Question from Ron Gratz post in a sticky

In 35 years as a heavy rigger I learned that working right up to a rated limit is good. Close and under is good. Over is bad. I needed my WD hitch to get my truck within limits. I used it then weighed it. It was good. The tongue weight (I had a scale) was just under the receiver limit. All was good.

Picked up my new truck today. Door sticker says 1895 pounds. I haven't taken any measurements yet, but am happy with that payload.

Thanks. I already have a spreadsheet set up to input the numbers from my truck and trailer (when they are FINALLY delivered). I don't plan to ride the ragged edge. That is why I am trying, on the front end, to learn how to figure where the edge is.

Bobbo wrote:
I have been studying Ron Gratz's example of the 2000 pound lift WDH, in the sticky on this forum, and have a question.

If the tow vehicle has, say, an 1800 pound payload rating, and loaded for camping WITHOUT a WDH you are carrying 1600 pounds of payload, including tongue weight. That means you are 200 pounds below your payload rating.

Now, you add Ron's WDH that shifts 300 pounds to the TT axles. Does that mean you are now 500 pounds below your payload rating?

Thanks,

Bobbo

Hi Bobbo,

I know you are trying to understand this. There is a piece that is not to be forgotten about.

In Ron's example, that 300# was calculated based on the, wheelbase of the truck, the rear overhang of the tow ball behind the rear axle and the distance from the tow ball to the trailer axles.

If you change any of those distances, the amount of weight that moves to the trailer axles will change. If you have a very short camper from tow ball to axles, more weight will go to the trailer. If you have a very long trailer less weight will end up at the trailer axles for the same truck. The same goes for a change in the truck. And this is only when the truck and trailer are level. When the angle between the truck and trailer change(as viewed looking down the center of the truck) as in sweeping banked turns, going over large humps in the road, going up hills down hills, all those transitions can change the WD. This is just normal for the WD hitch. You can go in and out of being over payload capacity if you are sitting on the edge.

You do get some relief on truck GVW when using the WD hitch. But as was said, if you are that close, this is not a good place to be. Every camping trip I go on, there are some changes in truck and camper loading. It just seems to happen. Try and not be on the raged edge all the time. It is not a fun place to be.

If you are looking for a safe number, use all of the tongue weight is held by the truck. Then the small excess shifted to the camper axles from WD is a safety margin for changing camper and truck gear loads.

Hope this helps

John

I don't have either a tow vehicle or a trailer yet. Both are ordered but not delivered as of now. This was a hypothetical so I could learn how it works. I should have my trailer this week, or next week at the latest. They told me two days ago that the solar panels had come in. All they have to do is install them. The truck won't be here until at least the second week of June.

Grit dog wrote:
Cmon blt2ski, you can't possibly believe all of what you just wrote....
300lbs off the front and a 1 ton truck gets squirrelly??? Lol
Based on what?
Starting with a heavy diesel and then get in a gasser and the front end is light because the engine weighs 500lbs less?
Better get that wdh oiled up for the pop up behind the ole 1 ton! Goin campin!

Bobbo, it's a 3 ton trailer going behind a truck rated for and capable of towing considerably more Than that. Don't lose any sleep unless it's from the excitement of having a new airstream and brand new pickemup truck in the driveway soon!

I noticed at about 300 lbs off base weight, the front end started to have issues stopping on slick roads etc. Be them rain, or snow ice when up at I90 towing in the winter. That was minimum amount. The 2 sw 35's,and 88 and 96, were probably lighter per say than todays 25 series trucks too! My 05 dually needed more than 500 lbs off the front, never have gotten there per say with my navistar!

Marty

As said going on the scale is really the only way to know for sure what's going on and where the weight is. When you sit just the tongue weight on the hitch the rear of the truck goes down and the front goes up. This transfers additional weight to the rear axle from the front axle of the truck along with the tongue weight. So if you were to use the WD hitch to lower the front of the truck back to its original height you transfer that weight back to the front axle where it came from in the first place. Now you are also distributing weight back to the trailer axles too but surprisingly youll probably end up with 90% or more of the tongue weight still on the rear axle. The amount distributed is a little different on each vehicle depending on the distances from the ball to the tow vehicle rear axle and from the ball to trailer axle center line. The new towing standards say to only restore about half the rise distance on the front of the vehicle to lessen the chance of jack knifing under heavy braking. Now this may leave the rear of the vehicle down further than most people like but don't stress over it. Most newer trucks have progressive rate springs so let the weight settle down on the heavier springs, that may require dropping down an inch or may be two. Check your vehicles owners manual for specifics on WD setup.

Cmon blt2ski, you can't possibly believe all of what you just wrote....
300lbs off the front and a 1 ton truck gets squirrelly??? Lol
Based on what?
Starting with a heavy diesel and then get in a gasser and the front end is light because the engine weighs 500lbs less?
Better get that wdh oiled up for the pop up behind the ole 1 ton! Goin campin!

Bobbo, it's a 3 ton trailer going behind a truck rated for and capable of towing considerably more Than that. Don't lose any sleep unless it's from the excitement of having a new airstream and brand new pickemup truck in the driveway soon!