Help! Dealer installed hitch is inadequate

[Richard6959]

Input is desired here. My Laredo 320TG has a tongue dry weight of 900lbs. I am guessing the two 30# propane bottles and battery is another 100 pounds. I was just reading about the hitch the dealer installed as part of the package and its rated for 1000lb tongue weight.

Well it weight about 100 pounds so now I am at 1100 pounds for a system with 1000 pound limit.

Just sent a message to the dealer, I hope they will respond and fix this.

[Festus2]

Input is desired here. My Laredo 320TG has a dry weight of 900lbs..

Richard6959 -
I think you've either made a "typo" or have your figures mixed up but the dry weight of your Laredo is not 900 lbs. It may be 9000 lbs. Best go back and check all of your weights/figures.

[BirchyBoy]

Richard6959 -
I think you've either made a "typo" or have your figures mixed up but the dry weight of your Laredo is not 900 lbs. It may be 9000 lbs. Best go back and check all of your weights/figures.

I think he's talking tongue weight.

[Richard6959]

Sorry yes tongue weight is 900 dry. But with the LP and Battery I am at 1000 lbs, not including any cargo added. So is this hitch/weight distribution that is rated for 1000 pounds inadequate?

[Signguy71]

Dealer tried selling me a hitch rated for 1000lb while my trailer had a 1400 lb tongue weight dry.

Do any of these dealers have a clue?

[Javi]

Dealer tried selling me a hitch rated for 1000lb while my trailer had a 1400 lb tongue weight dry.

Do any of these dealers have a clue?

Actually... No, most don't.

[KanTC]

Richard,

You're correct - most likely your LOADED tongue weight is 'over' 1000 lbs. How much over 1000 lbs...?... is anyone's guess.
The only way to get an exact tongue weight (loaded as usual & ready to camp) is to take the trailer to a scale. Is there a CAT
scale in your area? Another option is to calculate an *estimate* based on the trailer's GVWR of 9500 lbs.
9,500 x 13% (average/estimate, loaded tongue weight) = 1235 lbs

If this is a new/recent purchase, maybe the dealer would exchange the WDH (or the bars) for the next size?

Terri, the Chevy co-pilot :)

[chuckster57]

Another option is to use a portable scale and set the tongue on it.

http://www.truckspring.com/towing/trailer-hitch-accessories/trailer-tongue-scale-5780.aspx

[Richard6959]

Richard,

You're correct - most likely your LOADED tongue weight is 'over' 1000 lbs. How much over 1000 lbs...?... is anyone's guess.
The only way to get an exact tongue weight (loaded as usual & ready to camp) is to take the trailer to a scale. Is there a CAT
scale in your area? Another option is to calculate an *estimate* based on the trailer's GVWR of 9500 lbs.
9,500 x 13% (average/estimate, loaded tongue weight) = 1235 lbs

If this is a new/recent purchase, maybe the dealer would exchange the WDH (or the bars) for the next size?

Terri, the Chevy co-pilot :)

Yes this is a recent purchase in late August. I sent an email to the dealer, will call them tomorrow. I also contacted EZHitch to inquire in case the dealer tried to blow smoke.

[B&T]

Not sure if this info will help . . . . .

As noted at Reese, the max tongue weight for a given hitch appears to be affected by whether it is using a weight distribution system.

http://www.reese-hitches.com/learning_center/general-towing-classes

[Richard6959]

B&T, I had this same thought, thanks for sharing. It seems then that with the weight distributed, the maximums (at least with a REESE hitch), would be 14,000 pounds GTW and the Tongue would be rated at 1400. This may be what the dealer says. However, I want to confirm with the manufacturer that the same concept applies to their EZhitch.

[Wes Tausend]

...

Richard,

If you did want a tongue scale, most are made by the Sherline company (http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm), although they may be marketed under different names.
http://www.sherline.com/images/LM2000pic.jpg
Probably the best price for the original, or rebranded Sherline, can be found here (http://www.propridehitch.com/products/Sherline-Trailer-Tongue-Weight-Scale-.html), at the ProPride hitch store.

Your tow vehicle is probably well suited to your RV, but it is quite a large TT for any truck. If you have to pay to upgrade your hitch anyway, you might consider a ProPride (http://www.propridehitch.com/). This hitch and, the earlier Hensley (http://hensleymfg.com/), are different than all the other ordinary WD (weight distributing) hitches.

The Hensley 4-link geometry design has superior stability control over the friction sway control types, possibly exceeding even that of 5th wheel trailers on a windy day. The newer ProPride brand is a little heavier duty than the original Hensley, especially for over 1000#'s tongue, although both are rated for up to 1400#'s. Both were designed by the same ingenius man, Jim Hensley. These ultra-safe hitches cost more, but they hold their value better at resale, mitigating some of the up-front cost.

I'm currently using an older Hensley, but I'm quite familiar with the ProPride also, if anyone has further questions.

Wes
...

[Rick G]

Another solution would be to go out and pick up new/used 1 ton dually, a new Reese Titan receiver, and an Equalizer 4-pt sway control hitch; all weight and sway control problems solved.:)

We had a similar problem with our 2014 Outback 298RE because it had a dry tongue weight of 925#'s.