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Old 09-09-2021, 02:41 PM   #1
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Did Camping World sell me an underrated WDH?

When I bought my 2020 Cherokee 274BRB, I didn't know the first thing about travel trailers or towing. I knew I needed a WDH to go with something as big as what I bought, but beyond that I didn't know. Shame on me for not doing much more research before I purchased, but I trusted Camping World to sell me something that would be overly safe. Perhaps that was my first and biggest mistake.

I have since done a lot more reading, and I think Camping World sold me a hitch that is far too close to the limit than I am comfortable with, and in certain situations even underrated. The GVWR of my trailer is 9985 lbs. The nice thing about my trailer is that is has about a 3,000 cargo capacity, so unloaded it's closer to 6,300 lbs. I currently have an Equilizer WDH that is rated for 1,000 lb. max tongue weight. Figuring that my tongue is about 14% of the total weight of the trailer, that puts my tongue weight range anywhere from 893 lbs (fully unloaded, which is unrealistic) to 1,397 lbs. fully loaded (again, I don't typically use all 3,000 lbs. of cargo capacity). Should I have gotten an equalizer hitch that is rated to carry more tongue weight, or is this setup ok?

I personally feel that it is far too close to the limit in the best case scenario (which will also never happen since the trailer is never unloaded completely) to what I feel is very unsafe and out of specs. Any thoughts on this from someone with far more experience than I have? Is it something I should bring up to Camping World?

Thanks!
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Old 09-09-2021, 02:52 PM   #2
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If you load for 10% tongue weight, which is the most popular target weight, your hitch would be the correct choice. 14% tongue weight is a bit more than most people load for, it is not wrong, just different, and if you load to that weight consistently a heavier set of bars might be a good idea.
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Old 09-10-2021, 09:08 PM   #3
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What does it really weigh ready to go camping? like on a scale yes individual axle weight would be nice to know. then empty weight so you know how much pin weight you have. how does the car look? 1200 then 1400 are the next bar sizes. I think you have plenty of bars myself. but I also avoid CW as they are expensive.
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Old 09-11-2021, 04:26 AM   #4
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When I bought my TT; my research at the time indicated there were only 3 weights of bars available to choose from. 400-600, 600-800 & 800-1000. Not that I need different ones for what I have but Who makes larger ones?
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Old 09-11-2021, 06:13 AM   #5
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Equalizer has a 14,000 lb hitch. Bars rated 1100-1400 but I think it is a different head than your.
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Old 09-11-2021, 07:52 AM   #6
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Go to the scales!!
Park on the 3 section scale with your trailer axles on 1
Your tongue on 2
and your truck on 3.
You'll need to lower the tongue jack and unhitch just enough
so you get ACTUAL tongue, trailer and total weights.
Until you've done that you are worrying about an unknown that might not be an issue.
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Old 09-11-2021, 08:41 AM   #7
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I didn’t know I could go to a scale and unhitch. I was looking at trailer tongue scales, and was going to make the investment, but maybe a commercial scale would be a god starting point. Thanks!
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Old 09-11-2021, 10:54 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lhoffmanjr22 View Post
I didn’t know I could go to a scale and unhitch. I was looking at trailer tongue scales, and was going to make the investment, but maybe a commercial scale would be a god starting point. Thanks!
you arrive and weigh yourself... then you go park and drop the trailer. then go back on the scale. you can also go speak with scale person first they will tell you were you can park the trailer and how they want to do it.
don't drop trailer in the scale. FYI a scale on the highway is ill advised unless it is closed and empty typically they leave the display on for people to use.
cat scales.com also had info on how to weigh some scales are single platform others are individual.
You could also weight with and without the bars on so you can see how much the bars are working in reality you will need to do this to get a real pin weight of your trailer.
so
jeep front rear
jeep front rear trailer with bars on
jeep front rear trailer with bars off
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Old 09-11-2021, 11:07 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KyDan View Post
Go to the scales!!
Park on the 3 section scale with your trailer axles on 1
Your tongue on 2
and your truck on 3.
You'll need to lower the tongue jack and unhitch just enough
so you get ACTUAL tongue, trailer and total weights.
Until you've done that you are worrying about an unknown that might not be an issue.
this will annoy most scale masters if you drop the jack without permission.

it also won't show you axle weights on the tow vehicle for comparison and you won't have a clue if the bars are for looks or actually moving weight like they are suposed to.
honestly it's a worthless weigh in most cases where a second weigh added to a correct first would give you so much more info.

if you can only weigh 1 time or if you only want to know how much the trailer weighs or truck ok I guess but this 1 weigh is only a fraction of info this poster needs and honestly almost worthless for thier needs.
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Old 09-11-2021, 12:09 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DougW View Post
If you load for 10% tongue weight, which is the most popular target weight, your hitch would be the correct choice. 14% tongue weight is a bit more than most people load for, it is not wrong, just different, and if you load to that weight consistently a heavier set of bars might be a good idea.
10 to 15 % TW 10% being the minimum . i run around 13% .
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Old 09-11-2021, 05:25 PM   #11
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underweight WDH

Problem 1, and a lesson to all other new-to-rvingfolks is not doing adequate research BEFORE talking to ANY salesman. Camping World has a seriously bad reputation for being the bad guys. But walking in cold and expecting someone who probably doesn't even HAVE an RV to teach you anything about what you are looking at is a serious mistake. You owned up to it, so I am not trying to flog you, as I am sure you have done enough of that already.
Personally anyone who mentions to me that they are considering an RV, gets my strongest recommendation to rent one first, and to spend a weekend where I store mine, walking through everything. Even then, there is still a lot to learn.
Just don't go in cold to a RV dealer.
A post asking "What do you think of Camping World?" would have educated you beyond measure.
I've never had a REALLY huge trailer (unless I stepped up to a 5th wheel), but on any bumper-pull, I replaced my truck with a heavier one (that "1/2 ton towable" is a lie, too), and even then, the bars were only 1,000 lbs. On a 3/4 ton truck that seemed adequate to tow a 30 ft trailer. No sag. I also used a anti-sway bar.
Anyway, you have learned a lot, and like all of us have much more to learn.
For instance:
I bought a toyhauler. All the RV's on the lot had fancy wheels, looked great. Until I had one wheel, break at the spoke, clean across. When I removed it, I see that it is for 3200 lbs Max. x4 equals12,800 lbs. The RV is rated for a GVRW of 13,894lbs. The wheels are underrated SERIOUSLY, approx 1,000 lbs.
The Dealer gets the RV's with factory wheels, then replaces all of them with
These Chinese pieces of crap.
Basic Lesson: Dealers lie.
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Old 09-11-2021, 05:51 PM   #12
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No!

Quote:
Originally Posted by hankpac View Post
I bought a toyhauler. All the RV's on the lot had fancy wheels, looked great. Until I had one wheel, break at the spoke, clean across. When I removed it, I see that it is for 3200 lbs Max. x4 equals12,800 lbs. The RV is rated for a GVRW of 13,894lbs. The wheels are underrated SERIOUSLY, approx 1,000 lbs.
The Dealer gets the RV's with factory wheels, then replaces all of them with
These Chinese pieces of crap.
Basic Lesson: Dealers lie.
No, the wheels are not underrated. It's your arithmetic that's at fault.

GVWR= 13,894 lbs.
Tongue weight=1,389 lbs. (using the 10% rule)
Weight on axles= 13,894 - 1389 = 12,505 lbs.
Weight per wheel = 12,505/4 = 3,126. lbs.

Wheel rating (3200 lbs.) > Weight per wheel (3126 lbs.)

If your tongue weight was greater than 10%, the weight on each wheel is even lower.

Looks fine to me. Was it a pothole or curb that broke the wheel? And did you really have the trailer loaded to the max GVWR?

How did you determine that the dealer swapped out the factory wheels for another set? It seems like an odd thing to do.

Dealers get a lot of flack. Some of it is well-deserved. But I don't see any fault in this case.
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Old 09-11-2021, 06:21 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lhoffmanjr22 View Post
I didn’t know I could go to a scale and unhitch. I was looking at trailer tongue scales, and was going to make the investment, but maybe a commercial scale would be a god starting point. Thanks!
Another vote for getting two weights on the CAT scales. One trailer hooked up with no weight distribution bars connected, and second with no trailer attached.

Another question, though, what is the receiver on your vehicle rated for and does your vehicle have a lower tongue weight rating than the receiver itself?
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Old 09-11-2021, 06:22 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KyDan View Post
Go to the scales!!
Park on the 3 section scale with your trailer axles on 1
Your tongue on 2
and your truck on 3.
You'll need to lower the tongue jack and unhitch just enough
so you get ACTUAL tongue, trailer and total weights.
Until you've done that you are worrying about an unknown that might not be an issue.
You wont get an accurate tongue weight with jack since is further back than the ball. Maybe close enough if it isn’t very far back. Just depends on what level of accuracy you want.
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:55 PM   #15
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I think you are just fine.Keep the Equalizer tightened up appropriately and go have fun.
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Old 09-11-2021, 09:58 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Larry-NC View Post
No, the wheels are not underrated. It's your arithmetic that's at fault.

GVWR= 13,894 lbs.
Tongue weight=1,389 lbs. (using the 10% rule)
Weight on axles= 13,894 - 1389 = 12,505 lbs.
Weight per wheel = 12,505/4 = 3,126. lbs.

Wheel rating (3200 lbs.) > Weight per wheel (3126 lbs.)

If your tongue weight was greater than 10%, the weight on each wheel is even lower.

Looks fine to me. Was it a pothole or curb that broke the wheel? And did you really have the trailer loaded to the max GVWR?

How did you determine that the dealer swapped out the factory wheels for another set? It seems like an odd thing to do.

Dealers get a lot of flack. Some of it is well-deserved. But I don't see any fault in this case.
It's a fifth wheel. We take short trips, no potholes, since I go slow enough to dodge most. The wheels on ALL the rigs at the dealer are exactly the same, and the spares (on all of them) all are steel chrome. All of them. Chinese, not Lion's Head. Axle weight not withstanding, A big 5th wheel, is a big vehicle, with a Quad in back and all the outdoor chairs, tables, food, full fridge, etc, 100 gallons of water, 4 batteries and a 5.5kw genny, as well as solar panels. I rarely use RV parks so hookups aren't available for to allow the tank to run dry. We fill at nearest town to our destination. YOUR math allows 74 lbs, That isn't enough cushion. That's why I use a 1 ton dually, and not a 3/4 ton truck.
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Old 09-11-2021, 11:21 PM   #17
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My Husky Centerline anti-sway bars are rated for 600-800 lbs. My 5,500 lb trailer’s tongue weight ranges from 770-785 lbs as measured with a Sherline scale. No issues. I wouldn’t be concerned using the Equalizer hitch you have.
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Old 09-16-2021, 06:09 PM   #18
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Never assume that a salesperson knows any more than you do. Working for a camping supply doesn't mean that you know anything about camping
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Old 09-16-2021, 08:27 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lhoffmanjr22 View Post
When I bought my 2020 Cherokee 274BRB, I didn't know the first thing about travel trailers or towing. I knew I needed a WDH to go with something as big as what I bought, but beyond that I didn't know. Shame on me for not doing much more research before I purchased, but I trusted Camping World to sell me something that would be overly safe. Perhaps that was my first and biggest mistake.

I have since done a lot more reading, and I think Camping World sold me a hitch that is far too close to the limit than I am comfortable with, and in certain situations even underrated. The GVWR of my trailer is 9985 lbs. The nice thing about my trailer is that is has about a 3,000 cargo capacity, so unloaded it's closer to 6,300 lbs. I currently have an Equilizer WDH that is rated for 1,000 lb. max tongue weight. Figuring that my tongue is about 14% of the total weight of the trailer, that puts my tongue weight range anywhere from 893 lbs (fully unloaded, which is unrealistic) to 1,397 lbs. fully loaded (again, I don't typically use all 3,000 lbs. of cargo capacity). Should I have gotten an equalizer hitch that is rated to carry more tongue weight, or is this setup ok?

I personally feel that it is far too close to the limit in the best case scenario (which will also never happen since the trailer is never unloaded completely) to what I feel is very unsafe and out of specs. Any thoughts on this from someone with far more experience than I have? Is it something I should bring up to Camping World?

Thanks!
I think you are ok, but, our camper runs 9200 loaded, so I went with a hitch rated to 1200lbs tongue load. I figured better safe than sorry.
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Old 09-17-2021, 04:07 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steppenout View Post
Never assume that a salesperson knows any more than you do. Working for a camping supply doesn't mean that you know anything about camping
There's to many products and variations for most to be an expert on all things.
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