TT good match for TV?

[AndrewM]

Here are the specs on my truck:

2011 F-150 Harley Davidson AWD 6.2
GCWR: 13,500
GVWR: 7,350
Max payload: 1,148
Front & Rear GAWR: 3,850

Would this TT be a good match?

Aerolite 248RBSL
Unloaded Weight 5,179
Hitch Weight 639
Cargo Capacity 1,421
Height 11'
Length 28'8"

Thanks!

[JoeTee]

fickman wrote:

Desert Captain wrote:
Given your limited payload you need a smaller/lighter trailer. Good luck! :C

I agree. Your truck has posted weight ratings, I recommend you stay within them.

Remember, at the scales, the truck is stationary and everything is in balance. On the road you'll go over humps, hills, bumps, drips, and everything else. At times the hitch weight (and burden on your tires, axle, and frame) will be less. At times it could be higher.

If you're already over the posted weight ratings, you risk damage or catastrophe during these moments when the load is momentarily increased at a given point due to real world conditions. Nobody from here stating, "You should be fine" is likely to be there to help you deal with the fallout. (May it never come!)

Let us know what you decide. Many of us have been in your shoes and ended up with a different tow vehicle (or trailer) as a result.

I would venture to guess that the truck/trailer is rated for capacity on level ground. It probably is designed for the variables you said such as humps, hills, etc.


I will say I've bent an axle and broke a sway bar end link another time twerking a 3/4 ton truck off road, not even past the capacity.

[JoeTee]

I would ask to run it across the scale with a WDH before buying it just to check for piece of mind. It would be a major headache having to sell it or the truck if somehow it was way over capacity in some way.


From what it looks like it is probably within capacity. Your tires *should have some extra capacity over what your truck is rated for as well.

I would not sweat it.

[Powerdude]

If you have the 22 inch wheels, your payload for oem tires is about 2400 a tire.

So, you should be fine.

Specs

You're right, you would be hard pressed to find an LT tire for 22 inch rims.

[bimbert84]

I wrote:

For proper balancing, you need 12-15% of the trailer's total weight on the tongue. So assuming the trailer will weigh 6500# when loaded, you'll have 780-975# of tongue weight. Let's call it 900#. Figure another 100# for the hitch itself. That leaves you with about #150 for people and gear.

This is less than ideal. If you have only one passenger, you might be OK, but move everything you can out of the truck and into the trailer.

The above numbers assume proper weight distribution. It's not just about getting all the weight you can off the truck, it's about proper load balancing. If the (weight-distributed) tongue weight is too light, the trailer will sway.

If you were to put 3000# in the rear-end of the trailer it would greatly reduce tongue weight. But I sure wouldn't want to be anywhere nearby when you tow it down the road.

-- Rob

[krobbe]

That looks like a good match to me.

[AndrewM]

How does this one sound?

R-Vision Crossover 210RB
Overall Length 24'-4"
Overall Height (A/C Included) 10'-3"
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating 6,160
Dry Hitch Weight 345
Dry Axle Weight 3,735
Net Carrying Capacity 2,080

I plan on leaving my anvil collection at home, so I don't see how I could load 2,000# worth of stuff.

[krobbe]

1148# max payload - 500# passengers & cargo = 648# payload left for TT tongue weight.
648 / .13(13% tongue weight) = 4984 # max loaded trailer weight.
I would stay under 5000# with your payload capacity.

[AndrewM]

What would you guys recommend as a max trailer weight (GVWR) for my truck?

[fickman]

Desert Captain wrote:
Given your limited payload you need a smaller/lighter trailer. Good luck! :C

I agree. Your truck has posted weight ratings, I recommend you stay within them.

Remember, at the scales, the truck is stationary and everything is in balance. On the road you'll go over humps, hills, bumps, drips, and everything else. At times the hitch weight (and burden on your tires, axle, and frame) will be less. At times it could be higher.

If you're already over the posted weight ratings, you risk damage or catastrophe during these moments when the load is momentarily increased at a given point due to real world conditions. Nobody from here stating, "You should be fine" is likely to be there to help you deal with the fallout. (May it never come!)

Let us know what you decide. Many of us have been in your shoes and ended up with a different tow vehicle (or trailer) as a result.

[AndrewM]

So the weight distributed back to the trailer axle shouldn't be counted against that axle rating either?

[Terryallan]

AndrewM wrote:
Terry, let me make sure I understand GVWR correctly. GVWR is maximum total weight of vehicle, cargo, people, fuel, and other fluids together. Correct? So if I take my truck to the scale, I'll get a weight of each axle. As long as those axle weights do not exceed their ratings and the combined weights don't exceed the GVWR, I'm ok.

If I weight the truck with the WDH disconnected, I'll see a very large increase in rear axle weight, and a decrease in front axle weight. With the WDH connected, a much lower weight will be added to the rear axle and weight will now be added to the front axle as well. The combined axle weights with the WDH connected will be less that with the hitch disconnected. That difference is what gets distributed to the trailer. Why should that weight still be factored into the GVW calculation? It is not on the truck anymore.

It's still on the hitch. Is it not? Isn't that why there is a WDH max hitch capacity?

The hitch is carrying / handling / moving all the weight, and the hitch is installed in the receiver. I agree some weight is transferred. But 600 lbs of tongue weight is 600 lb of tongue weight, and it is all on the hitch / receiver, In one way or another.

I may be wrong. But I'm pretty sure. The tongue weight still has to be counted on the TV. As the hitch / receiver, transforms the frame of the TV in to the lever that transfers the weight. Ain't that right? After all. IF the frame is too weak. No weight will be transferred. It will just bend. Just as several years ago, GM receivers were too weak to properly transfer weight. they bent instead.

[AndrewM]

Terry, let me make sure I understand GVWR correctly. GVWR is maximum total weight of vehicle, cargo, people, fuel, and other fluids together. Correct? So if I take my truck to the scale, I'll get a weight of each axle. As long as those axle weights do not exceed their ratings and the combined weights don't exceed the GVWR, I'm ok.

If I weight the truck with the WDH disconnected, I'll see a very large increase in rear axle weight, and a decrease in front axle weight. With the WDH connected, a much lower weight will be added to the rear axle and weight will now be added to the front axle as well. The combined axle weights with the WDH connected will be less that with the hitch disconnected. That difference is what gets distributed to the trailer. Why should that weight still be factored into the GVW calculation? It is not on the truck anymore.

[Desert_Captain]

" There are things you can do to help out with payload like air bags or super springs but I would be cautious. "

Adding air bags or super springs sill not change your payload one ounce. Given your limited payload you need a smaller/lighter trailer. Good luck! :C

[Terryallan]

rightyouareken wrote:

AndrewM wrote:
What percentage of the tongue weight does a properly adjusted WDH put back onto the trailer axles?

I believe in my case it was about 20%. I don't have my figures handy, but that is in the ballpark. It is probably more or less offset by the weight of the hitch itself though.

I'm sure someone else will correct me. But. I believe you have to count ALL the tongue weight on the truck. You don't get to subtract the weight you transferred to the TT from the total tongue weight placed on the truck. ALL the tongue weight is still carried / handeled by the hitch, and the hitch is still on the truck.