2008 Eastern M&G TT Tongue Weighing Offer

[JohnB]

Fellow Campers

At this years M & G I will be bring along my Sherline Tongue scale. This simple little tool can measure the loaded weight of your TT tongue in all of about 30 seconds to 10 minutes. The actual reading only takes 30 seconds. The 9 min. 30 sec. ends up being a lot of yaking going one with your fellow camper while doing so….

If anyone coming would like a get their TT tongued weighed for free, (other then a good conversation) please let me know. I will be glad to assist. You can let me know here on line, PM me or just ask over the weekend.

If you have never had your loaded camper tongue weighed, it can be surprising the first time. Everyone has different “stuff” and “stuff” adds up and always seems to be heavier then one thinks. Knowing your loaded tongue weight can tell you many things about your setup, some are:

1. If you know the total loaded camper weight by a truck scale, (GVW) and you have a tongue weight, you can tell if you have good TT balance which is essential for stable TT towing.

2. You can know if your WD hitch bars are properly sized.

3. You can tell if your TV receiver is not exceeding it’s stated WD ratings.

4. You can get an indication if you might be exceeding your TV rear axle capacity pending what type of TV you have.

5. If you find you are too heavy or too light, it will allow you to rearrange some items in your TT to get a more optimized TT balance.

6. If you are experiencing any type of towing sway, it is one of the first places to start in creating a stable towing rig.

To show you the process it would go like this. First Ask John, then we will go to your camper. (Yes we make house calls)

You will need to raise up your stabilizers or scissor jacks so they are not lifting any weight on the TT. Your TT will already be level since you leveled it up when you unhitched. We then put the tongue scale under your ball coupler, let the jack down on it and read the number. That’s it.

If you happen to have a TT with a slide, you have 1 extra step. The slide will need to be retracted for the weighing or else the number can read very high or low.

Here are some pics of what this all looks like. Here I was using a floor jack, but we will use 4 x 4 blocks under it at the camp ground. I will even come with the blocks

The scale is the little red device under the ball coupler


Then just read the number



Also if any one is needing some pointers on understanding or how to adjust their WD hitch/sway controls there are a few of us on this campout that will be glad to explain to you how to do this. If anyone is experiencing any type of TT sway and wants to know if this can be corrected, we can help point you how to help you on this.

Looking forward to going camping soon with you all and seeing all those Sunlines.

John

Update Monday. June 16

The list is growing. Didn’t realize this would be such a hit. Great! I Have added some TT info so I know how big/small the TT is and what camp site. And figuring when everyone is around since boating starts at 2:00PM on Saturday.

If any one needs/wants WD hitch setup pointers/help let me know so we can plan and work that in.

John and Cindy in Site 113. 04, T310SR. We are not boating this time.

If I mixed up any boating folks, let me know. Trying to get a head count so we can plan a time around the boaters.

1. KayonKitty (Bonnie & Marcy).......................'06 T-2499........Site 88……Boating..TBD
2. PTHutch (Tom & Mary).................................'05 T-280SR…....Site 84……Boating..Yes
3. Frank (Frank & Kathy).................................'02 T-2363........RS Site R70……Boating..No......WD Hitch Talk
4. Lode (Jason).……..................…...................…' 92 T2053…....…(TBD) …Boating.. (maybe)
5. Sunline Fan (Dave, Jill, & Jon)......................'07 T-286SR......Site 97……Boating..Yes
6. Chuck & Lori (Chuck & Lori).........................'07 T-2075.......Site 80……Boating..Yes
7. Kathyh (Rob & Kathy)..................................'07 T-2499.......Site 69……Boating..Yes
8. Both2retired (John & Jeanne).....................'07 T-2753........Site 81……Boating..Yes
9.. Poor Man Campin' (Brad, Amy + family)......'00 T-2670........Site 65....Boating...No
10. Ray & Lynn from PA (Ray & Lynn)...............'07 T-195SR......Site 102....Boating...No
11. Hiller64 (Rich & Barb).................................'06 T-2499........Site 96……Boating..No
12. HappyCampers (Lowell & Amanda)............'03 F-304SR.......Site 68……Boating..N0
13. QUEtSE (Pam & Steve)...............................'06 T-2753.......Site 83……Boating..Yes
14. Have2camp (Beth & Mark)..........................'99 T-2753.......Site 108……Boating..Yes
15.
16.
17.

[kanyonkitty]

WOW John,

What a nice offer. I'd love to have the weighing done, so can I please be put on the list. Thank you very very much,

Kitty

[PTHutch]

Add me to your list John.

Thanks for the offer

[frank]

That would be excellent, John. Thanks for the offer! I'm thinking my bars are actually oversized (they came with the trailer, I didn't buy them).

On a related note, I'm looking forward to discussing the Reese DC with some more experienced folks. I installed a dual cam HP this past Sunday, and I'm not happy with the alignment on that. I broke my torque wrench before I could get things 100%, so I'm stuck until I can get that repaired.

- Frank

[Lode]

Very nice John. Can't wait till my wife sees that on my wish list here and asks about it.

I'd love to see what my weight is if I'm able to attend. I'm way under specs with as small as a camper compared to my tow vehicle... and owning a 26' boat where weight distribution is key both on the water and towing... I'm pretty particular about what goes where in storage. My wife thinks it's hilarious to find me with everything spread all over the place to repack compartments.... for the 3-4th time.

I'm interested in talking to some folks about a sway set up. I don't have anything atm and really hadn't given it much thought prior to finding this board. I'd surmised that I was 'good' with an 8K tow vehicle and a 4K camper. Any thoughts?

I'm going to pick one of those scales some day more out of curiosity to my boat's tongue weight. Also seems like a good conversation piece at the camp fire.

Thanks John,
Take care,
Jason

[kanyonkitty]

We ARE signing up to have our "trailer" tongues weighed right Just the way I read Jons' post made me chuckle while thinking about try to weigh a "tongue"

Kitty

[HappyCampers]

OK, now I officially feel left out. That's a neat tool, I've never seen one of them before.

[chuck & lori]

John,
Please add me to the list. This is very kind of you to offer. I am sure I have at least 10 minutes worth of questions
Thanks-- see you in a few weeks.

[kathyh]

You can sign up RobH for a tongue weigh. Thank you for the offer. We jsut had our trailer weighed when we got the refrigerator recall fixed a week ago.

[frank]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

What size bars do you have? I had 750's with my 2363. With a stock tongue weight of 530, you shouldn't have much to add to that since you can't put that much under the couch, and your major storage under the bed and fresh water tank are all in the back. 1000's would be a little much, 1200's- overkill!

Jon, they are 800# trunnions. I don't believe they come any lighter though. I *think* it's going to be OK, I just want to shift the head back one more notch and I believe I need to move the snap-up brackets a tad further away from the coupler.

We're going to take it out for a maiden run tomorrow, I'll snap some pictures with it hooked up.

Thx!

- Frank

[Sunline Fan]

Frank,

I think you're right, they won't come much smaller in the trunnion style. I got a Reese with that coach that had 750# trunnions. Personally, I wouldn't go get a new set of bars just to drop down to 750's, if you can even get 750 Trunnions any more. The curled end of the bars is a pretty new thing, so if the 750's were a thing of the past, you probably couldn't use them with the DC.

On a side note, I moved the list of participants to the OP and updated it as well.

Jon

[JohnB]

Wow Folks! What a great response. Glad to help. Keep the requests coming. No problem. Can do all 33 rigs if needed. H’mm maybe a contest… Guess that “tongue” weight.

Now to some questions:

Originally Posted by Lode

Very nice John. Can't wait till my wife sees that on my wish list here and asks about it.

Snip….

I'm pretty particular about what goes where in storage. My wife thinks it's hilarious to find me with everything spread all over the place to repack compartments.... for the 3-4th time.

I'm interested in talking to some folks about a sway set up. I don't have anything atm and really hadn't given it much thought prior to finding this board. I'd surmised that I was 'good' with an 8K tow vehicle and a 4K camper. Any thoughts?

Jason, here is a link for your next present. Sherline Tongue Scale

Seems now you can buy direct Sherline Direct I did get mine from distributer for like $99. plus shipping I believe this is them Discount Campus

Repacking and weighing, yes the DW says I’m obsessed….and I probably am. About sway and TV size, there are a number of factors that go into creating a stable towing rig. Tow rating is part of this but not always the biggest factor in sway. Glad to yak more on this once I know more what you have.

Originally Posted by Frank

On a related note, I'm looking forward to discussing the Reese DC with some more experienced folks. I installed a dual cam HP this past Sunday, and I'm not happy with the alignment on that. I broke my torque wrench before I could get things 100%, so I'm stuck until I can get that repaired.

Frank, yes glad to discuss setup. One of these days I will make a post on Reese WD hitch and DC setup. I do have a MS word file with a lot of it already typed that I helped a buddy out with. Glad to email to you if needed before the M & G. PM me a email address if you want it.

Reese HP hitch trunnions bars come in 600, 800,1200 and 1700# ratings. As far as the bars being oversized won’t know until we know and actual tongue weight. The bars need to be at the weight of the tongue or less then. Being over the WD bar rating, Reese will not warrant the hitch. Pending how far over weight you are, one can actually break given the right circumstances. Being way to heavy rated, creates issue too. We will know once you have a weight and can go from there.

Originally Posted by HappyCampers

OK, now I officially feel left out. That's a neat tool, I've never seen one of them before.

Lowell, No fellow Sunline Club member is ever left out. If you want a pin weight, I can bring along my large force jack. As long as your pin weight is not over, 24,000# we have you covered. I use to use this before the Sherline. Now I use it to weigh the TT.

Let me know if you want me to throw it in the truck. Glad to.



My T2499 with full fresh water, 1,400#

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

On a side note, I moved the list of participants to the OP and updated it as well.

Jon. Thanks, I did not realize this would be such a hit.

Keep the requests coming, glad to help and yak.

Thanks

John

[frank]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Frank, yes glad to discuss setup. One of these days I will make a post on Reese WD hitch and DC setup. I do have a MS word file with a lot of it already typed that I helped a buddy out with. Glad to email to you if needed before the M & G. PM me a email address if you want it.

Reese HP hitch trunnions bars come in 600, 800,1200 and 1700# ratings. As far as the bars being oversized won’t know until we know and actual tongue weight. The bars need to be at the weight of the tongue or less then. Being over the WD bar rating, Reese will not warrant the hitch. Pending how far over weight you are, one can actually break given the right circumstances. Being way to heavy rated, creates issue too. We will know once you have a weight and can go from there.

Thanks, John. I'll shoot you a PM.

- Frank

[Both2Retired]

John,
What a wonderful offer. Yes, I'd love to have my trailer tongue weighed.
Let me know what day/time si best for you.
Thank you!
John

[Poor Man Campin']

John,

That's a great offer, and I'd like to take you up on it. I'm hoping to have the whole rig weighed before I come up, but since the twins showed up, everything is a time management issue that's running me! Morning or evening will work best depending upon naptime. Pencil me in for what suits your schedule. Thanks!

-Brad

[Ray and Lynn from PA]

John,

That's a great offer, Lynn and I would love to see what our tongue weight is! We will be at site 102 in a 195SR. See you then!

[janetpowell]

Please add us to the weigh in! We will be at site 71 Thanks!!!

[JohnB]

Brad and Ray, we got ya covered.

On the times, still figuring this out. Cindy and I are not boating this trip so I have time before, during and after the boating.

We will give it a few more days to see how much more interest comes. The boater folks we will get them in the AM most likely if it works for them and the non boaters in the afternoon on Saturday.

Can't wait.... We have a bad case of Camping fever and the thought of all those Sunlines in 1 place? Priceless.

Stay Tuned, more yet to come.

John

[hiller64]

John

Sounds like a great offer I would be interested.

Rich and Barbara

[HappyCampers]

John, I was just being a wise acre, but that offer is hard to refuse. I'm kinda curious what the pin weight is. Sunline has it listed as 2400 lbs dry weight, but with all the goodies in the front basement it has to be a good bit more. So if it isn't a bother I'd love it.