Load distribution for fifth wheels/goosenecks?

[jegarner]

Hi all. I'm designing a custom aluminum gooseneck trailer (19 feet) to be used as an RV. It's necessary for medical reasons so no, I can't buy one pre-made 🙂

I'm trying to figure out placement of my water tanks. Two questions:

1) Where should the most weight be placed-- in the front of the trailer or over the axles?

Advice for trailers generally seems to be that the most weight should be placed in front of the axles. But I've come across a few people in forums who say goosenecks are different and the most weight should be placed directly over the axles.

2) How important is it to have the weight distributed evenly side to side? It would be ideal to have my tanks on the left side in terms of the floor plan I've gotten worked out. Will this be ok or will it make my life hell when towing?

Thank you for any input!!

[the_bear_II]

Keep the most weight over the axles and balanced side to side as much as possible is the way most RV manufacturers build 5th wheels/gooseneck trailers.

[laknox]

jegarner wrote:
Hi all. I'm designing a custom aluminum gooseneck trailer (19 feet) to be used as an RV. It's necessary for medical reasons so no, I can't buy one pre-made 🙂

I'm trying to figure out placement of my water tanks. Two questions:

1) Where should the most weight be placed-- in the front of the trailer or over the axles?

Advice for trailers generally seems to be that the most weight should be placed in front of the axles. But I've come across a few people in forums who say goosenecks are different and the most weight should be placed directly over the axles.

2) How important is it to have the weight distributed evenly side to side? It would be ideal to have my tanks on the left side in terms of the floor plan I've gotten worked out. Will this be ok or will it make my life hell when towing?

Thank you for any input!!

Logic would say that you want as much weight centered over the axles as you can, but place the axles at a point where you get your "ideal" pin weight. Remember, if you're traveling, with little need to stop, you can always drain the fresh water out of the tank and refill when you park IF there's water available. If not, then you have to travel with max fresh, so that's likely to be the most weight. Tanks are surprisingly small, so you could almost get all 3 over the axles, side x side. Black would be the one that you'd likely need to move, so you can get the inlet directly under the stool.

It is fairly important to have side to side weight as even as possible, so only clearance between tank plumbing and the floor would dictate where the tanks are. Why not post a scan/pic of your proposed floorplan and see what others say?

Lyle