three pads - it is not necessary to get the wheels absolutely centered on the three individual pads, but I try to get the combination of tires as close as possible to the "center" of the pads. While you are on the scale record the distance from the ground to the top of the fender curvature on each of the four TV wheels - this is important so you can "estimate" the proper tension you need to put on the weight distribution bars should your load change or if you change trailers. Repeat the above until you have recorded the weights of the front axle, the drive axle, both of the trailer axles combined, and the four fender cut out heights for each of the three distribution bar tension marks (or chain links in tension) on your weight distribution hitch. Remember to get a reading with the distribution bars totally relaxed - this gives you the worst possible towing scenario and, if nothing else, totally convinces you NEVER to attempt a tow without a WD set up.

Next, drop the tongue of the trailer on the trailer weight pad (use the electric jack on the tongue as a "weight point") - leave the two trailer axles off of the pads altogether. Be sure to leave the Hensley assembly on the hitch - this is part of your "tongue weight". I usually leave the stinger in the receiver, and consider this to be part of the TV weight. Pull the TV forward and position the TV axles on each of the forward two pads and record all weighs and heights.

Now, all that is left is to get the individual weights of the trailer axles with no loads from the WD hitch imposed. This is important to insure that the trailer is loaded properly with each of the axles carrying close to half of the total load.

As can be seen from the table above, I am able to put 500 lbs "back on" the steering axle simply by running the WD bars in the "number 1" position. The "number 2" position puts 600 lbs back on the front axle, and the "number 3" position puts 700 lbs back on. I also transferred between 200 and 300 lbs to the trailer axles as opposed to the weight on the trailer axles with the WD bars totally relaxed. Note that there is very little difference between the stand alone weight of the trailer axles and the weight with the WD bars hooked up. These days I travel with the WD bars between postion 1 and 2. The Excursion and the Airstream seem to be dialed into a sweet spot at just shy of the #2 position on the WD tensioner using 1000 lb bars.

As always, your results may vary, but 2 hours and 20 bucks go a long ways towards peace of mind and KNOWING how your rig reacts to various WD tensioner settings. Note that a 20 lb difference between weighings is considered "normal", and may even get to 60 lbs on different pads before becoming a real concern.

You might find (especially if you a short rear overhang on the van) you will get a more comfortable tow with 1,000 lb bars or even lighter.

Dennis

"Suck it up, spend the bucks, do it right the first time."

 

Hensley is a good one for transferring alot to the tow vehicle. Esp toward the fron t axle. I think you will be happy once you see the wt per axle.

 

thanks guys, I don't know if i should do a seperate thread on this, but I am installing firestone 3000lb spring helpers on the back because I want to level the load just a little, not increase my weight. I am not over loaded. GCWR is 18,500lbs, I am running 17,000lbs
My rear axle is rated 6,042lbs and it runs fully loaded around 5600lbs.
My concern is that using the air bags to lift the rear of the van a couple of inches must affect the distribution bars (less weight on them) and increase the weight on my rear axle I reckon.
A couple of folks, even firestone said no, but I cannot see how I could lift the rear of the vehicle and not increase the rear axle weight with the trailer connected.
The sag is nothing serious at all, but very normal, it drives and stops great, I just wanted to level it a bit, but don't want to over load the rear axle doing it. So off to the scales I will have to go once I get the bags installed.
I run my Hensley bars fully tight all the time and really like the set up. My load is the trailer and a motorcycle in the van and my sound system for performing plus three people and that is 5600 total.
What do you think about the air bags increasing the rear axle weight?
thanks Andrew.

 

don't think it will add wt. I do think you will have to adjust the hensley maybe so that the van and trailer are level when hooked up. Otherwise I don't think there will be any difference.