Question on trailer weight distribution?

[tjc1989]

I am going to be pulling a 27 foot Wells Cargo enclosed trailer soon, and I have some questions or would like to hear some of your experiences with weight distribution. My trailer has the axles located approximately 5/8 of the length toward the rear. I will be pulling with a 2000 F250 PSD, 2 WD. I guess I am trying to find out how much weight to put on the tongue, as it looks like it would be very easy to have excess weight on the front of the trailer, because of the location of the axles. How much is excess weight, and what should I be shooting for? When have you experienced adverse handling? Thanks in advance for advice and comments.

[jstrauss]

"Adverse handling" has only happened to me when I have had too much weight on the rear of the trailer. I like to put down as much tongue weight as my truck can stand, never had a problem when doing that.

[Ford_Forgotton]

Ive read between 10 and 20 percent of the total load should be on the tongue. SO between 1,000 and 2,000 lbs if your total load is 10,000lbs.

And yes, if your too TAIL HEAVY, your asking for problems. The trailer will start to sway, and next thin you know, you've either jack-knifed, or ROLLED!

Usually, you roll. I've seen too many roll-overs from loading the rear too heavy.

Also, what is your trailer rated for? twin axles? or triple axles? 3500 or 5000lb axles?

Say you have two 5k axles (such as my 20ft enclosed has). Thats 10k of load, but the trailer weighs 3k, so really, I can only load 7k into the cargo area.

I then try to put about 1500-2000lbs on the tongue (15-20% total load, including trailer), and then use my weight distribution bars to put some of that load onto the front of the truck.

[AgeOfEmpires]

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"Adverse handling" has only happened to me when I have had too much weight on the rear of the trailer. I like to put down as much tongue weight as my truck can stand, never had a problem when doing that.

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Probably trying to carry too many Dr. Peppers or too many buddies to see the Longhorns. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] (Don't you ever check your e-mail?)

[jstrauss]

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(Don't you ever check your e-mail?)

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Uh, yeah, all day about every 10 minutes. You are probably being spam-filtered. Send me a PM.

[AgeOfEmpires]

I tried. It said you weren't accepting PM's.

[jstrauss]

You are not accepting PMs either, so that must be the default because I didn't know that was an option. I can accept PMs now, tho.

[SmokeyWren]

On a tag trailer, you want at least 10 percent of the gross trailer weight on the hitch. 12 percent is ideal. 14 to 15 percent is okay. I wouldn't go over 15 percent.

Gooseneck or 5th wheel trailer is different. Minimum of 15 percent, ideal is 18 to 20 percent, and max is 25 percent on the hitch.

Ideally, you would get ready for the trip, then weigh the wet and loaded tow vehicle, including driver and passenger(s), but without the trailer. Get the front and rear axle weights, and add them together to get gross vehicle weight (GVW).

Then hook on the trailer and weigh it again - without the weight-distribution bars hooked up. Get weights of front and rear truck axles and trailer axles.

With-trailer GVW of the tow vehicle minus no-trailer GVW of the tow vehicle = hitch weight. Hitch weight plus trailer axle weight = trailer gross weight.

Then use the numbers to be sure you have 10 percent or more hitch weight. When the hitch weight is right, then hook up the weight-distribution bars to transfer some of the weight off the rear truck axle. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/warmsmile.gif[/img]

[larry_minn]

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You are not accepting PMs either, so that must be the default because I didn't know that was an option. I can accept PMs now, tho.

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I thought you guys were guys..... Do you really think you should be talking about PMS in this thread? [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]