Max Tongue Weight

[conmoto]

I would like to know the max tongue weight of our 26bhss. I had it on the scale and with propane and battery it was just at 700lbs. With a full tank of water and loaded to travel I am sure it would be close to 1000. The printed info has the hitch at 527lbs. I just want to know if there is a max. Any help here would be appreciated....Bill

[Bama Rambler]

The therotical max they wouuld design for would be about 20% GVWR They'll of course add some safety factor. I hope this is what you're asking.

[turbopuppy]

Originally Posted by conmoto

With a full tank of water and loaded to travel I am sure it would be close to 1000. The printed info has the hitch at 527lbs. I just want to know if there is a max. Any help here would be appreciated....Bill

Not necessarily. Check the load rating stamped on the hitch for the max tongue load. You want to bring the tongue weight right up to about 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight, but only up to 527lb on the tongue in your case. Be sure your hitch, ball, and mount are rated for that load. Continue to load or distribute your load so that the weight is carried by the trailer axle(s) or behind the wheels. The weight in these areas is not bearing on the tongue but bears on the trailer wheels. You can go higher on the tongue load with weight distributing hitch and sway control. The thing is too LITTLE weight on the tongue will contribute to sway. Sway causes rollovers in worst cases. ALWAYS load up the tongue to reduce sway.

My OEM hitch is rated to 600 lb on the tongue but I can safely carry 1000lb with weight distribution. My trailer weighs over 5000 lb loaded so I am well in safe range using weight dist. Leave your fresh water tank emtpty - gas is expensive. My fresh water tank is behind my axles and I could use it to balance my load if needed. I dont recall how much it hold but if it was 15 gallons that would only offset 100 lb of tongue weight. With that on one side and a toolbox on the other, your load on the tongue would be offset by 200 lbs. That being said , I fill my tank at the park if needed. My transmission appreciates it.

Consider a teeter-totter. A 50lb child on one side balances a 50 lb child on the other - each an equal distance from the center (fulcrum is your axle). A 50 lb child can balance a 100 lb load if the load is half way between the fulcrum and the child - on the other side of the fulcrum. The farther back you move weight, the more is relieved from the tongue. But too much weight behind the axle is asking for trouble. So the challenge is to load the trailer with all your gear with just enough in front of the axle to bring the tongue weight into that sweet spot, you said was 527 lb

[conmoto]

Thanks! You have given me a lot to think about when loading. I am going to use a Sherline scale to get the tongue weight correct.