Rear Axle Weight

tntwit2011 wrote:
Is rear axle weight of the tow vehicle measured with or without weight distribution?

Yes, or no, there is no correct answer.

tntwit2011 wrote:
...if the rear axle capacity is exceeded, can it be corrected using a weight distributing hitch....

Maybe. A WDH does remove some weight from the rear axle and distribute it to the steering axle and the trailer axles.

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.

As the old Reese advertisement showed, the entire rear axle can be lifted off the ground with enough weight distribution in play. Not a good idea for safe towing at speed.

Not enough info, but 500 pounds of TW can be removed from rear axle quite with just 1000 pound TW. Say you have 1000 pounds of TW. Drop the ball on tongue will typically increase rear axle weight by 1400 pounds and remove 400 pounds from front axle weight. Use a WDH adjusted to restore all 400 pounds to the front axle, will reduce that 1400 pounds on rear axle to about 800 pounds. The remaining 200 pounds are put on the TT axles.

All the weight distribution bars are really is a big lever that lifts the rear of the tow vehicle and puts some weight back forward. How much? you need to go to the scales.

tntwit2011 wrote:
Is it realistic to transfer 500 pounds?

Hardly, unless your trailer was running in excess of 2000 lbs of gross tongue weight ... and that would be one heck of a trailer! :E A long list of factors directly affect how much weight may be transferred with a properly sized and adjusted weight distribution system but if you think in terms of +/- 20% that would put you somewhere in the ballpark.

More information about your tow vehicle and trailer would help make this thread more useful to you.

Is it realistic to transfer 500 pounds?

answer. maybe.

when you hook up your WD hitch, some weight on the rear of the TV will be transferred to TV front axle and trailer axle(s).

Think of it this way. you have a full wheelbarrow siting on the ground. when you lift up on the handles, weight (actually force) on the back of the wheelbarrow gets transferred to the wheelbarrow front wheel and your feet.

When you go over the scales the number you see on the scales will be the actual weight on the rear axle, and it will be (or should be) less with WD hooked up, but the front axle weight will be higher as will trailer axle weight. the SUM of ALL the WEIGHTS will NOT change!!!!

Also WD hitch does NOT, repeat does NOT change tongue weight

Now the amount you will transfer is not going to be much, so IMHO if your that close that you need WD hitch to get into spec, your to close.