# Tongue Weight And Wdh



## CA-NYCamper (Mar 30, 2009)

Guys and Gals -

Like many this time of year, we're looking at our trailer options and have come across an interesting discussion around tongue weight when a WDH is used.

Here are some specs:

Possible TT:
TT UVW = 5800 lbs
Cargo = 1800 lbs
Tongue Weight = 866 lbs

TV:
Tow capacity: 9,000 lb
Max tongue: 900 lb

Other factors:
- Add weight of our Hensley Arrow to hitch: 180 lbs
- we carry nothing in the Armada except: 2 adults (290lb combined), 2 girls (90 lbs combined) and 2 dogs (170 lbs combined). We don't carry anything not because of weight, but because with 2 greyhounds, there is no more room in the back!!

 Question:

With the use of the WDH, I've read and heard that you can exceed max tongue weight because the weight gets shifted forward of the rear axle. Some OEM truck hitches even have the sticker indicate eg: 900 lbs max tongue weight without WDH. 1300 lbs max weight using WDH.

As there is probably no one I would trust more on this topic than my fellow Outbackers, what do you think? 866 lbs of tongue weight plus 180lbs of Hensley will exceed the max (not to mention contents). My Armada doesn't have such a sticker telling me I can load more with a WDH. Should we consider this TT or write it off because of its high tongue weight.

Thanks folks!


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## Bob in Virginia (Jul 15, 2010)

Camper, I think you need to add in the weight of your fuel as well. I looked around the Nissan site and it doesn't say you can go above the gross weight with a WD, just that if you are towing over 5000 lbs you MUST use WD. With some creative packing in the camper, you might be able to reduce the tongue weight some, but the only way to know for sure is to weight it. Do some searches on this site and it will tell you the step by step procedure for determining all of your weights. Also on the nissan page it said that your max total gross package for the vehicle and camper must be no more than 15,100 lbs.

Lots of people here can attest that you don't want to be bumping up against any of your gross weights because of those special times when idiots pull out in front of you or you are rolling down an 8% grade.

Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.


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## Sean Woodruff (Dec 20, 2007)

The 9000lb tow rating with a 900lb tongue weight rating is a silly combination by Nissan.

A 900lb dead tongue weight would certainly be a higher distributed tongue weight rating.

The Hensley Arrow is closer to 195lbs.


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## CA-NYCamper (Mar 30, 2009)

Thanks Sean - I agree - the 900lb tongue weight is a 10% of tow capacity plug number from Nissan. If I had the 2WD version, I'd get another 100 lbs tow rating and 10 more pounds of tongue weight. So it really seems the engineers used a plug number.

To me, it's logical that if you distribute the weight via a WDH, you can exceed the max dead weight rating. But I don't know for sure, or by how much. I know you 'wrote the book' on hitches and towing and it seems you agree that exceeding this value is fine. Stop me if I misread your post, though. The last thing I would do is compromise the safety of my family and others, as well as the tow/ride when hauling.


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