How much tongue weight is enough?

[ChestonScout]

So as some of you know I almost died on the way to Moab for EJS. I got a new 28' triple axle trailer. I loaded my tent trailer on the front and the Scout on the back. The tent trailer was pointing forward as well the Scout. As soon as I hit 60 on the freeway I got massive trailer sway. The tires on the trailer were folding over to the wheels! Luckily I got it under control and got off the freeway. After playing a little I realized I had no tongue weight at all. We ended up putting the Scout on first backwards and the tent trailer on second. With the old Superduty this worked out pretty decent but I really want the tent trailer up front.

Soooo.........

The Superduty is gone and I have a Dodge dually now. I never unloaded the trailer so I hooked it up and it sagged the back of the Dodge BAD. Way to much tongue weight. So I played around with the setup a little yesterday.

Thought I would ask here before I drive it and sway bad again.

So with the trailer empty it sags the back 1 1/2". I put the tent trailer on backwards all the way to the front. This will let me pull the Scout about 2' closer to the front. With the tent trailer on it sags the back of the truck 3 1/2". Pulled the Scout on behind the tent trailer forward and it sags the back 2 3/4"

The front wheels on the Scout are just in front of the front axle on the trailer.

There has to be some decent tongue weight for it to be sagging the truck but do you guys think its enough? I was going to chain everything down and go but it was getting dark and I got scared again.

Thanks for any info!

 

[Chevycrew]

I think the rule of thumb is around 10% of the total trailer weight on the tongue.

I also remember that a trailer that is higher in the front (not level) will lead to more sway as well.

 

[BCGPER]

Yes, 10% is the recomended minimum. However, the heavier the tounge, the better it will pull. I run more that the 10% just for this reason. Also, a set of air bags on the rear of your truck are a very good investment. Then you can run as heavy as you like, then level the truck back up with air.

 

[ChestonScout]

The trailer is level now as well. It was hard to get the trailer level with the superduty with the 7" lift and 37s on it. The dually is stock height so that works out a lot better.


Any easy way to figure out the 10% rule?

edit:

Also....I ordered a set of airbags already. Just not installed yet.

 

[Chevycrew]

Ill try to find the diagram, but by using a houshold scale, a pipe, and some correctly placed blocks you can figure it out...

 

[Chevycrew]

this should help...
http://www.curtmfg.com/index.cfm?event=pageview&contentpieceid=1347
You can also change the ratio to 4:1 or more for heavier trailers.

 

[ChestonScout]

thats pretty interesting!

Only problem I have is I dont have any idea how much any of my junk weighs. So the smartest first step would be to get everything weighed but I leave for Top Truck in a week and with my work schedule right now I dont have the time.

 

[rholbrook]

The way your trailer is setup you may never get enough tongue weight. If you could move your trailer axles further back you could make it work but the scout is too heavy and sitting too far back. You may have to put a hitch on the scout and pull the camper trailer onto the trailer with the scout. I have had a trailer pop wheels off before when I couldn't get a sway under control. Scared the Shizzz out of me for sure. My boat sits too far back and when I go to Powell I always load the nose full of gear.

 

[LT.]

The suggestion from Chevycrew is a good one. 10% is the general rule, I have heard 10% - 15% before and it is a good idea. A load distrubiting hitch would go along way to help as well. You can get one with an anti sway bar on it as well which would help you from the problem you had at EJS. The only measurements that I did not see was one for the front of the tow rig, and the trailer measurements. These are important to ensure you have an even load on the trailer as well. Those triple axles on the trailer will do you no good if you don't have an even load on the whole rig. You may want to get it as well to ensure you are not unloading the front. I sent you a pm before I read this post. I hope that it will help you.

LT.

 

[MR.CJ-7]

I've always heard 10-15% of the total weight should be tounge weight. That being said when I used to make the trek to Moab I would load the CJ on my hualer backwards and all the way to the front of the trailer to increase tounge weight. I had an F-350 SRW superduty and always carried an 11' camper as well. I ran it both on a ball mount and later on a weight distributing hitch. It towed great both with and without the weight distributer (I had the OEM hitch on the truck upgraded to a Titan class V hitch and ran a 48" extension to clear the camper).

I tried it once with the CJ loaded front ways and centered over the trailer axle but it towed like ass.

Just my $0.02 worth YMMV

 

[Corban_White]

The best thing to do is go to the truck stop and hit the scales. Then you know for sure what kind of #'s you are dealing with instead of guessing. It is pretty quick and doesn't cost very much.