WDH-Check my numbers

[Bnrc73]

Weight distribution is fairly Greek to me. Could I get some expert opinions. TV 2011 F350, 4wd, 6.7 D. Sticker #s gvw 11500, front gawr 5600, rear gawr 7000.
TT, 2012 XLR hyper lite 27hfs. Dry weight 5318, Cargo 2499.
Weight ticket, TV 8300. Hooked up With TT with EZ2 wdh. Tv 8960, TT 7020, Gross 15,980. Looks to me like a hitch weight of 360#, or 22.5%. If these numbers are acceptable, I need to add 300-400#s of cargo to head south. Where would you put the extra weight, TV, front of TT, or rear of TT? (Empty water tanks)
Thanks in advance
My worst day camping is better than any day I've had working.

[cliffy49]

Based on the weight of 7020lbs, tongue weight should be at min. Of 702 lbs. Better would be 850-900lbs.

[Bnrc73]

Thanks cliffy49. Searched the archives all afternoon, couldn't find anything dealing with low hitch weight, just heavy. I've got my Harley in the back, 900# If I pile every thing I'm taking in the front bedroom I don't see that translating into more than a couple hundred more lbs of tongue weight. Is there safety issues involved with a light tongue weight or is it just a rougher ride?

[rsdata]

Is there safety issues involved with a light tongue weight or is it just a rougher ride?

If you pull with too light hitch weight you will QUICKLY find that your trailer will wobble out of control.

THe suggested 10-15% of total trailer weight is to be put on the tongue. This provides control to the TV. Contributing factors to trailer sway is low tire pressure and side winds. More weight than 15% will not hurt, except maybe the ride on bumpy roads.

The two video links will demonstrate that concept...

https://youtu.be/4jk9H5AB4lM

https://youtu.be/nd-hUX8memY

While towing a lightweight popup in years past, I would sometimes have to move a folding chair from back bumper storage to closer to the tongue to achieve a stable ride... just 5 pounds difference from rear to front made all the difference in trailer sway.

BE SAFE!

[Bnrc73]

Does extra weight in the back of the TV have an effect on tongue weight?

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by Bnrc73

Does extra weight in the back of the TV have an effect on tongue weight?

Absolutely! Think of a child's seesaw. Put a heavy weight on one end and it lifts the weight on the other end. Your trailer is the same, with the axles as a fulcrum.

[rsdata]

Does extra weight in the back of the TV

I think you are asking about weight in the back of the tow vehicle...

depends on the amount of weight you are talking about. More weight at the rear of the TV lightens the weight on the front steering axle, sometimes making it difficult to steer (actually easier to steer, but more difficult to go the right direction).

The action of the weight distribution hitch, when properly setup, will take some of the tongue weight and shift it forward to the front TV axle, helping to compensate for too much tongue combined with rear TV weight.

Be aware that your TV has a maximum payload weight rating. With your F350, I doubt if you will hit that maximum, even with 1,000# tongue weight... but look for a sticker on driver side door jamb that will give you a payload number.

Looks to me like a hitch weight of 360#, or 22.5%.

yes your numbers do look like you only have 360# hitch weight, which is WAY TOO LOW for a 7-9,000# trailer. Your hitch weight should be in the neighborhood of 900-1,000#.

It would appear to me you have too much weight on the rear of the trailer, and not enough up front... leading to light tongue weight and a dangerous towing situation.

You might try weighing the F350 without the WDH hooked up, to see the difference of TV (unhitched), then TV (hitched up). That would give you a more accurate tongue weight on the truck.

[WolfWhistle]

You should have gotten two weights when hooked up - one without WDH and one with WDH engaged.

See if I have this correct:

Total weight TV and trailer: 15,980#
TV by itself 8300#
TV with WDH engaged 8960#
Trailer weighed 7020# hooked up with WDH.

Take TV weight from gross gives you the total trailer weight (15,980 - 8300#)or 7680#
TV weight hooked up less the TV by itself (8960 - 8300) tells you TW with WDH is 660#
This number agrees that the trailer by itself is 7680# but weighs 7020# hooked up, with 660# carried by the TV.

What you don't know is what the actual TW was without WDH, which would be nice to know, and there is no sense in trying to guess.

But, I can tell you your TWR (ratio) is about 8.6% which is a little low. But, TW should be based on no WDH. So, that makes your actual TWR even lower, how much I don't know.

If I didn't want to make another trip to the scale to get weights without WDH, I would load that 300 to 400# up front in the trailer. If you get 250# of that on the tongue, your TWR could theoretically be in the range of 11%... that is I am right about your numbers.

Base GVWR of the trailer and CCC on the yellow sticker. Did you do this or was 5318# and 2499# off of a website? You should have actual weight and actual CCC on that yellow sticker.
WW

[Bnrc73]

Those numbers make sense. I will hit the scales again and weigh it both ways. I'm also going to get a front and rear on the TV, and split the axles on the TT to get a front and back axle weight. It'll be a while but definitely before we leave for TX.
Thanks