Tongue Weight/Loading q's

[shades9323]

Things running through my mind related to tongue weight and/or loading.

-When loading is weight 1 for 1? So say I add 100 lbs of gear in front of the axles, is this 100 lbs additionally on the tongue? Or is there some kind of formula? Perhaps the effect is greater the closer you get to the tongue?

-Will trailer attitude affect tongue weight? Slightly nose up will result in a lighter tongue weight? Slightly nose down will increase the tongue weight?

-If trailer is slightly nose up with both trailer/truck empty, is it likely to get closer to level when TT/TV are all loaded up?

[shades9323]

mkirsch wrote:
The weight applied to the ball is proportional to the distance from the axle to the weight, and the ball to the axles.

If 100lbs is 2ft from the axle and the ball is 10ft from the axles, then 2/10 of the weight goes on the ball, or 20lbs, and 8/10 of the weight goes on the axles, or 80lbs. Like someone else said, basic algebra.

FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, attitude does NOT affect tongue weight. If you want to get nit-picky about it, attitude affects tongue weight SLIGHTLY. Maybe up to 10 pounds difference. Negligible. Not enough to bother with.

Aerodynamically, attitude makes a huge difference. Level to slightly nose down helps with trailer stability, but that's not what you asked.

For your third question, probably, but not necessarily. If you are dumb and load everything in the trailer behind the axle, the trailer will go more nose-up than it already is. If you fill the trailer with pillows, then it probably won't change. If you fill the front of the trailer with rocks, then it will go to a nose-down stance.

Probably worded that 3rd one poorly! Loaded up means normal TT loading of <500lbs of gear disbursed about the trailer. And an additional 400lbs in the bed of my Ram 1500. There really only is one way to tell though!

[shades9323]

donn0128 wrote:
You need to go back to your high achool algebra for the answer.

Do you have a time machine that will accurately get me back in time 25 years?:C

[mkirsch]

The weight applied to the ball is proportional to the distance from the axle to the weight, and the ball to the axles.

If 100lbs is 2ft from the axle and the ball is 10ft from the axles, then 2/10 of the weight goes on the ball, or 20lbs, and 8/10 of the weight goes on the axles, or 80lbs. Like someone else said, basic algebra.

FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, attitude does NOT affect tongue weight. If you want to get nit-picky about it, attitude affects tongue weight SLIGHTLY. Maybe up to 10 pounds difference. Negligible. Not enough to bother with.

Aerodynamically, attitude makes a huge difference. Level to slightly nose down helps with trailer stability, but that's not what you asked.

For your third question, probably, but not necessarily. If you are dumb and load everything in the trailer behind the axle, the trailer will go more nose-up than it already is. If you fill the trailer with pillows, then it probably won't change. If you fill the front of the trailer with rocks, then it will go to a nose-down stance.

[donn0128]

You need to go back to your high achool algebra for the answer.

[azdryheat]

1. no, read up on arms and moments for formulas.
2. no
3. maybe