Tongue Weight: Still a Newb...

[Mikey]

Well, the forum may tag me as a "senior member" but I'm still feeling my way in year two of our White Hawk ownership.

It's a simple question, really, although I'm a bit embarrassed to ask it. First, let me say that I know that my WD hitch doesn't change my actual tongue weight, it merely redistributes it away from the rear axle and to the trailer and tow vehicle front axles.

That said, let's say my tongue weight was 950 lbs prior to engaging weight distribution, and the CAT scale showed that my WD hitch distributed 60 lbs back to my trailer axles - is my effective (vs. actual) tongue weight now 890 lbs?

And if that's the case, what's the safety buffer on my 1,120 lb-rated class V hitch? Is it this:

1,120 - 890 = 230 lbs.

Or this:

1,120 - 950 = 170 lbs.?

Feel free to flog me with a wisdom stick for still being puzzled by this after a year...

[Doug]

IMHO you answered your own question.
Your tongue weight is absent any WDH.
Stop there and keep it simple.
Your tongue weight is 950 lbs.
Any calculations using that number should be good.

Doug

[Rustic Eagle]

Originally Posted by Mikey

snip......First, let me say that I know that my WD hitch doesn't change my actual tongue weight, it merely redistributes it away from the rear axle and to the trailer and tow vehicle front axles.........snip

Your correct, the design function of the WDH is to redistribute the weight placed over a TV's rear axle...., it's not redistributing the actual TT tongue weight placed on the TV's receiver hitch ball.

The WDH is addressing the "additional" weight placed on the TV's rear axle and the weight "removed" from the TV's front axle due to the "effect" of the TT's tongue weight being placed on the receiver hitch ball.

Originally Posted by Mikey

snip..... That said, let's say my tongue weight was 950 lbs prior to engaging weight distribution, and the CAT scale showed that my WD hitch distributed 60 lbs back to my trailer axles - is my effective (vs. actual) tongue weight now 890 lbs?....snip

No...., please remember that the WDH is distributing weight (off the rear axle) that was the result (effect) of the tongue weight placed on the receiver's hitch ball. Yes, due to the physics behind the WDH and the spring bar leveraging taking place through the TV's receiver/TV frame there is some insignificant weight removed off the receiver hitch ball but it isn't representative of your 60lbs distributed to the TT axle(s).

IMO if your TV receiver is rated at 1,120lbs in WD mode and you have a 950lb loaded tongue weight, then your delta is 170lbs.

Hope this helps.

Bob

[Mikey]

Originally Posted by Doug

IMHO you answered your own question.
Your tongue weight is absent any WDH.
Stop there and keep it simple.
Your tongue weight is 950 lbs.
Any calculations using that number should be good.

Doug

Thanks, Doug, I thought that was the case but I just wanted to ensure I wasn't missing something!

[Mikey]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

IMO if your TV receiver is rated at 1,120lbs in WD mode and you have a 950lb loaded tongue weight, then your delta is 170lbs.

Hope this helps.

Bob

Bob, it does help. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!