A word of warning about weights

[Travel_n_Wrestl]

Trailer is finally loaded up for the maiden voyage this weekend and I have been able to make the modifications I wanted to make before we leave. Still have some to go but the important ones are done. Every time I think about tomorrow my stomach does a little flip...but I think I have everything we need thanks to posts on this forum. We went with the lightest of the models we were looking at and I am glad we did...
Went to the scales yesterday to see where we were at. The trailer is 5,580 pounds, 5000 even on the tongue and is about half full of water. Truck is 6600 with the trailer, all my firewood, full tank of gas and a bunch of baseball gear to simulate what it will be swapped out for after our final playoff game tonight so we are ready to roll tomorrow when the kids get out of school. GVWR on my truck is 7200. The trailer has a GVWR of 7000...and we would never be able to get there with the payload on my truck. If you are looking for your first trailer and you have a half ton or less...do your research!

Question: With only 11% on the tongue right now, would you move some gear around to get a little more on the tongue? Or would you call it good? Had to drive to the dealership yesterday and she handled pretty good considering it was a little windy. Got passed by a couple semis on the highway and felt it, but it was pretty stable.

[myredracer]

Weights and capacities are one consideration and very important. Did you remove the spring bars and do a 3rd pass to get the TW? You need to do this because the WDH transfers some wt. back onto the TT axles. I would expect the TW to be more like around 800 lbs on that 29' TT based on an actual loaded wt. of 6K lbs. What spring bar rating have you got?

What about pressure in TT and TV tires? You want max. sidewall psi in TT tires. What tires on the the truck - P or E type (will affect psi recommendation)? If P type, you should consider E type. TT should be level to slightly nose down when all loaded and hooked up. I have our 29' TT set to be lightly nose down and it runs better. Loading of the truck and trailer can affect trailer being level or not. Is the WDH properly adjusted and who did it? If dealer, do not rely on them and learn how to do it yourself (easy to do and there's a good sticky in the towing section). Have you got sway control on the WDH? Maybe you already know about this stuff, I don't know...

[Ivylog]

Moving stuff forward will not hurt but I've pulled often at 10%. At 45 mph, give it the wiggle test...steer L fairly hard and then back R, and see what happens with your hand on the manual brake lever and no traffic coming. If it does not continue to sway you are good to go. If it does use just the trailer brakes to get things back under control by slowing down and increase the tongue weight.
More tongue weight is usually better but there is nothing magical about 12% although some trailers behave better than others.

[kerrlakeRoo]

I would not get over excited about 11% on the tongue, but will say to watch your speed and how the trailer tows as your speed increases. As you gain wind resistance up high, tongue weight effectively goes down some.
By the same token if you feel it getting a little squirrely, just slow down a little until it subsides.

[DrewE]

If the water tank is in front of the axle on the trailer, one easy way to increase the tongue weight relatively speaking is to fill it all the way full. Obviously, the farther from the axle the tank is the more pronounced will be the weight transfer.

Especially given your positive impressions to begin with, I would think that you're okay as it stands. I do not have much towing experience at all myself, however, so please take what I say cum grano salis.

[troubledwaters]

I'd move some stuff to the front so you get a minimum of 12% on the tongue, even more; but I would never do less than 12%. Less than 12% is not good. But That's Just Me!

[Travel_n_Wrestl]

coolmom42 wrote:
The trailer is 5000 even on the tongue??? Does not compute.

But with the tongue at 11 percent it might be a little light. If you could move some gear forward, that might help.

Weight was 5,000 lbs exactly while attached to the TV is what I was referring too. Then disconnected from TV and it weighed 5,580.

[coolmom42]

The trailer is 5000 even on the tongue??? Does not compute.

But with the tongue at 11 percent it might be a little light. If you could move some gear forward, that might help.

[ScottG]

I would tow with it and unless you get sway, it's probably good to go.