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Old 07-14-2015, 07:47 AM   #1
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Tongue weight. Go by the manual or sticker

Hi all,

Question for you. I have a 2011 Armada Platinum with the factory installed tow package. The vehicle's manual has a tongue weight max spec of 900lbs. I just recently noticed a sticker on the tow receiver reads a max tongue of 1000lbs. Which would you go by? I'm towing Jayco 287BHSW with a WDH with absolutely no problem. Just curious. Thanks!
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Old 07-14-2015, 08:00 AM   #2
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Go by the manual. The sticker on the hitch is for the hitch itself. It does not/cannot take into account the limits of the rear axle or suspension.

Have you weighed the tongue? With that trailer it's conceivable that the tongue could be over the limit specified in the manual. You say "absolutely no problem". However, problems from towing over capacity may not show up for a long time. It's the stresses created by the excess weight that don't become evident right away.
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Old 07-14-2015, 08:13 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by DocBrown View Post
Go by the manual. The sticker on the hitch is for the hitch itself. It does not/cannot take into account the limits of the rear axle or suspension.

Have you weighed the tongue? With that trailer it's conceivable that the tongue could be over the limit specified in the manual. You say "absolutely no problem". However, problems from towing over capacity may not show up for a long time. It's the stresses created by the excess weight that don't become evident right away.
This is my first camper (purchased a few months ago) and I took the dealers word that my vehicle passed all the specs with flying colors. Only after coming across this wonderful site (after the purchase) that I realized that I might be close to being over. That said, no, I've not weighed the tongue yet. Once my son's travel baseball season is done, I'll be getting that tongue weighed.
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Old 07-14-2015, 08:43 AM   #4
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Yea, that's a lesson many don't find out until after the fact. The dealer will tell people with a minivan that they can tow a 7000# trailer so they don't lose a sale.

In your case, they most likely went by the "as delivered" weight and compared it to your truck. They weren't wrong, just not accurate for real world towing.
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Old 07-14-2015, 10:10 AM   #5
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Here is some information on your armada and your trailer. You didn't mention if you had the 2wd or 4wd armada.

2wd
2011 Nissan Armada Specs: 2WD 4-Door Platinum Dimensions

4wd
2011 Nissan Armada Specs: 4WD 4-Door Platinum Dimensions

jayco trailer
2015 Jay Flight SLX 287BHSW | Jayco, Inc.

Your aren't over capacity with this trailer. However you could exceed your armada capacity IF you haul 8 people AND decide to tow this trailer.
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Old 07-14-2015, 12:02 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by tjpolsin View Post
Here is some information on your armada and your trailer. You didn't mention if you had the 2wd or 4wd armada.

2wd
2011 Nissan Armada Specs: 2WD 4-Door Platinum Dimensions

4wd
2011 Nissan Armada Specs: 4WD 4-Door Platinum Dimensions

jayco trailer
2015 Jay Flight SLX 287BHSW | Jayco, Inc.

Your aren't over capacity with this trailer. However you could exceed your armada capacity IF you haul 8 people AND decide to tow this trailer.
We have the 4x4. I don't plan on hauling 8 people but we might get up to six if the kiddos each bring a friend.

I'm looking forward to fall camping as we've not been able to get out much thus far. Not to mention, the few times we were out, the campground was nearly covered in water and mud with all the rain here in Indiana. It's been one heck of a summer.
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Old 07-14-2015, 12:41 PM   #7
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We have the 4x4. I don't plan on hauling 8 people but we might get up to six if the kiddos each bring a friend.

I'm looking forward to fall camping as we've not been able to get out much thus far. Not to mention, the few times we were out, the campground was nearly covered in water and mud with all the rain here in Indiana. It's been one heck of a summer.
with the 4wd:
GVWR = 7300#
UVW (curb) = 5841#
tow rating = 9000#
max tongue = 900#
GCVWR = 15,100#


Jayco 287BHSW:
GVW = 7500#
UVW = 6065#
dry hitch = 641# (10.6% of UVW)

Armada cargo cap = 7300-5841 = 1459#
passengers = 6 x 150# = 900#
remaining cargo capacity = 1459-900 = 559#

Jayco max hitch = 7500 x 10.6% = 793#
max tongue = max hitch + WDH weight = 793+~100# = 893#

GCVW = curb weight + passengers + WDH + TTGVWR = 5841+900+100+7500 = 14341# Therefore your Armada is under its GCVWR.

HOWEVER, with regards to cargo capacity:
total cargo = passengers + max tongue = 900+893 = 1793# and you are over the cargo capacity of the Armada by 334#. Even with an empty trailer, you are overweight by 150#.

You will have to get final weights at a scale if you have concerns.

The above illustrates my opinion that SUVs can either haul people OR pull a trailer, but will be overweight if you do both. For truck owners, you will find the same predicament when trying to tow a modest size 5th wheel with a 3/4 ton crew cab truck. You will exceed the cargo capacity of the truck with 6 passengers and the pin weight of the 5er.

Tim
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Old 07-14-2015, 12:43 PM   #8
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iurv,

Welcome to JOF

Quote:
Originally Posted by iurv View Post
snip........The vehicle's manual has a tongue weight max spec of 900lbs. I just recently noticed a sticker on the tow receiver reads a max tongue of 1000lbs. Which would you go by?.......snip
As mentioned, the Owners Manual trumps the OEM receiver rating.

Since you stated that you were going to weigh the TT's loaded tongue weight, the following link may be helpful at the CAT scale. Also, it appears that you may want to watch your TV's GVWR under loaded conditions, because the TV's maximum 900lb tongue weight doesn't take into consideration your TV's passenger and cargo weight.

CAT Scale how-to: http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f3...v-tt-3871.html

Keep in mind that the 287BHSW is a 33ft long TT, so the recommended loaded tongue weight range should be 13% to 15% of the TT's gross weight for ideal TV handling.

Bob
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Old 07-14-2015, 01:11 PM   #9
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Tongue weight. Go by the manual or sticker

A co-worker has an Armada, the model just below the Platinum and his payload was about 1300 I believe. That trailer could easily have a tongue weight that's close to, at, or even over your max allowed Armada tongue weight of 900#. Assume it's 900, and you may only have 400# left for people and cargo.

I believe the Platinum model also weighs more due to more options so could have less payload.

Check your door sticker and see what it says max weight is for passengers and cargo. Scale is the best way since that accounts for everything in the vehicle that may not be in the door sticker numbers, but the door sticker gives you a starting point.

Also check what it says for your GAWR for the rear axle. It's easy to go over that with a max tongue and passengers in the vehicle.
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Old 07-17-2015, 06:34 PM   #10
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iurv, hit the scales. The discussion to this point seem to say you are close on weights. The scales till TELL you where you are.
The first time to the scales, you'll feel like a mouse dodging an elephant migration (18 wheelers). After the first weigh you'll feel like you've always run with the herd.
The CAT Scale is your friend.
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Old 07-17-2015, 06:53 PM   #11
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Highly recommend scaling to know exactly what's going on. First time I ever hit a CAT Scale I didn't realize that that the button is set at the cab level of an 18 wheeler. I now carry a cheap wood painting pole with a tennis ball stuck on the end. Allows you to reach the button.
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Old 07-17-2015, 08:25 PM   #12
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Welcome to the forum
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