Just got back from the CAT Scale!!!Need Help

[Jamesandtara]

Before purchasing our 2104 Salem QBSS i knew that this trailer had a lot of tongue weight but i loved the model so we bought it and i figured if its way over i guess i would have to buy a new truck.. Well i finally hit the scales today and i was trying to figure out my numbers but the more it try to figure it out the more confused i get. What is the best way to calculate tongue weight and what should the difference from the front and rear axles be??? Thanks in advance for the help.

First weigh-in (with the WDH the way the dealership set it up)
Steer axle- 3220
Drive axle- 4180
Trailer weight-5800

Second weigh-in (adjusted the chains one more link)
Steer axle-3340
Drive axle-4000
Trailer axle-5880

Truck only(with full tank of gas a 2 200lb occupants)
6340

GVWR of truck-7200

Now what i am thinking is my rear axle is rated at 3850 so i am 150lbs over on the rear. Should i be worried about 150lbs???

Also does that mean that my truck only has a payload of 860?? Thats seems really low.. I got that by truck 6340-GVWR 7200..

The more i think about it the more confused i get

[beerjay]

Your payload calc is correct based on GVWR and actual TV weights. You should have the WDH and bars in the TV to include in the TV actual weight as well.

Do you have the individual axle weights for the TV alone loaded?

That will let you see if the GAWR is close to the max rated for the TV with the trailer attached.

You can also then compare the front TV axle weight with and without WDH to get them close to the same weight, so you aren't unloading the front of the TV and messing up your steering control.

[fonzie]

Are you weighting ready to camp or with trailer and truck empty of cargo. Usually people will add about 1000 lbs in trailer plus whatever you put in truck bed. You're numbers looks right for an empty trailer and truck bed.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by Jamesandtara

Before purchasing our 2104 Salem QBSS i knew that this trailer had a lot of tongue weight but i loved the model so we bought it and i figured if its way over i guess i would have to buy a new truck.. Well i finally hit the scales today and i was trying to figure out my numbers but the more it try to figure it out the more confused i get. What is the best way to calculate tongue weight and what should the difference from the front and rear axles be??? Thanks in advance for the help.

First weigh-in (with the WDH the way the dealership set it up)
Steer axle- 3220
Drive axle- 4180
Trailer weight-5800

Second weigh-in (adjusted the chains one more link)
Steer axle-3340
Drive axle-4000
Trailer axle-5880

Truck only(with full tank of gas a 2 200lb occupants)
6340

GVWR of truck-7200

Now what i am thinking is my rear axle is rated at 3850 so i am 150lbs over on the rear. Should i be worried about 150lbs???

Also does that mean that my truck only has a payload of 860?? Thats seems really low.. I got that by truck 6340-GVWR 7200..

The more i think about it the more confused i get

Travel Trailer Weight Calculator

You need to weigh in 3 times. hooked up with wdh / without wdh and bars in the bed of your truck. and your truck buy itself. Then put in the numbers in the link above. Handy link for this task imo. Your going to also need to measure your fender height's at the wheel well. (Stock before load and after with load.)
Try to get the front back to stock height when load is on by adjusting the hitch . I know chevy never wants the front to squat lower then stock height per my owners manual anyway.
Dont know about ford.,

[Kaadk]

Originally Posted by beerjay

Your payload calc is correct based on GVWR and actual TV weights. You should have the WDH and bars in the TV to include in the TV actual weight as well.

I've always wondered about that. I see that as the recommended process, but since I'd only ever have the WDH on when I have the TT hooked up is it really that bad to let be be factored into the tongue weight? Either way it's still going to take from the available payload. If it's to figure out weight at rest, well, the WDH gets stored in the front pass thru storage and would still factor into the overall TT weight.

5er's on the other hand make sense since I doubt people pull their hitches out during a camping trip.

[beerjay]

Originally Posted by Kaadk

I've always wondered about that. I see that as the recommended process, but since I'd only ever have the WDH on when I have the TT hooked up is it really that bad to let be be factored into the tongue weight? Either way it's still going to take from the available payload. If it's to figure out weight at rest, well, the WDH gets stored in the front pass thru storage and would still factor into the overall TT weight.

5er's on the other hand make sense since I doubt people pull their hitches out during a camping trip.

The folks on the forum suggested last year that it's actually part of the weight on the TV. So it subtracts from the payload capacity of the TV. So when weighing the TV alone the WDH and bars should be on the TV.

The tongue weight is what the trailer puts on the TV of its own accord.

Please help if this is incorrect.

[Jamesandtara]

Originally Posted by fonzie

Are you weighting ready to camp or with trailer and truck empty of cargo. Usually people will add about 1000 lbs in trailer plus whatever you put in truck bed. You're numbers looks right for an empty trailer and truck bed.

Yes this was empty TV and trailer. We are planning a trip on Easter weekend that we will weigh again once we are loaded.. I don't plan on putting much in the bed of my truck, i should be able to get everything in the camper.

I was thinking about going another link but i don't want to go to far...Any opinions on that???

[davel1971]

you can't calculate tongue weight without a reading of truck alone with axles on separate scales. That reading, and a weighing of camper loaded as you would normally travel, will get your answer. Even this way, you aren't really measuring the tongue weight, but the axle weight, which is probably more important anyhow. Since you aren't measuring at the ball, but at the axle 4-5 ft forward of the ball, a lever action takes place. You aren't just putting trailer weight on rear axle, but more of the truck too.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by Jamesandtara

Yes this was empty TV and trailer. We are planning a trip on Easter weekend that we will weigh again once we are loaded.. I don't plan on putting much in the bed of my truck, i should be able to get everything in the camper.

I was thinking about going another link but i don't want to go to far...Any opinions on that???

IMHO you dont have all the info you / we need to recommend anything.
Need to know the weight on the truck axles front n rear without the camper hooked up.
I would measure at the wheel wells w/o being hooked up.
Then hook up and adjust hitch so the front wheel well is back to stock height.
Thats a good starting point.(make sure your unit is level.)
At the scales your going to need 3 different weigh ins.
W/O wdh
W/wdh
Truck by itself.
Then you have all the numbers you need to see where you stand and if adjustment are needed.
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-...eight-tt.shtml
Without all the right info your just spending a lot of energy and time guessing.

[indybp57]

I weighed my TV alone pretty much as it would be loaded for a trip, including myself and DW. I weighed again when we were all hooked up and headed out on a trip. I added the steer and drive axle weights together from the hooked up weigh-in and subtracted the total TV weight from the first weigh-in and called that my tongue weight. I'm not completely sold on having the hitch coupler in the TV on the base weigh -in since that is part of the tongue weight from the perspective of the hitch receiver.

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[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by indybp57

I weighed my TV alone pretty much as it would be loaded for a trip, including myself and DW. I weighed again when we were all hooked up and headed out on a trip. I added the steer and drive axle weights together from the hooked up weigh-in and subtracted the total TV weight from the first weigh-in and called that my tongue weight. I'm not completely sold on having the hitch coupler in the TV on the base weigh -in since that is part of the tongue weight from the perspective of the hitch receiver.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

Your tongue weight is a false read. For true tongue weight you can not have the bars on.

[davel1971]

you can't measure tongue weight either way. You are measuring axle weight. You can closely calculate tongue weight with the right measurements from the scales. You need to measure with and without bars though so you know your calculated tongue weight is in a "safe" zone.

[Platokidd]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

IMHO you dont have all the info you / we need to recommend anything.
Need to know the weight on the truck axles front n rear without the camper hooked up.
I would measure at the wheel wells w/o being hooked up.
Then hook up and adjust hitch so the front wheel well is back to stock height.
Thats a good starting point.(make sure your unit is level.)
At the scales your going to need 3 different weigh ins.
W/O wdh
W/wdh
Truck by itself.
Then you have all the numbers you need to see where you stand and if adjustment are needed.
Travel Trailer Weight Calculator
Without all the right info your just spending a lot of energy and time guessing.

Originally Posted by davel1971

you can't measure tongue weight either way. You are measuring axle weight. You can closely calculate tongue weight with the right measurements from the scales. You need to measure with and without bars though so you know your calculated tongue weight is in a "safe" zone.

really need 3 weigh ins

[davel1971]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

really need 3 weigh ins

yep, then you can do math till your head hurts and come up with a fairly close number.

[dsrace]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

IMHO you dont have all the info you / we need to recommend anything.
Need to know the weight on the truck axles front n rear without the camper hooked up.
I would measure at the wheel wells w/o being hooked up.
Then hook up and adjust hitch so the front wheel well is back to stock height.
Thats a good starting point.(make sure your unit is level.)
At the scales your going to need 3 different weigh ins.
W/O wdh
W/wdh
Truck by itself.
Then you have all the numbers you need to see where you stand and if adjustment are needed.
Travel Trailer Weight Calculator
Without all the right info your just spending a lot of energy and time guessing.

this is a very good link! I have said for a very long time to take what the manufacturer specifies and deduct 15% to 20% for a safety margin. that is exactly what this link suggests as well! it's true if you want to add for unforeseen factors like hills and wind or rough roads etc etc.

"Enter a percentage (1 to 50) of the tow vehicle′s maximum ratings you wish to leave as a safety margin. Recommended margin is 20%."

[itat]

Here's what I use to calculate weights:

[48fan]

I had similar issues with my first TT I have a f150 with the 4.2 6 cyl I bought a 27ft TT weighed about 6000lb I didn't no about what weight I could or couldn't pull the dealer said your good this is half ton towable well long story short it wasn't the TT for my truck we sold it a few years later (wife got pregnant) so this winter I started looking for a new camper and thanks to the great folks on this forum I learned a lot I took my truck to the cat scale found out what it weighed how much weight it could hold and pull safely then stayed 1800lb under what the factory recommended weight because thanks to experience and everyone here you need to take into consideration the people and all the stuff your going to take with you also when I weighed my truck I had a full tank of gas me,wife,dog,and my son and anything in the truck I would put in there for a camping trip NEVER LET THE DEALER TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN PULL KNOW FOR YOURSELF

[dsrace]

Originally Posted by 48fan

I had similar issues with my first TT I have a f150 with the 4.2 6 cyl I bought a 27ft TT weighed about 6000lb I didn't no about what weight I could or couldn't pull the dealer said your good this is half ton towable well long story short it wasn't the TT for my truck we sold it a few years later (wife got pregnant) so this winter I started looking for a new camper and thanks to the great folks on this forum I learned a lot I took my truck to the cat scale found out what it weighed how much weight it could hold and pull safely then stayed 1800lb under what the factory recommended weight because thanks to experience and everyone here you need to take into consideration the people and all the stuff your going to take with you also when I weighed my truck I had a full tank of gas me,wife,dog,and my son and anything in the truck I would put in there for a camping trip NEVER LET THE DEALER TELL YOU WHAT YOU CAN PULL KNOW FOR YOURSELF

EXACTLY!! very well said!! cause they don't know!

[indybp57]

Originally Posted by Platokidd

Your tongue weight is a false read. For true tongue weight you can not have the bars on.

Q: If my truck is heavier hitched to the trailer than it is by itself then where did the extra weight come from? A: From the tongue of the trailer. Bars or no bars, the tongue weight is either going to be wholy on the rear axle or partially distributed to the front. I'm not trying to argue just trying to understand what I'm missing.

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[ependydad]

Originally Posted by itat

Here's what I use to calculate weights:

This is essentially what I'm doing here:
Mobile phone friendly actual weight calculator for travel trailers

(It's alien powered- watch out for the goo juice.)