Toy Hauler & Tongue Weight

[timbo7]

Been pulling my toyhauler with kayaks in cargo area for 4 weeks. Decided to put the Harleys in and try and get hitch and tongue weight right. Let me give some numbers about my trailer:
33'-6" long
dry weight 6798 lbs.
7000 lbs. w/pots pans & clothes
1020 lbs. tongue weight
14.57% tongue weight
9000 lbs. w/ Harleys loaded & ride gear
700 lbs. tongue weight
7.7% tongue weight
Reese 1200 trunionbar W/D hitch with Dual Cam Sway control
Think my tongue weight with the Harley's ia a little too lite. Talked to Coachmen about tongue weight %, was told to pull it down the road and see how it handles. I'm kinda scared to pull that much down the road as an experiment. Talked to dealership owner today, he said he would also pull it to see how it handles. I thought that I should have a min. of 10% tongue weight and max. of 15%. What you think? Dealer also told me that the WD hitch tries to get tongue weight to 0%, and that the lighter the tongue weight the less number of links that will be hung on WD bar.

[crasher]

You are right that you want around 10-15% on the tongue. But every setup is a little different, so it's not bad advice to go for a brief, careful tow and see how it handles. The rest of what you're dealer is saying I don't get.

You could also try moving your load forward a bit. Even a foot can make a difference.
I'd be most concerned with how you have 2000 lbs of cargo secured back there - you definitely don't want anything moving around while you are underway.

[timbo7]

My toy hauler has an enclosed cargo area or garage. the harley's are as far forward as possible because of the wall. I do have them staggered 4". was wondering about using tractor siutcase weights to help achieve the min. 10% tongue weight. Just seems a little wasteful to have to add weight that has no other benefit other than tongue weight, but if that is what I have to do, I'll do it.

[crasher]

I'd be really reluctant to carry extra weight for no reason - especially dead weights.

Where is your water tank? If it's ahead of the axle you could just fill it up. 8 lbs a gallon. At least you can use the water. Same if you have a built in gas tank.

[timbo7]

fresh water tank rest on axles and goes towards back of trailer. Tried filling Gray water and Black water (32 gal. each ) to see if that helped. Both of these tanks are forward of axles. Filed 60 gals. of water into these 2 tanks, but only benefitted 150 lbs. of tongue weight.

[Chuckinca]

Why is is bad if the tongue weight is less that 10%?




.

[crasher]

You do have a lot of storage space up front and under the bed (assuming you have the 301blds) so I'm assuming you have a lot of gear stored there already. Are your propane tanks and batteries up on the tongue? If you only have one battery, you could add another - that's 75#.

If all else fails, you could put cases of beer in the front compartment

Before you start carrying around a lot of unnecessary things, I'd go out for that test tow and see how it does as is. But I'm betting you'll want 300# more in the front.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Chuckinca

Why is is bad if the tongue weight is less that 10%?

.

Hold on cause you'll go for a ride !
Excessive trailer sway will be the end result !
Turbs

[crasher]

Do you have the platform on the tongue as shown in the pics here:
COACHMEN FREEDOM EXPRESS 301 BLDS TOYHAULER TRAVEL TRAILER 2013 at 2012 $ in RVs & Campers | eBay Motors
Looks like a good place for a generator and fuel tanks

[timbo7]

Have a little more storage room left up front, but cannot think of anything else I need to haul, especially that would make a weight difference. Friend suggested trying to relocate the 100 gal. fresh water tank to front underneath side. don't think I would have room for that.

[timbo7]

Have generator storage rack, just no generator. Wondering if I would use one that much.

[crasher]

Well a 50 gallon fuel tank on there would provide all the weight you need or you could run empty if you didn't need it. Having fuel for bikes/toys not a bad idea.

[Phil57]

If your hauling Harley's use the extra space up front for things you will need like tools oil and spare parts. Sorry just kindling my Valk just got out of the shop and I don't know crap about towing. So I should just shut up know right?

[wyo700]

Originally Posted by timbo7

Have generator storage rack, just no generator. Wondering if I would use one that much.

I have a built in generator but still have the rack so I put a storage tote there and put leveling blocks and a couple other supplies in there that I don't use that often in there. Maybe you could try something like that.

[rocrider50]

How did you get your weights? I would like to do the same but haven't found a place that will let me play on their scales.