Can I learn anything from these weights?

EV4D · 07-10-2016, 08:16 PM

Ran across a scale today on the highway just before I picked up my TT.

Front Axel 3100
Rear Axel 3400

After picking up the X213 TT

Front Axel 3000
Rear Axel 4300
Trailer Axel 4780

Can I tell anything useful from this info? I did not have time to detach the trailer to measure tongue weight. I am hoping maybe it can be derived from the above?

Thanks for any insights that you can provide!

bankr63 · 07-10-2016, 08:39 PM

All things equal, you added 800 lbs to your TV. You don't say if your hitch was already installed, but if so, then that is your tongue weight. Remove the weight of anything else added you your TV to get the actual tongue weight.

need-a-vacation · 07-10-2016, 09:11 PM

Were the wd bars hooked up when you weighed the truck and trailer? If so you can't figure the true tw from those weights. You need to unhook the wd bars, and weigh the truck and trailer a third time to figure the actual tw. With the wd bars hooked up some of the tw is transferred back to the trailer axles, which is why you are unable to figure the actual tw.

If the wd bars were hooked up, I will estimate you have a tw in the range of 900-950lbs....

Once you get the trailer all loaded up, weigh again, three time total and we can figure all the weights. Truck, truck and trailer w/ wd bars hooked up, truck and trailer w/ wd bars unhooked.

You may need to readjust the wdh once your trailer is loaded, ready for a trip. The dealer only set up the wdh to an empty trailer.

Good luck!

rkresge · 07-10-2016, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bankr63

All things equal, you added 800 lbs to your TV. You don't say if your hitch was already installed, but if so, then that is your tongue weight. Remove the weight of anything else added you your TV to get the actual tongue weight.

Got a weight distribution hitch on there? Sure looks like you need one, or need to do some setup work on it if you do have one.

Roger

need-a-vacation · 07-10-2016, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkresge

Got a weight distribution hitch on there? Sure looks like you need one, or need to do some setup work on it if you do have one.

Roger

From his weights it looks like his wdh adjustment is pretty darn close. He is only 100lbs light on the fa vs the truck only fa weight....

EV4D · 07-10-2016, 11:15 PM

Thanks for the comments. I did not have the hitch on the back of the Expedition when I weighed it the first time. I did have the entire WDH rigged up when I weighed it with the trailer.

The last comment with only being 100lbs off - is there some sort of sweet spot you look for?

I could adjust the WDH hitch (I think it involves moving the brackets up a notch. Is there a risk of adjusting it too far the other way? What harm would that do exactly? Or would it just be impossible to get the bars in place?

need-a-vacation · 07-11-2016, 03:22 PM

EV,

Look in your tv owners manual to see what Ford recommends for adjusting the wdh. It may be to return 50% of the lost front axle weight up to 100% of the lost weight.

Example:

Your tv only fa weight: 3100lbs
Estimate of tv fa weight with tt hooked up, but wd bars unhooked: 2700lbs
Depending on what Ford recommends, the tv fa with the tt hooked up and wd bars hooked up should be (50%) 2900lbs- 3100lbs (100%).

There are some who may run a slightly heavier fa when hooked up but it is suggested for no more than the tv only fa weight.

Adjusting the wdh can be done via the brackets in the tongue, or by changing the number of washers for the hitch head tilt. You want to make sure if you move the tongue brackets make sure the wd bars won't interfere with the tongue in any way...

EV4D · 07-13-2016, 07:59 PM

This helps thank you. I did measure my rise on the front and I went from 5" with no load to 5.5" with the trailer hooked up, so almost zero rise. I would like to think its properly adjusted, yes?

need-a-vacation · 07-13-2016, 08:27 PM

EV,

Not sure I understand the 5" and the 5.5"... That was the change in fender height? I guess I am used to seeing measurements from the ground to the fender.

If it is a 1/2" change, doesn't sound to bad. But is that with the wd bars hooked up? If so, what was the change in the front fender with the trailer hooked up, but the wd bars unhooked? Knowing the change with the wd bars unhooked will tell us how much you are returning the front end back to tt only height (measurement wise of course).

ShawnR · 07-14-2016, 06:52 AM

Having the front axle weight return to nearly 100% as well as front fender height, I'd say your weight distribution is good. If the steering feels vague move the bars up a hole. Also, weigh again when you're heading out on a trip. Loaded up it might tell a different story.

EV4D · 07-14-2016, 12:30 PM

I will measure the rise on the front from the ground moving forward. I will also measure with no WD to see what it is. I do know its a LOT more than what I am seeing with WD. Enabling the WD its far less than half, which I believe is what Ford is asking for.

I find it interesting that the rear rise can decrease quite a bit with the front rise not changing much. It does change the angle of the body of the vehicle a bit but none of it looks drastic.

schmittychris · 07-14-2016, 02:41 PM

So you added 800lbs of payload WITH a WDH? Damn.

EV4D · 07-14-2016, 03:06 PM

To the back axel yes. Makes sense to me:

450 Tongue weight (empty)
* Two propane tanks = 70lbs
* WDH hitch with sway is probably close to 100lbs
* That leaves 280lbs of stuff that I have put into the trailer

Am I missing something?

schmittychris · 07-14-2016, 03:27 PM

Ah, it made it seem like you had just picked it up and it was dry. However, you added 900lbs to RA. This would be somewhat normal if it were without a WDH. The WDH takes some of the load off of the RA and distributes it to the FA and TT axle. So your payload (tongue weight) is actually significantly higher. The tongue weight of the x213 being much different from what Jayco says is well documented in other threads.

If Jayco's website is to be believed your trailer dry is 4,330lbs. According to your numbers your trailer plus hitch is 5580lbs. Without hitch, 5480lbs. Your GVWR for your trailer is probably 5500lbs. (Dry weight + CCC) Something's not adding up.

Rootus · 07-14-2016, 10:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmittychris

So you added 800lbs of payload WITH a WDH? Damn.

That seems about right. With my trailer hooked up with WDH, I'm putting 700# on the RA (that's just trailer, I measured the unloaded weight of the truck with the Equal-i-zer installed on the truck). My WDH is minimally adjusted, it doesn't quite put 50% back on the FA (something I'm going to fix this weekend), and at my weigh-in the trailer had 4400#, so not as fully loaded as EV4D's. X213s are a little tongue-heavy, eh? At 750# I figure that's almost 15%. I stuffed my camp chef stove and generator under the bed and weighed again, and it knocked the TW down to 650, but it had a decidedly negative effect on handling so I think maybe a heavy TW is good for this trailer.

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