TT Weight Issues

[lone_star_dsl]

I just brought home my "new to me" 1997 Wilderness 29S. It has a GVWR of 7400 lbs. The guy I bought it from threw in a CP Products weight distributing hitch.

I had a full tank of fuel and my daily tools with me when I picked up the trailer. The trailer had just about everything in it that we would need for a trip including two bottle jacks, all the hoses, full propane tanks, etc. I figure I will be adding about another 100 lbs worth of tools and another 300 lbs worth of luggage and misc. crap.

I had a buddy with me so I figured I could get a fairly accurate weight going through the scales.

Here is what I ended up with:

Truck Front Axle: 4,720 lbs
Truck Rear Axle: 4,380 lbs
Trailer Axles: 4,900 lbs

Total GCW of 14,000

I didn't have time to get an unloaded weight of the truck but it normally scales between 8,400 and 8,700 depending on fuel and tool load.

It seems to me like the WD hitch is putting too much weight on the front axle. Ideally, I would like to flip flop the front and rear weights. Is there anything I can do to get some weight off the front axle and transfer it back?

 

[dpantazis]

get an unloaded weight and then compare.

the engine weighs more than you think. in fact, i would bet that the hitch unloaded the front a bit.

 

[WD40]

Take the bars off the W/D hitch and drive across the scales again and see what kind a numbers you get, you may not need the W/D bars with your truck and such a light RV trailer. Keep the sway bar.
Doug

 

[lone_star_dsl]

I do need to get an empty weight of the truck. I did a little reading and found that the front and rear of the truck should drop equally.

With the trailer hooked up, the front didn't move and the rear dropped an inch. The front of my truck only drops an inch when the plow is raised and it weighs almost 1,000 lbs.

A couple hundred pounds on the x-codes won't really show any drop.

 

[02SilverStroke]

get an unloaded weight and then compare.

The engine weighs more than you think. In fact, i would bet that the hitch unloaded the front a bit.

x2

 

[BIG JOE]

Take the bars off the W/D hitch and drive across the scales again and see what kind a numbers you get, you may not need the W/D bars with your truck and such a light RV trailer. Keep the sway bar.
Doug

What Doug said.. Or, Drop One link in the bar chains and try that ?

There should never be More weight on the Front axle, than on the Rear... of the Tow vehicle. (Jackknife issues)

A WDH Rule of Thumb ? [On level ground], With the Tow vehicle & Trailer loaded for travel.... WDH Ball height and pitch adjusted properly, Bars loaded.. the Trailer tongue/frame rails should be as Bubble Level as possible.

 

[02SilverStroke]

There should never be More weight on the Front axle, than on the Rear... of the Tow vehicle. (Jackknife issues)

This also could cause traction issues if road conditions aren't ideal (raining, etc.).