RVIA and tongue weight

dodge guy wrote:
As far as TH go, their TW jump around like crazy and they need to be watched to make sure both empty and loaded have a 12.5% TW.

I loaded my toy in the garage with an empty trailer and it did not change the TW at all. Removed the toy to recheck and same TW. With a 12' (to first cab.) garage, there is only about 10' of trailer behind the rear axle. Trailer is 33.5' box length with another 2-3' of hitch up front. OTOH, with an empty trailer (TW of 1300#)I added 180 gallons of water to it and it added an extra 250# to the TW. One fresh water tank is in front of axle and the other is behind axle 2. What really adds to the TW is the black tank b/c it is in front of the fresh water #1 tank.

10% is the minimum, and even that is on the light side. normal, ready to travel tongue weight should be around 12.5%. even 15% would be on the high side for towing. my TT originally ended up with 15% TW and it was a handful to tow. I brought that number down to 12-13% and my setup handles excellent.

As far as TH go, their TW jump around like crazy and they need to be watched to make sure both empty and loaded have a 12.5% TW.

campigloo wrote:
Westend, how does that work?

How to determine trailer tongue weight

This what I've used in the past.

Westend, how does that work?

Not sure but I think the 10% came from the MINIMUM needed for safe driving provided the braking system is up to par. I use the 10% on my flatbed trailer but have gone to 25% on the 5'ver. With a tag a long and load levelers I wouldn't be afraid to have 20% before I engaged the load levelers.

What you're looking for will be on the SAE website, but probably in a members-only section.

2500 Grunt wrote:
I'm not looking for actual numbers just something from RVIA indicating that toy haulers normally have a 15% or more TW. I know what my actual numbers are from my Sherline scale.

The RVIA isn't a safety or standardization organization (although they take other's standards and make them there own). It's more about gleaning a few dollars from RV mfgs., offering a dealers meeting house, and appearing to be a safety organization to consumers that see their emblem on the siding of a trailer or MH.
The RVIA has adopted some standards from other safety organizations, mostly to do with fire and electrical. They have since branched out into facility environmental concerns and technician certification.

The RVIA has no standards for tongue weight or any advisements about frames, running gear, or construction.

If you're looking for some numbers about tongue weight and how it applies to TH's, give a mfg. a call, ask for their design engineers, and hopefully someone has enough wherewithal to give you a design criteria about weight distribution.

This seems like a lot of work, just to prove a salesman wrong.

I'm not looking for actual numbers just something from RVIA indicating that toy haulers normally have a 15% or more TW. I know what my actual numbers are from my Sherline scale.

Don't waste your time. Most dealers/salesman don't have a clue. Use your own knowledge and make a good decision independent of the dealer. It's your money and your choice.

Accurate tongue weight is critical for safe towing, particularly with a toy hauler. Every manufacturer and salesman wants to quote you a completely BS number known as "Dry Tongue Weight". Not once in the history of the world has that number ever been even remotely accurate. :S

Take the GVWR of any trailer and compute 13% to 15% of that number, toy haulers need to be nearer to 15%, and you will get reasonably close to a real world tongue weight. No, not everyone loads to the GVWR but TW, especially in a toy hauler, is so important that being on the conservative side of the equation is not a bad thing.

Any salesman that quotes you "Dry" anything weights is NOT your friend, thinks you are an imbecile and does not deserve your business much less your trust. So how do I really feel? :R

As Always.... Opinions and YMMV. :C