Need some help regarding tongue weight

[wayni208]

I have a 2400BHWE. It’s weight is currently at 5440. I have a tongue weight of 960.

Hitch weight on this is about 490. I have 2 full 20lb propane bottles at 36lb each. 2 Trojan 6V T105s at 75 each. An e2 Trunnion WDH setup which is probably 100lbs.

From the factory, with nothing on the tongue it’s already setup at 10%!

What do you guys think would be a good ballast? Drive with the freshwater tank empty and the gray and black tanks full? Assuming I use clean water for that ballast do you think I would get any dirty looks loosing the dump valves when I pull into camp?

But really. Where else would I look for this extra weight? I think I’m missing 100lbs somewhere.

Thanks.

[Dave-Gray]

Not sure what you're asking. 10% tongue weight is optimal and is strongly recommended by SAE. However, national average is about 12%. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the right load balance.

[ctbruce]

"About" is close enough for government work, but you need to make some trips to a scale.

[wayni208]

Been. Tongue weight is 960. Trailer weight is 5440.

[wayni208]

Not sure what you're asking. 10% tongue weight is optimal and is strongly recommended by SAE. However, national average is about 12%. It takes a bit of trial and error to get the right load balance.
Yes. But I am over 15% already and don’t have anything more to pack

[John61CT]

This is a fundamental design and planning issue and should be addressed from the beginning.

If the front is too heavy, move heavy items more to the rear.

Unless you can move the wheels forward.

Just adding ballast weight, like 5 gal water jugs to the rear to balance the overloaded front is fine

as long as you aren't already at the edge with total load capacity.

But most setups are there, or overloaded already.

[notanlines]

Wayni, I'm as confused as the rest of the posters, but this "Assuming I use clean water for that ballast do you think I would get any dirty looks loosing the dump valves when I pull into camp?" won't make any difference in any of the parks where we stay because you would be removed immediately. If you simply used the sewer system that would be a different story. Who would know and who would care?

[Javi]

If it was me I'd throw some 1200/1500 pound bars on it an go camping...

Really not sure what the problem is... are you worried that the tongue weight is 17% or is it that you're over the limits of your truck... ???

Cause 17% ain't gonna hurt nothing in and of itself... as long as you got WD bars to handle it and it don't put the truck over limit..

Bottom line... 5000 pound trailers don't usually have 150 pounds of battery up front... If it concerns you... look around inside the trailer and move a bunch of stuff to the rear of the trailer for travel...

[wayni208]

This is a fundamental design and planning issue and should be addressed from the beginning.

If the front is too heavy, move heavy items more to the rear.

Unless you can move the wheels forward.

Just adding ballast weight, like 5 gal water jugs to the rear to balance the overloaded front is fine

as long as you aren't already at the edge with total load capacity.

But most setups are there, or overloaded already.

Not over. My GVWR is 7000 and I’m at 5440.

[wayni208]

Wayni, I'm as confused as the rest of the posters, but this "Assuming I use clean water for that ballast do you think I would get any dirty looks loosing the dump valves when I pull into camp?" won't make any difference in any of the parks where we stay because you would be removed immediately. If you simply used the sewer system that would be a different story. Who would know and who would care?

Truth. :) Better make and eat a bunch of BBQ before we head out.

[wayni208]

If it was me I'd throw some 1200/1500 pound bars on it an go camping...

Really not sure what the problem is... are you worried that the tongue weight is 17% or is it that you're over the limits of your truck... ???

Cause 17% ain't gonna hurt nothing in and of itself... as long as you got WD bars to handle it and it don't put the truck over limit..

Bottom line... 5000 pound trailers don't usually have 150 pounds of battery up front... If it concerns you... look around inside the trailer and move a bunch of stuff to the rear of the trailer for travel...

Tongue weight is my worry.

But that makes me think as well. The hitch setup is 1000/10000. Might need to get more?

I got the battery setup because I wanted the ability to boondocks with relative ease. I could go back to the single 12V as I do have a generator to recharge as needed. But that will only take away about 80lbs.

[Javi]

Tongue weight is my worry.

But that makes me think as well. The hitch setup is 1000/10000. Might need to get more?

I got the battery setup because I wanted the ability to boondocks with relative ease. I could go back to the single 12V as I do have a generator to recharge as needed. But that will only take away about 80lbs.

At 960 lbs. I'd want at least 1200 pound bars

[wayni208]

At 960 lbs. I'd want at least 1200 pound bars

Thanks. I’ll get some on the way.

[wayni208]

At 960 lbs. I'd want at least 1200 pound bars

Just a clarification: the tongue weight I’ve come up with includes the weight of the WDH itself. I got it by getting my gross on my truck alone subtracted from to weight of my truck with the trailer hooked up and WDH disengaged and hanging. This is legit, right? Should I resize my bars based off of this weight or the weight sans WDH?

[Javi]

That big thing stuck in the receiver of your truck isn't part of the tongue weight...

Weigh the truck with the hitch (not the bars) installed in the receiver... Then weigh the truck with the trailer setting on the ball but the bars not installed... if you want you can lay the bars across the tongue or leave them in the hitch but not under tension.. Subtract unhitched weight from hitched weight... that is tongue weight..

[wayni208]

That big thing stuck in the receiver of your truck isn't part of the tongue weight...

Weigh the truck with the hitch (not the bars) installed in the receiver... Then weigh the truck with the trailer setting on the ball but the bars not installed... if you want you can lay the bars across the tongue or leave them in the hitch but not under tension.. Subtract unhitched weight from hitched weight... that is tongue weight..

There’s that extra weight. I weighed my truck without the hitch installed. Thanks.

Probably still need to get larger bars though, yes?

[bsmith0404]

As already mentioned, if you’re not over the weight on your truck, don’t worry about it. 10% is the minimum tongue weight, it doesn’t hurt to go heavier. Not having enough tongue weight is a bigger concern as it will cause sway. As for the spring bars, they’re rated by how much weight they have the ability to transfer. You most likely have 1000 lb bars. If it was mine, I wouldn’t worry at all about your setup.

[wayni208]

As already mentioned, if you’re morning over the weight on your truck, don’t worry about it. 10% is the minimum tongue weight, it doesn’t hurt to go heavier. Not having enough tongue weight is a bigger concern as it will cause sway. As for the spring bars, they’re rated by how much weight they have the ability to transfer. You most likely have 1000 lb bars. If it was mine, I wouldn’t worry at all about your setup.

I think so. I’ve ordered a tongue weight scale and believe the goal to be to reduce its weight and add more to the back. Right now the trailer is sparse. But it’s pretty new. I bet I can fill it up pretty fast.

[Javi]

If it was me I'd use the next size bars.. I never liked to max them out.. while in theory 1000 pound bars should hold 1000 pounds... I like a little padding.

[bsmith0404]

I don’t agree with Javi on the spring bar ratings, but that’s ok we all have our thoughts/opinions on them. Here’s a good article to help you understand WDH and you can decide for yourself what’s right for you.

http://info.hensleymfg.com/Safe-Towing/bid/26074/Weight-Distribution-Hitch-Selection

[sourdough]

I go with Javi. Minimal/marginal is OK but having a bit of excess doesn't hurt. Some say if you use heavier bars the ride is affected; having used 1000, 1200 and 1400 lb. bars I can say, for me, there is absolutely no discernable difference. I believe in having "reserve" capacity; not running on the edge.

[wayni208]

My truck is only rated for 1000 lbs max of tongue weight so this is a number I’ll have to be under regardless. That being said, my local CW where I purchased the trailer is willing to swap me out for some 1200 bars to see the difference in ride and if I would like them better.

But really, I think I may be looking at a new Anderson hitch.