It has occurred to us that if we just camp alone, with nothing in the TV but ourselves and a bag of potato chips, we're good with the tongue weight. But after subtracting it from our payload, we don't have much left except ourselves and those chips.So how can we lighten our tongue weight? We have two propane tanks and two batteries. We're happy to move one of the batteries, but where? How far behind the hitch does it have to be to lighten the tongue weight? We have room under the bed in our TT, but that's the front of the TT and would put weight on the hitch.Is there anything else we can do to lighten the tongue to free up some of that payload so we can take our grands camping next summer?

Remove batteries and propane tanks and you can take the 2 grandkids but they will have to ride on the tongue :B Removing weight from tongue can cause towing issues (sway).Having too heavy of a trailer vs adequate truck payload is cured by having bigger truck or lighter trailer. Reducing weight of current trailer is not much of an option unless you have been collecting rocks.You have the wrong combo.......

MargaretB wrote:It has occurred to us that if we just camp alone, with nothing in the TV but ourselves and a bag of potato chips, we're good with the tongue weight. But after subtracting it from our payload, we don't have much left except ourselves and those chips.So how can we lighten our tongue weight? We have two propane tanks and two batteries. We're happy to move one of the batteries, but where? How far behind the hitch does it have to be to lighten the tongue weight? We have room under the bed in our TT, but that's the front of the TT and would put weight on the hitch.Is there anything else we can do to lighten the tongue to free up some of that payload so we can take our grands camping next summer?There have been a few atheists that have gotten religion real quick after lightening their tongue weight.Too light can result in uncontrollable sway.. And it comes on without warning, it seems fine until a certain speed is reached, then it will need 3-4 lanes instantly... Don't ask me how I know this.I was lucky. You may not be. In your other thread, I see you about to pop for another 1/2 ton, that won't be much better than what you have now.If you are gonna buy a truck... Get one that will make a difference. Otherwise save your cash for the wreck you will have from towing over weight.

While I agree with the other posters I think it will really depend on your current tongue weight ratio. If your tongue weight is 13% of your total trailer weight there isn't much that you can do. But if your tongue weight is 20% then you could possibly move things around to lighten it up a bit.

Our current tongue weight is 13%. Loaded for a short trip, our TT is at about 6200#. Payload is 1230# and tow limit is, depending on whom you believe and when, either 7100#, 7200#, or 9600#. We go with the middle.Our TT is an ultralight, and not that heavy. So how come we see so many people pulling much bigger TTs with an F150?

I hesitated to even answer this.... You have been given the answer over and over in your other thread... For some reason you arte asking it again... Leads me to believe that you will keep asking until somebody tells you it's OK.Someone eventually will. Then you will believe them and go on your way.The ONLY reason I am bothering with this, is that you mentioned bringing the grandkids along. So for their sake, here it is again:The F150 can be had in many different versions. Some have payloads of over 2000#. Many do not. They all look the same going down the road or parked on the dealer lot. But they are different.You have also mentioned going to a bigger TT. It is time to get a bigger truck. The HD trucks today are very nice. You wanted heated seats, it can be done, even a heated steering wheel. You can even get the seats cooled in the summer.Driving wise isn't much different. A firmer ride (a good thing) So rather that grasping at desperate, dangerous methods such as lightening a the TW, get a bigger truck, then take those grandkids camping:B

Lightening tongue weight | Good Sam Community

Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
I hesitated to even answer this.... You have been given the answer over and over in your other thread... For some reason you arte asking it again... Leads me to believe that you will keep asking until somebody tells you it's OK.
Someone eventually will. Then you will believe them and go on your way.
The ONLY reason I am bothering with this, is that you mentioned bringing the grandkids along. So for their sake, here it is again:

The F150 can be had in many different versions. Some have payloads of over 2000#. Many do not. They all look the same going down the road or parked on the dealer lot. But they are different.
You have also mentioned going to a bigger TT. It is time to get a bigger truck. The HD trucks today are very nice. You wanted heated seats, it can be done, even a heated steering wheel. You can even get the seats cooled in the summer.
Driving wise isn't much different. A firmer ride (a good thing) So rather that grasping at desperate, dangerous methods such as lightening a the TW, get a bigger truck, then take those grandkids camping:B
MargaretB
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
Our current tongue weight is 13%. Loaded for a short trip, our TT is at about 6200#. Payload is 1230# and tow limit is, depending on whom you believe and when, either 7100#, 7200#, or 9600#. We go with the middle.

Our TT is an ultralight, and not that heavy. So how come we see so many people pulling much bigger TTs with an F150?
opnspaces
Navigator II
Dec 12, 2014
While I agree with the other posters I think it will really depend on your current tongue weight ratio. If your tongue weight is 13% of your total trailer weight there isn't much that you can do. But if your tongue weight is 20% then you could possibly move things around to lighten it up a bit.
Huntindog
Explorer
Dec 12, 2014
MargaretB wrote:
It has occurred to us that if we just camp alone, with nothing in the TV but ourselves and a bag of potato chips, we're good with the tongue weight. But after subtracting it from our payload, we don't have much left except ourselves and those chips.

So how can we lighten our tongue weight? We have two propane tanks and two batteries. We're happy to move one of the batteries, but where? How far behind the hitch does it have to be to lighten the tongue weight? We have room under the bed in our TT, but that's the front of the TT and would put weight on the hitch.

Is there anything else we can do to lighten the tongue to free up some of that payload so we can take our grands camping next summer?
There have been a few atheists that have gotten religion real quick after lightening their tongue weight.

Too light can result in uncontrollable sway.. And it comes on without warning, it seems fine until a certain speed is reached, then it will need 3-4 lanes instantly... Don't ask me how I know this.

I was lucky. You may not be. In your other thread, I see you about to pop for another 1/2 ton, that won't be much better than what you have now.
If you are gonna buy a truck... Get one that will make a difference. Otherwise save your cash for the wreck you will have from towing over weight.
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Dec 12, 2014
Remove batteries and propane tanks and you can take the 2 grandkids but they will have to ride on the tongue :B

Removing weight from tongue can cause towing issues (sway).

Having too heavy of a trailer vs adequate truck payload is cured by having bigger truck or lighter trailer. Reducing weight of current trailer is not much of an option unless you have been collecting rocks.

You have the wrong combo.......

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