Help with CAT Scale weights - NEW Hitch and NEW Weights

[Baja_Man]

Hello all--

Previous post had first hitch and first weights.

Today I have NEW weights.

I'm back with a new hitch installed!

NEW Hitch has been set up following the Equal-i-zer directions.
Hitch is a 1400/14000 model with a 13" rise shank.

Trailer is now LEVEL!!!!

5 washers were used and the L bracket mounted on trailer (where bars attach) is set leaving two visible holes on top (see pic).

Drove it approx. 25 miles to CAT scale. Drove great!

Here are NEW weights:

Weight #1 (Truck and trailer WITH WD engaged):

Front axle: 3400#
Rear axle: 4680#
Trailer axle: 8140#
Total: 16220#

Weight #2 (Truck and trailer WD NOT engaged):

Front axle: 3220#
Rear axle: 4980#
Trailer axle: 8040
Total: 16240#

Weight #3 (truck only with new camper shell and 40# in bed):

Front axle: 3700#
Rear axle: 3280#
Total: 6980#

So.....is this better than where I was the first weigh in and previous hitch?
Are further fine tuning adjustments needed? If so, what exactly?

Thanks!!




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First Thread from 11-21-17:
After discussing in a previous thread about my Equalizer hitch 1200/12000 model and if is appropriate for my truck / trailer, I believe it would best to get real CAT weights.

Below are my CAT scale weights today. The weights / procedures were
found here on RVnet as recommended for finding trailer tongue weight, trailer weight, WD weights, tow vehicle weight, etc

Tow vehicle - (with one 285# occupant):
FULL fuel tank
Approx. 100# in bed

Trailer -

Ready to travel...
FULL propane
FULL water
Full gear in forward storage (table, chairs, BBQ, etc)
Clothes, dishes, pots/pans, books, linen, tools, etc.



Weight #1 - (trailer connected to tow vehicle and WD hitch hooked up) front TV axle on scale 1, rear TV axle on scale 2, and trailer axles on scale 3

Axle 1 (TV front axle): 3360#
Axle 2 (TV vehicle rear axle): 4680#
Trailer axles: 8120#
Total axles: 16,160#

Weight #2 - Same set up as above except WD hitch NOT hooked up and WD trunion bars placed in back up pick up bed

Axle 1: 3240#
Axle 2: 4840#
Trailer axle: 8060#
Total axles: 16,140#


Weight #3 - Truck ONLY (all above apply...occupant, fuel, bed weight)

Steer axle: 3740#
Drive axle: 3160#
Total axles: 6900#


So, please help me understand what all of these numbers mean!

I would like to know the following so I can proceed with purchasing the correct WD hitch and truck receiver hitch.

My current Equalizer hitch is a 1200#/12000#
My trucks receiver is factory WD 1250#/12500#


1. Trailer tongue weight (so I can purchase correct WD hitch and truck receiver hitch

2. Trailer weight

Thanks!

[Baja_Man]

APT wrote:
I'd say you should add the max # of washers that came with the WDH. You have 1200 pound bars and have about 1200 pounds of TW.

I have the 1400/14000 Equal-i-zer hitch (see my opening remarks)

[APT]

I'd say you should add the max # of washers that came with the WDH. You have 1200 pound bars and have about 1200 pounds of TW.

[mkirsch]

The weight distribution with the new hitch is hardly any different from the old hitch. 3360 vs 3400. That's only 40lbs, within the error of some scales.

[lawrosa]

Baja Man wrote:
If I add one washer.......don't I just need to weigh ONE more time with WD engaged..... to see if I increased the front axle weight from the current 3400#...... trying to get as close to unloaded axle weight of 3700?

Yes LOL....

[Baja_Man]

If I add one washer.......don't I just need to weigh ONE more time with WD engaged..... to see if I increased the front axle weight from the current 3400#...... trying to get as close to unloaded axle weight of 3700?

[lawrosa]

Yup this is a better calculator...

http://towingplanner.com/ActualWeights/TravelTrailerCatScales/?w1sa=3400&w1da=4680&w1ta=8140&w2sa=32...

Your TW is 1220 lbs... Your at 13.2% TW..

I would put one washer in and just get the two weights with and without WD...

1220 is heavy but 13% is OK. I would just want a tad more on the front..

Im at 14% with a 740 lb TW. I have all 8 washers in and thats the best I can do with 1000 lb bars.. I got with in 140 lbs restored front axle.

Youll be surprised what one washer will do...

[handye9]

Baja Man wrote:
I'm a little confused by owner's manual statement.....

It doesn't tell me what percentage loaded restoration weight should be.....50% or 100% of unloaded weight?

That can be a bit confusing. The fact that it's saying "within a half inch of unloaded height", indicates it is not looking for 100% restoration.

The reason for not raising rear end higher than unhitched level is, at that point you've restored too much front weight, and removed some of your traction at the rear.

I would try the measurement method, just out of curiosity, to see if maybe that "within .5 inch" is close to 1/2 of the height differences.
================================================================
Example:

Say the front measurement (unhitched) is twenty inches, hitched up (without WD applied) it is 21 inches, and with WD you bring it back to 20.5 inches, that would indicate about 50% weight restoration. If it went from 20 inches, up to 22 inches, and back down to 20.5 inches, that would indicate more like 75%.

================================================================

Here's a link to another scale weight calculator.

[Walaby]

Baja Man wrote:
I'm a little confused by owner's manual statement.....

It doesn't tell me what percentage loaded restoration weight should be.....50% or 100% of unloaded weight?

Owners manual is going by ride height, not weight. Assumption is, if you restore ride height to within .5 inch of the unloaded ride height, sufficient weight is returned to the front end.

Likely you would be close to 100% if you returned the ride height according to the manual. Go by your owners manual, and tweak by re-weighing. I did the measurement way, and am within 100lbs of my unhitched front axle weights.

Mike

[blt2ski]

With the numorous trailers I have pulled, depending upon the truck and trailer.....it can vary as to how much is pulled off the front, how much one wants to put back on the front...

I've personally found that in the Crew cabs I have had, if i remove more than around 300-400 lbs off the FA< I need to start putting back the amount that gets me less than this 300-400 lbs I took off. Otherwise, in some slick conditions, I found the front tires would lock up. When with in 200 lbs, I rarely locked up the front tires in slick conditions. This includes going down a 10% grade in snowing abd blowing conditions, with compacted snow and ice that one could not walk on well. But the chains on the truck, trailer, none on the front. I stopped fine, no locking the front tires up.

If I pull off less than this amount, while the WD is nice to have, it does keep the trailer from rocking side to side more vs no WD. The dual cam I got, keeps this side to side rocking even less in cross winds.

That is my way of doing it.

marty

[jim1521]

I don't know anything about the Equalizer WDS, but I will speak to the weight distribution itself.

Weight #1 has a weight distribution ratio of 42% (front) : 58% (rear), which I believe is too little. For my setup I strive for 47% : 53%. That gives me 4,140 lbs on the front and 4600 lbs on the rear. The amount of "lift" on my front axle (as measured from ground to top of wheel well remains the same (39.5") both with and without trailer w/WDS attached.

1. It's not clear to me what your before and after wheel well measurements are. Can you provide them?
2. Is your trailer frame level? I know you said it was, but double check, as this is critical. Measure it at multiple points along the length using a bubble level.. YOU MUST DO THIS FIRST.
3. Once level, measure the distance from the ground to the top of the ball well on the trailer.
4. Next, adjust the height of the ball on the tow vehicle to equal that from Step 3 above ADDING 1/16" for each 100 lbs of tongue weight. So if your tongue weight is 1200 lbs, you would add 12/16 (3/4") of additional height to your ball.
5. Adjust your hitch so that the bars are level with the ground with the WDS engaged. Add/remove washers as required.
6. Re-confirm that your trailer frame is still level.

There's a couple of other things we can do but for now let's try these things. Get those wheel well before/after measurements.

[Baja_Man]

I'm a little confused by owner's manual statement.....

It doesn't tell me what percentage loaded restoration weight should be.....50% or 100% of unloaded weight?

[Baja_Man]

from my owner's manual...

Load equalizing hitch When hooking up a trailer using a load equalizing hitch, always use the following procedure:
1. Park the unloaded vehicle on a level surface. With the ignition on and all doors closed, allow the vehicle to stand for several minutes so that it can level.


2. Measure the height of a reference point on the front and rear bumpers at the center of the vehicle.
3. Attach the trailer to the vehicle and adjust the hitch equalizers so that the front bumper height is within 0–13 mm (0.5 in) of the reference point. After proper adjustment, the rear bumper should be no higher than in Step 2.
Note:Adjusting an equalizing hitch so the rear bumper of the vehicle is higher than it was unloaded will defeat the function of the load equalizing hitch and may cause unpredictable handling.

[BarneyS]

Baja Man wrote:
Am I trying to get as close to the 3740# truck front axle weight (unloaded, truck only)?

Is 50% back the number between 3700# and 3220#?
If so, then I need to be at or above 3460#, correct?

Equalizer manual states to ADD washers to increase weight distribution.

Anyone know approximately how much weight can be expected per washer?

Should I add 1 or 2 washers?

I'm inclined to add 2 to get as close to the 3700# as possible? Is too close back to unloaded front axle weight a negative?

Moderator note: Sorry about the edit. I hit edit instead of Quote.
Barney

Lets see if I can get it right this time. 😮
I don't think it is a negative. I try to get mine back as close as possible to the unloaded weight without going over. This makes the headlight aim correct and I have never noticed any adverse handling from doing that. Some truck manufacturers tell you to return all the weight and some say 50% or so. I go for the 100%. 🙂
Barney

[handye9]

Here's a link to a calculator. Put in your scale numbers and it will calculate for you.

As far as front axle weight restoration, check the owners manual for your truck. Some manufacturers recommend 100% restoration. Some only recommend 50%.

My F250 manual is one of those that recommends 50%. If my tongue weight takes 400 lbs off my front axle, Ford only recommends that I restore 200 lbs (50%).