Tongue Weight

[davebr]

I weighed my 28' Starcraft TT camper. I had a weight of 5,780 pounds for the trailer that was attached to my 2005 Ford Expedition with a weight distributing hitch. The Expedition was not on the scale. The trailer by itself on the scale and not attached to the Expedition was 4,960 pounds. Does this mean that the tongue weight is 820 pounds which is 14.2% of the trailer wieght? Do I have an issue of some kind? Thanks for the help.

[Ron_Gratz]

davebr wrote:
No, as confusing as it is, the trailer on the scale attached to the TV with the TV off the scale was indeed 4,960#.---

Yes, it is confusing.
In your first post you said, "

I had a weight of 5,780 pounds for the trailer that was attached to my 2005 Ford Expedition with a weight distributing hitch. The Expedition was not on the scale.

"
In your second post you said, "---

the trailer on the scale attached to the TV with the TV off the scale was indeed 4,960#.

"
I believe the two statements describe the same weighing situation -- but the weights are different.

Also, in your first post, you said, "

The trailer by itself on the scale and not attached to the Expedition was 4,960 pounds.

"
In your second post, you said, "

---with just the TT on the scale (with jack stand on scale as well) was 5,780#.

"
Again, I believe these two statements describe the same weighing situation -- but the weights are different.

I believe your second post is the correct version.
Per your second post, the tongue weight would be approximately 820# plus any load which was transferred to the TT's axles via the WDH.

If you really want to know whether your WDH is properly adjusted, you need to make three weighings of front axle, rear axle, and TT axle pair for:

1) TV only with WDH in the receiver and WD bars in the rear of the TV,
2) TV with TT hitched and no WD applied
3) TV with TT hitched and with WD applied.

The TV and TT should be loaded the same for all weighings.

Ron

[BarneyS]

davebr wrote:
Snip... While I got your attention, can any one give me advice on "Jellico Pass" as you enter Teneessee from Kentucky in I-75? Thanks all.

I have been over that route many times. The climb is gradual but long. Most trucks are running very slowly but you should have no problem going up. I usually run in the left lane a lot as I am going much faster than the trucks. Near the top, it seems to level out and you think you have reached the top but there is still a bit more to come so stay in that lower gear for a bit longer.
Barney

[davebr]

No, as confusing as it is, the trailer on the scale attached to the TV with the TV off the scale was indeed 4,960#. Then to my suprise, with just the TT on the scale (with jack stand on scale as well) was 5,780#. At the time, I contributed the lessor amount on the TT to the work of the WDH. I am concerned about the WDH being set properly and plan on having a professional check it out for me. When the WDH was orignally installed, I thought the front end of the TV was high and the steering was loose. I lowered the L brackets one hole and seemed better but the L brackets keep coming loose and also the lower portion of the L bracket wants to shift backwards leaving them crooked. I have major banging noise at slow speeds and the L brackets are showing wear. While I got your attention, can any one give me advice on "Jellico Pass" as you enter Teneessee from Kentucky in I-75? Thanks all.

[Ron_Gratz]

davebr wrote:
I weighed my 28' Starcraft TT camper. I had a weight of 5,780 pounds for the trailer that was attached to my 2005 Ford Expedition with a weight distributing hitch. The Expedition was not on the scale. The trailer by itself on the scale and not attached to the Expedition was 4,960 pounds. Does this mean that the tongue weight is 820 pounds which is 14.2% of the trailer wieght? Do I have an issue of some kind? Thanks for the help.

Is it possible that you have the numbers reversed?

If the load on the TT's axles, when attached to the TV, was 4960#, and
if the weight of the TT, when on the scales by itself, was 5780#, then
the tongue weight would be approximately 820# plus any load which was transferred to the TT's axles via the WDH

Depending on how much load was transferred to the TT's axles, the tongue weight might be in excess of the TV's TW rating.

Ron

[APT]

There are a couple ways to find tongue weight. You can measure just the TW, so put the tongue jack on a scale. You can weight the tow vehicle without the trailer and then with the trailer without WD bars. TW is the sum of TV axles with trailer minus sum of TV axles without trailer. WD bars distribute some weight to the TT axles to do not use for determining TW.

[Ivylog]

OK, I think the trailer jack was off the scale on the second weighing. NO the only way to know your tongue weight is to put only the jack on the scale.
Yes, something is wrong as the WD takes weight from the tongue and shifts it to the front tires of the car and to the trailer tires. You either have the WD way to tight as you are taking too much weight off the rear of the car and putting it on the trailer and the front of the car or you have a tongue weight closer to 2000 lbs... not likely.