1200 or 1500 lb spring bars
After doing the beam and bathroom scale tongue weight measurement I came up with a tongue weight of just under 1200 lbs. Trailer is a Cougar 33RES with GVRW of 9500 lbs.. Little yellow sticker on door says trailer weighted in at 8250 lbs at the factory.
When we brought the trailer home and before I weighted the tongue, I was using 1200 lb spring bars for a Reese HP dual cam hitch. Fender measurements showed truck squatted about 1 3/4 inches in rear and front stayed at same height.
Scale measurements were 4180 on front axle, 4880 on rear with trailer coming in at 7900 total was 16960 lbs. These weights actually repeated to within 100 lbs on two scales at two separate times.
Truck and trailer felt fine even with heavy cross wind.
For those reading so far, I was dropping three links on the hitch.
Weighted the tongue weight and came up with right at 1160 lbs loaded with gear but not personal or food items.
Figured that OK the 1200 lb bars might be slightly under when ready for a long trip so I went up to 1500 lb bars.
Fully loaded for a week trip to Florida. Clothing food and the essential fluids.
Still dropped three links on the chains, truck appeared to be squatting the same for the trip. Was unable to weigh on way out, but, weighted on way back, 4680 on front axle, 4480 on rear, trailer 8420 total of 17580 lbs.
Pulled in heavy cross winds again with no problems. Back did not seem light at all. But know that the weight should really be towards the back.
Dropped two links while taking it back to the storage lot and truck seemed to sit about the same with two or three links dropped. Did not get weights
Would dropping just two links transfer some of the weight back to the rear axle? Or go back to the 1200 lb bars and continue to drop three links.
Thanks.
When we brought the trailer home and before I weighted the tongue, I was using 1200 lb spring bars for a Reese HP dual cam hitch. Fender measurements showed truck squatted about 1 3/4 inches in rear and front stayed at same height.
Scale measurements were 4180 on front axle, 4880 on rear with trailer coming in at 7900 total was 16960 lbs. These weights actually repeated to within 100 lbs on two scales at two separate times.
Truck and trailer felt fine even with heavy cross wind.
For those reading so far, I was dropping three links on the hitch.
Weighted the tongue weight and came up with right at 1160 lbs loaded with gear but not personal or food items.
Figured that OK the 1200 lb bars might be slightly under when ready for a long trip so I went up to 1500 lb bars.
Fully loaded for a week trip to Florida. Clothing food and the essential fluids.
Still dropped three links on the chains, truck appeared to be squatting the same for the trip. Was unable to weigh on way out, but, weighted on way back, 4680 on front axle, 4480 on rear, trailer 8420 total of 17580 lbs.
Pulled in heavy cross winds again with no problems. Back did not seem light at all. But know that the weight should really be towards the back.
Dropped two links while taking it back to the storage lot and truck seemed to sit about the same with two or three links dropped. Did not get weights
Would dropping just two links transfer some of the weight back to the rear axle? Or go back to the 1200 lb bars and continue to drop three links.
Thanks.
