Tongue Weight on 2619

I am interested in buying a used TrailManor 2619. After looking at the manufacturers specifications it appeared to be a good match for my 2002 Silverado K1500. I weighed my truck and found out that I had a little of 1100 pounds of weight carrying capacity. The dealer checked the tongue weight on the TrailManor and it weighed 700 pounds. I was surprised because the TrailManor brochure stated 351 pounds. However when you consider the weight of water, two batteries, and two propane tanks all in front of the axle it does seem to calculate out. This weight would put me a couple of hundred pounds over my GVWR, and I still have not taken into account the weight of the camping supplies that would be in the trailer. Has anyone checked their actual tongue weight? Does this tongue weight seem right? I would appreciate hearing from current owners.

[RockyMtnRay]

Originally Posted by roarin

I am interested in buying a used TrailManor 2619. After looking at the manufacturers specifications it appeared to be a good match for my 2002 Silverado K1500. I weighed my truck and found out that I had a little of 1100 pounds of weight carrying capacity. The dealer checked the tongue weight on the TrailManor and it weighed 700 pounds. I was surprised because the TrailManor brochure stated 351 pounds. However when you consider the weight of water, two batteries, and two propane tanks all in front of the axle it does seem to calculate out. This weight would put me a couple of hundred pounds over my GVWR, and I still have not taken into account the weight of the camping supplies that would be in the trailer. Has anyone checked their actual tongue weight? Does this tongue weight seem right? I would appreciate hearing from current owners.

I've had my 2720SL weighed twice at an RVSEF (RV Safety Education Foundation) weigh in. The RVSEF weighings don't include a specific tongue weight check but they do weigh the TV with and without the trailer hooked up. So although I don't have a definite tongue weight, there was enough data that I was able to derive an approximate calculated tongue weight of 650 lbs for my 2720SL.

Given the differences in trailer layout (my 2720SL has 2 heavy batteries behind the rear axle (lightening the tongue weight compared to a 2619), has the water tank directly over its axle (again lightening the the tongue), but also a front slide that is likely 70 to 100 lbs heavier than the 2619's front bed), I'd say that your 700 lb tongue weight is probably within 50 lbs of being a true weight.

As with all manufacturers, a TM's spec tongue weight is for a truely empty, no options, no cargo trailer...that means empty propane, empty water tanks, no awning, no AC (or any other factory option), no personal gear, and even no batteries (because batteries are a dealer installed item). As you accurately note, once those items are added, the tongue weight can easily zoom from 350 to 700 lbs. Just the 2 batteries are adding around 120 lbs to the tongue weight. 20 gallons of water...largely being carried on the tongue ...is another 168 lbs or so.

And finally, TM (like most RV makers) doesn't do a full reweigh of the trailer after each year's engineering changes. A change in materials or design (like slightly bigger or more windows) since the the last official weighing can alone add 40 or 50 lbs.

Thanks for confirming what I suspected. I really like the trailer however I am not sure I want to replace my truck. Being conservative I do not want to overload my vehicle. I was considering asking the dealer to reweigh the tongue. I thought if the trailer wasn't level an excessive amount of weight could have been transferred forward. However after considering the positioning of the axle and the kitchen, etc. I think the dealer is pretty close.

[fcatwo]

I'm on the other end of the weight predictions. I weighed (with two different bathroom scales) our 2619 tongue load with full propane bottles and one group 31 battery but no clothing, food etc and it came out at less than 350lbs -- 309 to be exact. We dont have AC, awning or microwave and our spare tire is on the rear bumper but I think you'll have to really add stuff to the front of the trailer to get it anywhere near 700lbs. We had a Chevy light-2500 (now 1500HD) pickup when we first picked the trailer up and the tongue weight dropped our rear bumper no more than 1'' with no WDH. I would suggest that you weigh that thing yourself before making any final decisions on setting up your truck. IMO there is no way your dealer would find 700lbs tongue load on an empty 2619. Just my $0.02 -- and I've been wrong before but having weighed ours I'm skeptical.

Thanks for your 2 cents fcatwo. I was surprised by the weight too. However the dealer did state that the water tank was full. It is located under the front dinette seat. Also the spare tire is located under the front half of the trailer. This trailer does have microwave and air conditioning. I probably should ask to have it reweighed.

[fcatwo]

You'll add food, pots/pans and clothing behind the axle which will offset some of that weight. The only way you'll know for sure is to load it and weigh it and, either way, your Chevy 1500PU is plenty of TV for a 2619 regardless of the tongue weight.

I have a 2005 TM 2720. I tow it with a 2002 Silverado 1500HD 4x4, which is a little bigger than your TV.

In July 2005 I weighed it. Knowing that I would be weighing it for the first time on this particular trip I loaded heavy. Full of water (40+6), all the equipment I own, etc.

The axle of the TM was 3380 pounds. I did not weigh the tongue, but I remember that the axle weight of each of the 3 axles was pretty much the same. All were between 3200 and 3400 pounds.

I had some cargo in the bed of the truck. Tools, generator. Most stuff was in the TM.

I have also measured the sag when hooking up the TM. I have not more than a one inch drop when attaching the TM.

fwiw, in a conversation with the factory they advised me that I should not use a WD hich as I had no need for it with my truck.

Wayne,

I have a 2007 Avalanche and have been debating whther I need a WDH or not. I'm thinking that I will tow my 2720 without a WDH or sway control system when it comes in a few weeks down the road. Thanks for your inout. It helps with the decision process.

[wbmiller3]

When I got my new TV (2003 Expedition) I weighed everything at a truck scale. Trailer and TV were empty except for full propane and about 75% of a tank of gas in the truck. We have side AC, no awning, and no TV antenna on the trailer, otherwise stock.

The axle weights for the truck by itself were front: 2980; rear: 2960 - total 5940.

With the trailer the weights were front: 2820; rear: 3080; trailer: 2760 - total 8660. This gives a TV axle weight of 5900 or 40 pounds less. The trailer seems to weigh 2720 pounds.

So, it appears my WDH transferred negative 40 pounds to my TV. That didn't make sense to me but I am not sure what the accuracy of these eighteen wheeler scales are, and at $7 a pop I didn't want to re-weigh.

About all I took away from this was that the manufacturer weights on my truck and trailer were in the ballpark of what they publish.

[Bill]

One more data point

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=3144

Bill