With four sons and a wife in a Nissan Armada with 1450 payload, tongue weight becomes a factor pretty quick. We're in the market for a camper that'll sleep all of us.What I believe I understand: when a WD hitch is engaged, it will distribute the hitch load to the front, rear, and trailer axles. That I get.What I think is right: when a WD hitch is engaged, a percentage of the hitch load is redirected to the trailer axles and off of the truck frame.I'm concerned about payload. Assume I have 675lbs reserved for hitch load. If I were to get a camper that has an 700lb hitch load, would I be correct that if my WD hitch is set up right, that a percentage of that 700lb hitch load would be put back on the trailer axles and not on the truck frame thus keeping the truck from being overloaded? I can't seem to connect these dots.My family is too valuable to me to overload the truck. Thoughts? Thanks!

HERE is a good explanation and info

Biscuit - Thanks, I've read over that several times prior to my post, and I guess I'm just looking for confirmation that my understanding is correct. There's enough information on here to get lost if you're not careful. Thanks!

FYI the listed tonue weight on most trailers is "dry weight" and it does not include the weight of items on the tongue such as propane in the tanks (typical 20# per bottle) battery(s) (typical 50# each). It does not include the hitch receiver on the truck (50 to 100#) nor anything you add into the trailer - clothes, food, water, etc all of which will add to the tongue weight.It would be a good idea to load up the truck with you family and get the truck weighed and subtract that from the GVWR to get how much you have left for the LOADED tongue weight.

410 - Totally get that. I definitely understand that dry weight is meaningless. In this post, I'm basically trying to grasp whether a properly set up WD hitch does in fact take a percentage of hitch load off of the truck frame.Knowing this will help me ensure that I don't overload the truck. Thanks!

fourboysdad wrote:410 - Totally get that. I definitely understand that dry weight is meaningless. In this post, I'm basically trying to grasp whether a properly set up WD hitch does in fact take a percentage of hitch load off of the truck frame.Knowing this will help me ensure that I don't overload the truck. Thanks!The problem here is that if you are that close to have to be figuring if the small amount of dead tongue wt. being transferred back to the trailer axles when the WDH is hook up tells me you're too close to begin with. This is because you have absolutely no idea what the dead tongue wt. will ACTUALLY BE and typically the percent of dead tongue wt. (i.e. the wt. of the trailer tongue independently measured by a scale) is only in the 10 to 25% range so at 700 lbs that is only 70 to 175 lbs and if your cutting things that close IMO you don't have enough reserve to be safe and comfortable.Larry

payload and WD hitch clarification | Good Sam Community

19 Replies

LarryJM
Explorer II
Jul 03, 2014
fourboysdad wrote:
Ron3rd wrote:
I think what the OP is trying to get answered is whether dead tongue weight is removed and transferred to axles when the WD is applied. In other words, is your tongue weight less when you pull up your WD bars.

Ron, exactly. I fully plan to add in all the necessary weights. You stated my request perfectly. Thanks.

Well that's sure not how I read your OP when you said ....

I'm concerned about payload. Assume I have 675lbs reserved for hitch load. If I were to get a camper that has an 700lb hitch load, would I be correct that if my WD hitch is set up right, that a percentage of that 700lb hitch load would be put back on the trailer axles and not on the truck frame thus keeping the truck from being overloaded??

This was not simply about if any wt is transferred, but a concern over enough being transferred to prevent being OVERLOADED.

Like another poster has already pointed out I will repeat IMO if you are working in these margins then you are too close and as indicated the outcome will not be in your favor.

Larry
Gdetrailer
Explorer III
Jul 02, 2014
fourboysdad wrote:
Ron3rd wrote:
I think what the OP is trying to get answered is whether dead tongue weight is removed and transferred to axles when the WD is applied. In other words, is your tongue weight less when you pull up your WD bars.

Ron, exactly. I fully plan to add in all the necessary weights. You stated my request perfectly. Thanks.

I think you will find that it will be a "wash" in the end.

The WD hardware alone will easily add 100 lbs to the tongue. So really any thing "pushed" back to the trailer axles WILL be very little and the tongue weight will be nearly the same as it was before WD was applied.

Honestly, if you are down to counting weight this close you are simply going down a road which is not going to end happily.

Do yourself a favor and don't buy something so close to the ratings that you are depending on the WD to magically make the tongue "lighter".. The weight does not disappear into thin air..
fourboysdad
Explorer
Jul 02, 2014
Ron3rd wrote:
I think what the OP is trying to get answered is whether dead tongue weight is removed and transferred to axles when the WD is applied. In other words, is your tongue weight less when you pull up your WD bars.

Ron, exactly. I fully plan to add in all the necessary weights. You stated my request perfectly. Thanks.
Ron3rd
Explorer III
Jul 02, 2014
I think what the OP is trying to get answered is whether dead tongue weight is removed and transferred to axles when the WD is applied. In other words, is your tongue weight less when you pull up your WD bars.
LarryJM
Explorer II
Jul 02, 2014
fourboysdad wrote:
410 - Totally get that. I definitely understand that dry weight is meaningless. In this post, I'm basically trying to grasp whether a properly set up WD hitch does in fact take a percentage of hitch load off of the truck frame.

Knowing this will help me ensure that I don't overload the truck. Thanks!

The problem here is that if you are that close to have to be figuring if the small amount of dead tongue wt. being transferred back to the trailer axles when the WDH is hook up tells me you're too close to begin with. This is because you have absolutely no idea what the dead tongue wt. will ACTUALLY BE and typically the percent of dead tongue wt. (i.e. the wt. of the trailer tongue independently measured by a scale) is only in the 10 to 25% range so at 700 lbs that is only 70 to 175 lbs and if your cutting things that close IMO you don't have enough reserve to be safe and comfortable.

Larry
fourboysdad
Explorer
Jul 02, 2014
410 - Totally get that. I definitely understand that dry weight is meaningless. In this post, I'm basically trying to grasp whether a properly set up WD hitch does in fact take a percentage of hitch load off of the truck frame.

Knowing this will help me ensure that I don't overload the truck. Thanks!
sh410
Explorer
Jul 02, 2014
FYI the listed tonue weight on most trailers is "dry weight" and it does not include the weight of items on the tongue such as propane in the tanks (typical 20# per bottle) battery(s) (typical 50# each). It does not include the hitch receiver on the truck (50 to 100#) nor anything you add into the trailer - clothes, food, water, etc all of which will add to the tongue weight.

It would be a good idea to load up the truck with you family and get the truck weighed and subtract that from the GVWR to get how much you have left for the LOADED tongue weight.
fourboysdad
Explorer
Jul 02, 2014
Biscuit - Thanks, I've read over that several times prior to my post, and I guess I'm just looking for confirmation that my understanding is correct. There's enough information on here to get lost if you're not careful. Thanks!
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jul 02, 2014
HERE is a good explanation and info

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payload and WD hitch clarification

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