Hitch Weight Help

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stevem4134

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Apr 23, 2010
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stevem4134
Hello, I am currently looking for a toy hauler as my first RV purchase. I have two options for the actual motorcycle storage location. I know that, if the motorcycle was stored in the front, more weight would be transferred to the hitch and if the motorcycle was stored in the back weight would be on the hitch. Is there a way to calculate the amount of weight that would be on the hitch when the motorcycle (800 lb) is stored in either the front of back garages?
 
The simplest explanation is to think of the centerline of the trailer axles as a pivot.  You will remove weight according to the ratio of the distance from the weight to the axle centerline and distance from the axle centerline to the hitch.

For example, if you put weight 10 ft. behind the axles and have 20 ft. from the axles to the hitch,  1/2 of the weight you put at the rear will be lifted from the front.  800 lbs at the rear should remove 400 lbs. from the hitch weight.

If you have a 1:3 ratio (10 ft. behind, 30 ft. to the hitch) you'll remove 1/3 of the weight (266 lbs) from the hitch, etc.

I think, but I'm not sure, that the weight you add to the back, plus the weight you remove from the hitch will be added to the axles.  In the first example you'll add 1200 lbs to the axle weight (800 lbs + 400 lbs).  The second example will add 1066 lbs to the axle weight (800 lbs + 266 lbs).  Perhaps someone with more of a physics background can verify this?

Same thing holds for weight forward of the axles - the ratio of the distance from the axle centerline to the weight vs. the distance from the axles to the hitch determines the percentage of weight that is transferred to each.

800 lbs 10 ft. forward of the axles, with 30 ft from axles to hitch will transfer 1/3 of the weight forward - 266 lbs.  The remainder will be carried by the axles.
 
Why calculate?  Get yourself one of the little Sherline scales and measure tongue weight directly.

http://www.sherline.com/lm.htm

They are relatively cheap, small, and accurate.  Mine cost about $100 a few years back.  They are similar to those used in weighing and balancing small aircraft.
 

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