Rear Axle Weight

Whatever weight is actually on the rear axle is what counts toward your rear axle capacity. Doesn't matter how it got there. Tongue weight, junk in the bed, folks in the cab or fuel in the tank. If you go on the scales and get a reading that's how much is on the axle. Adjusting the WDH can vary the weight on the axle.

If you measure rear axle load with WDH connected then that is your rear axle load with WDH connected. Same goes for without. For towing purposes I expect you want to know the load with WDH connected as that's what it will usually be while towing.

If your rear axle load is excessive you can remove some with WDH. However, 500 pounds might be a challenge but I've never tested it.

The purpose of the WD hitch is to level the TT and TV. However, you still want about 10 to 15 percent of the TT weight on the ball.

So if your 10 to 15 percent puts you over the axle rating you need to lighten the load.

My F-150 is very near its axle and max cargo limit when loaded because of all the camping gear we take.

tntwit2011 wrote:
2013 Silverado 1500, 5.3, 3.42, 3950 RGAWR, 9500 tow rating, 1565 payload, 7000 GVWR.

2016 Heritage Glen 312 QBUD, dry weight 7690, dry hitch 765.

Reese Dual cam with 1200 pound bars.

Went across scale at 8360 with a 640 tongue (miscalculation - thought it was 840 until looking at it again this morning). 5 duffle bags, 28 board feet of 2 x 6 and 2 x 8 (leveling, stabilizer jacks) and a camera bag were added - approximately 400 lbs - or 8800 pounds wet weight.

Axle was at 3840 without weight distribution. 640 on the tongue translated into 1280 on the rear axle. If I add 300 pounds to the tongue it should add 600 to the axle or 4440 or 490 over.

Truck had 960 left for tongue weight.

Yes it's close (if weight distribution brings the axle in).

Yes there is a bigger truck in the plans, it's a matter of when. I have one short trip planned for the year and then not until next summer.

Ok, my $.02

Your TW is probably too low. If it's really 640 lbs for an 8360 lbs TT you only have around 7.5% TW. You should be between 12-15% normally (1000-1250 lbs), which would leave you enough capacity for 1-3 people before you're maxed out. If your drive isn't white knuckle then you have quite the magic combo. That is a big TT for that truck.

GL, and safe travels!

I used a Sherline scale before going to the scale and read 900, which apparently was incorrect. They say the need to be level, and we thought it was.

After leaving the scale, we did a test drive on the thruway and had sway issues and now I know why (though the sway wasn't installed yet, only weight distribution).

Sway control made a huge difference, but not until I shifted more weight forward.

I used the scale to keep it at what I thought was 950 when I left the campground, but now I'm not sure how accurate that was.

At 35' long and a gross weight of nearly 10,000 pounds there is no good way to tow that trailer with a 1500 5.3 and 3.42 rear end. It will be well over your axle rating if you ever get enough tongue weight to tow straight and you will hate life listening to the engine scream at 4500 RPMs to climb hills. Then when you discover what severe side winds do you will really not like towing.

Bigger truck or smaller trailer. You can't camp with an empty truck and trailer and empty is still too much.

The truck did amazingly well for what it is. It'll hold 65 mph at 2200 RPM. Only very steep hills challenge it, and it still handled it. It's generally stable depending on road conditions, as some roads seem to cause it to wander slightly (not sway), but not typical.

That said, a 3/4 ton is a better match without a doubt.

rbpru wrote:
The purpose of the WD hitch is to level the TT and TV....

Sort of, but a minor purpose.

The primary purpose of a WDH is to restore the weight back to the steering axle that is removed by the tongue weight.

Ever driven a vehicle with a light steering axle? It is all over the road and a white knuckle experience.

rbpru wrote:
The purpose of the WD hitch is to level the TT and TV....

beemerphile1 wrote:
Sort of, but a minor purpose.

The primary purpose of a WDH is to restore the weight back to the steering axle that is removed by the tongue weight.

Ever driven a vehicle with a light steering axle? It is all over the road and a white knuckle experience.

Leveling of the TT and TV is the result of using a correctly sized and adjusted weight distribution system, not a purpose. If that was the only goal then airbags would suffice and there'd be no reason for WD to even exist. :R

Modern thinking by Ford and GM engineers is that full front axle restoration is not "required" in many applications. Of course, they do not normally sell WD hitches. Trailer salespeople do.

TomG2 wrote:
Modern thinking by Ford and GM engineers is that full front axle restoration is not "required" in many applications. Of course, they do not normally sell WD hitches. Trailer salespeople do.

that's what GM says, and yes "not required" but what I can say is that the driving experience is MUCH more pleasant with the front back to stock ride height rather than the "half way" that GM says is ok on my 04 duramax and my 2015 duramax

the more the front end rises, the more camber change there is and the lighter the front end is. both of which detract from optimal driving or towing.