I recently upgraded my tow vehicle to a 2014 GMC Sierra 4wd crew cab with 5.3L and 3.42 gearing.Of course, this made me want a new trailer so I went out and upgraded. Trailer is a Cougar 28RBS that stickers at 6600lbs with a 980pound tongue weight. This trailer is much bigger then anything I have pulled before. It pulls well but I like to be safe so I went to the scales today loaded up and ready to camp. Stupid me was not thinking and I only had a quarter tank of gas. The camper is packed up ready to camp with about 20 gallons of fresh water.I am using an equalizer weight distribution hitch that I bought used off a local classified. The bars are rated for 1500lbs tongue weight.First I unhooked and weighed the truck alone.Front Axle- 3340lbsRear Axle- 2520Gross Weight- 5860Then I weighed the truck with the trailer hooked up properly with weight distribution system setupFront Axle- 3020lbsRear Axle- 3880lbsTrailer- 5860lbs (Both axles on same weight thing)Gross- 12,760lbsThe combination pulls fine but am I correct in assuming that I don't have the bars setup to distribute enough weight. Should more weight be going to the front?Anyone familiar with this hitch. I fear that if I raise the L brackets a little higher that it will be very difficult to put the bars on? Any advise? Am I correct that I am not distributing enough weight?Again...I don't drive truck....I am not an expert. The goal of the exercise was to ensure that I was not exceeding any ratings on my truck and that my family will be safe with this setup.P.S.- Family was not in the truck. 2 small children and wife weight less then 200lbs combined.

Yes, it appears you need to adjust the WD hitch to transfer more weight forward. You say you might have a difficult time hitching up if you do this, but generally that can be overcome by using the RV tongue jack to raise the whole combo once the ball is coupled, but before you hitch up the WD bars.

Does the trailer have a power tongue jack? They make lifting the tongue and rear of vehicle up easier whil putting on the WD bars. You need to grander some of that weight currently on the rear axle to the front axle.When you hitch up just use the jack (power or otherwise) to crank up the tongue of the trailer. Then when you have it up you can easily swing the load bars into position. With the Equalizer you need to ensure you start with the head angled away from the truck pretty significantly. I know I had to put in an extra few washers on the camber bolt to change the angle enough to tranfer sufficient weight from the rear axle. Good luck and let us know how it works out.

Truck empty was 5860#, truck hitched is 6900#. It appears from the math that your RV weighs 1040# (tongue) + 5860# (axles) = 6900#. 6900# truck GVW (truck and tongue weight) + 5860# (trailer axles) = 12760# GCW.Your truck has the following specs:9500 or 9600# tow rating depending on bed length - well underGVWR of 7100# (short bed) or 7200# (standard bed length) - under limitMax Payload ~850# (crew cab 4x4) - slightly over? Check "Tire and Loading Information" sticker on driver's door postGAWRs? - couldn't find them GCWR? - Unable to find this specLooks like you're about at your limit.

Thanks for all of the tips. The payload sticker is 1624 pounds. I can't seem to find the axle rating either

Have you downloaded the Equalizer manual from their web-site? Equalizer Instructions I agree with the previous poster on having enough tilt on the hitch head (i.e. enough washers under the adjusting bolt). After you have set the hitch up per instructions an electric tongue jack is a must with the Equalizer. Hook the ball to the truck, and then use the jack to raise the trailer up until the bars are above the brackets and can be slid over by hand. I have had very good luck with Atwood brand tongue jacks (learned the hard way after purchasing a different brand of jack).

Went To the Scales. Please Help Me Analyze | Good Sam Community

gmw_photos
Explorer
May 13, 2014
And to make my above post a little more clear, as an example, Nissan recommends between 50% and 100% front axle load restoration. I set mine up to be just under 100%. I tried it at closer to 50%, and in the process of adjusting, at one point I had it over 100%. I found that it feels best and tows best at 90 to 100%. When I had it "more than 100%" the steering was sluggish, and did not want to easily "return to center" as I was coming out of a turn to going straight.
APT
Explorer
May 13, 2014
You need 3 passes to fully understand TW and how the WDH is adjusted. One more pass with the tongue on the ball without WD bars. That would let us calculate true TW and what % of front axle weight is restored.

If there is any tension on the WD bars, there is more than 1040 pounds of TW.

1000 pound bars are not enough. 1200 pound bars may be ideal, but I would have no problem using the 1500 pound bars. Each bar rating is designed to be used (and adjusted) for a range of weights. The EQ 1000 for example work for 400-1000 pounds of TW.

I believe GM recommends restoring only 50% of front axle weight lost from weight carrying connection. You may be really close to this. You may want to adjust for slightly more that 50%, closer to 75% with such a heavy TW. I have heard of no vehicle in the last 15 years recommending adding more weight to the front axle than unhitched.
AH64ID
Explorer
May 13, 2014
gmw photos wrote:
mpierce wrote:
The weight on the front axle should be MORE with the trailer hooked up than when empty! The fact that it is lighter says you NEED to transfer more weight to the front. Rough guess, you should add 150, maybe 200# to the front when hooked up versus pickup alone.

Respectfully, I don't agree with that.
My goal is to adjust weight distribution to generally get the steer axle to "the same" as it's unladen weight. Loading it to "more" goes beyond what all the tow vehicle manufacturers recco from what I have read. And my experience is that when loaded to "more", the steering is sluggish, and the handling is incorrect.

That's just my two cents, so take it for what it's worth.

I agree with gmw. I have never seen that recommendation. In an ideal world it would get back to the weight before being hooked up, but as long as approx 50% gets put back it is good by nearly all the recommendations I can find.
gmw_photos
Explorer
May 13, 2014
mpierce wrote:
The weight on the front axle should be MORE with the trailer hooked up than when empty! The fact that it is lighter says you NEED to transfer more weight to the front. Rough guess, you should add 150, maybe 200# to the front when hooked up versus pickup alone.

Respectfully, I don't agree with that.
My goal is to adjust weight distribution to generally get the steer axle to "the same" as it's unladen weight. Loading it to "more" goes beyond what all the tow vehicle manufacturers recco from what I have read. And my experience is that when loaded to "more", the steering is sluggish, and the handling is incorrect.

That's just my two cents, so take it for what it's worth.
mpierce
Explorer
May 13, 2014
The weight on the front axle should be MORE with the trailer hooked up than when empty! The fact that it is lighter says you NEED to transfer more weight to the front. Rough guess, you should add 150, maybe 200# to the front when hooked up versus pickup alone.
AH64ID
Explorer
May 13, 2014
I have a similar , slight shorter, camper with similar dry weights. I run about 1250 tongue and 6700-7200 on the rear axles when fully loaded, more(7700) now that I added a hitch and a rear bike rack. You are pretty close to some limits so be careful when adding stuff. I tow my trailer with a 1 ton SRW, couldn't imagine trying to do it with a 1/2 ton. With family and more gas you will be at, or over your GVWR, let alone if you plan to use the pickup as a pickup.

As for your hitch it is the proper size. Your 1040# is lower than the actual tongue weight unless you didn't transfer any weight to the front/trailer. Equalizer would tell you the 1,200/12K is the minimum hitch and the 1,400/14,000 is acceptable. They don't make a 1,500lb version, so check the bars to make sure you have the size you think you so.
shelbyj
Explorer
May 13, 2014
I could be wrong but it seems like you aren't getting much weight distribution at all. Trailer tongue weight is 1040lbs and you have 1360 on the rear axle. That doesn't seem right at all.
owenssailor
Explorer
May 13, 2014
Adding more washers will add more distribution to the front axle. I also found the Equalizer brand hitch seems to work best when the bars are rubbing evenly across the L bracket. It is easy to tell from the wear marks on the brackets.

To change to lighter bars you need a whole new unit I think. It would be worth trying adjustments to your existing hitch.
jmtandem
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
The bars are rated for 1500lbs tongue weight.

Get 1000 pound bars, add back to the front axle only that amount that was taken off by the tongue, no more. If your GM manual says to add only half that weight then do that. 1500 pound bars are way too stiff for your trailer.
ib516
Explorer II
May 13, 2014
HydrogenCyanide wrote:
Thanks for all of the tips. The payload sticker is 1624 pounds. I can't seem to find the axle rating either

Ok, that's way better payload than the website listed...maybe it was in Kg? :h

Glad you found the GAWR info. Yes, you are pretty close on the rear GAWR.

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