# Towing Weight



## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

Truck me and a full tank of diesel
steer axel-4380
drive axel-3040
Gross weight-7420

Truck with Trailer and full fresh water tank 50gl. and with weight bars pulled up to line 2 on the Hensley
Truck
steer axel-4280
drive axel-4520
Trailer axel-7860
Gross weight-16660

Truck and Trailer with weight bars undone
Truck
steer axel-3860
drive axel-5140
Trailer axel-7660
Gross weight-16660
So what is my tougne weight???? I think its 1240!!! 420 more steer axel 620 more drive axel 200 more on trailer axel!!!! The Rip







ALL WD hitches add load to the TT's axles. If they didn't, it would be impossible to remove load from the TV's rear axle and add load to the front axle.

For many TV/TT combinations, the load added to the TV's front axle will be about two times the amount added to the TT's axles and the load removed from the rear axle will be about three times the amount added to the TT.


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## OutbackPM (Sep 14, 2005)

Rip said:


> So what is my tougne weight???? I think its 1240!!! 420 more steer axel 620 more drive axel 200 more on trailer axel!!!! The Rip


 4280+4520-7420=1580 tongue weight (thats heavy)

With tight bars front -100, rear +1480, trailer +200=1580


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## GoVols (Oct 7, 2005)

I concur: 1580 is the _added payload _ (weight added to truck by hitching trailer). Wow, that's a lot! That's almost all of my payload cap in my 1/2 ton!

With trailer but no weight distribution: Steer + Drive = 9000

Less truck only: Steer + Drive = 7420

Equals added payload of 1580 lbs.

You could also disconnect the trailer and put the tongue jack on separate scale pad from the trailer axles. While you are at it, measure each trailer axle separately to see how well you are balanced and how much load is on each axle (with truck attached).


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

The Outback site says the dry hitch weight for a 31RQS is 830#. 1580# is a LOOOOOONG way away from that that. You have a mystery to unravel.


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

California Jim said:


> The Outback site says the dry hitch weight for a 31RQS is 830#. 1580# is a LOOOOOONG way away from that that. You have a mystery to unravel.


I used the bath scale method an came up with 1040 with out water I can't belive that the 50 gl of water adds 540 pounds to the tounge weight!!!!!!


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## California Jim (Dec 11, 2003)

50 gallons of water weighs approximately 413# and would need to be sitting right on the tongue to transfer that much weight to the truck. Again, something is fishy here


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Do not forget to add the weight of the Hensley, batteries and Propane (not as much effect since it is somewhat back from the coupler on the 31 rqs). The DRY hitch weight is WITHOUT options.


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

I'm not familiar with the way a Hensley works, but taking weight OFF the front axle would concern me.

Steve


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## sleecjr (Mar 24, 2006)

Good info RIP. I have a similar set up. How much stuff do you have in the storage up front of the camper?
I had to move some around to smooth out the ride. Good news is you are still under the numbers on every thing. Tow and enjoy.

2006 dodge ram pickup 2500 2500 LARAMIE, QUAD CAB, 4WD, 6.25 Ft Bed, 4-Speed Automatic Transmission, 5.9-Liter HO Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine:

With 3.73 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio _ You Can Tow 12950 lbs 
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)  = 9000 lbs
Payload  = 2096 lbs
Curb Weight  = 6904 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 4223 lbs/4223 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear  = 5200 lbs/6010 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)  = 20000 lbs

With 4.10 Axle Ratio Axle Ratio  You Can Tow 12950 lbs 
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)  = 9000 lbs
Payload  = 2096 lbs
Curb Weight  = 6904 lbs
Curb Weight Front/Rear = 4223 lbs/4223 lbs
GAWR Front/Rear  = 5200 lbs/6010 lbs
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)  = 20000 lbs_


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

The GVW is 9000 on your truck.. From your weights you are at 8800.. Was the truck weighed with family in it? If not, your over GVW by some, prolly wont hurt nothin, most everyone is over GVW with a big camper.

One more point.. You pay 3000 for a hensley and it only removes 200lbs from the truck. W/o weight bars, your rig weighs 9000, with it weighs 8800.. Those 200 lbs are put back on the trailer.. So for 3000 bucks all you get is a 200 lb weight reduction...?

Please tell me your hensley can remove more weight than that..

I cant wait to get my hitch going.. It can remove ALL of your 1500 lb tongue weight.. It is no longer part of your truck.. It becomes just tow weight, not tongue weight.. The truck rides like its empty while its towing a trailer.. Unfortunatly it will prolly be another year before its out. Its still in the testing/prototype stage.. I'm going as fast as I can!

It will sell for less than half what a hensley costs..

Carey


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

[quote name='sleecjr' post='212736' date='May 1 2007, 08:07 PM']
Good info RIP. I have a similar set up. How much stuff do you have in the storage up front of the camper? 
I had to move some around to smooth out the ride. Good news is you are still under the numbers on every thing. Tow and enjoy.

ALOT!!! Will be moving some around too!!!!

[quote name='Colorado~DirtBikers' date='May 1 2007, 08:43 PM' post='212740']
The GVW is 9000 on your truck.. From your weights you are at 8800.. Was the truck weighed with family in it? If not, your over GVW by some, prolly wont hurt nothin, most everyone is over GVW with a big camper.

One more point.. You pay 3000 for a hensley and it only removes 200lbs from the truck. W/o weight bars, your rig weighs 9000, with it weighs 8800.. Those 200 lbs are put back on the trailer.. So for 3000 bucks all you get is a 200 lb weight reduction...?

Please tell me your hensley can remove more weight than that..

The bars are only cranked up half way will try all the way up then do a reweight !! This weekend! Will be waiting for that Hitch to come out !!!


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

Rip, I'll let ya know.. I got the 1st one built 6 weeks ago and have been doing lots of testing since.. My Roo is in the 1000 tongue weight range when its all loaded with bikes. This hitch removes all this weight at one half of its capacity.

My lil half ton rides like the trailer is not even there.. I can feel the weight of the trailer behind me, but I feel no weight of the trailer on me.. This thing tows better than a 5th wheel. Really! The truck drops less than one inch with a 1000lb tongue weight on it.. I can make it sit the same as factory if I want, as its totallly adjustable. I have been setting it at 200 lb tongue weight, with the rest going back to the trailer. This drops my rear end of my pu 1 inch.

I drive a semi truck for a living, I'm using an old mechanical idea with semi truck technology.. This idea is on every dump truck and cement mixer in the USA. Also a good portion of semi's are using it.

I am building another right now.. it will be the final version.. I have a provisional patent on the 1st, now I have to get another provisional on this one.. Then I will use both in getting a Utility patent.. The money is goin out the window way quicker than its coming in right now, but oh well! You gotta pay if you wanna play.. lol Hopefully someday it will all come back!

The hitch is on my rig in my sig pic.. I know you cant see it, but just to let you know its not something big or goofy.. Its a real genuine idea that works!

I have to get off here before I keep writting.. Its just I see people on here having a GVW problem, then spending thousands to get a bigger truck, or buying hensleys.. It is just driving me nuts that I have a fix for this problem, but cant reveal it... I have seen a good 4-5 people go buy bigger trucks recently when this little device could easilly fix there problem.. Its VERY HARD to keep quiet.. If I want to make this a reality, I have to keep it secret till I have a final idea. It Sucks!

I'm outa here! See you all tomorow!

Carey


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Well, I just did some math myself, and with a total trailer weight of 9240, your tongue wgt should fall between 924# and 1386#, with 1109# being the optimum (10-15% of total wgt, 12% being optimum), so I would say that the trailer weights are where they should be. If the tongue wgt is pushing the payload of the TV too much, then another TV is indicated, but not always feasible.

What needs looking, like the others have said is the WD set up on the Hensley. Something isn't right there. I would go through the setup process again, and see why your not transferring any weight up front.



> One more point.. You pay 3000 for a hensley and it only removes 200lbs from the truck. W/o weight bars, your rig weighs 9000, with it weighs 8800.. Those 200 lbs are put back on the trailer.. So for 3000 bucks all you get is a 200 lb weight reduction...?
> 
> Please tell me your hensley can remove more weight than that..


Carey, the purpose of a WD is not to remove the weight from the tongue, but to distribute it from just the rear axle and the TT axles, to the all four axles. After reading both of your posts, I my interest is piqued.

Tim


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

So Hatcityhosehauler your telling to rasie the weight bar up more on the Hensley ?? The bar are on line 2 go to line 3 !! And try to get the trucks steer axle back to 4380 from the 3860 or the 4280 ???
3860 was bars not on!!
4280 was the bars rasied to line 2!!
Truck steer axel no trailer 4380!! So I take what your telling me is I need to get the trucks steer axle back to the 4380 with the WD bars then I will be ok????
What I don't get is with the bars off my steer axle is 3860--- bars on 4280 so is the WD bars not moving this weight??
Bars off --------------- Bars on ----------- Truck alone
steer axle 3860 ------ 4280 420 added ----- 4380
drive axle 5140 ------ 4520 620 left -------- 3040
trailer 7660 ------- 7860 200 added------- total truck 7420
total 16660 ------ 16660 total !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Moved off rear axle is 620, 420 to steer axle 200 to trailer 
What I don't get is 3860+5140-7420=1580 tongue weight!!!! I get a total of 1240 moved around between the truck and trailer where is the 340 lbs going 1580-1240=340?????????


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

The idea is to transfer the weight of the tongue evenly on the TV 2 axles.

If you are anywhere under the unloaded trucks front axle weight, then you are not transfering weight to the front axle.

You are starting to transfer the weight, but you are still under the unloaded weight of the front axle. Just more tweeking needed.

Ideally, you should be over the unloaded weight on both axles, then you know you moved some weight onto the front axle.

Steve


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

huntr70 said:


> The idea is to transfer the weight of the tongue evenly on the TV 2 axles.
> 
> If you are anywhere under the unloaded trucks front axle weight, then you are not transfering weight to the front axle.
> 
> ...


 Don't it look like I did that with the bars up ??? Maybe 100 more to the steer axle???


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

ALL WD hitches add load to the TT's axles. If they didn't, it would be impossible to remove load from the TV's rear axle and add load to the front axle.

For many TV/TT combinations, the load added to the TV's front axle will be about two times the amount added to the TT's axles and the load removed from the rear axle will be about three times the amount added to the TT.


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## huntr70 (Jul 8, 2005)

Rip said:


> Don't it look like I did that with the bars up ??? Maybe 100 more to the steer axle???


It doesn't to me....



> Truck me and a full tank of diesel
> steer axel-4380
> 
> Truck with Trailer and full fresh water tank 50gl. and with weight bars pulled up to line 2 on the Hensley
> ...


You lost 100 lbs in going from a truck with no trailer to towing a trailer.

You should have at least the same, preferably more weight on the front when hooked up.


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

I couldn't begin to tell you how to adjust the Hensley, as I don't have one, you will have to consult the instructions, or call Hensley, but like Steve said, the hitch shouldn't be removing weight from the front axle. That is why I made the conclusion that the hitch needs some adjustment.

Hopefully someone with a Hensley can offer some advice on fine tuning that particular hitch. With my Reese, or an Equal-i-zer, one would just add some more angle to the hitch head.

Tim


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> I couldn't begin to tell you how to adjust the Hensley, as I don't have one, you will have to consult the instructions, or call Hensley, but like Steve said, the hitch shouldn't be removing weight from the front axle. That is why I made the conclusion that the hitch needs some adjustment.
> 
> Hopefully someone with a Hensley can offer some advice on fine tuning that particular hitch. With my Reese, or an Equal-i-zer, one would just add some more angle to the hitch head.
> 
> Tim


I know how to crank the bars up more this should put more weight on the front then will reweight


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

Cranking up the bars wil also result in a stiffer ride. Someday I'll have to hit the scales.

John


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

For a 3000 dollar hensley, here is what i would want, for my 1500lb tongue weight.... 500 lbs to the front axle, 500 lbs to the rear axle, and 500 to the trailer.. In my book, that is a weight distributing hitch.. I feel all W/D hitches are marginal at best.. For what they weigh, they dont do enough..

You know I would even accept 250 to the front, 750 to the rear axle and 500 to the trailer.. Its just none do that that Ive seen.

Carey


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

I'm close!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have to raise bars to get more on the front axle 420 more steer axel 620 more drive axel 200 more on trailer axel I think the Hensley is doing the job don't you????


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## beachbum (Nov 27, 2006)

I don't have a H/A, but I went through a similar process a month ago with the Equalizer. One thing I learned was that to get an accurate trailer and tongue weight, the trailer needs to be weighed alone. It sounds like you are going through the process to make sure you are safe and secure going down the road. Not a pleasant process, but kudos to you for doing it. I wound up replacing the factory hitch on my new GMC. Go figure!! Anyway, one interesting theory I heard was that the WD system will not transmit/transfer weight all the way to the front axle of the TV; it just gets distributed along the frame of the TV, in front of the hitch. But, some percentage of the tongue weight does get to the front axle. Also, with the Equalizer system, the amount of compression on both front and rear of TV is the most meaningful measurement. Anyway, sounds like you are getting it figured out!!
david


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

I will know anytime time I want what the tongue weight is!!!! I order this http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm The Rip


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## beachbum (Nov 27, 2006)

That's a nice tool!! Could be very useful. A lot easier than the scale thing after you know all the other weights.
david


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

The Sherline tool is very cool -have looked at it several times but it is hard to justify the cost and pull the trigger.

$123.42 at MCMaster Carr......

Map Guy


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## fspieg (Jul 31, 2006)

$99 + $14.95 shipping from http://www.discountcampus.com/cgi-bin/webc...html?catid=1102. Sure a lot easier and less pressure than doing it at the CAT scale with 10 trucks impatiently waiting.

Rick


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

fspieg said:


> $99 + $14.95 shipping from http://www.discountcampus.com/cgi-bin/webc...html?catid=1102. Sure a lot easier and less pressure than doing it at the CAT scale with 10 trucks impatiently waiting.
> 
> Rick


Boy I hear you on the impatiently waiting trucks!

Cool -any experience using this company?

Map Guy


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## fspieg (Jul 31, 2006)

I bought from them with no problem. They are an authorized dealer. It shipped direct from the factory.

Rick


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## skippershe (May 22, 2006)

Rip said:


> I will know anytime time I want what the tongue weight is!!!! I order this http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm The Rip


I've never seen or heard of one of those before. What a great safety tool








If they're all the same price for all sizes that they offer, which one do you go with?
I know my cargo weight in the 28krs is limited to 1,000 lbs, so I guess it would be 0-2000 lb scale.
Which one did you order?


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## map guy (Jan 11, 2007)

skippershe said:


> I will know anytime time I want what the tongue weight is!!!! I order this http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm The Rip


I've never seen or heard of one of those before. What a great safety tool








If they're all the same price for all sizes that they offer, which one do you go with?
I know my cargo weight in the 28krs is limited to 1,000 lbs, so I guess it would be 0-2000 lb scale.
Which one did you order?
[/quote]

That is the one I would buy, unless a big 5er is in your future!

Map Guy


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

2000 lb scale. The Rip


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## Doft (Jul 9, 2006)

Let me know how that scale works for you. I may get one also.

You know you could probably get tongue weights for people at rallies for a nominal fee (beer or other adult beverage)!










Jim


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## beachbum (Nov 27, 2006)

DW thanks you RIP!! My scale is on the way!! Safety item is the reason I used.
david











skippershe said:


> I will know anytime time I want what the tongue weight is!!!! I order this http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm The Rip


I've never seen or heard of one of those before. What a great safety tool








If they're all the same price for all sizes that they offer, which one do you go with?
I know my cargo weight in the 28krs is limited to 1,000 lbs, so I guess it would be 0-2000 lb scale.
Which one did you order?
[/quote]








Yeah, and since all of it is in the front, it goes on the tongue. To that you add batteries, propane and the stated 500 + lbs and the tongue weight of the roo's get heavy. 
david


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## Rip (Jul 13, 2006)

Got the SHERLINE Trailer Tongue Weight Scale and weight my trailer tongue today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I have a tongue weight of 1000 pounds this is with no fresh water!!!!







The Rip


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