Actual Weight with WDH

[Barb&Tim]

Thanks for posting your numbers BigBear

Your weight distribution numbers are interesting.

[Mr. Adventure]

Originally Posted by BigBear

...I was surprised how much of the wdh tongue load that was transferred to
the trailer axle ( nearly 200 lbs when WDH fully on). This suggests that the
only way that you could probably fully load the trailer up to the 4200 lb GVW
(with the 14 inch 3520 lb tires) is if you had something like a large truck
and did not need a weight distribution hitch. Then you could have a large
tongue load of say 600 to 700 lbs and keep the trailer axle weight to
less than the 3520 lbs.

Congratulations on being on the road and within all of your ratings. The margins you have provide flexibility by making adjustments in load distribution and the WDH.

Without the WDH, your 463# tongue would take 220# off the TV front and put 683# on the rear axle!

Your WDH set "tight" is probably more actual load distribution than any I remember seeing here. Since this makes you lightly loaded on the TV rear axle and puts more on the trailer axle than you want to, a link or two less might give you a better ride and a bit more capacity in the trailer.

Thanks for posting your numbers!

Thanks. Since I readjusted my hitchball, I think I have my WDH hitch a little bit looser now. For the record, I actually did weigh the truck and trailer with one link less, 3 links instead of 4 and these were the results of tongue distribution with all 3 settings.
Chain setting 0-Loose 3-links 4 links
Front -220 0 132 lbs
Rear 683 264 132
Trailer 0 132 198

I drove out to the scales on the freeway about 1/2 hour with the chains set on 4 and drove back with the chains set on 3 (no additional weight on front wheels) and I found that the steering felt a bit loose with the 3 links so I think in future I would shoot for something more than 3 links but perhaps not as much as the 4. The setup feels more stable with the 4 links than the 3.

[Mr. Adventure]

Stability is a big deal, and if it feels good, that's a good sign. In you rig, you can carry heavy things in the TV to lighten the load in the trailer. I'd also think about traveling with only a little water to reduce the trailer load, and fill up close to the destination when dry camping.