Tongue weight question

[Tdemp13]

Hoping someone can help us out here with some info.
We have a 2020 Kia telluride, tow capacity 5000, tongue max 500.
Purchased an Apex Nano 208bhs (3942,516 tongue , found that out after we got it home) that the dealer assured us that the tow set up would be fine. We have a recurve r3 WD hitch 600lb arms, but the rear end still drops 2 inches.
Is this common, did the dealer sell us something that we shouldn’t pull, any way to make this work & I don’t want to put a bunch of useless stuff in the rear or the TT to possibly decrease the tongue.
Been reading that the tongue weight is the be all end all calc and you shouldn’t go over it no matter what.
Any info is appreciated

[MtBiker]

Yes you got worked over good by the dealer. Once you load gear, propane, WDH, etc... You will be over your capacity. You will need to pack very light.
Go thru the setup info for your WDH and see if you have things installed and adjusted as best possible. You may be able to tighten the bars and transfer more weight to the front of your TV.

[Tdemp13]

Sadly, the dealer installed and sold us the hitch.

[The Evil Twin]

A quick look at the vehicle specs shows me that the max tongue weight for the Kia is 350 pounds and not 500. Are you looking at the hitch, or in the owners manual?
Aside from that, you have to figure the gross vehicle weight rating of YOUR vehicle. There should be a sticker on the door jamb telling you the max weight of occupants and cargo. Just because the manufacturer says 5000/ 500 does not mean that your specific vehicle can.
Unfortunately, my bet is that your trailer is too heavy. You cannot safely exceed the TW rating or the max cargo rating of your tow vehicle.

[Off Rez]

Another dealer screw job. You can probably make it work but your margin of safety is eroded. You'll almost definitely be overloaded on the TV. Depends on what the WDH can do and how little stuff you can get away with.

[007matman]

If it's any consolation.. you're not the first to be told that by a dealer.

Good luck. My solution was to buy a bigger truck than I needed.

[IchLiebeBier]

I was looking at your manual, too. it also says don't exceed 60 mph while towing anything.

I don't believe you can safely tow that camper with your vehicle unfortunately. The dealer should never have told you that you could.

[Tdemp13]

Owners manual, apparently there was a typo in the original manual that was released. Our physical copy has the capacities listed at 5000/500. Either way we are over and the dealer has some explaining to do.

[eye95]

If you move weight to the back of your trailer to lower the tongue weight, you will create a new problem: sway.

If the trailer dealer installed the hitch and sold you the trailer, representing to you that the setup would work—and profited from a misrepresentation to you...

Let’s just say that I am not a lawyer, but if I were you, I would talk to one. I’d ask him how the fraud statutes of your State might apply.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Tdemp13

Hoping someone can help us out here with some info.
We have a 2020 Kia telluride, tow capacity 5000, tongue max 500.
Purchased an Apex Nano 208bhs (3942,516 tongue , found that out after we got it home) that the dealer assured us that the tow set up would be fine. We have a recurve r3 WD hitch 600lb arms, but the rear end still drops 2 inches.
Is this common, did the dealer sell us something that we shouldn’t pull, any way to make this work & I don’t want to put a bunch of useless stuff in the rear or the TT to possibly decrease the tongue.
Been reading that the tongue weight is the be all end all calc and you shouldn’t go over it no matter what.
Any info is appreciated

Unfortunately you've made the mistake of believing the dealer.
And you're also making another newbie mistake, by using the fictional brochure/website dry weight numbers. NO trailers weighs those numbers on the dealers lot. It's based on a stripped-down version of the trailer. No battery, no factory options, no dealer add-ons, no water and no cargo.
That 516 number will easily be over 600lbs, once you add the weights of those things. I would bet closer to 650lbs, loaded for camping.

You have two options if you want to be safe.
1. Return it to the dealer, informing them that they sold you an unsafe setup. Personally I wouldn't buy another trailer from them. Then get a trailer well within the specs of your Kia.
2. Get a bigger more capable tow vehicle, if you want this trailer.

I'm so sorry that you were taken advantage of. Please come back here, depending on what you do, before buying another trailer or different tow vehicle and we'll help get a better and safer setup.

[pgandw]

The key in setting up a WDH is adding weight back on the front. A soft suspension vehicle is going to drop some at the rear, no matter what. You can either do that by actual weights at truck scales, or fender to ground measurements is a good approximation.

Measure the height of the front fender (in line with the front wheel) without the trailer, then with the trailer but without the bars or chains. Finally measure with the trailer with the WDH. The WDH should be bringing the front end down at least half the difference between with and without the trailer.

We needed a WDH on my Hyundai (rebadged Kia) minivan to make the towing of our A-frame comfortable and safe. An E-2 600/6000 WDH was installed, which I have since tweaked when we moved to a bigger A-frame. There is no way to get rid of all the rear end sag, but by tweaking the WDH (adding 2 washers), I was able to get the front end back down to stock and the steering and ride restored to normal.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time
last trip: Black Hills, Badlands, Ft Robinson, Scott's Bluff
next trip: Lake Navajo