Tongue weight too high?

[sean882]

Hi All,

Quick one: I'm just finishing up my teardrop and took it to a scale. Dry, it's weighing in at 880lb with a 183 pound tongue weight (21%). Wet, I expect it go up a little more.

I'm aware that by percentage, this is high. However, from what I understand, the only downside to a tongue that's too heavy is taking weight off the steering axle (or overloading the rear). Frankly, it seems that even 200 pounds shouldn't affect the steering axle in any significant way, given the tow rating is more than 10,000 lbs (tow vehicle is a Chevy Silverado).

Is there anything I'm missing here, or that I should watch out for?

Thanks!

 

[PrivatePilot]

With a pickup truck as your tow vehicle you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

You could move some heavy components (onboard battery is always an easy one) to the rear of the trailer to help offset tongue weight, but again, an 880# trailer with a ~20% tongue weight is going to barely move the suspension (if at all) on a pickup and will be perfectly within allowable limits for any factory hitch as well.

Tongue heavy (within reason) is always far safer than tail heavy so 20% is actually a good thing when your tow vehicle can handle it.

 

[Shadow Catcher]

Down sides (from first hand experience) I ended up having to use rally springs in our Outback and rear wheel bearings had to be replaced at 140,000 miles. The axle has since been moved further forward.

 

[Socal Tom]

Too much tongue weight is only an issue if it puts too much weight on the TV. Too little tongue weight can cause severe and potentially deadly handling problems. 200lbs is not an issue. I usually tell people 200lbs or 10%, which ever is more.
Tom

--Edit, don't forget the tongue weight changes as you go up and down hills. It will go down as you go up hill, and it will increase as you go downhill. So 10% in your case could end up being 50lbs or less pretty easily, and then if you hit a bump or a bouncy section of road you would be in dangerous territory.

 

[Tony Latham]

with a 183 pound tongue weight... (

If you put an adult in the bed of your Chevy––by the tailgate––you wouldn't notice it. No difference with a teardrop.



Tony

 

[gudmund-TNT]

--my first teardrop was (4x 11/1200lb loaded with a 300+lb tongue and it towed just fine (Chev Colorado TV) ended up removing the spare tire from the tongue along with all of the 'extra stuff' in the box lighting up the tongue by almost 150lb = it still towing "just fine"....
--todays teardrop (5x comes in at 1600lbs loaded with a 175lb tongue, also towing "just fine" .... But it has been kind of interesting watching the tongue weight change after adding a folding table to the rear teardrop receiver (bike rack holder), the table set-up weights in at 44lbs and ended up taking 20lbs off of the tongue (the 175lb tongue is now at 155lbs) Am also working on adding a 5lb propane tank (20lb for tank w/bracket) on the side just behind the rear tire. am also adding a roof rake (25lb rack) for the future mounting of a 180or270 awning (55lb) - will be checking to see how this will be affecting the tongue weight when done mounting it all. This should be a-bit more of a 'balanced' change being the rack/awning addition will be some what more balanced between the front/rear........... take care

 

[sean882]

Thanks for the replies all, I appreciate it. I'll move forward with life and not put more worry into this (unless the TV changes). Of course I'll always monitor as I make loading changes, etc.

-Sean