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
brulaz wrote:waynec1957 wrote:
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My thinking is (and I could be wrong) if a TT is designed with a certain unloaded weight distribution (certain TW) to make it stable during towing, that should be the numbers I use when it’s fully loaded (should it not?). For instance a TT designed with a dry weight of 7,000 lbs and a dry tongue weight of 700 lbs, when loaded to (for instance) 8,500 should have a TW of 850 lbs.
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I suspect that, as you mentioned earlier, lower trailer tongue weights are solely to make the trailer "half-ton towable". I do not think that lower tongue weights can in any way make the trailer more stable in towing.
You have a much more positive attitude about travel trailer manufacturers than I do.
Although 10% might be sufficient for a low side trailer, I would never go below 12% and prefer 13-15% for a loaded travel trailer, no matter what the dry weight percentages are.
I agree with you on the tongue weights as far as what I would be comfortable with using a WDH. I don't necessarily think these lighter tongue weights make the trailers more stable during towing, but if I pull one off the lot, empty and brand new, hitched up to a draw bar and ball I would think it would have to be stable to some extent. Otherwise there would be a serious flaw in the design.
