weight distribution Hitch

[Flyfisher410]

GCVWR is 13500. GVWR for the tow vehicle is 7350. Weighed in on CAT scales today and was 710 pounds over on the drive axle but 390 below max on the front axle. Trailer weighed in at 6200, each trailer axle is rated at 4000 pounds, dry weight is 6060 with additional cargo capacity of 1200 and change.

Will adjustment to the weight distribution hitch transfer extra weight off the rear axle?

[atwowheelguy]

Flyfisher410 wrote:
GCVWR is 13500. GVWR for the tow vehicle is 7350. Weighed in on CAT scales today and was 710 pounds over on the drive axle but 390 below max on the front axle. Trailer weighed in at 6200, each trailer axle is rated at 4000 pounds, dry weight is 6060 with additional cargo capacity of 1200 and change.

Will adjustment to the weight distribution hitch transfer extra weight off the rear axle?

You didn't provide all the data from the weight tickets, nor the weight rating data from the door sticker, so it's not so easy to analyze your weight situation. How much did each axle actually weigh? It takes three passes across the scales to determine the effectiveness of the WDH.

Typically the sum of the axle ratings is more than the GVWR. Your axles in total weigh 320 lbs. more than the sum of the axle ratings, so the total truck weight exceeds the GVWR considerably. I think it is likely that your truck will remain overloaded unless you reduce the tongue weight or remove some other cargo from the truck.

Here's some data from four hitch head setups on my rig. The hitch came with the trailer from the prior owner with three washers in the hitch head. I then increased the number of washers to five, six and seven, weighing the rig each time. The corresponding amounts of weight transferred from the drive axle were 120 lbs, 380 lbs., 400 lbs. and 480 lbs. respectively.

Because of incomplete data on your weight situation, we don't know how much your weight distribution hitch has already transferred off the drive axle. I think it's safe to say that transferring an ADDITIONAL 710 lbs. from the steer axle is unlikely.

At seven washers, my hitch has returned 89% of the weight that was lifted from the steer axle. The installation instructions for the hitch indicate that the maximum number of washers is eight.

[eHoefler]

Flyfisher410 wrote:
ehoefler, the tongue weight of the trailer was listed as 788 pounds, I had the dealership install a second battery which they did on the tongue. The hitch is a Husky centerline with 800-1200 pound rating. Dealership installed the hitch when we picked up the camper so it had nothing in it when installed. Now that its loaded I think I need to adjust the brackets for the bars as the rear of the vehicle squats a bit, but I don't know if that is enough to remove the excess weight from the rear axle.

The head is rated for the 800-1200 pounds, which means it can be used with either 800, 1000, or 1200 pound bars, which bars do you have?? My guess, 800. You need 1000 pound bars. The bars are not rated for the tongue weight, they are rated for how much to transfer.

[Flyfisher410]

ehoefler, the tongue weight of the trailer was listed as 788 pounds, I had the dealership install a second battery which they did on the tongue. The hitch is a Husky centerline with 800-1200 pound rating. Dealership installed the hitch when we picked up the camper so it had nothing in it when installed. Now that its loaded I think I need to adjust the brackets for the bars as the rear of the vehicle squats a bit, but I don't know if that is enough to remove the excess weight from the rear axle.

[LarryJM]

Flyfisher410 wrote:
GCVWR is 13500. GVWR for the tow vehicle is 7350. Weighed in on CAT scales today and was 710 pounds over on the drive axle but 390 below max on the front axle. Trailer weighed in at 6200, each trailer axle is rated at 4000 pounds, dry weight is 6060 with additional cargo capacity of 1200 and change.

Will adjustment to the weight distribution hitch transfer extra weight off the rear axle?

Something sounds SERIOUSLY OUT OF WHACK. Generally 4K axles would imply a GVWR in excess of 8K and with a dry wt of 6060 that makes sense. Also 13,500 is a really low GCWR and the 7350 TV GVWR implies the max TT wt should be in the neighborhood of 6,000 and that is before you add any passengers/cargo to the TV which will reduce that 6K lb for lb.

I would never recommend towing 700lbs over your rear axle capacity on such a light TV.

My gut instinct is set up will be neither a safe or pleasant tow combo.

Larry

[eHoefler]

If the hitch is properly sized, you should be able to transfer the weight to the steer axle without any issues. If taking up links and/or head adjustment doesn't transfer enough of the weight, you need bigger bars.

[old_guy]

when you set up your hitch did you measure the front and rear of the truck to see just how much the TT dropped it. if not then you are not setup properly, makes a difference you know

[Terryallan]

Really sounds like your Tt is out of balance bad. You only need 12 percent of the trailer weight on the tongue. You got Waaay more than that. and as others have said. You do need to get the front closer to the unhitched weight. You will need to adjust the hitch some more, and move some weight in the TT.

[DanNJanice]

Flyfisher410 wrote:
GCVWR is 13500. GVWR for the tow vehicle is 7350. Weighed in on CAT scales today and was 710 pounds over on the drive axle but 390 below max on the front axle. Trailer weighed in at 6200, each trailer axle is rated at 4000 pounds, dry weight is 6060 with additional cargo capacity of 1200 and change.

Will adjustment to the weight distribution hitch transfer extra weight off the rear axle?

I would try to take up an extra link if I were you. You might also be able to fuss around with the head angle a bit to transfer some of the weight, if you can't get another link.
For example, my trailer has 1200lbs of tongue weight and my front axle weight is within about 150lbs of my unloaded weight.
There are some good video online that will discuss how to properly setup/adjust the hitch.

[Passin_Thru]

Buy some Airlift airbags. Takes and hour to install and then you can lift it. 700 lb is nothing if you have tires rated for it.

[Lwiddis]

I’d try another link....weigh it and road test.

[Flyfisher410]

Front end feels a little high, but towed pretty good on a 3.5 hour drive this afternoon. The majority of my external storage is right behind the propane tanks which I assume is putting the majority of the weight on the rear axle of the truck. My dry weight is 6060 and the trailer weighed in at 6200 today. I'm pretty sure I have put more than 200 pounds of cargo into the trailer between clothing, food, books, cookware and other "stuff", so again more weight is forward.

[ScottG]

It will move a little but not 700#.
How does is drive when pulling? If you don't find the truck being moved around in the lane or your constantly making steering corrections then the WDH is probably set up OK. But if you do find your being moved around then by all means, grab another link.
It's amazing how a small adjustment will change the entire dynamics of handling.