WD hitch and cargo behind rear axle & tongue weight

DwnSth wrote:
---It does make sense that some of that weight has to be handled by the WD system.

It doesn't make sense to me.
IMO, since you don't handle that weight when you're not towing -- you don't need to handle it when you are towing.

---Only question I had left was, is that rear weight considered in the receiver limit? If so, I don't want to put anything rear of axle so as not to go over receiver limit of 1130.

There is no way for weight in the bed of the truck to impose a load on the receiver.
It doesn't impose a load on the receiver when a trailer is not attached,
and it doesn't impose a load on the receiver when a trailer is attached.

If you choose to transfer extra load to the TV's front axle to compensate for behind-axle-load, you also will transfer extra load to the TT's axle and decrease the vertical load on the receiver.

Ron

Ron Gratz wrote:
And, if I a major on-line hitch retailer told me that weight behind the rear axle becomes part of the bars ability to transfer weight and cargo behind the rear axle actually affected the tongue weight --- I would be seeking advice from another souce.

Ron

Exactly why I'm posting the question here. Eqaul-i-zer's site calculator includes the weight behind the rear axle. (not the retailer I talked to though). It does make sense that some of that weight has to be handled by the WD system.

I'm not new to towing and have been RV'ing for 20 years. This is just another example of the outlandish confusion the industry has created. My truck handles this load well, have not gotten new TT to scales yet but based on my previous trips to scales I have plenty of payload left fully loaded for a trip. I know my loaded tongue is 1020 from my Sherline scale. So, I'm well within all specs. Only question I had left was, is that rear weight considered in the receiver limit? If so, I don't want to put anything rear of axle so as not to go over receiver limit of 1130.

The amount of load you want to transfer via the WDH is the only criterion for determining the capacity of the WDH.

The purpose of a WDH is to add back some or all of the load which was removed from the TV's front axle when the TT was attached with no WD applied.
Restoring load to the front axle which was removed by adding weight behind the rear axle is not a purpose of a WDH.

When weight is added behind the rear axle without a TT attached, load is removed from the front axle and it is not restored.
So, when weight is added behind the rear axle with a TT attached, it is not necessary for the WDH to compensate for that portion of the load removed from the front axle -- only for the portion which is removed by trailer-induced vertical load.

IOW, since you don't compensate for effects of behind-the-axle load when you're not towing --
you don't need to compensate for effects of behind-the-axle load when you are towing.

And, if I a major on-line hitch retailer told me that weight behind the rear axle becomes part of the bars ability to transfer weight and cargo behind the rear axle actually affected the tongue weight --- I would be seeking advice from another souce.

Ron

DwnSth wrote:
My payload is 2090....so I'm more concerned about my receiver limitation. The whole idea about tongue weight was brought on by a conversation I had with a major on-line hitch retailer. I actually do understand that the weight behind the rear axle becomes part of the bars ability to transfer weight. They had led me to believe the cargo behind rear axle actually affected the tongue weight. For a WD to work properly, yes you do need to include that weight in calculations which is why I went with a 14k hitch. I like to keep my generator in an easy to load and get to spot.

Yep those reasons are exactly the same as I posted in my post prior to yours. As I said you will get some to disagree and even point to very old documents as to definitions as to what is tongue wt., but IMO tongue wt. can actually vary and be different depending on what equipment is using it. I'm some what sensitive since in the past when on very long roadtrips I carried an additional 20gal of diesel in 5gal jugs are the very end of my Van which was well behind my wheels and that along with my Generator amounted to over 200lb that could vary by over 160lbs as I used up that spare fuel.

Larry

You posed a good question but I can't answer it. Your hitch and bars probably weigh more than 70lbs though. My 12K hitch and bars weigh 90 lbs.

My payload is 2090....so I'm more concerned about my receiver limitation. The whole idea about tongue weight was brought on by a conversation I had with a major on-line hitch retailer. I actually do understand that the weight behind the rear axle becomes part of the bars ability to transfer weight. They had led me to believe the cargo behind rear axle actually affected the tongue weight. For a WD to work properly, yes you do need to include that weight in calculations which is why I went with a 14k hitch. I like to keep my generator in an easy to load and get to spot.

campigloo wrote:
The weight on the receiver is what is loaded directly on it; things like batteries, propane tanks etc. that are on the trailer or part of the hitch. Things in the bed of the truck count against payload but not receiver weight.

While that is one view it is one that I do not subscribe to. There are supporting information for both views, but IMO the WDH system wt. goes against the receiver and WDH ratings and after the WDH system is adjusted any wt. aft of the axle puts additional wt. on both the Receiver and what the WDH is "re distributing" so it also goes against those two related tongue wts. Obviously neither of these additional wts. are included in what I call the dead tongue wt. or that you would measure with the trailer disconnected and measured by something like a Sherline tongue scale. IIRC two well respected sources (e-trailer and Equal-i-zer) agrees with my interpretation of what is part of the various tongue wts. as it applies to the various equipment ratings.

Larry

edited.

Me thinks you're a little confused. As Mike said, adding weight behind the rear wheels only subtracts from the payload amount, not add to the tongue weight. Not sure what your truck's payload capacity is, but I would think with a 1090 lb tongue weight, you just might be pushing that limit.

Remember, everything and anything you put in or on the truck itself should be subtracted from the truck's payload capacity....and that includes you.

Ron

The weight on the receiver is what is loaded directly on it; things like batteries, propane tanks etc. that are on the trailer or part of the hitch. Things in the bed of the truck count against payload but not receiver weight.