A litte different Weight Distribution Question...?

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Rottweiler

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Joined
Aug 8, 2005
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I've got a 2004 R-Vision Trail-Cruiser 19 RDB TT.  I just picked it up recently, but haven't loaded it the way I plan as of yet.

What I plan on doing is putting my 2005 Polaris 700 EFI ATV in the back of the truck.  The machine with winch, accessories, etc. probably weighs around 900 pounds...plus some gas cans in the back of the truck.  The specified tongue weight on the trailer empty is 346 pounds.

I plan on buying a Weight Distribution type hitch as well as sway control bar.  I was going to go with the 1000 pound Distribution hitch.

What I would like to do is build a mount on the rear of the TT to hold my Honda EU3000is Generator and possibly a couple of extra gas cans.  I'm an engineer, so I figured out the mount that will be welded to the rear bumper and about 3 inches of the frame.  I can do it with either the spare tire on there or move the spare tire to the front and build a custom mount.  The weight of the generator is 134 pounds without gas.  The mount will probably weigh around 75 pounds.  So lets say about 250 pounds on the rear with generator and mount.

Do you think the 1000# Weight Distribution setup will work well in this situation, or what suggestions do you have.  I do not want to put the Generator inside the TT as I don't want any gas smell and it would be harder for me to get in and out of the TT.  Moving the tire to the front would save on some weight off the rear.  Just wondering what you guys think, will this work, what are your suggestions.

thanks,
dave
 
Also forgot to say, I'm towing with a 2002 Ford F250 4x4 Powerstroke....Crew Cab, short bed
 
Rottweiler said:
I've got a 2004 R-Vision Trail-Cruiser 19 RDB TT.? I just picked it up recently, but haven't loaded it the way I plan as of yet.

What I plan on doing is putting my 2005 Polaris 700 EFI ATV in the back of the truck.? The machine with winch, accessories, etc. probably weighs around 900 pounds...plus some gas cans in the back of the truck.? The specified tongue weight on the trailer empty is 346 pounds.

I plan on buying a Weight Distribution type hitch as well as sway control bar.? I was going to go with the 1000 pound Distribution hitch.

What I would like to do is build a mount on the rear of the TT to hold my Honda EU3000is Generator and possibly a couple of extra gas cans.? I'm an engineer, so I figured out the mount that will be welded to the rear bumper and about 3 inches of the frame.? I can do it with either the spare tire on there or move the spare tire to the front and build a custom mount.? The weight of the generator is 134 pounds without gas.? The mount will probably weigh around 75 pounds.? So lets say about 250 pounds on the rear with generator and mount.

Do you think the 1000# Weight Distribution setup will work well in this situation, or what suggestions do you have.? I do not want to put the Generator inside the TT as I don't want any gas smell and it would be harder for me to get in and out of the TT.? Moving the tire to the front would save on some weight off the rear.? Just wondering what you guys think, will this work, what are your suggestions.

thanks,
dave
Click to expand...

Couple of thoughts. 

First, you are loading a lot of stuff on your rig.  You may be hitting GCVWR problems.  Do you have the GCVWR for your rig?  You can find it at the Trailer Life website.

Secondly, you are loading significant weight on the wrong end of your trailer.  Since you are an engineer you might want to figger out what the moment arm of the added weight behind the axles is going to do to the tongue weight of the trailer.  A tail heavy trailer is an unstable trailer.  You want tongue weight to be in the range of 11-16% of the loaded trailer weight.
 
Carl has provided some excellent advise.  be careful any time you exceed any of the weight ratings or improberly load you are asking for trouble and possibly placing your self and others on the highway in danger.
 
I'm not even close to hitting the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating...if you know about light trailers, they weigh alittle, but still have higher Gross weight ratings....I can load almost 2000 pounds on the trailer.  I did do a calculation on the rear hitch/mount, which would only take approximately 53 pounds off of the hitch/tongue......my estimate on my tongue addition from the ATV/gas in the bed of the trailer is about 400-450 pounds added to the tongue.

So, with the original tongue weight unloaded of 346 pounds and a max added 450 from the truck, that comes out to 796....minus 50 from the rear hitch, would make it 736 pounds....to be on the safe side of measurements I've read here and other places, you want to add 200 pounds to get the correct WD Spring rating.  So I figured 1000 pound WD Spring Bars was about right. 

I believe from my advice from some other people and the manufacturers recommendation is that 1000 pounds should be considered max and with a Spring Bar going down light to 600 pounds was good, also if using a Trunnion bar, you can go down to 500 pounds on the tongue with a 1000 pound max...

I appreciate everyones thoughts, but still need some answers.  I emailed one of the manufacturers and will be calling them.

thanks
 
Rottweiler said:
I'm not even close to hitting the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating...if you know about light trailers, they weigh alittle, but still have higher Gross weight ratings....I can load almost 2000 pounds on the trailer.? I did do a calculation on the rear hitch/mount, which would only take approximately 53 pounds off of the hitch/tongue......my estimate on my tongue addition from the ATV/gas in the bed of the trailer is about 400-450 pounds added to the tongue.
Click to expand...

The GCVWR, gross combined vehicle weight rating I was referring to is that of the truck, not the trailer.  It is the top limit for the weight of the trailer + the weight of the truck +  the weight of the payloads in the truck and the trailer.  You will find the rating for your 4WD truck on the Trailer Life website.
 
Carl Lundquist said:
The GCVWR, gross combined vehicle weight rating I was referring to is that of the truck, not the trailer.? ?It is the top limit for the weight of the trailer + the weight of the truck +? the weight of the payloads in the truck and the trailer.? ?You will find the rating for your 4WD truck on the Trailer Life website.
Click to expand...

Sorry Carl, I was reading alittle too quickly from work.....The listed value on Trialer Life is 12,500d for Conventional.

I've been thinking about what you guys are saying, even though I built the upper part of the mount, I'm starting to dislike the idea of throwing the balance out, i.e. less tongue weight by mounting on the rear.? What do you think about building a small mount on the front A frame above the battery and propane tanks (20 lb'ers) that would be removable?? I have a design in mind.? I would probably add about 175 pounds on the tongue by doing so, not too much for my vehicle, etc.

BTW, I have a 2002 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4x4 7.3 Turbo Diesel.? If my estimations are correct, adding the weight to the front would probably be easier to control via the WD hitch and sway bar.
 
What do you think about building a small mount on the front A frame above the battery and propane tanks (20 lb'ers) that would be removable?
Click to expand...

Damned if I know.  I was a manager, not an engineer.  ;D
 
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