Quote:
Originally Posted by Bakediddy
I was really getting worried that you read my post and thought "This kid is really in trouble, I aint' touching this one!" 
I only weighed the trailer, I unhooked it and left it on the scale. I am not sure how to get what you are asking for, can you explain?
I did hook up with the Reese hitch and bars and have everything balanced out, front is at back at unhitched height and the rear is down about 1/4", thats as close as I could get it. |
Hi Kevin,
No worries here. As was stated we truly try here on SOC to be helpful on this subject. After seeing and investigating some TT roll overs, anyone wanting or needing help with their hitch or TV, just ask. There are no dumb questions and we try not to intimate or put down, only help educate. Hopefully the keyboard does not get misinterpreted. If you have the time to type so do we. Sometimes this takes a bit longer depending on the setup.
OK back to your setup. Since you are now hitched, and we need to drill into this some yet, lets talk weighing the camper. Load up the truck and camper with the must have items only and full tank of gas and full LP tanks.
Ideally you need 3 sets of weights, each by the axle set. If you have a 3 stage truck scale you can get these in fewer moves of the TV and TT, but a single scale works too.
For a more in-depth read on this, see this post. I put pics in there too. The only thing missing in that post is the tongue weight as Nana was coming to a M & G and I weighed the TT tongue at the campground.
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...-tt-10154.html
These are the 3 sets of weights all by axle set. Using a 3 segment semi truck scale, pull onto the scale, TV front axle on one scale, TV rear axle on 2nd scale and both TT axles on 3rd scale. Each time a weight set is taken you get a weight from each scale. We need to repeat the process 3 times in different combinations.
1.
With TV and TT hitched and WD engaged, take a weight reading.
2.
With TV and TT hitched and no WD, Do not move the truck, jack up the TT tongue, unhook and drop the WD chains and let the WD bars go limp. Lower the tongue jack down and lift up jack foot off the ground to clear. The truck is now holding the raw TT tongue weight. Take a weight reading.
3.
TV Only. Lower jack, hook up WD bar chains, raise jack back and drive off the scale. Unhook the camper in the yard and then drive the truck only on the scale. Need front axle on a scale and rear axle on seperate scale. Take a weight reading.
Then go hook up the camper and go get your 3 weight slips. (there are 8 axles weights, 3 on 2 slips and 2 on 1 weight slip) If you can post the values, or PM me, I can help do the math for you but it is not that hard.
For these values:
GCW of TT and TV = the sum of all 3 axle weights from weight set 1. Subtract this from your Gross combined wt. rating (GCWR) 13,100 lbs. How much reserve capacity do you have? This is the TV drive train pulling number. This is affected by the frontal area of the camper which is wind drag to the truck drive train. The more reserve the higher the performance, more enjoyable towing experiance and less working hard on hills. You should be under this number. The more the better. You can be at this rating but sooner or later it can be a long term issue if there are many hills/mountians in your area of camping.
GVW of TV = The sum of the 2 axle weights from weight set 3. Compare this to your GVWR 7100 lbs. What is the difference? Needs to be at or below this number.
GAW of TV Front axle = the actual front axle weight from weight set 1 with WD engaged. Subtract this from your GAWR front 3200 lbs. This needs to be at or under. Ideally is this under by a good amount.
GAW of TV Front axle change from WD. = Compare the actual front axle weight from weight set 1 with WD engaged to the truck only front axle in weight set 3. This shows how much weight the front axle is in regards to unhitched weight. Truck should not be heavier on the front axle when hitched with WD. It may be the same or lighter. How much lighter we need to talk about.
GAW of TV Rear axle = the actual rear axle weight from weight set 1 with WD engaged. Compare this to your GAWR rear 3900 lbs. This needs to be at or under. Your tires, suspension and rear axle are affected by this number.
GAW of TV Rear axle change from WD. = Compare the actual rear axle weight from weight set 1 with WD engaged to the truck only rear axle in weight set 3. This shows how much weight the rear axle gained in regards to unhitched weight. The rear axle is going to hold a majority of the loaded tongue weight.
GAW of TT axles : No WD = This is the axle weight from weight set 2.
GAW of TT axles : with WD = This is the axle weight from weight set 1. Compare this to the GAWR on the Sunline. This needs to be under. This tells you how close you are the the axle ratings. Also compare this number to the Max cold weight load rating of the 4 tires. This tells you the reserve capacity of weight loading on the ST tires you have.
GVW of TT = Take the sum of the TV and the TT axles from weight set 2, (no WD), and subtract it from the GVW of the TV, weight set 3. This is how much the camper weighs by itself. Compare this number agasint the GVWR of the TT. This needs to be at or under.
Tongue weight of camper = Add both front and rear truck axle weights from weight set 2 with the camper hanging on the back, no WD engaged. Subtract from that number the sum of both front and rear axles of just the truck (no camper) in weight set 3. The difference is the loaded camper tongue weight.
% tongue weight to TT GVW = Divide the TT tongue weight by the GVW of the TT (you just figured the TT GVW above) TW/TT GVW x 100 = XX.X %. Ideally this is 13% or higher. Higher is better if your truck can handle it. 12 % works, 10% is caution. Unless you have a heavy truck, you may not be able to handle 15% or higher.
TW to WD rating of TV receiver = Compare the TT tongue weight (TW) to the Durango receiver rating of a Maximum trailer tongue weight 720 lbs. This one is going to be tough in your case. You need the % tongue weight of the TT to be in the 13% area, 12% is the bottom I would recommend in your case. The TW needs to be at or under the 720# receiver rating.
You are going to have to watch what you load in the camper. Hauling (towing down the highway) fresh water to camp is most likely not doable in your situation. So you just need to fill up at the camp ground.
That are the weights and what they all mean. You now can give yourself a towing weight health check and see which areas are OK and which we need to see how to help. Now you really know what is going on in your setup. We can also check the WD setup and see if it is correct or needs an adjustment by looking at the weight transfer.
You said this:
Quote:
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I did hook up with the Reese hitch and bars and have everything balanced out, front is at back at unhitched height and the rear is down about 1/4", thats as close as I could get it.
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Please explain the rear is down about a 1/4". Did you mean 1/4" from unhitched height? We need to understand this one before to drive off to the scales.
What are the raw unhitched fender heights and the heights after WD is engaged? The rear down by 1/4" is something we need to understrand better how you obtained this.
Does this truck have auto leveling? and if so did you bleed it down before setting the WD? And what are the fender heights before and after auto leveling is turned on?
How is the TT for being level once all hitched up. Is it level, nose down or nose up and by how much?
A pic of your camper hitched up? Any chance of getting one so we can see your setup better?
I typed this out to try and explain what and why you are looking at most of this. The key is, understand what and why you are doing this.
Also lets talk tire pressures on the truck and camper. What is the max tire side cold pressure for each set and what is the pressure you are towing at of each set of tires aired up? What does the drivers door sticker state for pressure?
Hope this helps
John
.....everyone tries to educate with the posts/answres they make.....you will notice as the weather gets warmer the replys take longer to post.....'caus we gotta do what we do best ------camp!
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