Before heading out on our first trip with our TT, we took a trip to the scales. Here are the numbers.With everything hooked up:Steer axle - 3420 lbsDrive axle - 3780 lbsTrailer axle - 4840 lbsTotal - 12040 lbsJust the Toyota S equoia and everyone in:Steer axle - 3340Drive axle - 3380Total - 6720Our axles are indivually fine. The GCWR is great. If I'm right, the trailer is 5320 lbs, which is well under its GVWR. The Toyota is 7200 lbs when connected. That is 100 lbs under the GVWR for the TV.What concerns me is the tongue weight. It appears to be 480 lbs. Compared to the 5320 of the trailer, that's only 9%. I don't really have any weight I can shift to the front of the trailer. I suppose I could put water in the fresh water tank that is ahead of the axle. Even if I add 100 lbs (staying within the GVWR of the TV and GCWR), that still is just 10.9%Suggestions? The trailer seemed to do ok, but this being my first trailer, I have nothing to compare it to...

You need to get 3 weights.TruckTruck trailer WD engaugedTruck trailer ED not engauged..Put your #'s in here and come back and tell us whay you get..http://towingplanner.com/ActualWeights/TravelTrailerCatScalesIMO I dont go by GVW of truck. I go by axle ratings..What are your axle ratings? How far away from them are you?Your problem with your #'s above is you are putting too much weight back on your front axles.All hooked up.Steer axle - 3420 lbsJust the Toyota S equoia and everyone in:Steer axle - 3340You need to set the WD hitch so the front gets to 3340 without going over. never go over. What hitch do you have? You need to adjust accordingly...The only goal of the wd hitch is to restore the front to original ride weight if you can. The back of the truck will do whatever it wants.The more info you post the more we can help

Your math is correct. Just to be sure, you should get some more weights as already stated. But they will likely confirm what you already know.Your WD does appear to be transferring the proper amount of weight.The main concern here is that weights can shift in the course of a trip. Your 9% TW could possibly go DOWN!. This can get you in the danger area. This is why the general recomendation is 10-15%. I like to be on the heavy side of that.The only reason for the 15% limitation is the limits of the hitch and TV... My stuff is strong enough to go past that.As you know, going too low on TW can induce sway. This won't matter how strong the TV hitch is.Too low is too low.

Building a TT that has less that 10% TW is irresponsible and unconscionable.Much like cigarettes, new trailer makers are killing their customers with their products.Like Dog said, if things change during the trip things can get really ugly really quickly.Good luck.

Learn how to adjust your hitch. There should be a manual online if you do not have one. Start from scratch. Trailer should be level when all hooked up. Tongue weight should be around 12%. Most hitch makers want you to do initial set up on very flat ground and measure front fender heights. You measure the truck without trailer and record that. Then measure the fender with the trailer fully resting on the ball but no weight bars attached. The goal then is to get the fender height to be halfway between those 2 measurement when the bars are attached. After doing that, check to make sure the trailer is level by measuring the bottom of the frame to the parking lot at both ends. It should be within an inch to an inch and a half. A little nose low is better than nose high. Any more than an inch and a half and you must move the ball up or down to compensate. That may change the fender heights so you will need to check the fender measurements again.Takes about an hour to do it right but once you do it will tow much better. Then you can get weighed and find out your true axle weights.

Guys... he is too heavy in the front with the WD as he has it... All he needs to do is drop a chain, depending on hitch... That will get the front right or better, and more TW on the rear...He is 80lbs too heavy in the front of TV...And we dont know his TW because he didn't get the other measurement...To calculate the tongue weight you must subtract the sum of the front and rear axle loads for "truck only" from the sum of the front and rear loads for "distribution bars disconnected".

Tongue weight with weight distribution hitch...

keymastr
Explorer
Nov 10, 2017
Learn how to adjust your hitch. There should be a manual online if you do not have one. Start from scratch. Trailer should be level when all hooked up. Tongue weight should be around 12%. Most hitch makers want you to do initial set up on very flat ground and measure front fender heights. You measure the truck without trailer and record that. Then measure the fender with the trailer fully resting on the ball but no weight bars attached. The goal then is to get the fender height to be halfway between those 2 measurement when the bars are attached.

After doing that, check to make sure the trailer is level by measuring the bottom of the frame to the parking lot at both ends. It should be within an inch to an inch and a half. A little nose low is better than nose high. Any more than an inch and a half and you must move the ball up or down to compensate. That may change the fender heights so you will need to check the fender measurements again.

Takes about an hour to do it right but once you do it will tow much better. Then you can get weighed and find out your true axle weights.
Turtle_n_Peeps
Explorer
Nov 10, 2017
Building a TT that has less that 10% TW is irresponsible and unconscionable.

Much like cigarettes, new trailer makers are killing their customers with their products.

Like Dog said, if things change during the trip things can get really ugly really quickly.

Good luck.
Huntindog
Explorer
Nov 10, 2017
Your math is correct. Just to be sure, you should get some more weights as already stated. But they will likely confirm what you already know.

Your WD does appear to be transferring the proper amount of weight.

The main concern here is that weights can shift in the course of a trip. Your 9% TW could possibly go DOWN!. This can get you in the danger area. This is why the general recomendation is 10-15%. I like to be on the heavy side of that.
The only reason for the 15% limitation is the limits of the hitch and TV... My stuff is strong enough to go past that.
As you know, going too low on TW can induce sway. This won't matter how strong the TV hitch is.
Too low is too low.
lawrosa
Explorer
Nov 10, 2017
You need to get 3 weights.

Truck
Truck trailer WD engauged
Truck trailer ED not engauged..

Put your #'s in here and come back and tell us whay you get..

http://towingplanner.com/ActualWeights/TravelTrailerCatScales

IMO I dont go by GVW of truck. I go by axle ratings..

What are your axle ratings? How far away from them are you?

Your problem with your #'s above is you are putting too much weight back on your front axles.

All hooked up.
Steer axle - 3420 lbs

Just the Toyota S equoia and everyone in:
Steer axle - 3340

You need to set the WD hitch so the front gets to 3340 without going over. never go over.

What hitch do you have?

You need to adjust accordingly...

The only goal of the wd hitch is to restore the front to original ride weight if you can. The back of the truck will do whatever it wants.

The more info you post the more we can help

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Tongue weight with weight distribution hitch...

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