275ULSBS way to light on tongue

[Blktegra]

I just bought a 2013 275ulsbs for the purpose of bringing the side by side with us to an off road park we travel to. I was pretty much convinced the 1000 lb machine would not be to heavy to be in the rear of it. After having an unpleasant towing experience I decided to buy the sherline trailer tongue scale and do some investigating.

Unloaded, the trailer weighs around 7400 with a GVW of 11200 or somewhere very close to that. Unloaded the tongue weight is 1000 lbs. When I'm loaded with machine in rear, water, clothes etc its 10000 (give or take a few hundred depending on how much fuel and food is on board) and only yielding 600 lbs of tongue weight. Given the 10-12% belief I should have 1000 to 1200 lbs of it. When loaded the trailer doesn't even squat my shortbed 2500 dodge diesel. When unloaded it tows great, quite scary to pull loaded, wants to push me right of the road with the way it sways.

I'm upset that the RZR in the rear lightens it that much, I thought that's what these things were made for. I have the generator rack on the front from the factory with a large metal toolbox secured to it. I'm thinking of loading it up with concrete bags till I get the desired tongue weight?

[rblack22]

Strange, I have the 2014 and with my Pioneer loaded, it tows like a dream. I have a Dualie F350 with airbags and with a full load of water and supplies for 3 people for a week it drops the truck rear a few inches.

[rblack22]

I also bought the Sherline scale out of curiosity, but it arrived in the mail with a busted dial. Since the Hauler tows so well fully loaded I haven't bothered to fix the scale.

[Ford Idaho]

What do you use for a weight distribution hitch?

Are you backing the RZR in?

[rblack22]

Not using a weight distribution hitch. I did upgrade my hitch though to something heavier duty than what the truck came with. It's a Honda Pioneer and it weighs 1000 and I usually pull it in. But I load it both ways depending on what else I'm loading. Tows the same probably because the motor is just about centered.

[Blktegra]

I did not try backing the rzr in. I'm not so sure it would change much but I will try. With the sliding door separating the garage there is no way to get the machine any closer to the axles. I am using a Reese weight distribution hitch. But like I said the truck doesn't squat at all when hooked up so its not doing much. I also have airbags in the truck and would rather use them then the distribution hitch.

[drittal]

It seems strange that a unit that is rated to have 1400lb tongue weight empty would only have 1000.

Have there been any modifications? Is there any weight that could be removed from the rear half of the trailer and moved to the bed of the truck?

[Blktegra]

No there have been changes made to the trailer. I have been wanting to call forest river but I feel like I won't get anywhere. My solution is a small ballast box on the tongue with 12x12x1" steel plate pieces which weigh 100lbs each. This way I can change them myself based on what's in the trailer at that time. Does this seem like a good idea?

[ependydad]

It sounds like what a member did with their camper when they couldn't get enough tongue weight. They made it permanent and just made it match the a-frame behind the coupler. Installed battery box and propane back on top of it and it looked pretty stock.

That said, I'd really want to get full weights of the truck + camper to know your actual percentages. It's still likely very low, but I'd want more specifics before attacking anything else. Knowing the tongue weight is only a part of the facts that you need to know.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by Blktegra

I am using a Reese weight distribution hitch.

Which Reese WDH ?? Some do not have built in sway control.

I agree that 600 lbs is not enough tongue weight for 10,000 lb trailer.

I also have a Sherline scale. For me to get an accurate measurement, (compared to a CAT scale), I have to add and subtract weight (me getting on and off the tongue a couple of times), to get that puppy to equal out. Just setting the tongue on the scale will come up 100-150 lbs. short of the actual weight until I get the weight equaled out.

What size scale do you have ?? The weights at either end of the gauge are not as accurate as the weights in the center. The 2000 lb. scale should serve you well, but the 5000 lb. will probably not be very accurate in the 1000 and under range.

My suggestion would be to take your rig to a CAT scale to get accurate measurements with and without the WDH in place, plus 1 with the tow vehicle only. The total weight of the truck with the trailer hooked up without the WDH bars in place minus the truck alone would equal the tongue weight. Make sure all weigh-ins are with fluid levels the same, and cargo and passengers in the same place each time.

[rblack22]

I don't have to worry about it really. My wife loads everything in the living quarters SMDH

[Blktegra]

Mtn guy I have the 2000 lb scale. I also noticed that if I stood on the hitch it didn't quite register my weight correctly. Agreed I need to get on the truck scale and really see what it. However just pulling it I know it isn't right. I have spent upwards of an hour on the phone with a w&p engineer who told me in the 5 years they made this model they have not had one issue like this. I have a wrecked truck to prove it wasn't right. His only real answer was the garage capacity is 1400-1500 lbs and I'm putting about 1150-1200 in it

[D Casten]

Dumb question and only ask because there aren’t other answers.
Have you tried to raise the hitch height?

[Blktegra]

I have not. Set it to be level on level ground following manufacturers guidelines

[D Casten]

And you do want it level going down the road but you might find if you raise it a bit you will take some (probably not as much as you like) weight off front trailer axels and transfer that to the hitch. Again I don’t think this is the complete answer you are looking for but a combination of several might get you where you need to be. Just a thought.

[Big Red and 30WR]

Originally Posted by Blktegra

I did not try backing the rzr in. I'm not so sure it would change much but I will try. With the sliding door separating the garage there is no way to get the machine any closer to the axles. I am using a Reese weight distribution hitch. But like I said the truck doesn't squat at all when hooked up so its not doing much. I also have airbags in the truck and would rather use them then the distribution hitch.

With my rzr drove in my 30wr the tongue weight is 1125, backed in its 1100. I thought it would be higher backed in because the rear of rzr is heavier than the front. Go and read my thread titled Tongue Weight, maybe that would help you.

[Geofish]

Something doesn’t sound right, maybe the specs. changed from a 2013 to a 2014? Or since I have a lot of options this will affect the weights.
I have the complete opposite problem. Ended up buying a 1 ton truck.

I have a 2014 275ULSBS and the specs and the brochure lists a base weight for the 275 of 7843 LBS. and a hitch weight of 1129 LBS. I have a lot of options so my trailer weight is above 8,000 Lbs.
I have a generator installed under the front bed and a battery box on the rack with three batteries. But the on board fuel station is located behind the axels. With a full tank of fuel (24.6 Gal, even though the specs. say 30 Gal)
My tongue weight with the trail disconnected and one battery with the LP tanks filled, is about 1450 LBS. With three batteries the tongue weight is about 1650 Lbs. (I have this written down at home, but I am at the office right now so this may not be exact). So I have to add four containers of water in the back (24 Gal at 200 Lbs.) and this drops the weight about 100LBS. Adding my coolers and ATV at 650 Lbs. my tongue weight doesn’t get below about 1350 Lbs.
Do you have an on board fuel station? Is it full? Are your LP tanks full? IIs you spare tire mounted up front?
You may want to add some batteries up front.

GeoFish