Axles

69 Avion wrote:

Airstreamer67 wrote:
I always figure that my cargo capacity is increased by the amount of tongue weight that the tow vehicle carries, net of weight transfer back to the trailer.

My question: why doesn't the manufacturer calculate this when they specify the cargo capacity? Perhaps because of the variables regarding exactly how much will the tongue weight affect the cargo capacity. But not doing so surely shortchanges the actual net cargo capacity of the trailer.

Many manufacturers do exactly that. That is the reason that a 9,500# GVW trailer has only two 4,400# axles. In the OP's situation he appears to gain only 200# for the tongue weight. Having only 900# for the carrying capacity of the OP's trailer is very low. He can't even fill the propane, water and groceries without being over. I don't know why the manufacturer didn't use 5,200# axles with the appropriate frame. The cost difference is almost nothing.

I used to build equipment trailers and I would always rate them at the combined axle weight rating, not including the tongue weight. I would do this because of the number of people who won't read the GVW and if they did, they may not care. I used it as a margin of error for the operator.

Which, while I know I cannot legally change the CCC of my trailer, it would be worth it to me in the long run to drop a some cash on changing the axles and what not. I have some homework to do, but I will know more once I weigh everything this weekend. It is funny, I have two printed brochures and the web site and all three give different weights listed for the same trailer.

Cale