Trailer capacity

[MESSMAKER]

I thought I understood this but I recently have gotten some different views. My truck has plenty of romm but my trailer is close when loaded. Do you subtract tongue weight from the total load as it is being carried by the to vehicle.
EXample- 7000lb GVWR 2000 lb trailer +5500lb load =7500 which would be overloaded our do you subtract (About 10% or 750lb) which puts me at 6750lb.
I had always calculated load + trailer weight.

 

[4570Man]

I think as long as the load plus trailer weight is equal to or less than the axel capacity plus the hitch weight than you’re good.

 

[Shaneard]

GVWR is trailer and load combined. Think of it like your paycheck, the trailer and load is your gross but the net is what you bring home or off load from your trailer at your destination. You don't deduct anything from your weights. You don't deduct your tongue weight either, if you unhook your trailer and drive off the tongue weight is still with the trailer.

 

[RickB]

GVWR is trailer and load combined. Think of it like your paycheck, the trailer and load is your gross but the net is what you bring home or off load from your trailer at your destination. You don't deduct anything from your weights. You don't deduct your tongue weight either, if you unhook your trailer and drive off the tongue weight is still with the trailer.

If you unhook the trailer the tongue weight is on the jack, not the axles. The tongue weight is carried by the tow vehicle.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Plus the hitch weight? I was told the exact opposite by two different people. I looked through the web and it seemed to be a grey area. I saw it stated that trailer weight was what that is being carried by the trailer. He explained that the tongue weight is carried by the tow vehicle. He further explained that the tongue weight would go against the payload of the tow vehicle and not the trailer.It should mot be counted against both. It made sense, but goes against what I thought I knew.

 

[RickB]

Plus the hitch weight? I was told the exact opposite by two different people. I looked through the web and it seemed to be a grey area. I saw it stated that trailer weight was what that is being carried by the trailer. He explained that the tongue weight is carried by the tow vehicle. He further explained that the tongue weight would go against the payload of the tow vehicle and not the trailer.It should mot be counted against both. It made sense, but goes against what I thought I knew.

I worded that poorly. I’m in agreement with what you have heard and will edit.

 

[orezok]

A 7000# trailer will typically have 2 3500# axles. That means that together they will carry 7000#. BUT and additional 750 to 1000# is carried by the TV. Legally, you can load a 7000# trailer to approx 8000# and it will pass a weigh check by DMV.

 

[MESSMAKER]

Thank you.

 

[Shaneard]

Here's a good tongue weight calculator.
Dangerous Trailer Loads: How to Determine if You Are Hauling a Safe Weight

 

[Shaneard]

A 7000# trailer will typically have 2 3500# axles. That means that together they will carry 7000#. BUT and additional 750 to 1000# is carried by the TV. Legally, you can load a 7000# trailer to approx 8000# and it will pass a weigh check by DMV.

Before you go overloading a trailer you need to check the weight rating on the trailer tires.

 

[Shaneard]

If you unhook the trailer the tongue weight is on the jack, not the axles. The tongue weight is carried by the tow vehicle.

I understand what you're saying BUT the weight is shared between the axle(s) on the trailer and the axle(s) on the tow vehicle distributed through the frame/tongue of the trailer to the hitch/frame/axle of the tow vehicle. Just because the vehicle gets the brunt of the tongue weight doesn't mean it's still not part of the trailer weight.

 

[RickB]

I understand what you're saying BUT the weight is shared between the axle(s) on the trailer and the axle(s) on the tow vehicle distributed through the frame/tongue of the trailer to the hitch/frame/axle of the tow vehicle. Just because the vehicle gets the brunt of the tongue weight doesn't mean it's still not part of the trailer weight.

The vehicle doesn’t carry he brunt of the tongue weight, it carries all of it.
I took this to be a regulatory question, not a physics exercise. When the cops scale a truck & trailer they weigh the axles. They don’t unhook the trailer and weigh the axles and jack foot or trailer coupler.

 

[4570Man]

My last Bigtex trailer was rated from the manufacturer at over 18,000 payload. It’s impossible to obtain that figure without using hitch weight. The trailer weighed 5500 with double 10k axels.

 

[Shaneard]

The vehicle doesn’t carry he brunt of the tongue weight, it carries all of it.
I took this to be a regulatory question, not a physics exercise. When the cops scale a truck & trailer they weigh the axles. They don’t unhook the trailer and weigh the axles and jack foot or trailer coupler.

It's definitely not a physics exercise. It's obvious neither of us knows anything about physics :thumbsup:

 

[rusty842]

DOT is going to go by axle weight. So in that case, the tongue weight would be on the Tow vehicle and not the trailer. You could have all weight up front on a goose neck and be nowhere close to the trailer axle capacity but the rear axle of the truck could be overweight.

 

[CADplans]

As far as tongue weight,,
What happens to tongue weight going up a hill?
What happens to tongue weight going down a hill?
What happens to tongue weight when you travel on a rough road?
What happens to tongue weight during acceleration?
What happens to tongue weight during braking??

If you are operating the truck/trailer that close to a weight rating when measured in a static condition,,
YOU ARE OVERLOADING THE EQUIPMENT!!

That is just my opinion,,,:thumbsup:

 

[jaxs]

On rare occasions I've approached max GVW,I deducted tongue weight beleiveing rig would pass if weighed.

 

[snymat68]

 

[Shaneard]

As far as tongue weight,,
What happens to tongue weight going up a hill?
What happens to tongue weight going down a hill?
What happens to tongue weight when you travel on a rough road?
What happens to tongue weight during acceleration?
What happens to tongue weight during braking??

If you are operating the truck/trailer that close to a weight rating when measured in a static condition,,
YOU ARE OVERLOADING THE EQUIPMENT!!

That is just my opinion,,,:thumbsup:

BINGO! There's theory and there's application.

 

[Jaylegger]

This is painful.