Weight Distribution and max tongue weight

[seansage]

Let's say I have a travel trailer with a GVW of 4300 lbs and, due to certain options on the TT, my tongue weight is 700 lbs. That is 16.3% of the GVW on the tongue, above the recommeded maxumun of 15%. An extra 56 lbs on the tongue. Assuming that my TV can easily handle this tongue weight, with a WD system, is this configuration safe? I mean, will the WD system distribute the weight effectively so that the fact that I am over the 15% tongue weight will not matter? Or should I reduce the tongue weight to the 15% mark before hooking up the WD system? I realize these numbers and the differences may be small but I have not much room to play with and I want to make sure I am safe on the roads.
Thanks
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Sean

[Huntindog]

aamyotte wrote:
I'm glad that I don't have a toy hauler. That would be a pain to keep track of the tongue weight based on what I had in the rear.

Many of those have empty TW in the 2000# range!!
A friend of mine had to always carry his UTV to keep from overloading his hitch.

[aamyotte]

I'm glad that I don't have a toy hauler. That would be a pain to keep track of the tongue weight based on what I had in the rear.

[handye9]

Huntindog wrote:
Consider this. TTs TW can shift dramatically in the course of a trip. FW gets used and ends up in waste tanks, food gets eaten and ends up there too. Propane gets consumed and ends up in the air. And many other things can move around as well.

Very much so !!!

My fresh tank is behind the axles. When full, it takes 150 - 200 lbs off my tongue weight. As the fresh tank level goes down, tongue weight is going back up. My galley tank is far forward of the axles. It is adding tongue weight along with the fresh tank going down. An empty fresh tank and a full galley tank combined, will add 300 lbs to my tongue weight. My kitchen is up front, as the groceries are going away, they are taking off some of that 300 lbs.

Percentage wise, my tongue weight fluctuates between 12 and 16 percent.

[RinconVTR]

No issue here....move along...move along.

[goducks10]

I had to fight tooth and nail to get 12% on my last TT. Think of yourself as lucky.

[fla-gypsy]

If the receiver can handle it I would view it as a plus. Be sure to size WD bars accordingly.

[rbpru]

A 25 gallon gas tank can vary up to 200 lbs. At 10 mpg you will lose 50 plus pounds in about 70 miles.

[ScottG]

Better to be a little heavy than a little light. I don't think you'd have any problem at all.

[Huntindog]

More TW is a good thing. The only reason for the 10-15 recommendation is that 10 is pretty much a minimum, and 15 will be the limits of many TVs or receivers. So long as they are within their limits, you are fine....

BUT... Consider this. TTs TW can shift dramatically in the course of a trip. FW gets used and ends up in waste tanks, food gets eaten and ends up there too. Propane gets consumed and ends up in the air. And many other things can move around as well.

MOST people will have a concern if they start out with a TW that barely hits the 10% mark, and then gets lighter. You may have the opposite concern.

MY TT is TW heavy, but with my TV it s not a problem, so I like it that way. YMMV.

[Terryallan]

Unless there is a mechanical / metal stress reason. I see no problem with the extra tongue weight.