Weight distribution on Bumper Pull toy hauler

Rocketsled · 10-07-2021, 07:49 AM

We've had the Impact 312 for three years now, but haven't actually hauled motorcycles yet. Next year we'd like to throw the BMW K1600GTL (800 lbs) in the back and _possibly_ the Can-Am Ryker (600 lbs) if we can make the space work.

But last weekend we took 'the boy' to college and with the trailer running light (1500 lbs on the tongue according to the better weigh), tanks empty, and the garage with some Ikea furniture, kitchen supplies and the like (figure 500-600 lbs in camping gear and College-bound stuff...well...1500 lbs tongue weight wasn't enough.

I've got a fairly well developed butt sensor from my racing years and it was telling me to 'Get the hell over and add more weight to the tongue or you're gonna have the trailer driving the truck'

Took two stops...the first one to reduce the spring tension on the Blue Ox and the second time to move damnear everything we could, in front of the axles.

Which has me a little spooked in hauling the trailer with the bike(s)...Water in the fresh tank would add weight, but not necessarily on the tongue, and there's not a lot of space up front to move the things that normally would be in the garage.

Any of you pulling a heavy bike in a bumper pull? What do you do about weight and balance?

In normal camping trim, Fresh Tank Full, closets full of clothes, Fridge full of food, garage with a Kayak and chairs and Bocci Ball set and falderal, I've seen the trailer weigh 12,500 with 1750-1800 on the hitch and it pulls pretty well with that. We'd pull a LOT of it out if we're taking the motorcycles (1500 lbs), but it's gonna take a lot of math to get it right.

WScottS · 10-12-2021, 06:19 AM

I can't help but I can sympathize.
Ours is a front garage and throwing an 800lb bike in there makes me very tongue heavy. I add water to the fresh tank behind the axle to offset the weight.
If I'm running with the garage empty and were boondocking, I have to take water. The water in the fresh tank makes the tongue light.
These are some of the joys of toy haulers.

Rocketsled · 10-12-2021, 06:36 AM

The problem is the 'ambiguity' in RVing. A lot of the specifics get real hand-wavey because nobody wants to make a statement that obligates them legally.

The garage has a big red sticker that says 'capacity 2000 lbs.'....assuming the garage is otherwise empty, I'd be okay according to that sticker...WITHOUT a motorcycle in back, the trailer tows a LOT better with the fresh tank (100 gallons, about 870 lbs) full...it sits over the axle. I figure we'd want to run with the motorcycle and the tanks empty (swapping out one load for the other), but the motorcycle is much further back from the axles.

Makes me think I need an olympic weight set I could throw up front for those times, to ensure proper weight and balance....and all of this is pretty far away from the GVWR of 13,000 lbs...I think the heaviest I've ever seen it was 12,500. That was full kitchen, 4 people's worth of gear, and a full fresh tank...a kayak and a 250 lb camp bike.

Essvar · 10-12-2021, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

The problem is the 'ambiguity' in RVing. A lot of the specifics get real hand-wavey because nobody wants to make a statement that obligates them legally.

The garage has a big red sticker that says 'capacity 2000 lbs.'....assuming the garage is otherwise empty, I'd be okay according to that sticker...WITHOUT a motorcycle in back, the trailer tows a LOT better with the fresh tank (100 gallons, about 870 lbs) full...it sits over the axle. I figure we'd want to run with the motorcycle and the tanks empty (swapping out one load for the other), but the motorcycle is much further back from the axles.

Makes me think I need an olympic weight set I could throw up front for those times, to ensure proper weight and balance....and all of this is pretty far away from the GVWR of 13,000 lbs...I think the heaviest I've ever seen it was 12,500. That was full kitchen, 4 people's worth of gear, and a full fresh tank...a kayak and a 250 lb camp bike.

The only way to know is to scale it.... I'd throw the bikes in, fill your fresh water and ease her on down to the scales. Once you have those numbers you will know what needs to happen to achieve the desired tongue weight.

Rocketsled · 10-12-2021, 06:57 AM

I agree, I was just posting to hear experiences from the hive mind first. I need to purchase a wheel chock for the conventional bike first. (And figure out the restraint requirements for the Ryker)

Essvar · 10-12-2021, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocketsled

I agree, I was just posting to hear experiences from the hive mind first. I need to purchase a wheel chock for the conventional bike first. (And figure out the restraint requirements for the Ryker)

I use Condor wheel chocks for my street bikes, (Baxley also makes great chocks) You don't need to bolt these to the floor, once the straps are pushing down they don't move. Been towing them for 5 years this way without an issue.

Risk Racing strapless for the dirt bikes.

By the looks of that Can-Am you can probably just put it in Park and strap the rear tire down so it doesn't bounce

Falcon67 · 10-12-2021, 07:33 AM

Our Cont. Cargo 34' race trailer runs 13,900 and the tongue weight the F-350 likes is around 2200~2500. If I get closer to 2000 because I move the car (3115 lbs, at least 1800 on the nose) the trailer will start to act a bit like you describe. That's with 40 gallons fresh in the front tank (bath package) plus two quads, toolbox, 5 cu/ft fridge and 400+lb EU7000 genny forward of the dual axles. I really have to sit the motor almost between the spread axles to get a comfortable pull. I'm running with a 14K equalizer, 5 washers and the nose height is within spec based on the manual. The hitch/tongue still moves 460 lbs off the front axle. FWIW - when we hauled daughters furniture from Texas to New Mexico, we ran at 13200 trailer weight going out and 9440 coming back and the steer axle weight was the same 3620.

FWIW - total "off to the races" weight truck, trailer, people and dogs plus full fuel load is 21460.

All that to say I'd load the RV up where it feels right, runs well then hit the Cat scale and get axle readings. Then you'll have a baseline to work from.

I will also say that we pulled the new 220RD back from the dealer, about 120 miles. Maybe 600+ lbs tongue? (haven't had time to weigh it) and the F-350 didn't like that big light weight sail back there. And that was pure bumper, just the ball and receiver.
Not squirrely, but over 68 it acted like the truck could not decide how much weight it was pulling. The 220 had to be around 6K but we got worse MPG than pulling the 13,900 unit. I think the truck just likes heavy tongue to tell the systems how to run in Tow/Haul Mode.

**flybouy** · 10-12-2021, 08:02 AM

Don't have a toy hauler and haven't seen a "bumper pull" since I was a young kid however: our travel trailer is "sensitive" to how it's loaded. Filling the FW tank can add a considerable weight to the tongue. I bought a SherLine scale that I use before hitching up. That way I know what the tongue weight is and can adjust the loading before driving.

Falcon67 · 10-12-2021, 08:38 AM

I have to get another - my Sherline only goes to 2K. I can run decent with the dragster in the trailer, but the engine weight is in the tail and that whole car is only 1640 lbs. So the water, quads, genny, etc all tip the nose well away from the motor hanging in the back. 1800 tongue is a good number with that load.

**flybouy** · 10-12-2021, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon67

I have to get another - my Sherline only goes to 2K. I can run decent with the dragster in the trailer, but the engine weight is in the tail and that whole car is only 1640 lbs. So the water, quads, genny, etc all tip the nose well away from the motor hanging in the back. 1800 tongue is a good number with that load.

You only need another guage. The one I bought came with 2 guages that cover 2 different ranges.

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