Tongue weight
If the weight on my TT's tongue exceeds the recommended 10-15%, what should I do?
Forum Discussion
- Every bit of this is speculation currently. I'm going to assume that if you know your tongue weight is over 15%, you've taken it over the scales. If that's the case, post some specific numbers, ie steer axle, drive axle and trailer axle weights at a minimum along with the front and rear axle weight ratings of the TV. Armed with that info, the experts here will be better able to provide you with good advice. My personal feeling is that as long as you are well within all limits, being a little over 15% won't hurt anything. Certainly safer than being under 10%.
RCMAN46 wrote:
LarryJM wrote:
RCMAN46 wrote:
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
The more tongue weight you have the better it will tow. As long as you are not over on any of your truck spec's leave it.
X2
This is a major reason 5th wheels tow better with pin weights in the 20-25% and sometimes even more.
The more tongue weight or pin the better.
The big guys have pin weights that often get near 40%.
I disagree with that conclusion. The MAIN/MAJOR REASON for the better stability and towing characteristics of a 5er is from WHERE the pin/hitch wt. is in reference to the TV rear axle and NOT FROM THE HIGHER pin/hitch wt.
Larry
Lower your pin weight to 10% where many tongue pulls are at then tell us how the handling compares to 20-25%.
That's a ridiculous statement since to get 10% you would have to GROSSLY misload a 5er to remove that much pin wt and has absolutely NO BEARING on what the major factor that makes a 5er setup more stable and that is the location of the tongue/pin wt to the rear axle of the TV AND NOT the percentage of that tongue wt.
LarryLarryJM wrote:
RCMAN46 wrote:
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
The more tongue weight you have the better it will tow. As long as you are not over on any of your truck spec's leave it.
X2
This is a major reason 5th wheels tow better with pin weights in the 20-25% and sometimes even more.
The more tongue weight or pin the better.
The big guys have pin weights that often get near 40%.
I disagree with that conclusion. The MAIN/MAJOR REASON for the better stability and towing characteristics of a 5er is from WHERE the pin/hitch wt. is in reference to the TV rear axle and NOT FROM THE HIGHER pin/hitch wt.
Larry
Lower your pin weight to 10% where many tongue pulls are at then tell us how the handling compares to 20-25%.Ron Gratz wrote:
The upper limit of 15% originated with tests conducted in 1979 using subcompact, compact, and intermediate cars as tow vehicles.
If the tests were done today with modern tow vehicles, the numbers probably would be different.
IMO, if the TV can handle the tongue weight, there's nothing wrong with having a TW% greater than 15%.
Ron
I highly disagree stating there is nothing wrong towing with over 15%. And from someone who loves to crunch numbers on here and write dozens of posts that very few comprehend...I would actually call this irresponsible.
That's not a well balanced TT if it has over 15% of its gross is on the tongue when loaded as intended (meaning toy haulers w/toys actually loaded).
Even if the truck can handle it by the numbers, its still a TT with its weight far behind the axle and not a 5th wheel directly over the rear axle. Smaller trailers and the largest trucks wont know the difference...I'll give in that much.
Too much on the tongue takes that much more weight off the front axle. Sure you might have a WDH, but they all recommend 10-15% tongue weight also. And now you likely need heavier bars to compensate for the heavy tongue.
So if you're over 15%, I would ask why. There are not many good reasons to purposely haul a TT with over 15% tongue weight.
Look at the number's we're talking about...
15% of 5,000lbs = 750
15% of 6,000lbs = 900
15% of 7,000lbs = 1050
15% of 8,000lbs = 1200Dog Trainer wrote:
The 10 -15 range came about quite simply.10% is what the minimum should be. 15 is the most that many TVs/hitches can handle. If your TV and hitch can handle more, then it is no problem.RinconVTR wrote:
More than 15% tongue weight on any loaded TT is far too much.Toy haulers are always on the heavy end of the tolerance, but balance out when loaded.
It may be true that if you have a HD truck of some sort, and your towing experience is good, then change nothing. But I have a feeling that's not the case, or you would not be here asking.
The lack of detail is killing any accurate response.
I am really interested in knowing why 15% TW is way too much. I guess if you are overloading the hitch, Payload or in some way violating the weight parameters it is a bad thing, but what is the downside to being 15% and within the parameters otherwise. I agree there is too little info to make a sensible reply so I am just wondering.RCMAN46 wrote:
Turtle n Peeps wrote:
The more tongue weight you have the better it will tow. As long as you are not over on any of your truck spec's leave it.
X2
This is a major reason 5th wheels tow better with pin weights in the 20-25% and sometimes even more.
The more tongue weight or pin the better.
The big guys have pin weights that often get near 40%.
I disagree with that conclusion. The MAIN/MAJOR REASON for the better stability and towing characteristics of a 5er is from WHERE the pin/hitch wt. is in reference to the TV rear axle and NOT FROM THE HIGHER pin/hitch wt.
Larry- The upper limit of 15% originated with tests conducted in 1979 using subcompact, compact, and intermediate cars as tow vehicles.
If the tests were done today with modern tow vehicles, the numbers probably would be different.
IMO, if the TV can handle the tongue weight, there's nothing wrong with having a TW% greater than 15%.
Ron RinconVTR wrote:
More than 15% tongue weight on any loaded TT is far too much.Toy haulers are always on the heavy end of the tolerance, but balance out when loaded.
It may be true that if you have a HD truck of some sort, and your towing experience is good, then change nothing. But I have a feeling that's not the case, or you would not be here asking.
The lack of detail is killing any accurate response.
I am really interested in knowing why 15% TW is way too much. I guess if you are overloading the hitch, Payload or in some way violating the weight parameters it is a bad thing, but what is the downside to being 15% and within the parameters otherwise. I agree there is too little info to make a sensible reply so I am just wondering.Turtle n Peeps wrote:
The more tongue weight you have the better it will tow. As long as you are not over on any of your truck spec's leave it.
X2
This is a major reason 5th wheels tow better with pin weights in the 20-25% and sometimes even more.
The more tongue weight or pin the better.
The big guys have pin weights that often get near 40%.- deleted
