Forum Discussion

kgarrett9999's avatar
kgarrett9999
Explorer
May 27, 2014

Weights for my new TT

I traded my 19 foot travel trailer this weekend for a 26 foot (Keystone Bullet 26RBPR).

I was a bit concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight of this travel trailer from the brochure numbers (835 tongue and 5755 shipping weight) but ran a few calculations and determined that I would be good though close. Payload was my main concern. My pickup payload (per door sticker) is 1483.

On the way home I stopped to weigh everything (without my stuff of course but with my wife and I). Normally we will also have about 50 lbs of dogs/kennels in the cab as well. The numbers are below . I'll be loading up my usual gear and reweighing before I head out this weekend. I believe that I have about 750-800 lbs of stuff, but that is a guesstimate primarily based on how sore my muscles were after removing it from the old (overloaded) trailer. As I load back up, I intend to review each item. I already know that a number of items I previously carried were either redundant or unnecessary. I accumulated a lot of items that I may have only needed for one particular trip.

I have a Blue Ox Swaypro hitch that restored the front wheel well measurement to within 1/2" of original.

I know that a few of you know these numbers intimately and their relationships.

Any concerns?

Should I make sure to load the trailer behind the axles, spread out over the trailer or ?

Should I take another link on the WD Hitch and move a bit more weight to the front axle?

It actually handled very well on the drive home and stopped well though I didn't try to lock the brakes up.

Sidenote: Due to the aerodynamic front cap on the new travel trailer my Miles Per Gallon increased 10% on the way home pulling the new trailer vs pulling the old one to the dealer. Additionally the dealer is effectively downhill (500 feet overall) over about 60 miles from my home. Wind was slightly from the rear on the way to the dealer.


2012 F-150 Rated Actual
Supercrew 4x4 Weight Weight

Front Axle Gross 3750 3240
Rear Axle Gross 3850 3500
Total Truck Gross 7350 6740
Trailer Gross 7500 5300 (axle weight)

GCWR 15100 12040

EDIT: I tried to get the numbers to line up nice and neat but they refuse to cooperate. The 1st # in each line is the Rated weight. The 2nd # is actual from the scale.
  • kgarrett9999's avatar
    kgarrett9999
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    RCMAN46 wrote:
    To determine if your trailer will tow well you need to know the tongue weight percentage.

    As said in a previous post you will need to do three weighing's.

    A trailer with low tongue weight may seam to tow OK until you have to do an emergency maneuver, have a large truck pass at a high rate of speed very close or a sudden side wind gust then it may be a whole different ballgame.


    I don't think "low tongue weight" will be an issue with this setup. The brochure weights have nearly a 15% tongue weight.
  • mkirsch's avatar
    mkirsch
    Nomad II
    May 27, 2014
    From the original post:

    DRY: 835 tongue and 5755 gross

    That's 15.1%.

    Those numbers rarely go down when you load up to camp. Even if they do he has a long way to go to get down below 12%, let alone 10%.
  • RCMAN46's avatar
    RCMAN46
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    To determine if your trailer will tow well you need to know the tongue weight percentage.

    As said in a previous post you will need to do three weighing's.

    A trailer with low tongue weight may seam to tow OK until you have to do an emergency maneuver, have a large truck pass at a high rate of speed very close or a sudden side wind gust then it may be a whole different ballgame.
  • kgarrett9999's avatar
    kgarrett9999
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    Ben. I think you may have misinterpreted my weights. The weights that I gave are actual with the travel trailer attached and the weight distribution hitch setup.

    My understanding is that I am 610 lbs under my payload max.
  • BenK's avatar
    BenK
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    BenK wrote:
    kgarrett9999 wrote:
    snip...


    I was a bit concerned about the extremely heavy tongue weight of this travel trailer from the brochure numbers

    (835 tongue and 5755 shipping weight

    ) but ran a few calculations and determined that I would be good though close. Payload was my main concern. My pickup payload (per door sticker) is

    1483

    .
    snip....


    2012 F-150 Rated Actual
    Supercrew 4x4 Weight Weight

    Front Axle Gross 3750 3240
    Rear Axle Gross 3850 3500
    Total Truck Gross 7350 6740
    Trailer Gross 7500 5300 (axle weight)

    GCWR 15100 12040




    Just noodling your actual weights vs the sticker/label info to see
    if they still use 'urb' for those label payload/cargo/etc numbers



    Payload of 1483 and GVWR of 7350 says your truck weighed 5867 out the
    door from the factory...according to folks who say the door label is
    the 'actual

    But your actual weight is 6740. A 873 pound differential, which says to me,
    that your TV has options over the 'curb' or 'stripper' model

    But you weighed it with just you and sweetie...so am assuming you
    two don't weigh in at 873... :B

    Just a point am showing folks who constantly argue that the door sticker/label
    indicates the 'actual' weight, which also says the 'payload' or 'cargo'
    weight number is good to go without having to weigh it to find the
    'actual' weight

    Your actual payload is 7350 - 6740 = 610, so the shipping weight
    tongue of 835 is 225 over. Not going to have the setup fail instantly
    but will sooner than if under/at the rating.

    That is typical of most half ton TV's, but note that even semi's can
    get into this kind of issue...just at higher weights.



    THANK YOU for doing all that and posting


    GCWR is normally curb + MTWR, but and again, your and most all do NOT
    weigh in at 'curb', so best to go out and weigh the TV fully loaded
    and then subtract that from the published GCWR to find the true MTWR


    I do NOT normally say 'good for it' stuff, but show HOW2 figure it out
    using simple math. Think you are do a GREAT job of gathering the info
    and noodling the numbers

    Warn to NOT go over the manual recommendation WD for your TV. Too much
    will stress both the trailer frame/tongue and cause an over steering
    potential. Best to keep the dialed in understeering the OEM's all
    design in

    Again, GREAT info you have provided that might help others dial in
    their setup and THANK YOU !!!!
  • kgarrett9999's avatar
    kgarrett9999
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    Campfire Time wrote:
    Check your owners manual for recommended wheel well measurement.


    Ford Owners Manual says to return approximately half of the front wheel well height change with the WDH.

    The RV Tech setup the hitch, but I will tow it to a nearby flat surface on Friday before I leave town and double check it.
  • APT's avatar
    APT
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    You are under all your ratings - great!

    In order to assess TW and how well the WDH was adjusted, you need 3 passes. Truck alone, truck with TT without WD, truck with TT with WD. But if it tows well, you are under all your ratings by a good bit so enjoy!
  • kgarrett9999's avatar
    kgarrett9999
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    fla-gypsy wrote:
    Looks ok so far. What is the receiver tongue maximum?

    Receiver Max is 1050 lbs with WDH.
  • Campfire_Time's avatar
    Campfire_Time
    Explorer
    May 27, 2014
    Check your owners manual for recommended wheel well measurement. GM for example says that after WD hitch is adjusted it should be the same height as stock. 1/2 inch might be OK if Ford allows for it.

    That said how does the steering feel? It should not feel "loose". It should feel like it does when you are not towing.

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