306RKDS weight distribution hitch issue

78spster · 08-17-2018, 05:52 PM

I just purchased a 2018 306RKDS Eagle HT.
Reading the spec's on the Jayco site it said the tongue weight was 1090 lbs. dry.

My hitch is a Husky TS 12000 lb with 800 - 1200 lb spring bars.

Now the question.
I have a Sherline tongue scale and it says 1300 lbs. Ouch!
This is with NO water (fresh, gray, or black) but with battery and propane. Nothing in the trailer yet? I do have a 2nd air over the bedroom, i.e. forward the axles.

I apologize if the question sounds dumb but I am afraid i am not safe? There are not that many hitches that go above 1200 lbs. How do the bigger TT's do it especially the standard Eagle series. Even the high end Pro Pride's only go up to 1400 lbs. and with out any thing in the trailer i am just barely 100 lbs away form that.

Thanks in advance for any inputs.
Chuck

Marcm157 · 08-17-2018, 06:07 PM

My sureline scale is highly inaccurate. The best way for you to know for sure and for us to give you an educated answer is to go to a cat scale and get accurate weights. There is a thread or 3 here on exactly how to weigh your truck and trailer.

ALJO · 08-17-2018, 06:11 PM

Just load proper and balance the weight between front and back of the TT. I still would go to the 1400 WD bars even if you must buy a new hitch head.

Rustic Eagle · 08-17-2018, 07:20 PM

Not surprised by the initial 1,300lb tongue weight for the 306RKDS (9,950lbs GVWR)...., and I agree your present WDH rating of 1,200lb isn't a good match for this TT.

Your "as shipped" from the factory probably has a UVW around 8,200lbs (yellow sticker).

Hypothetical loaded 306RKDS, "no fluids": (UVW 8,200lbs + Cargo 1,000lbs + Dealer 75lbs) = 9,275lb loaded weight

Desired loaded tongue weight: 9,275lbs = 1,206lbs - 1,391lbs (13% - 15% of gross)....., and 15% is more common with the heavier and longer TT's (also enhances TV handling). Also, if you normally travel with a full fresh water tank the added weight (630lbs) and location of the tank will have to be considered.

My prior Eagle CAT scaled with a loaded tongue weight of 1,300lbs (15% of gross) and I had/still use a Reese Dual Cam (Strait-Line WDH) with 1,500lb spring bars...... towed great.

IMO 1,400lb rated spring bars would work, but you would have to watch your TT loading habits. A WDH with spring bars rated in the 1,500lb - 1,700lb range would be ideal (Reese has them).

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

Bob

ShawnR · 08-18-2018, 08:09 AM

Rustic Eagle speaks the truth. Another factor: rear kitchen can moderate some tongue weight once loaded. Get it packed and weighed properly, then purchase the correct bars or hitch.

homer1959 · 08-18-2018, 10:22 AM

The wdh is only one part of the equation, my F150 with Max tow is equipped with a hitch rated for for a maximum of 1050lb with WDH ....on Etrailer not many receiver hitch can handle much more than that... or I didnt looked at the right place ...

Kurtomac · 08-18-2018, 12:59 PM

Blue ox makes a 2000lb model

Rustic Eagle · 08-18-2018, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1959

The wdh is only one part of the equation, my F150 with Max tow is equipped with a hitch rated for for a maximum of 1050lb with WDH........snip

Your correct when looking at many OEM 1/2 ton receiver hitches, but OEM receiver hitches on 3/4 & 1 ton trucks have higher ratings like the OP's RAM 3/4 ton......., especially with the 2 1/2" pin box.

Bob

ALJO · 08-18-2018, 03:44 PM

Factory OEM hitches on 1/2 Ton are Class 4; 3/4 and 1 ton are Class 5

homer1959 · 08-18-2018, 08:27 PM

Ok but where did he say that he was using a 3/4 tons....? Am I blind ? , I am looking for this info and even tonight I cant see it ... too many rhum and coke maybe :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Your correct when looking at many OEM 1/2 ton receiver hitches, but OEM receiver hitches on 3/4 & 1 ton trucks have higher ratings like the OP's RAM 3/4 ton......., especially with the 2 1/2" pin box.

Bob

CampNow · 08-18-2018, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 78spster

I just purchased a 2018 306RKDS Eagle HT.
Reading the spec's on the Jayco site it said the tongue weight was 1090 lbs. dry.

My hitch is a Husky TS 12000 lb with 800 - 1200 lb spring bars.

Now the question.
I have a Sherline tongue scale and it says 1300 lbs. Ouch!
This is with NO water (fresh, gray, or black) but with battery and propane. Nothing in the trailer yet? I do have a 2nd air over the bedroom, i.e. forward the axles.

I apologize if the question sounds dumb but I am afraid i am not safe? There are not that many hitches that go above 1200 lbs. How do the bigger TT's do it especially the standard Eagle series. Even the high end Pro Pride's only go up to 1400 lbs. and with out any thing in the trailer i am just barely 100 lbs away form that.

Thanks in advance for any inputs.
Chuck

With reasonable care, your 306RKDS's tongue weight shouldn't go much higher than 1,400 lbs. Our 2018 306RKDS (with 2nd a/c) has 1,250 lbs. of tongue weight (empty) with two GC2 batteries and full propane. It jumps up to 1,400 lbs. vacation-ready/loaded (with full basement and under bed storage) with FW/black/both grey tanks empty. The 306RKDS fresh water tank is located behind the axles, towards the rear of the trailer. With approx. 50-60 gal. in the FW tank, tongue weight drops from 1,400 to 1,300 lbs. The black and 1st grey tank (for the bathroom) is located in front of the axles (2nd grey tank for the kitchen is located at the very rear of the 306RKDS). Be careful, if you tow with much in either of these tanks (black or 1st grey) your tongue weight will easily soar over 1,500 lbs.---not a concern unless you're unable to (or forget to) drain them before hitting the road. BTW, when we put 50-60 gal. in our FW tank, our 306RKDS's gross weight (scaled) is just barely under its 9,950 lb. GVWR.

What are you using to tow your 306RKDS? We tow our 306RKDS with a '16 Ram 3500 Cummins SRW. After many thousands of miles of towing our 306RKDS with and without a WDH, we've elected to tow without a WDH. I'm sure this comment will generate some debate--lol! (click here for details why).

FWIW, etrailer.com has a number of WDH's that are rated for 1,400 - 1,500 lbs. I certainly hope you have a 3/4 or 1-ton truck with an OEM Cat V (2.5") receiver. Your current tongue weight will exceed the max. capacity of most OEM Cat III-IV receivers. If you do have a Cat V receiver, I'd highly recommend purchasing a WDH with a 2.5" shank. A 2" shank with a 2.0 - 2.5" sleeve adapter will work, but IMO it's not ideal.

* All weight quotes (in this post and the linked post) are based on CAT scale tickets. We generally scale before every trip or whenever we change our load placement.

Rustic Eagle · 08-18-2018, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1959

Ok but where did he say that he was using a 3/4 tons....? Am I blind ? , I am looking for this info and even tonight I cant see it ... too many rhum and coke maybe :-)

Your right, the OP "didn't" state what he was towing with, my mistake. I was thinking of another thread with a 324BHTS that I posted a similar response (same day) where the OP had a RAM 2500......., to much multi-tasking on my part

This thread: https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ded-60437.html

Bob

CampNow · 08-30-2018, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1959

The wdh is only one part of the equation, my F150 with Max tow is equipped with a hitch rated for for a maximum of 1050lb with WDH . . .

Good point. The OP (78spster) never clarified what kind of TV he/she has. If it's a 1/2-ton, higher-capacity WDH bars (>1,200 lbs.) is probably moot. The OEM CAT IV receivers on most 1/2-ton trucks are only rated for 1,000 - 1,200 lbs. of maximum tongue weight.

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