Towing Small Trailer with HiTop Van - newbie

I have a 2004 Chevy G1500 Express Van conversion (Hi top) , 5.3 V8 with Tow/ Haul mode.

Specs:
GVWR:  7200
GAWR Front: 3600
GAWR Rear: 4000

It?s towing a 2015 Coachmen Apex Nano 151RB Hybrid with a nominal gross weight of about 3000 lbs. using an Andersen WDH with an 8? rise ? the hitch on the Chevy is really low, about 13? off the ground.

Took it to the local CAT scale.  Results:

Just the Van, two adults, full tank, about 200 lbs. of gear:
Front axle: 3400
Drive axle:  3220
Total: 6620

With the trailer attached (empty tanks), WDH connected:
Front axle: 3100
Drive Axle: 3880
Trailer Axle: 2900
Total weight on Van: 6980

If I?m figuring correctly, the total weight of the trailer is 3260, which is OK, as I found some gear the prior owner left under the dinette seat. . Since I?m not going to travel with full RV tanks and maybe another 100 lbs of gear more than I had at the scale, I?m under the max for the van, but not by much. Towing capacity for a 2004 Chevy cargo van 1500 (it?s shipped from Chevy as an empty cargo van to the van conversion company) is about 6400 lbs, but I?m more concerned about the total weight on the van.

Driving experience: No problem accelerating on the flat and maintaining highway speeds, but you can feel the trailer back there. Van seems to be OK on local hilly roads, but the big test will be getting to campgrounds on the Blue Ridge this summer.

Questions:
- Should the WDH be putting more weight on the front axle of the TV?
- If I keep the weights in the TV and trailer to what they are now, do you see any issues? It?s a pretty heavy van to begin with.
- Does anyone know what the GCWR is for this van, and what the rear axle ratio is? Can?t find info on the web.
- Any mods on the TV that you would recommend?

Thanks in advance. FYI, I look at this as my second RV. My first was / is a 1994 Eureka Equinox 6 tent that?s still going after 24 years.

The trailer tongue weight needs to be 10-12% of the  actual trailer loaded weight. Even 15% if you can manage that.  The more tongue weight you have, the less possibility of trailer sway.  You can increase trailer tongue weight up to the van's GVWR and rear axle weight limits. And yes, you can and probably should adjust the WD to shift more of the tongue weight to the van front axle. Get the manual for the WD hitch (most of online if you don't have the paper manual) and adjust.

You are missing the van GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating). I don't have a source for that, but you can look up the Max Tow Rating Limit in the Trailer Life tow guide for 2004 and that is essentially GCWR-GVWR. Close enough for this purpose.
http://www.trailerlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Trailer-Life-Towing-Guide-2004.pdf

That Nano should be no problem on a G1500, but do the arithmetic to be sure and know exactly where you stand.

Welcome to the Forum!

According to your weights, the TT weight is indeed 3260 and your tongue wt is 360.  That is 11% tongue wt.  You are okay, but a bit more is fine as well.

Remember only 10% - 15% of trailer weight ends up on the tongue, so you still have over 200#  that can be added to the van, or lots more in the TT.

* The front axle lost 300#, so the WD hitch may need tweaked, as Gary said.
*  If you keep the weights close to where they are, you should be fine.
*  With these weights, you should be well within GCWR.  When I have seen GCWR issues, the van was empty and the trailer was loaded to push the tongue wt right up to use all available payload / right at GVWR.  You are not close!
*  Do you have trailer brakes / trailer brake controller?  That is the only mod that comes to mind.

You have done your homework well!

Thanks for the quick replies,folks. The Andersen WDH uses chains to pull the bottom of the ball mount right against the trailer tongue. Spring action is provided by big urethane bushings that compress to equalize weight, reduce bounce and keep the ball stationary with respect to the tongue. Sway control is provided by a polymer collar between the ball and the the mount that goes into the tv receiver.

Confusing to describe - think I'll try to put a video up to show it. Makes the hitch lighter and easier to detach, but getting the weight distribution dialed in right takes a while.

Sway appears to be nonexistent, even in high winds with semis going past. No hitch noise. As others have noted, the wdh component seems to be the weakest link. Once I get it right, should be great.

Next step is to put a picture of the rig up and move weight to the front of the van and the trailer. ?

Forgot to mention the i do have a trailer brake controller installed.