Trailer Weight Distribution

[LittleBill21]

As I said previously, "There are many 'known things' which are dead wrong."

A drop hitch drawbar will lower the tongue and make almost no difference in the weight on the tongue. Proving your statement to be wrong.

Some of you guys are REALLY taking this too far.

My comment which is now being taken slightly out of context is in relation to the video above.

My statement was basic, people are now making assumptions. Again this is common knowledge here, every person I know who is setting up for the above load does this. it almost never had to be explained.

Based on a vehicle with a single axle trailer.

Not using scales or 200 dollar adjustable hitches.

You started out with a level trailer or slight high trailer (utility), you put the load on the trailer until the trailer and vehicle drop to level or slightly below level. This simply insures there is enough tongue weight.

THATS it. 30 seconds to setup load.

of course you can setup in a way where there is 8000 pounds behind the fulcrum point.

of course tongue weight doesn't change by changing height of the tongue.

of course scales are the proper way to get 10-15%

of course you should be using sway and WD control.

I guess i should have mentioned your moving the tongue height by shifting the load, not by moving the drawbar, I thought that was obvious. Guess I was wrong.

For those of you questioning my experience. I have towed from Main to California, across every major mountain pass going through these places, and have towed roughly 60 different trailers with around 200,000 miles of towing in average basic vehicles and just on the ball no distro or sway control. I also have a CDL.

I'm out at this point, please feel free to rip this post apart as well.

 

[Grumpycat]

You started out with a level trailer or slight high trailer (utility), you put the load on the trailer until the trailer and vehicle drop to level or slightly below level. This simply insures there is enough tongue weight.

He didn't start with a "level trailer". That was not a given.

 

[LittleBill21]

He didn't start with a "level trailer". That was not a given.

I never said he did. Nor do we have idea what level his trailer is period. He said it dropped an inch. That's it. my comments simply indicated what it should roughly look like

 

[Rockbadchild]

1 or 2 looks good to me. I go by ''feel'' when I drive my tractor to a trailer (or any heavy object for that matter) I look at the rear end of my truck, when the tractor is at the rear end of the trailer the truck suspension is fully extended, as I move forward you can see when the truck get to the neutral position or you can tell that the tractor is balance on the trailer, then I keep moving forward to guesstimate to have 10% of the weight pass the balance point, essentially you want 60% of the weight in the front and 40% in the back to have sufficient tongue weight, you will see the truck starting to squat, I want to be around there some truck squats more then other I have a dodge/ram so I need keep creeping forward as it start squats further then other trucks to be where I am comfortable. I personally ratter a bit too much tongue weight then not enough.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

It's worth noting that the reason for keeping the trailer level is to evenly distribute the weight on multiple axles.

While it seems like we're finally all more or less on the same page now, I don't fully agree with the above.

Most tandem axle trailers have a balance beam in the center, so the weight is automatically evenly distributed between the two. As long as the trailer is reasonably level it should all function fine.

There's even a slight advantage to having the nose up a little bit if the axles have some camber built in. That way the tires get a tiny bit of toe-in which can help the bearings and spindles live much longer. I've never had any issues with 5,200-lb and up axles, but a fair share with 3,500-lb. axles.

As mentioned earlier, with torsion axles the trailer really should be as level as possible or the load won't be evenly applied to them. And with three or more axles things like suspension travel (mentioned above) start playing a bigger role. On the other hand, by then the trailer is generally long enough that the tongue can be inches up or down without having much effect on how level the trailer is.

 

[BlueKnife]

Most tandem axle trailers have a balance beam in the center, so the weight is automatically evenly distributed between the two. As long as the trailer is reasonably level it should all function fine.

That's true, "as long as the trailer is reasonably level" being the key phrase.

 

[ning]

True, although I think I've seen more newbies with the tongue way too low (usually due to way too much tongue weight) than too high. Here's a picture of one I saw in the Home Depot parking lot. He's definitely got the tongue low, that's for sure. View attachment 1511291

light 1/2 ton trucks, probably start with a level trailer unloaded, then loaded it up crushing the truck's rear suspension dropping the ball almost to the ground...

 

[BlueKnife]

light 1/2 ton trucks, probably start with a level trailer unloaded, then loaded it up crushing the truck's rear suspension dropping the ball almost to the ground...

In that particular case, it was a 1/2 ton pickup, towing a 14-16000 lb trailer with those Perma Columns (the concrete posts you see in the picture) loaded all the way to the front. No idea why he didn't at least put them further back. Still would have been way overloaded, but at least it would have been a little easier on his suspension.

 

[RjCorazza]

I have always tried to have the trailer somewhat level when loaded. I think my current hitch is a 4" drop, but most recent trailer has an adjustable coupler.
For loads I will be frequently hauling I weigh the tongue. One-off loads I usually just eyeball.

 

[Too many Kubotas]

light 1/2 ton trucks, probably start with a level trailer unloaded, then loaded it up crushing the truck's rear suspension dropping the ball almost to the ground...

Yep, and as RjCorazza pointed out above, it's better to pick the correct ballmount (or adjust the trailer's coupler) to be level when loaded.

If nothing else it'll help avoid that overloaded look when the trailer is sloping forward.