scale gurus

[regal81455]

OK so we went to the local CAT scale and I weighed the truck and trailer ( weighted for the trip ) 5x here's what I came up with.

TRUCK ONLY

STEER AXLE =3640
DRIVE AXLE = 3020

W/ WDH ACTIVE

STEER AXLE =3560
DRIVE AXLE = 3600
TRAILER AXLE = 5780
TTL = 12940

w/o WDH ACTIVE ( BARS IN THE BED )

SA = 3340
DA = 3920
TA = 5680
TTL = 12940

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED DOWN ONE HOLE

SA = 3480
DA = 3720
TRAILER = 5740
TTL = 12940

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED UP ONE HOLE

SA = 3620
DA = 3500
TRAILER = 5800
TTL = 12920

I'd like to add the following: On the way there it wasn't terrible but I wouldn't want to tow it for 2k+ miles like is intended starting Saturday. This was with 40g of fresh water in the tank. This was based on the setting the RV company had it set at.

On the way home, we left it on the last setting shown ( up one hole ) and it seemed to pull pretty much the same.

1/2 way home we pulled over and I dumped the fresh water - this seemed to make a HUGE difference.
The truck wasn't struggling in the power or stopping sense; it always felt like I was fighting the trailer side to side.

It's apparent that we will want to travel without water, atleast on long trips. I did move it back to the original setting. Per the calcs I've used online options 1 & 2 show approx. 9.4% or 10% tongue weight where as option 3 showing approx. 7.4%. I know ideal is probably 12.5%.

So I have three questions.

#1 - Based on my scaled weights above would which option would you choose??

#2 - Based on my scaled weights above we are approx. 200-300# over my payload capacity. While I joke about just taking the dogs and leaving the wife and kid behind that isn't reality. We removed the tonneau cover to pickup some weight and I'm debating on removing the bigger section of the back seat and putting down some foam for the dogs so that would deduct some more I'd suspect. Do you think I'm too worried about possibly being a few hundred over?

#3 - Do I add weight to the front of the trailer simply because I need to in order to get to 12.5 -15%? I'd like to make the wife and kid ride in the storage compartment up front - that would get me the additional 250# I need upfront to make that happen lol but seriously should I pack more just to pack more?

Tx in advance-

 

[2003F350]

My gut says to go with the 1st setup of your WDH.

It is normal to have more weight on your rear axle than your front when towing, but you don't want to put TOO MUCH back on the front axle or you'll end up inducing sway.

You also want to keep your trailer as close to level as possible, especially if you have anything but a single axle, because 1. a level trailer tows better and 2. on multi-axle trailers, being level keeps the load even between all tires.

I would be less concerned about being over payload than I would be about being over your Gross Axle Ratings. If you are over those, then that is where you run into issues.

Never, ever pack more just to pack more. Given that you're already over your payload, I wouldn't want to add more to get to a 'typical' percentage - I would run with what you've got. The 12-15% is more of a guideline of what you can EXPECT in a tongue weight, not what it necessarily needs to be.

 

[BlkZrx]

If your fresh water tank is in rear of trailer, the 300 lbs of water probably took weight off the tongue. More TW
can help with sway control.

Sent from my SM-A516U using Tapatalk

 

[HDGoose]

What tires do you have on what tow vehicle? How old are the shocks?

If you are not over the tire ratings, you will be okay for a while. But know you will break or wear out something in the drive train much sooner.

 

[crash68]

you don't have to get to the 12-15% tongue weight, if your about 10% and you don't have any sway, run with it.
I would probably run with the second WDH (w/one hole down) but if the first WDH set up pulls smooth I wouldn't shy away from running with it. You don't want the rear of your truck lighter than the front while towing.
Being you dumped the water and that changes the weigh distribution of the trailer, you might want to check your weight again but your probably going to be at the original or the one hole down WDH setting

 

[dhay13]

None really looked bad. What are your max axle weights? As long as you aren't over either of those then I'd go with whichever feels best.

 

[regal81455]

Never, ever pack more just to pack more. Given that you're already over your payload, I wouldn't want to add more to get to a 'typical' percentage - I would run with what you've got. The 12-15% is more of a guideline of what you can EXPECT in a tongue weight, not what it necessarily needs to be.

Thank you for confirming.

 

[regal81455]

What tires do you have on what tow vehicle? How old are the shocks?

If you are not over the tire ratings, you will be okay for a while. But know you will break or wear out something in the drive train much sooner.

I'm running Toyo AT3s - they are load rated E - 4080# @ 80psi max load.

I know it stands to reason that any time you're towing / hauling something you're putting more wear and tear on your vehicle than not but it's all within' the trucks specs so I wouldn't think it's going to be unusual for it use unless I'm missing something...

 

[regal81455]

you don't have to get to the 12-15% tongue weight, if your about 10% and you don't have any sway, run with it.
I would probably run with the second WDH (w/one hole down) but if the first WDH set up pulls smooth I wouldn't shy away from running with it. You don't want the rear of your truck lighter than the front while towing.
Being you dumped the water and that changes the weigh distribution of the trailer, you might want to check your weight again but your probably going to be at the original or the one hole down WDH setting

Thank you for this.

What is it about the one hole down you like? The fact more weight is on the rear axle and not the front?

 

[regal81455]

None really looked bad. What are your max axle weights? As long as you aren't over either of those then I'd go with whichever feels best.

Axles are rated at 3900#

 

[regal81455]

Here's pic with the truck attached and the full tank of water just before we left to go get weighed for reference.

 

[crash68]

What is it about the one hole down you like? The fact more weight is on the rear axle and not the front?

Probably a setting right between the two is where I would probably want to be.
Some of the trailers I've dragged seemed to feel better with a little more weight on the rears, but that's not to say I haven't drove a few miles stopped and adjusted the WDH and sometimes repeating with the WDH adjusted back to where it was. Sometimes the numbers look better than how it feels, if doesn't feel like your just driving and you need to hold on with both hands there's some wrong.

 

[tron67j]

OK so we went to the local CAT scale and I weighed the truck and trailer ( weighted for the trip ) 5x here's what I came up with.

TRUCK ONLY

STEER AXLE =3640
DRIVE AXLE = 3020

W/ WDH ACTIVE

STEER AXLE =3560
DRIVE AXLE = 3600
TRAILER AXLE = 5780
TTL = 12940

w/o WDH ACTIVE ( BARS IN THE BED )

SA = 3340
DA = 3920
TA = 5680
TTL = 12940

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED DOWN ONE HOLE

SA = 3480
DA = 3720
TRAILER = 5740
TTL = 12940

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED UP ONE HOLE

SA = 3620
DA = 3500
TRAILER = 5800
TTL = 12920

I'd like to add the following: On the way there it wasn't terrible but I wouldn't want to tow it for 2k+ miles like is intended starting Saturday. This was with 40g of fresh water in the tank. This was based on the setting the RV company had it set at.

On the way home, we left it on the last setting shown ( up one hole ) and it seemed to pull pretty much the same.

1/2 way home we pulled over and I dumped the fresh water - this seemed to make a HUGE difference.
The truck wasn't struggling in the power or stopping sense; it always felt like I was fighting the trailer side to side.

It's apparent that we will want to travel without water, atleast on long trips. I did move it back to the original setting. Per the calcs I've used online options 1 & 2 show approx. 9.4% or 10% tongue weight where as option 3 showing approx. 7.4%. I know ideal is probably 12.5%.

So I have three questions.

#1 - Based on my scaled weights above would which option would you choose??

#2 - Based on my scaled weights above we are approx. 200-300# over my payload capacity. While I joke about just taking the dogs and leaving the wife and kid behind that isn't reality. We removed the tonneau cover to pickup some weight and I'm debating on removing the bigger section of the back seat and putting down some foam for the dogs so that would deduct some more I'd suspect. Do you think I'm too worried about possibly being a few hundred over?

#3 - Do I add weight to the front of the trailer simply because I need to in order to get to 12.5 -15%? I'd like to make the wife and kid ride in the storage compartment up front - that would get me the additional 250# I need upfront to make that happen lol but seriously should I pack more just to pack more?

Tx in advance-

OK so we went to the local CAT scale and I weighed the truck and trailer ( weighted for the trip ) 5x here's what I came up with.

TRUCK ONLY

STEER AXLE =3640
DRIVE AXLE = 3020

W/ WDH ACTIVE

STEER AXLE =3560
DRIVE AXLE = 3600
TRAILER AXLE = 5780
TTL = 12940

w/o WDH ACTIVE ( BARS IN THE BED )

SA = 3340
DA = 3920
TA = 5680
TTL = 12940

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED DOWN ONE HOLE

SA = 3480
DA = 3720
TRAILER = 5740
TTL = 12940

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED UP ONE HOLE

SA = 3620
DA = 3500
TRAILER = 5800
TTL = 12920

I'd like to add the following: On the way there it wasn't terrible but I wouldn't want to tow it for 2k+ miles like is intended starting Saturday. This was with 40g of fresh water in the tank. This was based on the setting the RV company had it set at.

On the way home, we left it on the last setting shown ( up one hole ) and it seemed to pull pretty much the same.

1/2 way home we pulled over and I dumped the fresh water - this seemed to make a HUGE difference.
The truck wasn't struggling in the power or stopping sense; it always felt like I was fighting the trailer side to side.

It's apparent that we will want to travel without water, atleast on long trips. I did move it back to the original setting. Per the calcs I've used online options 1 & 2 show approx. 9.4% or 10% tongue weight where as option 3 showing approx. 7.4%. I know ideal is probably 12.5%.

So I have three questions.

#1 - Based on my scaled weights above would which option would you choose??

#2 - Based on my scaled weights above we are approx. 200-300# over my payload capacity. While I joke about just taking the dogs and leaving the wife and kid behind that isn't reality. We removed the tonneau cover to pickup some weight and I'm debating on removing the bigger section of the back seat and putting down some foam for the dogs so that would deduct some more I'd suspect. Do you think I'm too worried about possibly being a few hundred over?

#3 - Do I add weight to the front of the trailer simply because I need to in order to get to 12.5 -15%? I'd like to make the wife and kid ride in the storage compartment up front - that would get me the additional 250# I need upfront to make that happen lol but seriously should I pack more just to pack more?

Tx in advance-

Thanks for the humor! Of course the dogs ride up front!

 

[dhay13]

Axles are rated at 3900#

Both? If so you should be ok with the first settings you posted. You might still be over payload but if you are going to be over no matter what then this setting looks best on paper.

 

[392DevilDog]

W/ WDH ACTIVE AND MOVED UP ONE HOLE

SA = 3620
DA = 3500
TRAILER = 5800
TTL = 12920

This one. You are under axle weights and got almost all the weight back to the front.

Mission accomplished!

 

[392DevilDog]

You are a bit over GVWR but we'll under axle weights. A good set up making use of it all.

7120GVWR over the 6900 rating

Still have 280lbs of capacity front and 400 rear.

As long as your trailer brakes seem good...i think I would let it fly. You got the weight back to the front to steer and brake...and with the trailer brakes should be fine...the HEMI could Careless about moving it.

 

[regal81455]

Both? If so you should be ok with the first settings you posted. You might still be over payload but if you are going to be over no matter what then this setting looks best on paper.

Yes both axles are rated at 3900#.

 

[regal81455]

You are a bit over GVWR but we'll under axle weights. A good set up making use of it all.

7120GVWR over the 6900 rating

Still have 280lbs of capacity front and 400 rear.

As long as your trailer brakes seem good...i think I would let it fly. You got the weight back to the front to steer and brake...and with the trailer brakes should be fine...the HEMI could Careless about moving it.

Yes brakes felt good doing a slow roll test with the pinch control - gain set at 5.5

 

[regal81455]

Sounds like most seem to think we'll be good and I might run the 1st tank of gas as is and then move it up one and see how the next tank feels and then settle for one.

Thanks guys - I'm sure the trip to the grand canyon we start on Saturday is going to be an adventure to remember!!

 

[VernDiesel]

If you take it to the scales again drain off most of the fresh water. I would not be worried about being less than 2 percent over GVW. Barring something odd like a low tire, weight on one side, etc stability is about axle weights, distribution. and tongue weight. Personally not worried about drive axle having less weight that steer. Not worried about having too much on steer either at least not before fully replacing unloaded steer weight. Being only 7.4 percent tongue would concern me. Have you towed at speed yet with wind or have semi trucks pass you? If not and you roll up say to 70 and it wants to sway I would prioritise more tongue weight. fwiw generally the best place for weight is over the trailer axles so if you have something heavy to transport and can make sure it can't move..