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12-02-2012, 08:52 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,739
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I'd like a heavier rear end
Now that I've gone with a dual 6V battery setup and a sturdier tow vehicle, I've not been afraid of tongue weight. But if I need to fill my fresh water tank, what's a good way to counter balance at the rear of the trailer? There's really no storage space back there.
What do you all move to the back of your trailer if you need more weight back there?
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-Scott, DW, DG, DB, and DD
2011 Passport 2590BH
2009 Ford F150 SuperCrew F X4 5.4L w/Max Tow
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12-02-2012, 09:46 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
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Scott,
It's got to be "Scott" and not his DW with a post titled "I'd like a heavier rear end" ..... I know my DW would NEVER say such a thing even if it did mean "how do I balance my RV"
Now, Scott, Have you weighed your trailer and the tongue? You might find that even with the FW tank filled, you're still well within the recommended limits for tongue weight. Most people recommend maintaining the tongue weight somewhere between 10% and 15% of the total trailer weight. So, if you're around 12 or 13% now and add 30 gallons of water (250lbs) you may find that if you weigh your trailer and tongue again, you may have only increased the tongue weight by 1% or so because the total trailer weight went up as well.
As for reducing the tongue weight by adding extra cargo behind your trailer axles, if there's no storage back there, maybe you can put your coolers, heavier "clean" items between the bunks, etc to help offset the added tongue weight. Just remember that the back of the trailer is the roughest riding area and anything back there and not secured will most likely wind up bouncing around. But I'd weigh it before doing too much, you might find it's not that far off of ideal.
John
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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12-03-2012, 06:00 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 1,739
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Thanks for the perspective that 30 gallons of fresh water is a low percentage of total weight. It *is* back a bit, so it's only 150 extra pounds on the tongue, still keeping things within 15%. It's been a while since I've hit the scales with a full fresh water tank.
Part of my concern is the payload of the truck. I'd also like to keep a large safety margin there, so if the tongue weight has increased by a couple hundred pounds, I've lost a good amount of payload buffer.
Now with the truck, our luggage rides in the bed just to save time when we hit the road. If my next trip to the scales shows I'm getting front heavy, I'll go back to the old routine of packing the trailer before our trip.
__________________
-Scott, DW, DG, DB, and DD
2011 Passport 2590BH
2009 Ford F150 SuperCrew F X4 5.4L w/Max Tow
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12-03-2012, 06:55 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Hickory Taver SC
Posts: 381
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Water weighs 8.33 lbs/gallon. That is roughly 250 lbs. All in all it seems small.
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12-04-2012, 10:55 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 552
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Bring more beer. Load it as far back as possible.
Every 12.75 cans of beer is one gallon so I'm sorry to break it to you, but you may have to pack a few flats (24/ea)
__________________
2013 Passport 3220BHWE, upgrade axles, Kumho Radial 857's, all LED, TST507 TPMS, Reese DCSC, DIY corner stabilizers
2012 Ram 1500 Sport crew cab, Hemi, 4x4, 3.92 LSD, factory brake controller, S&B CAI w/scoop, Moroso air/oil can, 87mm ported/polished/knife-edged throttle body, Magnaflow exhaust, 180* t-stat, Rear lowered 2", Airlift 1000.
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12-05-2012, 09:16 AM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by audio1der
Bring more beer. Load it as far back as possible.
Every 12.75 cans of beer is one gallon so I'm sorry to break it to you, but you may have to pack a few flats (24/ea)
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I like the way you think. This is one reason we like the RK models. Keeping the rear fridge well stocked does help balance the trailer and rewards the driver after a hard day towing and setting up. Cheers, Hank
Carrying some water in the fresh tank also decreases the back end bouncing a little. Any way you can balance the load will improve the towing experience. Each different model will require a different approach.
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
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12-05-2012, 02:00 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 62
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I ran across this 2000lb tongue weight scale a week or so ago:
http://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Sherline/5780.html
It's pricey, but the only human scale we have at home is a glass one so I'd have to buy something anyway just to use the trick to reduce the weight on a home scale by some adjustable factor. This one is also small and light enough that it'll travel with us going forward. Unfortunately, there are no truck scales anywhere reasonably near where I live.
The dry tongue weight on my trailer is really high (925lbs), considering the GVWR is 8200lbs , and based on my math of the weight of the items int he trailer, we're only around 7200-7500lbs.
It should be here Friday, so I can spend some time rearranging things between the front and rear storage areas (ours has a huge storage area in the back under the rear bunks) to lighten up the tongue to about 10%. (750lbs to 820lbs)
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12-05-2012, 02:33 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twstdpear
I ran across this 2000lb tongue weight scale a week or so ago:
http://www.etrailer.com/Tools/Sherline/5780.html
It's pricey, but the only human scale we have at home is a glass one so I'd have to buy something anyway just to use the trick to reduce the weight on a home scale by some adjustable factor. This one is also small and light enough that it'll travel with us going forward. Unfortunately, there are no truck scales anywhere reasonably near where I live.
The dry tongue weight on my trailer is really high (925lbs), considering the GVWR is 8200lbs , and based on my math of the weight of the items int he trailer, we're only around 7200-7500lbs.
It should be here Friday, so I can spend some time rearranging things between the front and rear storage areas (ours has a huge storage area in the back under the rear bunks) to lighten up the tongue to about 10%. (750lbs to 820lbs)
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Scales are not only located at truck-stops. You can find them at many land fills, scrap yards, stone and gravel supply yards or Agricultural supplies. If you phone ahead most of these places will tell you the best times to come and be glad to weigh your rig. Remember to include the weight of your hitch and w/d system on the rear of your tv. Much more accurate to weigh the whole rig and then the tv on a public scale. JM2¢, Hank ..................... If hitch weight is you only concern weigh the truck only while attached to trailer and than just the truck. The difference will be your true hitch weight and take into consideration W/D effect.
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
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12-05-2012, 02:37 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 1,910
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Does this trailer make me look fat?
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12-05-2012, 03:40 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Monticello, GA
Posts: 256
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Thank you Bob! It's been killing me! I was going to offer the OP some of my SO's, but your comment is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better!
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12-05-2012, 04:08 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
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I never would have picked up on that one since even standing in a 12ft garage of a 40+ft TH ... I still look fat.
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
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12-05-2012, 04:21 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Monticello, GA
Posts: 256
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Hank, you must be a model husband/partner. However when my pantilloons slipped while moving a picnic table at the campground the comment "Now that's a FULL moon" did not amuse me...
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12-08-2012, 08:46 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Kelso, WA
Posts: 78
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New thread please
Every time I see this thread name it's hard to resist a smart *** reply so I'm giving in. No female I know would ever lead with that title. From my standpoint as a long time pilot where weight and balance are crucial, placing cargo in the trailer for towing shouldn't be all that hard. Weight forward of the trailer axle will increase tongue weight, and aft of the axle will decrease it. Too much or too little tongue weight are both bad. Just like in an aircraft. Once stopped you can relocate that stuff wherever is convenient.
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