Set up ok?

OhHolly wrote:
Thanks for all the info. We know dry and unloaded weights are not representative of what we are going to actually be towing, and it would appear that our payload is our problem.

We will be cutting it close, and it stinks that we can't for sure know the tongue weight. Likely the trailer will be too much.

We are considering another trailer that loaded would be around 5800-6000lbs. From experience, does anyone know their tongue weight on a loaded trailer of around that weight?

A WAG would be 12 to 15 percent, but the question is how far off your WAG of 5800 to 6000 is since historically folks have been surprised at how much more their trailer actually weighs when they final get it to the CAT scales. Anywho 12 to 15 of 6K would be 720 to 900lbs and my money would be closer to 900lbs. That sort of still leaves you in the dilemna of running around with minimal passenger cargo and a basically empty bed and that includes no topper/shell, bed liner, bikes, extra coolers etc. unless you put them into the trailer and then your initial WAG grows to unknown numbers.

I know I might get taken to the woodshed so to speak on what I'm going to say next, but .... I think the real issue with ALMOST ALL (there are a few exceptions like the F-150 HD and the 2500 Burbs), 1/2T based vehicles are designed more for the urban cowboys and soccer moms and are made to ride more like a car than to be used an a working truck. Thus you find lighter springs, softer shocks and P-rated tires and unless you fix all their shortcommings when you load them up to very close to their max spec they ride even worse than a much heavier duty vehicle. Now days even the heavier duty vehicles unloaded ride is a lot different from what I understand than those older trucks, but people are still stuck on not wanting an actual TRUCK. Unfortunately you can't have your cake and eat it to for the most part, again with a very few exceptions.

Larry