Hopefully a simple question.

[ADJS]

I own a 2019 Laramie 4x4 crew cab V8 with the 3.92 rear end. I am towing a 7x16 ft enclosed cargo trailer with cargo of course.

If I weigh my truck and trailer and get the steer, drive, trailer axel weight, then weigh my truck without the trailer to get the steer and drive axle weight. Then subtract the drive axel weight without the trailer from the drive axel weight with the trailer. Does that tell me how much weight the trailer is putting on the hitch of the truck?

I am just getting into this towing business.

With a full tank, myself a fan and a stool in the truck I weighed:

Steer Axel: 3360 lbs
Drive Axel: 2520 lbs
Trailer Axel: -20 (no trailer attached, maybe the scale is 20 pounds off on the trailer.)

The first time I towed:

Steer Axel: 3160 lbs
Drive Axel: 3700 lbs
Trailer Axel: 3920

Am I correct in assuming that the tongue weight was 1180 lbs?

With the trailer weighing 3920 lbs, should I shift my cargo back away from the nose to lighten up a bit on the tongue?

Any help and criticism would be appreciated. I would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[RonH]

I own a 2019 Laramie 4x4 crew cab V8 with the 3.92 rear end. I am towing a 7x16 ft enclosed cargo trailer with cargo of course.

If I weigh my truck and trailer and get the steer, drive, trailer axel weight, then weigh my truck without the trailer to get the steer and drive axle weight. Then subtract the drive axel weight without the trailer from the drive axel weight with the trailer. Does that tell me how much weight the trailer is putting on the hitch of the truck?

I am just getting into this towing business.

With a full tank, myself a fan and a stool in the truck I weighed:

Steer Axel: 3360 lbs
Drive Axel: 2520 lbs
Trailer Axel: -20 (no trailer attached, maybe the scale is 20 pounds off on the trailer.)

The first time I towed:

Steer Axel: 3160 lbs
Drive Axel: 3700 lbs
Trailer Axel: 3920

Am I correct in assuming that the tongue weight was 1180 lbs?

With the trailer weighing 3920 lbs, should I shift my cargo back away from the nose to lighten up a bit on the tongue?

Any help and criticism would be appreciated. I would rather be safe than sorry.

Here's how I see it:

Without the trailer, the truck weighed 5880 (3360+2520). With the trailer, the total weight was 10,780 (3160+3700+3920). The difference between those two weights is 4900, which should be the weight of the trailer, assuming nothing else changed in the truck's load. If the trailer axle weighs 3920, that would mean that 980 lbs of the trailer weight is being transferred to the truck's axles. Your front axle load went down 200 lbs with the trailer attached -- possibly as a result of a WD hitch? If you're not using a WD hitch, then I'm not sure why the front axle load went down. Anyway, if the trailer weighs 4900 lbs, your pin weight should be about 10-15% of that, or 490 to 735 lbs. You've added 1180 lbs to the rear axle, so the answer is yes, you should probably redistribute the weight in the trailer so that more weight is on the trailer axle.

 

[devildodge]

Your front axle load went down 200 lbs with the trailer attached -- possibly as a result of a WD hitch? If you're not using a WD hitch, then I'm not sure why the front axle load went down.

This happened because a WDH isn't being used or isn't set up proper. You need to get that 200lbs back to the front.

But you are not over any capacities as I see it...so if it sits level and you like it, it should tow fine.

You could rearrange the cargo, and get the tongue weight down and some of the 200 back to the front...but any tongue weight over 500 you should have a WDH.

Sounds like you understand it all, so good luck with the towing.

 

[ADJS]

This happened because a WDH isn't being used or isn't set up proper. You need to get that 200lbs back to the front.

But you are not over any capacities as I see it...so if it sits level and you like it, it should tow fine.

You could rearrange the cargo, and get the tongue weight down and some of the 200 back to the front...but any tongue weight over 500 you should have a WDH.

Sounds like you understand it all, so good luck with the towing.

Thank you! Good to know. I think I will try moving it back some. I can see this is going to get tricky when I get more gear.

I did want to use a WD hitch but im not. The short tongue on the trailer prevents me from getting an equalizer.
Is there a WD hitch with sway control that I can put on a short tongue trailer?

Here's how I see it:

Without the trailer, the truck weighed 5880 (3360+2520). With the trailer, the total weight was 10,780 (3160+3700+3920). The difference between those two weights is 4900, which should be the weight of the trailer, assuming nothing else changed in the truck's load. If the trailer axle weighs 3920, that would mean that 980 lbs of the trailer weight is being transferred to the truck's axles. Your front axle load went down 200 lbs with the trailer attached -- possibly as a result of a WD hitch? If you're not using a WD hitch, then I'm not sure why the front axle load went down. Anyway, if the trailer weighs 4900 lbs, your pin weight should be about 10-15% of that, or 490 to 735 lbs. You've added 1180 lbs to the rear axle, so the answer is yes, you should probably redistribute the weight in the trailer so that more weight is on the trailer axle.

Thank you for the input! I may move it back some, or move a couple pieces towards the back vs most of it in the front. Ill reweigh tomorrow after I've sorted it out.

 

[devildodge]

In theory your tongue weight is 980, subtract the weight of your hitch. 980 is above 10 to 15% so move the cargo, and a WDH to move the weight back to the front will make steering and braking better.