tongue weight

andrew_the_newbe wrote:
We recently bought a 28' tt ( private party )and we are towing it with a chevy Silverado 1500. I'm trying to decide which wdh to buy to tow my trailer and everyone I look at is asking me what the tongue weight is and I have no accurate info on this matter. From what I have been reading the tongue weight is 10-15% of the trailer weight. The trailer weighs about 7600 lbs weighed down and about 5600 lbs empty (ball park). Can I just get a equalizer wdh rated for 1000/10,000 or if I oversize will it not fit/ not work correctly? Please help.

If you use the max GTWR number you listed (7600) then max tongue weight would be 1140 lbs @ 15%. Better check the sticker on the hitch reciever to be safe, but I wonder if it's rated for that much. we're only spitballin' until we have hard numbers, but at 13% you're looking at 988 lbs. which is close to the max numbers you listed. Granted, some of this is a guess until we get hard numbers but I'd say your 1000 hitch is pushing optimum if the 1000 lb number is tongue weight. Truth be told, I doubt most of us carry 2000 lbs of goodies in the trailer, but it could happen. What your final tongue weight is depends on how you load it and layout of the trailer. If you load 1500 lbs and use 13% you're at 923 lbs tongue and 1000 lb hitch rating will work, but anyway you slice it, it looks close to me. Personally, I'd go bigger to be safe. What other weight ratings do they offer?

Remember tongue weight is at static,(not moving,)conditions at fully loaded on level pavement. The weight of the trailer is to be with proper distribution 60 % in front of the axle,(so the tail does not wag),with the hitch hight no more than 4 inches off level, vehicle to trailer. So after that set up is done, the tongue weight can be made to be what ever you need by lifting the vehicle suspension up or down but not beyond the 4 inch up or down limit. The design limits can not be violated, and the tire load and inflation have to be correct for load too for both vehicle and trailer. So set it up with all aboard and weigh it if you want the exact figure blocking all the wheels then jacking the tongue of the trailer on a scale until it just starts to lift off ball. Adjusting the vehicle suspension up or down to get the desired tongue weight. That may require a lower ball as you can only drop to minimum air in air lift suspension. If no air lift suspension is present, ball hight must do all the adjustment. In dynamic,( driving down the road), the tongue weight constantly changes and even lifts the vehicle, so if vehicle has weak suspension the ride will be bad. All design weights stated on trailer and vehicle are for new, (or within original factory design), specifications and do not apply to worn below design suspension and or tires. Remember to relock the trailer to ball.

There wasn't a WDH with the trailer?
How did you get it home?

off topic but you realize at almost 8000 lbs this trailer is over almost every limit on your truck

Wow. Glad I popped in on this thread! Just about to hitch up for the first time with my Ecoboost f150 which is ALOT different than my F350 That thing didn't move when you dropped my Zinger on her. Guess we will wait and see. Thanks for the advice. Sorry I stole it from youze...LOLOL:D

popupcamping wrote:
There wasn't a WDH with the trailer?
How did you get it home?

off topic but you realize at almost 8000 lbs this trailer is over almost every limit on your truck

Our truck is rated to tow 8500 lbs. I know there isn't much wiggle room there but the truck is rated to tow 1000 lbs over the trailer weight.

popupcamping wrote:


off topic but you realize at almost 8000 lbs this trailer is over almost every limit on your truck

You have no way of knowing that based on the information given.

andrew_the_newbe wrote:

popupcamping wrote:
There wasn't a WDH with the trailer?
How did you get it home?

off topic but you realize at almost 8000 lbs this trailer is over almost every limit on your truck

Our truck is rated to tow 8500 lbs. I know there isn't much wiggle room there but the truck is rated to tow 1000 lbs over the trailer weight.

You can tow up to a 8500 pound flat deck or perhaps a boat. Highwall TT's are another story.

How did you get it home?

If I was in your shoes, assuming you have never towed a very large trailer before, I would go out and spend the 2k for a propride or Hensley hitch system because I truly feel you are in for many white knuckle camping trips.
Off Topic again but it was mentioned the TW was around 1000 lbs. you only have probably 1200 lbs of total payload capacity. I would spend the big bucks and get the best WDH on the market.

IndyCamp wrote:

popupcamping wrote:


off topic but you realize at almost 8000 lbs this trailer is over almost every limit on your truck

You have no way of knowing that based on the information given.

I was going to ask the same question. My 1500 is rated at 9600lbs.

One thing that often gets overlooked is that TW can change quite a bit during the course of a trip. Especially important for boondockers.

Water gets used and moves from the fresh water tank to either the black or grey tanks, food gets eaten and drinks consumed, and a lot of it may end up in the black tank. Propane gets used. Even things like clothing may move from the closet etc. to the dirty clothes hamper.

So I cringe when I see someone confident that a marginal TV will be just fine if the TT is loaded to keep the TW low....One of two things is bound to happen at some point. 1. The TW will get too low, potentially cause handling problems or.
2. The TW will get too high, potentially causing overloading problems.

I like to see a TV capable of 15% or more of the GVW TW, and target loaded ready to go TW of 13-14%.

If his empty weight is 5600, his loaded weight will probably be around 6600 which would seem well within his trucks capacity. He needs to load it up and go to a scale and weigh the TW, and the TT and determine tongue weight. That process is covered in other threads.

If he is at 6600 gross TT weight, his tongue weight will likely be under 1000lbs and a 1000/10,000 Equal-I-zer or Reese Dual Cam would adequate. It's all WAG until he gets it weighed.