New to TT - TT Tow Weight Question

swanny297 wrote:
I see lots of mention on this forum and others regarding WD system, and the average weight at the tongue with a WD system is on average 67% the actual hitch weight, is this true and should I be considering this?

Back when we were towing with a Ford Excursion (basically a 3/4 ton) and the margins with our current Jayco Eagle were pretty close I did all the measurements I could.

I went across the scale without the Equalizer WD engaged and then again with it engaged.

By the numbers of the axle weights on the readout there was SOME tongue weight distributed back to the TT instead of to the Excursion, but it was minimal. IIRC it was less than 10% for sure and I'm pretty sure it was more like 7-8%. Forgive me as that was back in 2010.

Now that we have a 1 ton I'm not THAT detailed as we're well below payload limitations towing that same TT.

I'm not sure where the 67% number you're citing comes from....and where they're suggesting that 33% of the weight is going, but I would be shocked if it were going back to the TT with the WD hitch engaged.

IF those numbers are right, it's probably for the rear axle. 67% on the rear axle, then maybe of that 33% remaining, 20-25% is transferred to the front axle of your TV (meaning about 90% of the tongue weight is counting against your payload) and then the rest goes back to the trailer.

Again, I'm only speaking in hypotheticals given the number you asked about.

The only way you every really know for sure is to weigh the TT, get the tongue weight, etc. (and even that is hard to do unless it's loaded). This is why selecting a TT that is within the safety range to begin with is so important.

My suggestion is, find one that is in the ball park. Then ask the dealer if you can hook up and tow it to a CAT scales or something similar to get that weight, and see if you can borrow a Sherline scale to measure tongue weight, etc.