Hitch capacity and WDH question

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
thoffland

thoffland

Member
Joined
Jun 22, 2019
Posts
11
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Just went and looked at the trailer we were interested in and saw another with a floorplan that we really liked, a Micro Minnie 2306BHS. (Murphy Bed) Of course the sales guy said I could tow it, but I mentioned that the hitch weight was going to be too much for my 720 hitch limit on our vehicle because I'd already done the math. He stated that with a weight distribution hitch, that it would remove some of the weight and we would be fine with that.

I cannot seem to google an absolute answer yet, so thought I'd ask the experts here. All I'm finding is that it evenly distributes the load, but doesn't increase the tongue weight capacity.

If the GWVR is 7000 then: (without the added weight of the WDH yet)

7000 X .15 = 1050lbs which is way over my 720 tongue weight limit.

Will a weight distribution hitch actually reduce that tongue weight to something more manageable? Or should I stick with looking for something lighter?

Thanks again for the help! (more to come I'm sure)
 
You should post what tow vehicle you have and where you obtained the tongue weight limit.  Some receivers have two figures one with and one without weight distribution.
 
No, the hitch itself cannot reduce the hitch weight or the hitch capacity, all it does is redistribute some of the weight forward to the front axle. Loading of the trailer can accomplish lowering the hitch weight by unloading a tiny bit but remember you require will 10-12% of the total trailer weight on the ball in all cases to tow a well behaved trailer. The weights stamped on the trailer hitch itself are only one of the limitations you are likely to encounter as you plan this.


For planning purposes we always recommend you use the GVWR of the trailer to calculate the hitch weight and the load on the tow vehicle of any proposed trailer, at least until your setup can be weighed. You will probably never tow that weight but using that number will build in a comfortable safety margin into your calculations.
 
The hitch receiver on your tow vehicle has two ratings, one with WD and one without (called WC - Weight Carrying). You must stay within that limit.  The hitch capability with WD is larger than with without it (WC only), but the total load on the tow vehicle doesn't change (see next paragraph).

The key point is that the total trailer tongue weight gets carried by the tow vehicle whether WD is used or not. WD can alter the proportion of that weight that falls on the rear axle (by shifting some of it to the front axle), but the total doesn't change. If that 720 you calculated is based on the Max Payload Rating (CCC), that limit remains. If that 720 was calculated based on rear axle loading or some other factor, maybe it doesn't apply with WD in use.
 
Thanks everyone, so much to learn... I got the hitch weight from my owners manual but will go look at the hitch for the WD and WC weights. Thanks for pointing that out, I wouldn't have thought to look there.

Unfortunately, this trailer wont work out it seems. I plugged it into my spreadsheet and while the hitch weight as shown on the brochure says 495, once I load it up a with only 565lbs it seems my hitch weight goes up to 724lbs if I'm basing that on 15% of the weight (trailer/cargo combined). I'm sure I'll put more than that in there.

Plus the GCWR will be almost 200lbs over, and length is a bit too long for my wheelbase.

I wish I had an F250 or 2500 sitting in my driveway...
 
lynnmor said:
You should post what tow vehicle you have and where you obtained the tongue weight limit.  Some receivers have two figures one with and one without weight distribution.
Click to expand...

Thanks Lynnmor, it's a 2013 Dodge Durango 5.7L Hemi. I got the tongue weight from the owners manual (or possibly the Dodge website). I'll put this in my signature for future use.  :)

 
Alfa38User said:
No, the hitch itself cannot reduce the hitch weight or the hitch capacity, all it does is redistribute some of the weight forward to the front axle. Loading of the trailer can accomplish lowering the hitch weight by unloading a tiny bit but remember you require will 10-12% of the total trailer weight on the ball in all cases to tow a well behaved trailer. The weights stamped on the trailer hitch itself are only one of the limitations you are likely to encounter as you plan this.


For planning purposes we always recommend you use the GVWR of the trailer to calculate the hitch weight and the load on the tow vehicle of any proposed trailer, at least until your setup can be weighed. You will probably never tow that weight but using that number will build in a comfortable safety margin into your calculations.
Click to expand...

Thanks Alfa38User,

Right now I've created a spreadsheet which includes the weight and limits of my truck, as well as the weights and limits of the trailer. I've attached an image of the calculations of the 2306BHS I looked at yesterday for reference. Anything I may be missing in there?

Hitch weight is what is on the brochure
Est. Hitch weight is 15% of brochure, plus my cargo (which tallies as I add more to the trailer)
GVWR hitch weight is 15% of the GVWR of the trailer as on the brochure

Red is bad, green is good. Yellow is numbers I can alter without screwing up my formulas.  ;D
 

Attachments

  • measurements.PNG
    measurements.PNG
    10.8 KB · Views: 11
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 1,514 (members: 32, guests: 1,482)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,974
Posts
1,388,516
Members
137,723
Latest member
CarlSpackler
Back
Top Bottom