Weight distribution hitch question

MI

misfit429-HILO

Senior Member
Joined
May 26, 2014
Messages
326
Location
Texas City, Texas
I need to order a WDH. My question is, when they say 370 lbs tongue weight on my trailer, does that include the propane bottles when they figure that? I know that that weight is a rough estimate and I should scale it but no local scale here. My fuel tank on Jeep is also behind the axle so I have about another 125 lbs. of fuel with tank full. Figuring 400 lbs. for tongue and 125 lbs of fuel,if I bought a 600 lb WDH that doesn't leave much wiggle room if propane tanks are extra. I only need propane for water heater so I can drop to one bottle. Then there is anything I'm hauling as an added weight. Should I step up to 800 lb. WDH? Max tongue weight of vehicle is 750. I don't think I would ever be lot over 600 but not sure what to expect if I do go overweight on a 600 lb. WDH.
 
Please tell us what model and year it is so we can do a little figuring.
 
I suspect 370# is a bit low, but 5 gal propane tanks are 20# each, as I recall. That's not much additional weight on the trailer tongue. If you fill a 30 gal fresh water tank and a 6 gal hot water tank in the trailer, it adds 300#, which is more significant, even though it sits further back.

The fuel tank in your Jeep does not add to the load the WDH is carrying. The rating for the WDH is based on the tongue weight of the trailer only.

However, fuel in your Jeep, weight of people on board, the WDH itself, luggage, etc., all contribute to the axle, wheel and tire loading on the Jeep, which must be respected.

I'd say your 600# hitch is probably in limits. You'd ideally like to load it very close to its rated limit.

You should try to take your rig to a CAT scale, which you can find at most all truck stops and weigh things to see exactly what your tongue load is. There are many links online to help you with the procedure to get the trailer weight and the tongue weight. It will take two separate weighings.

If your trailer specs are like mine, the 370# does not include full propane or water tanks.

- Jack
 
Last edited:
Don't do this!

The end product should not look like this. On a serious note, I plan on going to a CAT scale soon. CAT uses three separate scales. Does anyone know the procedure to obtain the tongue weight?

Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • tongue-weight-2.jpg
    tongue-weight-2.jpg
    29.9 KB · Views: 19
Last edited:
That's funny, Greg. I saw something a bit like it on the truck forum I help moderate, I'll have to see if I can find it.

Here's the way I'd do the weighings, but there are other techniques. Remember, a WDH actually lifts the back end of your tow vehicle, which transfers some of the weight of the tongue to the front of the tow vehicle AND to the trailer axle(s). So, to find the actual tongue weight, I disconnect the WDH chains or bars, so that the trailer tongue is being supported mostly by the rear axle of the tow vehicle. Do that just before driving on to the CAT scale.

Then, drive on to the scale so that your trailer axle(s) are on the third scale and your tow vehicle's wheels are on the 1st and 2nd scale. Have the operator weigh it like that.

Then, drop the trailer off the hitch so that the tongue and trailer axle(s) are ALL on the third scale. Your TV can still be on the 1st and 2nd scales. Have those weights recorded too.

Hook things up and drive off.

The second weighing will give the total trailer weight. The first weighing gives the trailer weight minus the tongue load. So, subtracting the first from the second should give the tongue weight.

Also, the difference between the first and second TOTALS for the TV axles should be equal to or very close to the tongue weight, since you removed that load in the second weighing.

If anyone has a better way, I'm sure they'll be happy to add it here.

Edit: Here's the link to the towing setup I was talking about at the beginning: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2250920/posts

- Jack
 
Last edited:
As Ruben posted, a Sherline scale is the super simple way to get an accurate tongue weight. I have one and would recommend that anyone who tows get one. But, they DO cost a few pennies.

Edit: Looks like we were posting at about the same time, Ruben! I honestly believe the car/trailer combination was a joke, as opposed to something the guy actually did for real. But, Rednecks CAN be creative, can't they?

- Jack
 
Last edited:
JackandJanet said:
That's funny, Greg. I saw something a bit like it on the truck forum I help moderate, I'll have to see if I can find it.

Here's the way I'd do the weighings, but there are other techniques. Remember, a WDH actually lifts the back end of your tow vehicle, which transfers some of the weight of the tongue to the front of the tow vehicle AND to the trailer axle(s). So, to find the actual tongue weight, I disconnect the WDH chains or bars, so that the trailer tongue is being supported mostly by the rear axle of the tow vehicle. Do that just before driving on to the CAT scale.

Then, drive on to the scale so that your trailer axle(s) are on the third scale and your tow vehicle's wheels are on the 1st and 2nd scale. Have the operator weigh it like that.

Then, drop the trailer off the hitch so that the tongue and trailer axle(s) are ALL on the third scale. Your TV can still be on the 1st and 2nd scales. Have those weights recorded too.

Hook things up and drive off.

The second weighing will give the total trailer weight. The first weighing gives the trailer weight minus the tongue load. So, subtracting the first from the second should give the tongue weight.

Also, the difference between the first and second TOTALS for the TV axles should be equal to or very close to the tongue weight, since you removed that load in the second weighing.

If anyone has a better way, I'm sure they'll be happy to add it here.

Edit: Here's the link to the towing setup I was talking about at the beginning: Home Made Trailer Hitch - You don't have a big pickup to tow your 6,000 lb. gooseneck trailer.

- Jack
Click to expand...

Hi Jack,

Thank you for the weighing procedure. :) I'm printing it out.

I found the photo on this website so I should reference it:
HowStuffWorks "Calculating Tongue Weight"

That 5th wheel setup in your link was pretty scary!
 
This is what I'm thinking of buying. Any opinions before I make the purchase? And do those sway control devices actually work? Also, the weight of the hitch alone is nearly 95 lbs. Does that weight also need to be figured in since its hanging on the hitch also?

http://www.amazon.com/Eaz-Lift-4805...ords=weight+distributing+hitch#productDetails

Also, in this article it says tongue weight is any weight that is behind the rear axle. This would include my fuel tank which is in the very rear of the vehicle behind the axle. If this is the case, I may need to upgrade to the 800 lb hitch. Please give me your opinions as I need to get this ordered as I have to leave the 27th of September and that's when the trailer must be ready to roll. Thanks everyone.
HowStuffWorks "How Towing Weight Distribution Systems Work"
 
Greg, my FIRST attempt to measure the tongue weight of my trailer was the "bathroom scale" method. I think I still have the beam I used. It was not very accurate at all, in spite of my great care in assembling it and measuring the point at which to apply the tongue load. I seem to recall it giving me a weight that was around 100# higher than it really was.

That convinced me I needed to buy a Sherline scale, and I'm glad I did.

But the CAT scale method I gave you is an accurate way to do it too.

If you want to drive on with the WDH fully hooked up, you can see exactly how much weight is added to each of the TV's axles. Ideally, you want the increased load to be equally distributed to both the front and rear. That, of course, would be a third weighing. It's really not needed though if you can see that the front and rear suspension on the TV are compressed nearly equally and the trailer rides level.

I'm certain that 5th wheel link was a joke, but it was a well-executed one. His comment about how smooth the ride is and having to inflate the rear tires to 160# are good tipoffs.

- Jack
 
Last edited:
misfit429 said:
This is what I'm thinking of buying. Any opinions before I make the purchase? And do those sway control devices actually work? Also, the weight of the hitch alone is nearly 95 lbs. Does that weight also need to be figured in since its hanging on the hitch also?

Amazon.com: Eaz-Lift 48058 Elite Weight Distributing Hitch Kit - 1,000 lbs Capacity: Automotive

Also, in this article it says tongue weight is any weight that is behind the rear axle. This would include my fuel tank which is in the very rear of the vehicle behind the axle. If this is the case, I may need to upgrade to the 800 lb hitch. Please give me your opinions as I need to get this ordered as I have to leave the 27th of September and that's when the trailer must be ready to roll. Thanks everyone.
HowStuffWorks "How Towing Weight Distribution Systems Work"
Click to expand...

Hi Misfit,

That's a really good price, especially with the free shipping. As Jack said, you should try and get the trailer weighed first so you know what you're dealing with. That's the thing that is holding me back right now. I have an older EAZ Lift hitch that the seller of my trailer gave me but I don't know the weight rating of the spring bars, and it appears one of the bars has been replaced as they don't match. My next step is to get the trailer weighed and figure out the hitch weight, then either replace the spring bars or get a whole new hitch. I'll probably stick with the same brand if I buy a new one.

Interested in hearing the answers to your questions from our forum experts!
 
Last edited:
misfit429 said:
This is what I'm thinking of buying. Any opinions before I make the purchase? And do those sway control devices actually work? Also, the weight of the hitch alone is nearly 95 lbs. Does that weight also need to be figured in since its hanging on the hitch also?

Amazon.com: Eaz-Lift 48058 Elite Weight Distributing Hitch Kit - 1,000 lbs Capacity: Automotive

Also, in this article it says tongue weight is any weight that is behind the rear axle. This would include my fuel tank which is in the very rear of the vehicle behind the axle. If this is the case, I may need to upgrade to the 800 lb hitch. Please give me your opinions as I need to get this ordered as I have to leave the 27th of September and that's when the trailer must be ready to roll. Thanks everyone.
HowStuffWorks "How Towing Weight Distribution Systems Work"
Click to expand...

If your fuel tank is factory installed, the suspension in the Jeep should be set up for the weight of it when it's full. Check the gross axle loadings sticker on your driver's door. I suspect the rear axle is rated higher than the front.

Now, the 95# weight of the WDH IS additional weight that needs to be distributed, but I've not ever read that the limits on the hitch need to be increased for this. I always thought the weight of the hitch was not added to the tongue weight as a stress consideration. If I'm wrong, somebody please correct me.

However, loads in the Jeep behind the rear axle DO have to be distributed too, but they are not as significant as the tongue weight, since they sit much closer to the axle.

If "bed loads" behind the axle and the hitch weight need to be added to the actual weight of the tongue, then my 600# WDH is overloaded too. And, it seems to work just fine.

Sway controls DO work, but the need for them is minimal if your tongue weight is above 10% of the trailer weight. Our low trailer design helps to minimize sway too. Still, I would NOT want to suddenly experience trailer sway on a trip. I've felt it before in my younger days pulling something for a short distance, and it's really scary. It causes a huge "oversteer" problem. Get the sway control with the hitch.

- Jack
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

New posts

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top