Adding rack to rear of trailer
I need feed back on adding a rack to the rear of my Sundance 323BH XLT travel trailer. I just purchased a pair of Honda generators and would like to add a rack to the rear of my trailer to carry the ...
Forum Discussion
Lantley wrote:N-Trouble wrote:gmc6000 wrote:Lantley wrote:N-Trouble wrote:.
I cant see 150lbs hanging off the back of a 30+ft trailer doing much to affect the handling. Probably wont take more than 50lbs off the tongue.
150# off the back behind the axles will take 150# plus off the tongue.
The weight will affect the performance/handling of the RV.
Sorry, but this could not be further from the truth. The only way this would be possible is if the trailer was perfectly balanced (front to rear) on the axles, which it is not.
150# on the back will do very little to change the weight on the tongue. I would be surprised if you lightened the tongue by more than 10-20 lbs at most.
Mount it and don't worry about it.
Good to see someone understands trailers AND physics.
Since you guys think it won't matter. At what point will it matter? 300#,500#, Is there a tipping point? Do you believe there is a tipping point or can you you just load up the rear as much as you like without affecting the TW?
Obviously there is a point in which weight added to the rear could and/ or will induce sway. But there is not a set amount that will as there are way to many variables! Such as: loaded tw before adding the rear weight, the distance between the tongue and center point of the wheels (the "pivot point"), and the distance from the center point to the "new" rear weight.
Think back when you were a kid playing on a teeter totter that's 10' long. All things being perfect, a 50lb kid (A) could balance (or move) the t/t with another 50lb kid (B). Now move the pivot point 1' towards kid A. Kid A will no longer be able to balance or move kid B due to the pivot point changing (and change in leverage). But a 75lb kid that is now 4' from the pivot will balance a 50lb kid that is 6' from the pivot point: 75x4=50x6.
If the op posted his current loaded tw, the ball to center distance, and the center to new rear weight distance the change could be calculated.
Depending on where the fresh water tank is, if normally empty or a low amount of water is in it while traveling, added water if in front of the axles could restore lost tw.
But I would highly suggest a trip to the CAT Scales to verify there is the proper tw %!!!
