Tongue Weight Rating
Hello, We are buying a trailer for our daughter and son-in-law. They now have a Ford Expedition with 8,900# tow rating. 80% of that is 7,120#, but they should stay below 7,000# loaded (5,500 to 6...
Forum Discussion
clearnetedm wrote:
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The way I know to measure TW is to weigh the truck as is then hook up the trailer and weight it again. The difference should be your TW. However I noticed the TW is different when the bars are hooked vs not. So which TW would be the correct? In my case one of the weights is over the rated hitch while the other isn't. Again just based on net difference of TV weight before and after.
With bars TW = 794 Lbs
NO Bars TW = 926 Lbs
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926# is the "actual" TW. You should get the same number when using a separate tongue weight scale with the trailer unhitched from the truck. To be more accurate, I leave the bars on, but not tightened up, when taking the weights.
As Ron Gratz is saying, the WDH can move some of this "actual" TW to the trailer axle, how much depends upon how tight you set the tension bars.
As for the receiver/hitch ratings, I would guess they are based on the "actual" TW, which is not influenced by the tension bar settings.
