Hitch weights accross different models... surprising

[bansai]

The 'what can I tow with 'my tow vehicle' conversation comes up a lot.

As most of us know, your truck is capable of pulling a lot more than it is capable of supporting on the hitch (duh).

The number most of us are the most concerned about is our payload capacity, not our GCWR, although that is a concern for some. 90% of us will exceed our payload capacity in the TV before we get anywhere close to pulling more than we are rated for. Reason for all this rambling is I noticed that a lot of the Jayflights for 2016 get lighter up front as you go bigger and therefore make you less likely to exceed your ratings for your 150 (or any for that matter) sized tow vehicle.

Food for thought-

The 26BHS tongue weight is 800 pounds (dry)
The 27BHS tongue weight is 620 pounds (dry) yet weighs more (by a small amount)
The 28BHBE tongue weight is 660 pounds (dry)

You have to go up to the 29QBS to get something heavier on the tongue than the smaller 26BHS.

My only point I guess is that I wish I knew what I know now when I bought my last TT. It's surprising how much of an upgrade you can get with a larger floor plan, heavier overall, going up the model numbers, and end up with a combination that is actually a better fit for your TV's payload capacity... all based on the floorplan and how the weight is distributed in that model. How you load your TT changes everything of course - but I have to admit I had a brain fart when I realized you can get a heavier camper than the one you own now, and potentially end up with a better towing experience... or at least stay within your legal numbers easier.

[Marcm157]

Very interesting post. Makes me glad I went with the 28BHBE - I was very hesitant at first...

[bansai]

Originally Posted by Marcm157

Very interesting post. Makes me glad I went with the 28BHBE - I was very hesitant at first...

Not that I don't love my camper, but I'd have yours if I had been more educated about all of this last spring time. Just a big lesson learned for me.

I'll upgrade my truck before I get another TT, so it will be a less important factor I guess then. Hoping that anyone with a 150/1500 class TV in the market now keeps some of this in mind. I was of the mindset at the time that if it started with a number bigger than 27 I shouldn't even consider it... hindsight as they say...

Anyway, cheers
Mark

[theoat]

When I weighed in my 2015 26BHS lightly loaded, 1 battery, 2 full 30LB tanks, and no water it was up to 926 LBS.

Dumb newb question, but if the tanks are behind the axles, does it counter the weight reducing the tongue weight at all? I haven't checked where they are with the enclosed belly.

[bansai]

Originally Posted by theoat

When I weighed in my 2015 26BHS lightly loaded, 1 battery, 2 full 30LB tanks, and no water it was up to 926 LBS.

Dumb newb question, but if the tanks are behind the axles, does it counter the weight reducing the tongue weight at all? I haven't checked where they are with the enclosed belly.

Yes definitely- just like a 'sea saw' any weight added behind the axles of your camper will reduce tongue weight. Sometimes too much actually. I know a lot of us cheap out and never hit the scales with our rigs, but if the rule is have 10 to 15% of your total camper weight on the tongue and load it to make that happen. The only way to know for sure is to hit up the scales. ( as you have done)..

[Rustic Eagle]

Mark,

Originally Posted by bansai

snip..... I noticed that a lot of the Jayflights for 2016 get lighter up front as you go bigger and therefore make you less likely to exceed your ratings for your 150 (or any for that matter) sized tow vehicle.....snip

Not really......, Just comparing published dry tongue weights doesn't represent the true picture of the three Jayflight examples presented. Once the Jayflight 26BHS, 27BHS, 28BHBE published UVW's/GVWR's are brought into the equation the tongue weight comparison picture changes when considering a 13% to 15% desirable tongue weight (or 10% to 15%).

26BHS 5,950 UVW/7,750 GVWR

27BHS 6,065 UVW/8,250 GVWR

28 BHBE 6,540 UVW/9,250 GVWR

As you are aware, at the end of the day the actual gross "loaded weight" of the TT will determine the desirable loaded tongue weight.

Bob

[bansai]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Mark,



Not really......, Just comparing published dry tongue weights doesn't represent the true picture of the three Jayflight examples presented. Once the Jayflight 26BHS, 27BHS, 28BHBE published UVW's/GVWR's are brought into the equation the tongue weight comparison picture changes when considering a 13% to 15% desirable tongue weight (or 10% to 15%).

26BHS 5,950 UVW/7,750 GVWR

27BHS 6,065 UVW/8,250 GVWR

28 BHBE 6,540 UVW/9,250 GVWR

As you are aware, at the end of the day the actual gross "loaded weight" of the TT will determine the desirable loaded tongue weight.

Bob

Good point Bob. Nobody camps with an empty trailer I still find the baseline, empty numbers unexpected. Properly loaded with 1500 lbs of gear, I'd have to crunch the numbers, but on paper the heavier campers seem to have very favorable err.. Equal towing expectations with respect to payload tolerances.


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[Rustic Eagle]

Mark,

Originally Posted by bansai

snip.......Nobody camps with an empty trailer.......snip

Agreed..., and this is where many RV sales personal can play the "published dry weight" shell game with uninformed customers.

Anyone going into an RV dealership armed with the basic "dry-weight/loaded weight" knowledge will in most cases drive off the lot with a compatible TV/TT combination.

Bob

[Ottawasteve]

Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle

Mark,

Not really......, Just comparing published dry tongue weights doesn't represent the true picture of the three Jayflight examples presented. Once the Jayflight 26BHS, 27BHS, 28BHBE published UVW's/GVWR's are brought into the equation the tongue weight comparison picture changes when considering a 13% to 15% desirable tongue weight (or 10% to 15%).

26BHS 5,950 UVW/7,750 GVWR

27BHS 6,065 UVW/8,250 GVWR

28 BHBE 6,540 UVW/9,250 GVWR

As you are aware, at the end of the day the actual gross "loaded weight" of the TT will determine the desirable loaded tongue weight.

Bob

From personal experience we camp with about 750 - 850 lbs of "stuff", regardless of the size of the trailer. This is the same weight of stuff we packed in our 19ft tandem axle fiberglass trailer for six weeks in Florida and currently in our 31ft 28BHBE. The GVWR of the trailer is really irrelevant to us as we do not pack anywhere near approaching the GVWR as we do not travel with full fresh water tanks as we fill at the campground or have hookups. I cannot think of any extra stuff that we would need to take camping. My Goldwing will not fit in through either door of the BHBE so that is saving us about 1000lbs

Even filling our 84 gallon freshwater tank would be less than 700 lbs (a lot less by the time we got to the campground as I still haven't installed the valves on the overflow tubes) leaving about 2000 lbs for stuff after taking the (GVWR - UVW). I realize that propane tanks, options and batteries might add a few hundred pounds extra.

Not to steer topic off course, but does anybody carry +/- 2000 lbs of stuff, not including water tanks ? If you do, let us know some of the cool stuff you are camping with so we can put it on our wishlists.

[Rustic Eagle]

Steve,

Originally Posted by Ottawasteve

From personal experience we camp with about 750 - 850 lbs of "stuff", regardless of the size of the trailer.......snip

I also tend to see the 750lb to 850lb cargo weight range as my norm, fluid weight would be extra.

Your 28BHBE gross loaded weight would approximately = (your TT yellow sticker UVW) + ( 750 - 850 lbs of cargo)......, 13% to 15% of which would be your desirable loaded tongue weight range....., as you are aware.

Bob

[Subaru297]

I usually use GVWR x 13% to figure out tongue weight. This is pretty conservative though. If you want to look at more realistic loaded weight you can tailor it for your packing style using the dry trailer weight. Ignore the dry tongue weights they are essentially meaningless after you add batteries, propane and everything else in your trailer.

26BH = 4700lbs dry
27BHS = 6065lbs dry
28BHBE = 6540lbs dry

I would add around 1000 to 1200lbs to each of these depending on your packing habits. Then the tongue weight can be estimated pretty well by multiplying the "loaded" weight by 13% or 10-15% of you want a range.

26BH = 5700lbs x 13% = 741lbs
27BHS = 7065lbs x 13% = 918lbs
28BHBE = 7540lbs x 13% = 980lbs

Pretty big jump from the 26BH to a larger trailer but not so much going from the 27 to 28. Still could be significant depending on how close you are to maxing our payload.

Cheers

[fillwa]

I use the same logic as Subaru97 does, but use %15 of TT GVWR for my tongue weight estimate....it gives me some "safety room". Either way I take tongue weight estimate and subtract it from the pay load capacity weight of the TV (in my case a pick up). Add in the weight of my wife and I and I know how much additional stuff I can add into the TV, e.g. kayaks, bicycles, other gear.

[bansai]

I like that math you guys are using. I'll use this next time I pack up. I'll hit up the scales one of these days for more confidence, just hasn't happened yet and your methods seem a lot better than just guessing.