Hitch Weight...

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

I'm confused by the hitch weight number located on the sheets for the trailers we are looking at.  Does that number include the weight of the battery and FULL propane tanks?  For example, one TT we are looking at the "hitch weight" is 780.  The "tongue weight" for our TV is 910.  Is 780 too much?  I know it's less than 910, but don't we have to add the weight of the actual hitch (in our case we're purchasing a ProPride which is around 200 lbs) to the 780?  

 

We're confused by this.  Also confused that you can have three trailers and the shortest/lightest of the three can actually have the heaviest "hitch weight".  

 

Don't quite get it...    

[TN22.....Brady 22]

It is my understanding the "hitch weight" of the TT is the dry weight, meaning no battery, no propane tanks. With a maximum hitch weight of your TV being 910, that tells me the maximum weight it should be pulling is no more than 9100# (10% of total trailer weight should be hitch weight). This leads me to believe you are approaching the maximum weight your TV can handle. I am certainly no expert on this, and this is only my opinion, it is not the amount of weight you can pull, but how quickly you can stop the weight you are pulling. I have witnessed first hand a passenger van towing a large boat and while attempting to abruptly stop ramming the vehicle in front of it, only because he was pushed into it by the boat he was pulling.

 

I had never thought about the actual hitch being included into the total hitch weight calculation, but it seems logical that should be added along with Propane tanks, battery, and anything you stuff in the front storage compartment.

 

Does the shortest lightest one happen to be a single axle? 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Does the shortest lightest one happen to be a single axle? 

 

No, they are have double axles.  The lightest trailer (5735 dry weight) is 33 feet with a hitch weight of 780.

[TN22.....Brady 22]

I know the standard calculation is 10-15% of dry weight is supposed to be recommended hitch weight, so that is certainly within range. I always use 10% just to be conservative but it does seem high based on my experience. Our previous TT was 6600 pounds dry weight dual axle, no slides and the hitch weight was under 600 pounds. Our new TT is 9945# and has a hitch weight of 940#.

Are there front slides on the models you are looking at? Maybe that is adding the additional weight. Hopefully others will chime in.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

Floor plans and slide placement all will have a affect on hitch weights as will options and where they are, it's real fun trying to figure all this isn't it

[keith_h 420]

Along with the hitch weight not including batteries or propane tanks it also doesn't include the weight of any options, fresh water, or waste water that is in front of the axles. An example is my fresh water tank is in the front of the trailer. If I were to fill it before a trip it would add about 343 pounds to my hitch weight which is why we only fill it at our destination and empty before leaving. While not a lot of weight our television, Bluray player, pots and pans add to another 30 lbs since they are all in front of the axle.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Floor plans and slide placement all will have a affect on hitch weights as will options and where they are, it's real fun trying to figure all this isn't it

 

NO... we are so confused.  We thought we had a grasp on it:  our plan was to keep the total around 80% of our tow capacity (9100#).  So we figured the dry weight plus people, clothes, scooters, toys, food, propane (no water/sewer as we tow empty) should stay right around 7280 lbs.  With the dry weight of this one trailer being 5735, that left us 1545 lbs (1345 lbs after adding the hitch) which seemed doable... then we noticed the tongue weight and are now concerned that when we add the weight of the ProPride that to the hitch that we'll do some damage somewhere.  Not actually sure what "tongue weight" means... but I'm guessing it means if you put too much there that you'll damage something??

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Propane tanks... I googled it and found out that a 30 lb propane tank weighs about 55 lbs when full; because the water heaters in the TT we are looking at run off electric as well, we're only planning to fill one tank so we can save 55 lbs on weight.  Last year we only went through one tank with 30 nights of camping with a water heater that ran off gas.

[dblr....Rennie 224]

There is another way you would not have to worry about weight issue but buying a bigger tow vehicle is out of the question :rofl3: besides when we did that we ended up getting a bigger 5th wheel, again and again and again.

[PGHFiend 140]

Max tongue weight changes with a weight distribution hitch. Is the 910 the number on the hitch or in the tv owners manual? Did you say you had an Armada?

[TN22.....Brady 22]

There is another way you would not have to worry about weight issue but buying a bigger tow vehicle is out of the question :rofl3: besides when we did that we ended up getting a bigger 5th wheel, again and again and again.

yes, such a vicious cycle, one in which I seem to be caught in as well

[PGHFiend 140]

I double checked, 910 is max. Ok then, I'd say look for a tt that is no more than 7000 pounds. Also, when you load for a trip, put everything behind the axles and that should help - don't load it to the roof, but I've even read of people filling fresh water tanks or even waste tanks to offset weight.

[desiphil 7]

ProPride huh? What made you decide on that versus the much less expensive options?  Hitch weight ratings and hitch weight itself changes drastically once you throw any weight distribution hitch in the mix. 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

There is another way you would not have to worry about weight issue but buying a bigger tow vehicle is out of the question :rofl3: besides when we did that we ended up getting a bigger 5th wheel, again and again and again.

 

Oh gosh... I need to keep Tom away from you.  We don't have the money right now but, if we ever do, my husband would LOVE your set up :)   

 

I double checked, 910 is max. Ok then, I'd say look for a tt that is no more than 7000 pounds. Also, when you load for a trip, put everything behind the axles and that should help - don't load it to the roof, but I've even read of people filling fresh water tanks or even waste tanks to offset weight.

 

We're looking at TT that all have dry weights under 6000 lbs.  I don't actually pack a whole heck of a lot, because I don't want to unpack a lot :)   Clothes and food are all pretty light and my "dishes" are paper plates.  I'm confused on how filling a tank will help offset the weight.  I think I'm missing something.  When I think of hitch/tongue weight (they are the same thing, correct??) I think of weight period.  So if the hitch weight of the trailer is 780 lbs and then we add the ProPride hitch at 200 lbs... don't when then have a hitch weight of (at least) 980??

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

ProPride huh? What made you decide on that versus the much less expensive options?  Hitch weight ratings and hitch weight itself changes drastically once you throw any weight distribution hitch in the mix. 

 

Our wheelbase is short at 123" so we wanted a strong hitch as we move up to a heavier/longer TT.

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

Oh gosh... I need to keep Tom away from you.  We don't have the money right now but, if we ever do, my husband would LOVE your set up :)   

 

 

We're looking at TT that all have dry weights under 6000 lbs.  I don't actually pack a whole heck of a lot, because I don't want to unpack a lot :)   Clothes and food are all pretty light and my "dishes" are paper plates.  I'm confused on how filling a tank will help offset the weight.  I think I'm missing something.  When I think of hitch/tongue weight (they are the same thing, correct??) I think of weight period.  So if the hitch weight of the trailer is 780 lbs and then we add the ProPride hitch at 200 lbs... don't when then have a hitch weight of (at least) 980??

Depends on where your water tanks are, if they are in the back of the trailer, then adding weight behind the axle, actually lowers the hitch weight. It's all about balance

[PGHFiend 140]

If you are looking at a trailer with a hitch weight of 780 pounds, in theory the tt should weigh in at 7800. What is the light weight? Can you list the model number so I can help?

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Here is what the sheet says, trailer is 33' :

 

Water Capacity - Black: 38 Water Capacity - Fresh: 32 Water Capacity - Grey: 38

# Air Conditioners: 1

Air Conditioner Spec: 15K

GVW: 7,780

Dry Weight: 5,735

Payload Capacity: 2,045

Hitch Weight: 780

# of Slideouts: 1

[Disneyfrank 4]

just keep in mind that a nose heavy trailer will handle better than a tail heavy one.  just think of the axels as a fulcrum (see-saw) , a couple hundred pounds a foot or two in front of or behind the axels will translate into only a minor gain/loss to tongue weights but increase distance and the affect increases.  hitches usually have two ratings, one w/o WD and one with.  WD usually increases tongue weight by 50-60%.  not knowing your exact vehicle but reading someone said armada, aftermarket hitches class 3 are listed as 600/6000 w/o WD and 1000/10000 with WD

[Disneyfrank 4]

just keep in mind that a nose heavy trailer will handle better than a tail heavy one.  just think of the axels as a fulcrum (see-saw) , a couple hundred pounds a foot or two in front of or behind the axels will translate into only a minor gain/loss to tongue weights but increase distance and the affect increases.  hitches usually have two ratings, one w/o WD and one with.  WD usually increases tongue weight by 50-60%.  not knowing your exact vehicle but reading someone said armada, aftermarket hitches class 3 are listed as 600/6000 w/o WD and 1000/10000 with WD

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Another trailer we are considering is 32':

 

Hitch weight:  737 (we are going to move the spare tire to back to reduce some of this)

Dry weight:  5932

GVWR:  7700

Cargo space:  1768

Fresh water:  49 gal

Black water:  33 gal

Grey water:  33 gal

 

 

 

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

just keep in mind that a nose heavy trailer will handle better than a tail heavy one.  just think of the axels as a fulcrum (see-saw) , a couple hundred pounds a foot or two in front of or behind the axels will translate into only a minor gain/loss to tongue weights but increase distance and the affect increases.  hitches usually have two ratings, one w/o WD and one with.  WD usually increases tongue weight by 50-60%.  not knowing your exact vehicle but reading someone said armada, aftermarket hitches class 3 are listed as 600/6000 w/o WD and 1000/10000 with WD

 

We have a class IV hitch...

[PGHFiend 140]

Hitch weight listed above is the max that the trailer a frame tongue will carry . That trailer should have a tongue weight empty of 570 or less. You would be 100 percent ok with that trailer on your tow vehicle. Also, don't forget all of these numbers are lawyer mandated. Look at all of the old ford Ltd ' s pulling campers in the old fort pics all over this site. Those old cars didn't even have frame hitches! The trailer you listed also had a payload of over a ton, you'll never hit max. I'd say I have MAYBE 500 pounds of stuff in our 5th wheel and it's packed. Add your propane tanks, and hitch, you're still ok.

Also about the filling of tanks mentioned above, if your water or holding tanks are behind the axles, filling one will act as a counter balance. Think of the axles as the pivot of a see saw.

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Hitch weight listed above is the max that the trailer a frame tongue will carry . That trailer should have a tongue weight empty of 570 or less. You would be 100 percent ok with that trailer on your tow vehicle. Also, don't forget all of these numbers are lawyer mandated. Look at all of the old ford Ltd ' s pulling campers in the old fort pics all over this site. Those old cars didn't even have frame hitches! The trailer you listed also had a payload of over a ton, you'll never hit max. I'd say I have MAYBE 500 pounds of stuff in our 5th wheel and it's packed. Add your propane tanks, and hitch, you're still ok.

Also about the filling of tanks mentioned above, if your water or holding tanks are behind the axles, filling one will act as a counter balance. Think of the axles as the pivot of a see saw.

 

Which trailer would you go with:

 

Option A

33'

Hitch weight 780

Dry Weight: 5,735

GVW: 7,780

Payload Capacity: 2,045

 

or 

 

Option B

32'

Hitch weight:  737 (we are going to move the spare tire to back to reduce some of this)

Dry weight:  5932

GVWR:  7700

Cargo space:  1768

[PGHFiend 140]

On paper they are nearly identical. I'd go with whatever one you like the best, that has the heaviest axles ( 5 or 6 lug). I'd make sure it's aluminum framed and I'd be prepared for getting 6 to 7 mpg.

Isn't camping fun?!?