Tongue Weights weighed
I finally weighed. Someone said something about having no WD hitch and the rear axle as a fulcrum unweighting the front axle, so I did math. I weighed my small trailer only so far. I weighed abou...
Forum Discussion
My example of one truck, a 96 K3500 SW crew can with stock 6500 lb tear springs, put my equipment trailer with 1500-1600 lbs of hitch wt loses 300-400 lbs off the FA. I changed out to 8500 lb springs. I then only list 200&300 lbs off the fa. The heavier springs kept the truck more level. Dispite having the same HW, wheel base, rear over hang to ball, I lost less wieght.
Reality, rear overhang, divided by wheelbase equal percentage wieght you will lose off the front axle compared to hitch wieght is not a good formula.
As my figures above show, lighter spring pack loses upwards of 25%, stronger only 20%. I suppose I could throw in my Navistar with a 16500 rear spring pack, I lose 60-100 lbs off the fa. Your formula says I should lose 400+ lbs.
Reality, stronger spring pack, does what air bags can do too. Level the rear instead of being tail down, asy 6400 lb springs were, 8500, I was level.
If you lose an inch of tail high per 100lbs of HW, first inch you lose maybe 10lb from FA. 2nd inch is an addition 20lbs for 30 total. 3rd inch lose 40lbs for 70 of 300lbs. The % lost goes up as you add hitch wt. If you have stiffer springs, airbags, you can make the first inch 200lbs of HW. 2nd inch 400lbs. Losing the same wight off the fa ad the lighter springs.
Spring capacity, spring drop needs to get factored into the rear overhang divided by wheel base. If you don't, you will not know how much you need to correct the loss to fa. Via bags, more spring, wdh etc.
As Grit points out too, your formula does not include the dynamic part of the rear end of the truck going down. Only assumes you are level, vs initially tail high, to tail low depending upon howuch hitch wieght you have added.
Marty
Reality, rear overhang, divided by wheelbase equal percentage wieght you will lose off the front axle compared to hitch wieght is not a good formula.
As my figures above show, lighter spring pack loses upwards of 25%, stronger only 20%. I suppose I could throw in my Navistar with a 16500 rear spring pack, I lose 60-100 lbs off the fa. Your formula says I should lose 400+ lbs.
Reality, stronger spring pack, does what air bags can do too. Level the rear instead of being tail down, asy 6400 lb springs were, 8500, I was level.
If you lose an inch of tail high per 100lbs of HW, first inch you lose maybe 10lb from FA. 2nd inch is an addition 20lbs for 30 total. 3rd inch lose 40lbs for 70 of 300lbs. The % lost goes up as you add hitch wt. If you have stiffer springs, airbags, you can make the first inch 200lbs of HW. 2nd inch 400lbs. Losing the same wight off the fa ad the lighter springs.
Spring capacity, spring drop needs to get factored into the rear overhang divided by wheel base. If you don't, you will not know how much you need to correct the loss to fa. Via bags, more spring, wdh etc.
As Grit points out too, your formula does not include the dynamic part of the rear end of the truck going down. Only assumes you are level, vs initially tail high, to tail low depending upon howuch hitch wieght you have added.
Marty
