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Old 03-29-2017, 11:22 AM   #1
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How to Determine Tongue Wt

I have been subtracting the decoupled TV wt from the coupled TV wt . This delta is what I have believed to be the tongue wt.

But now that I have over read the tons of post wrt to a WD system I am not sure.

The last CAT scale weighing is also hurting my head

Coupled TV wt 6300 - 5660 decoupled = 640 tongue wt (steer axle-fwd scale)

TT Coupled (fwd axle) wt 2600 - 3300 decoupled = 700 tongue wt ( drive axle- mid scale)

TT Coupled (rear axle) wt 2520 - 2480 decoupled = 40 shift to fwd axle (rear scale)

(and the scale just added 20 lbs....!! )

Give me an aspirin....a scotch ... my head hurts..

Help me ...what is my tongue wt??
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Old 03-29-2017, 11:43 AM   #2
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If you haven't seen this, please check it out...it may help:

How to Weigh a Travel Trailer | Learn To RV

The go here to do the calculations after a Cat scale measure:

Actual Weights - Travel Trailer/Bumper Pull Weights from CAT Scales - Towing Planner

HTH
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Old 03-29-2017, 01:55 PM   #3
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You are missing one weight: the weight of the truck alone.......
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Old 03-29-2017, 03:20 PM   #4
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If you are trying to determine the TW, just measure it directly. If you don't want to do that, and want to calculate by subtracting larger measurements, none of those larger measurements should be with the WDH engaged. Just measure the truck with the trailer attached but no WDH (2 truck axles only), and subtract the truck weight without the trailer.


Most of the transferred weight by a WDH from the rear axle goes to the front axle. But some of it get's transferred to the trailer axle(s). So, your numbers will be off, if you had the WDH engaged.
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Old 03-29-2017, 05:59 PM   #5
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Ok...I think

Fonzie, the truck decoupled wt is the 5660 (just the truck and hitch)

Thebrakeman, I was beginning to suspect that I needed to weigh TT and TV without the WD engaged.....

The reason I use the "big" numbers is that I tie the scale up too long using the method that windsufdog's link suggests. It take 3 weighs and totally detaching the TT. The CAT scales here in Mobile give you a 2nd reweigh for $2. The 3 weigh would cost $11, $2 and another $11

I use the 2 weighs ($11 and $2)....So I will disengage the WD before the 1st weigh....both truck axles on scale 1, the front TT axle on scale 2 and the rear TT axle on scale 3. Then decouple the trailer and get the 2nd weigh....that will give me a pure TV wt and a pure TT wt



Thanks to all....So the indicated TW is affected by WD !!
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Old 03-29-2017, 06:32 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 7Iron View Post
I have been subtracting the decoupled TV wt from the coupled TV wt . This delta is what I have believed to be the tongue wt.

But now that I have over read the tons of post wrt to a WD system I am not sure.

The last CAT scale weighing is also hurting my head

Coupled TV wt 6300 - 5660 decoupled = 640 tongue wt (steer axle-fwd scale)

TT Coupled (fwd axle) wt 2600 - 3300 decoupled = 700 tongue wt ( drive axle- mid scale)

TT Coupled (rear axle) wt 2520 - 2480 decoupled = 40 shift to fwd axle (rear scale)

(and the scale just added 20 lbs....!! )

Give me an aspirin....a scotch ... my head hurts..

Help me ...what is my tongue wt??
Cat scales are only with in 20lbs.

Coupled needs to be with the weight distribution disabled/ unhooked or the part of the tongue weight transferred back to the trailer axles and forward to your front axle will throw off the calculations.
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Old 03-29-2017, 06:57 PM   #7
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The cat scales I have used, mostly at the big truck stop chains, TA, Pilot etc, give you as many re weighs required. They expect you to leave the scale to adjust your trailer axles or pin position. Making a near 80k rig fit the legal axle weights will usually take a couple tries.

I recently weighed my TV, went home 20 minutes away, came back a couple hours later with my loaded TT and weighed with the WD disabled to calculate the tongue weight, then enabled the WD and weighed the two most likely chain link counts based on tV fender measurements to determine the amount of rear axle weight a change of one link moved to the front axle and trailer axles.

Total cost one weigh and three re-weighs.
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Old 03-29-2017, 08:45 PM   #8
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Your TW is right around 750 which is 13 percent of trailer weight, just about perfect.
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Old 03-30-2017, 07:34 PM   #9
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haved used this on many Big boat trl 25'
Measuring trailer tongue weight with a bathroom scale
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Old 03-31-2017, 08:42 PM   #10
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If you want to check tongue or pin weight any where, check out the Sherline Trailer Tongue Scale, about a buck and a half. You'll always know if your tongue is on the heavy side.
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