Weight of hitch for calculating tongue weight

dnhx wrote:
We have neither TT or TV,so I am trying to determine if the Ford Expedition will work for some of trailers we are looking at. A F150 will not fit in our garage, so that is out. Expedition: max tongue load 920 lbs with WDH, GVWR 7300 lbs, GVW ~5800 lbs, passenger & cargo will be around 500 lbs, which leaves 7300-5800-500 = 1000 lbs for the trailer tongue weight.

The heaviest TT we are looking at is 5300 lbs dry (26' length), just two of us and dogs, so I would think stuff + propane and batteries would be about another 1000 lbs, for a total of 6300 lbs. Given the max tongue load rating of the TV, the tongue weight distribution could not exceed about 14% which is ~ 900 lbs.

As you can see we are getting very close to the limits of the TV, so I want to be sure I do not exceed them before buying it or this TT. As far as calculations, the only thing I am unclear about is how to account for the weight of the actual hitch. Since we are new to towing, I am considering the Pro-Pride hitch, which I understand is around 200 lbs. Does the weight of the hitch add to the TV payload or is the weight considered as part of the trailer weight?

thank you

IMO the biggest mistake that you and most other newbies make is to "UNDER ESTIMATE" what things will weigh and only take the most favorable numbers. In my experience "Mr. Murphy" does just the opposite and the only real safe way again IMO is to take the worst case like using the GVWR of the TT and a TW % of 15 and making a trip to a "REAL" set of scales with all normal occupants on board and with full fuel and getting a baseline TV wt. and individual axle wts. Once you are armed with all this info then you can start "GUESTIMATING" where you will be at.

Larry