Too much tongue weight?

[mstat]

Is it possible to have too much tongue weight? ......

Since we purchased our trailer I've always wondered if the tongue weight was excessive.

Trailer is Cougar X-Lite High Country 33RES. Came equipped with dual A/C's, awing and electric stabilizer jacks. We added three slide toppers.

Advertised tongue weight is 960lbs, measured via bathroom scale method got 1400lbs ( I questioned the scale being used), using a DOT portable scale it weighted at 1340 lbs. This is just sitting in the storage lot.

Front pass-thru storage has usual collection of leveling 2x6's (8-10 6 inches long) sewer hose pieces, two plastic tables, Coleman stove, axe and saw. Nothing overly heavy.

Unloaded weight based on the Keystone sticker in the door is 8263lbs. Trailer has a 9500GVWR rating.

Using the GVWR rating the 1330 is about 14%. Figured loaded this would go up to maybe 15-16%

Going across the scales, loaded for a trip, truck was right at 10,000 (split 48% on steer and 52% on rear) and 8500 on the trailer axles.

Handling feels fine, no sway (dual cam with 1500 bars)

Is 15-16% acceptable for a tongue weight? I've always heard good is 10-15%.

Thank you

[busterbrown]

Excessive tongue weight can cause steering dynamics to change. In your case, at 16%, I doubt it's 'excessive', as you're very close to the suggested range. A quality, "dialed in" weight distribution hitch is a requirement too, something you already have.

Just curious, what is your TV?

[Hodgy]

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According to this post it is a 2004 F250 6.0 CC FX4.


http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19224

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[JRTJH]

mstat,

Based on the way I read your post, I'd question whether your trailer is overloaded (weighs more than the 9500 GVW). If you used a DOT approved scale and the tongue weighed 1340 pounds and you went across an accurate scale and the trailer axles weighed 8500 pounds, that comes to 9840 pounds. Granted, a "bit of weight" is transferred from the hitch to the trailer axles, so you may not be 340 pounds over your GVW, but.....

I'd urge you to find a CAT scale and get some accurate weights of your truck, trailer and rig. Weighing it with the WD bars "tensioned, in place" and without moving the rig, uncouple the WD bars and get a second weight. Then, with some math, your calculations will give you some accurate weights.

While being 340 pounds over GVW may not be "critical", if you are running "trailer king may-pops" from the factory and they are sized like most, you're tires are going to be a "critical weak link", especially if you're trailer is over the GVW.

But, to answer your question, is there such a thing as "too much tongue weight", the answer is "probably not".... As long as the hitch, truck receiver and truck frame are rated to carry the weight, a "few pounds over the 15% recommendation" isn't a problem. But, if you're over the rating for the receiver, the hitch or the truck or trailer GVW, then you may find that you'll have issues.

[mstat]

If this is a repeat sorry, fingers may have been flying too fast:

First thanks for the reply's

TV is a 2015 F250 CC short bed 6.7
OEM hitch 1900 lbs w/ WD and 2.5 in shank
Goodyear Endurance LR E installed in Oct. On our trip with them, I like the way the rode better than the OEM LR D

Outside of the tongue weight when in the lot, CAT scale numbers

Truck empty except for me and a full tank of fuel. Steer - 4760, Drive - 3340

Truck & trailer hitched: Steer - 4860 Drive - 5140 Trailer - 8380

I just have not done the last part of the unhitching on the CAT scale. My next step.

Again thanks for the replies

[Tinner12002]

The way I see it is your 780 lbs over your trailer GVWR. That's what I got subtracting your unloaded weight from your loaded weight then adding trailer weight to that for a total trailer weight of 10,280 lbs.

[JRTJH]

To add to Tinner12002's calculations, your tongue weight is 1900 pounds and your truck, when hitched is at GVW (10,000 pounds). With the trailer weight of 10280, 780 pounds over GVW, the 1900 pound tongue weight is 18.4% of the trailer weight. You state the truck receiver is rated at 1900 pounds with 2.5" shank. REMEMBER, ALL HITCHES USED WITH A SLEEVE AND A 2" SHANK HAVE A REDUCED RATING.

It looks like you're over trailer GVW, at the truck GVW, probably over on receiver rating (unless you're using a 2.5" shank for your hitch head) and probably over on hitch rating. Additionally, you're 3.4% over the typical 10-15% tongue weight range.

I'd think it's time to "trim the fat" in the trailer, find those things you seldom use and remove about 750 pounds of "stuff". Then take a look at the weights. If you're still over the receiver rating and are using a 2.5 to 2" sleeve adapter in your receiver, you'd probably be a candidate for an upgraded hitch head shank.

The problem is weight carried, not GCWR rating for your truck.

[mstat]

Thanks guys,

Will start seeing what can be trimmed off. DW & I usually travel pretty lite.

What got this partially started was a Keystone recall that I found for the 33RBI series that Keystone rated the trailer for one weight but had put the wrong axles under it. Was wondering if the same thing happened on the 33RES. Model years after ours changed to a non walk on roof to reduce overall trailer weight.

Am half tempted next spring to take out everything and run it thru the scales to see how close the original numbers are.

[Ken / Claudia]

Without going into trailer and getting the paper, as I recall my tongue wt. was said to be 560 lbs. All loaded up with full fresh water, propane, 2 batteries, food, clothes, camp gear it was 920lb over a DOT scale. I think the axles came in at 7200 lbs with the listed below trailer.