30WFKSS Tongue Weight???

[Bill Howard]

Can anyone give me an accurate tongue weight for a 30WFKSS? I have about as many answers as people I asked. The dealer has given me 3 already ranging from 750 to 945. Dry Weight of this puppy is tagged at 7165. If it cannot be determined how about a source to find out. Thanks!

[mtnguy]

You will continue to get multiple answers to your tongue weight. That is dependent on how you load your camper, how full the propane tanks are, what are in your waste and fresh water tanks, etc. If you are looking at an empty tongue weight, I doubt that many people go across the scales before they start loading up their camper.

Not sure exactly where the battery and propane tanks are on a V nose, but if they are around the tongue area, that might add another 100 lbs. or so to the listed tongue weight of 814 lbs. Load up for camping, and that figure will continue to go up. 1200 lb. WDH spring bars are probably in order for that kinda tongue weight.

[david-o]

Bill,

I took delivery today on a 2012 V-Lite 30WFKSS. Dry weight on the yellow sticker is 7126 lbs. At my request, the dealer used a Sherline scale to check the tongue weight. With the scale placed under the front jack leg it read approx 850 lbs. This is with full propane tanks, battery, approx 10 gal of water in each tank (fresh, grey, black and galley) and a minimum amount of my camping supplies loaded in the trailer.

Dave

[Bill Howard]

Thanks Dave. That's what I needed! We have actually postponed purchase until about next March (local RV show) and I decided I didn't want another payment sitting in the RV parking space for the winter. But I do appreciate your feedback. Hope you have a lot of fun with your "V". It really is a nice model. Now...Let me know how that 1500 performs. I have an F-150 (5.0 - 145" with Towing) and have learned a LOT in the last week about capabilities. The F-150 appears to have about 15% headroom for the 30WFKSS according to my research. Wonder how you'll do with the 1500. Let me know when you can. Thanks again!

[lbrjet]

Placing the scale under the tongue jack is not as accurate as at the ball. Sherline has some kind of conversion (multiplication factor) you can use to get closer to the real number. So the real tongue weight is actually a bit higher than what the dealer weighed.

[jonnys_walkers]

Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scales

There is an attachment for it so you can place it on the ball. You have two choices, on the ball or under the jack.

[david-o]

Originally Posted by Bill Howard

Thanks Dave. That's what I needed! We have actually postponed purchase until about next March (local RV show) and I decided I didn't want another payment sitting in the RV parking space for the winter. But I do appreciate your feedback. Hope you have a lot of fun with your "V". It really is a nice model. Now...Let me know how that 1500 performs. I have an F-150 (5.0 - 145" with Towing) and have learned a LOT in the last week about capabilities. The F-150 appears to have about 15% headroom for the 30WFKSS according to my research. Wonder how you'll do with the 1500. Let me know when you can. Thanks again!

Bill,

I'm happy to report that my Dodge 1500 (with Equalizer 1k/10k) had no problem towing my new 30WFKSS. The trip home from PA to CT included a few steep climbs along I-84 and a challenging uphill detour in the mountains off Rt 209 in PA - and the Hemi performed like a champ! I'm sure I was towing over the Ram's GVWR, but I didn't have an opportunity to stop at the scales so I won't have real weights until my 2012 camping season begins. Can hardly wait ...this trailer is awesome!

Dave

[david-o]

Originally Posted by lbrjet

Placing the scale under the tongue jack is not as accurate as at the ball. Sherline has some kind of conversion (multiplication factor) you can use to get closer to the real number. So the real tongue weight is actually a bit higher than what the dealer weighed.

lbrjet,

I agree that the weight measurement under the tongue jack is slightly different that at the ball, but I'm pretty sure that weight gets lower - not higher - as you move further away from the TT axles. I don't have them handy, but I think Sherline documentation shows the same. Please let us know if you find documents showing something different.

Dave

[lbrjet]

Originally Posted by david-o

lbrjet,

I agree that the weight measurement under the tongue jack is slightly different that at the ball, but I'm pretty sure that weight gets lower - not higher - as you move further away from the TT axles. I don't have them handy, but I think Sherline documentation shows the same. Please let us know if you find documents showing something different.

Dave

You are correct. I had it backwards.