Forum Discussion

seansage's avatar
seansage
Explorer
Feb 03, 2015

Weight Distribution and max tongue weight

Let's say I have a travel trailer with a GVW of 4300 lbs and, due to certain options on the TT, my tongue weight is 700 lbs. That is 16.3% of the GVW on the tongue, above the recommeded maxumun of 15%. An extra 56 lbs on the tongue. Assuming that my TV can easily handle this tongue weight, with a WD system, is this configuration safe? I mean, will the WD system distribute the weight effectively so that the fact that I am over the 15% tongue weight will not matter? Or should I reduce the tongue weight to the 15% mark before hooking up the WD system? I realize these numbers and the differences may be small but I have not much room to play with and I want to make sure I am safe on the roads.
Thanks
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Sean
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Feb 04, 2015
    aamyotte wrote:
    I'm glad that I don't have a toy hauler. That would be a pain to keep track of the tongue weight based on what I had in the rear.
    Many of those have empty TW in the 2000# range!!
    A friend of mine had to always carry his UTV to keep from overloading his hitch.
  • aamyotte's avatar
    aamyotte
    Explorer
    Feb 04, 2015
    I'm glad that I don't have a toy hauler. That would be a pain to keep track of the tongue weight based on what I had in the rear.
  • handye9's avatar
    handye9
    Explorer II
    Feb 04, 2015
    Huntindog wrote:
    Consider this. TTs TW can shift dramatically in the course of a trip. FW gets used and ends up in waste tanks, food gets eaten and ends up there too. Propane gets consumed and ends up in the air. And many other things can move around as well.


    Very much so !!!

    My fresh tank is behind the axles. When full, it takes 150 - 200 lbs off my tongue weight. As the fresh tank level goes down, tongue weight is going back up. My galley tank is far forward of the axles. It is adding tongue weight along with the fresh tank going down. An empty fresh tank and a full galley tank combined, will add 300 lbs to my tongue weight. My kitchen is up front, as the groceries are going away, they are taking off some of that 300 lbs.

    Percentage wise, my tongue weight fluctuates between 12 and 16 percent.
  • goducks10's avatar
    goducks10
    Explorer
    Feb 04, 2015
    I had to fight tooth and nail to get 12% on my last TT. Think of yourself as lucky.
  • fla-gypsy's avatar
    fla-gypsy
    Explorer
    Feb 04, 2015
    If the receiver can handle it I would view it as a plus. Be sure to size WD bars accordingly.
  • rbpru's avatar
    rbpru
    Explorer II
    Feb 03, 2015
    A 25 gallon gas tank can vary up to 200 lbs. At 10 mpg you will lose 50 plus pounds in about 70 miles.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Feb 03, 2015
    Better to be a little heavy than a little light. I don't think you'd have any problem at all.
  • Huntindog's avatar
    Huntindog
    Explorer
    Feb 03, 2015
    More TW is a good thing. The only reason for the 10-15 recommendation is that 10 is pretty much a minimum, and 15 will be the limits of many TVs or receivers. So long as they are within their limits, you are fine....

    BUT... Consider this. TTs TW can shift dramatically in the course of a trip. FW gets used and ends up in waste tanks, food gets eaten and ends up there too. Propane gets consumed and ends up in the air. And many other things can move around as well.

    MOST people will have a concern if they start out with a TW that barely hits the 10% mark, and then gets lighter. You may have the opposite concern.

    MY TT is TW heavy, but with my TV it s not a problem, so I like it that way. YMMV.
  • Terryallan's avatar
    Terryallan
    Explorer II
    Feb 03, 2015
    Unless there is a mechanical / metal stress reason. I see no problem with the extra tongue weight.

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