Pleco
NY state
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Joined: 08/26/2008
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Hi everyone!
I recently got an Expedition for a TV and am looking into getting my first TT. I posted all the numbers I could find for my TV into my sig.
Thanks for the great sticky about weight distribution hitches, and lots of other great info in these forums.
Anyway, I just wanted to run something by you people to make sure I understand things. My TV weighed in at 5980 with a full tank of gas, me and just a couple small items. Let's just round that up to an even 6K. So now, I have GVWR-6K = 1300 more pounds I can load onto my TV. Lets assume my family and some luggage we want in the TV rather than the TT weight 400 pounds total. Now I am down to 900 pounds left on the TV. The way I read things, I have to find a trailer with less than 900 lbs hitch weight.
Does a WD hitch give me any more flexability with this? I have read from the sticky that the WD hitch does NOT decrease tongue weight. However, it DOES shift some weight load from the TV to the TT axle, thus reducing the TT contribution to GVWR? If I understand correctly, then I might reasonabley figure, say 200 pounds of extra capacity? This would allow me an 1100 pound hitch weight? Of course, I will weigh in to test this out when I get a TT, but would like to know if I'm on the right track BEFORE I spend lots of $$$ on TT.
I am just nervous about hitch weight (as well as all the other weight restrictions) becuase the dry hitch weight of stuff I'm looking at is say 800 pounds. In my understanding, that is about guarenteed to NOT include battery, propane tanks, hitch itself, etc. That stuff will be mostly adding to tongue weight because its' of proximity to it.
Thanks for any input!
'06 Expedition 5.4L, 4x4, towing package, 119 wheelbase, 3.73 gears
GVWR-7300, GCWR-14500, Max tow-8600, GAWR front-3275,
GAWR rear-4128, Tire load rating-2535, Weighs 5980 with me and a full tank of gas.
Still searching for the right travel trailer...
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HighCover
Fort Worth
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Joined: 11/26/2006
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The WD hitch does not reduce the tongue weight, so it doesn't reduce the tongue weight's effect on the tow vehicle GVWR. However, the WD hitch distributes some of the tongue weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle. So, the WD hitch is very useful in controlling rear axle maximum loading, which is commonly an issue when you are pushing the limits of towing.
If you are getting close on the tow vehicle GVWR, it's time to start carrying as much as possible in the trailer, keeping the loading the the tow vehicle as low as possible. Of course, never load people in the trailer.
2007 Tahoe, 5.3L
Rockwood 2306
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HighCover
Fort Worth
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Joined: 11/26/2006
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As a practical matter, I suggest you look at ultralite trailers, 25 foot long or shorter, and with a trailer GVWR of 5500-pounds or less. The other factor you are going to encounter is engine and transmission performance. The small-block V8 is a low-torque, high rev'ing engine, and the tranny you have is designed for fuel economy. If you decide on a 7000 pound or more trailer, we will see you posting questions about gearing, tranny coolers, and general wear and tear on the Expedition.
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LarryJM
NoVa
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Joined: 11/09/2007
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Pleco wrote:Hi everyone!
I recently got an Expedition for a TV and am looking into getting my first TT. I posted all the numbers I could find for my TV into my sig.
Thanks for the great sticky about weight distribution hitches, and lots of other great info in these forums.
Anyway, I just wanted to run something by you people to make sure I understand things. My TV weighed in at 5980 with a full tank of gas, me and just a couple small items. Let's just round that up to an even 6K. So now, I have GVWR-6K = 1300 more pounds I can load onto my TV. Lets assume my family and some luggage we want in the TV rather than the TT weight 400 pounds total. Now I am down to 900 pounds left on the TV. The way I read things, I have to find a trailer with less than 900 lbs hitch weight.
Does a WD hitch give me any more flexability with this? I have read from the sticky that the WD hitch does NOT decrease tongue weight. However, it DOES shift some weight load from the TV to the TT axle, thus reducing the TT contribution to GVWR? If I understand correctly, then I might reasonabley figure, say 200 pounds of extra capacity? This would allow me an 1100 pound hitch weight? Of course, I will weigh in to test this out when I get a TT, but would like to know if I'm on the right track BEFORE I spend lots of $$$ on TT.
I am just nervous about hitch weight (as well as all the other weight restrictions) becuase the dry hitch weight of stuff I'm looking at is say 800 pounds. In my understanding, that is about guarenteed to NOT include battery, propane tanks, hitch itself, etc. That stuff will be mostly adding to tongue weight because its' of proximity to it.
Thanks for any input!
A dry hitch wt. of 800 lbs IMHO is going to be too much for your TV. You got actual wts., but you need to pay attention to the RAWR of yur vehicle and how that is effected by what you will actually be carrying as far as passengers and cargo before you hook up that TT. An 800 lb "dry hitch wt." is high. It seems you're still looking at too much trailer for that Expy since an 800 lb dry hitch wt seems to imply a trailer with a GVWR in excess of 7500lbs.
Larry
2001 standard box 7.3L E-350 PSD Van with 4.10 rear and 2007 Holiday Rambler Aluma-Lite 8306S Been RV'ing since 1974. TRAILER MODS
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Golden_HVAC
Fulltime, CA, USA
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Joined: 08/19/2003
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Hi,
Did you happen to write down the front and rear axle weights?
Did you look up the front and rear axle weight ratings? They are on the door jam next to the GVWR.
Yes the WD hitch will distribute some weight to the trailer axles. I read a post some time back with actual weights at a scale, and the post included that 250 pounds where transferred to the front axle and 140 pounds to the trailer axles. The trailer axles are a lot further away from the hitch ball than the steering axle, so that is why more is transferred forward that rearward.
With a shorter wheelbase trailer, you would have a tendency to transfer more weight to the trailer axles than with a longer trailer to ball wheelbase. But with your shorter tow vehicle wheelbase, then you would have a tendency to transfer more weight to the front axle because it is closer to the hitch ball, unless the trailer is fairly short.
Well don't get your hopes up to high. If you stay with a 750 - 900 pound hitch weight, you might expect to transfer about 100 - 130 pounds to the trailer axles with a 24- 26' long trailer. You will have to be very careful not to load the front of the trailer to heavy, so buying a lighter trailer would be a responcable thing to do.
Fred.
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SemperFiCop
USA
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Joined: 10/19/2007
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Your Payload Capacity is Clearly Posted
on the Inside of Your Drivers Side Door...
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Ron Gratz
full time RVer
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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Pleco wrote:---Does a WD hitch give me any more flexability with this? I have read from the sticky that the WD hitch does NOT decrease tongue weight. However, it DOES shift some weight load from the TV to the TT axle, thus reducing the TT contribution to GVWR? If I understand correctly, then I might reasonabley figure, say 200 pounds of extra capacity? This would allow me an 1100 pound hitch weight? Of course, I will weigh in to test this out when I get a TT, but would like to know if I'm on the right track BEFORE I spend lots of $$$ on TT.
Assume the tongue weight is 1000#.
If you are not using a WD system, the tongue weight will cause a load of 1000# to be added to the rear of the TV.
If you are using a properly sized and adjusted WD system, the WD system should be able to transfer a load equal to at least 20% of the tongue weight from the TV to the TT axles.
So, if you have a tongue weight of 1000# and use a WD system, the resulting load applied to the rear of the TV should be 800# or less.
Ron
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Pleco
NY state
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Joined: 08/26/2008
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Thanks a bunch for the replies. So, it sounds like the WD hitch can help me out a little bit with my 7300 GVWR limit, but in the interest of being conservative, I should not count on more than about 100 pounds, or better yet, count on nothing being transfered to the TT. This way, I know I'm under the limit.
Regarding questions on my axle ratings, I please refer to my sig where I posted everything except my max hitch weight, which I have not yet found.
I was looking at 4 bunk TT models before I started reading and posting here. They were 6-7k pounds, and 32-34 feet long. I have since been educated that they are really too long heavy and long for my TV.
I am now looking into some 2 bunk models, which are around 30 ft total length, and 5300-5500 lbs dry weight. I am hoping that is small enough. I realize I would need something like a Hensely Arrow hitch though, since it is still very long for my TV. Surprisingly, these TTs still have hitch weights of around 800 pounds, same as many models weighing 1000+ pounds more.
* This post was
edited 08/31/08 11:48am by Pleco *
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SemperFiCop
USA
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Joined: 10/19/2007
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Your Max hitch weight is 860 pounds, with HD Tow Package (Class IV Hitch)
the sticker is located under the rear bumper cover
(unless it was removed or the sticker fell off)
GCWR(14500)- loaded Exped(6,000)+ hitch wt(860 max) + stuff(400)= Max TT Weight
GVWR(7300) - Loaded Expedition(6,000) + stuff = Max Trailer Hitch Weight (860)
or
14500 (GCWR) - 7300 (GVWR) = 7200 (Max Tow Capacity)
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Ron Gratz
full time RVer
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Joined: 12/27/2003
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The weight of the loaded TV plus the weight of the loaded TT should not exceed the TV's GCWR. In equation form:
GVW(TV) + GVW(TT) <= GCWR
Given your GCWR = 14,500# and your estimated GVW(TV) = 6,000 + 400 = 6,400#, then
GVW(TT) <= 14,500 - 6,400 = 8,100#.
You also must heed the Maximum Towing Weight (MTW) rating of 8,600#. To determine the maximum allowable GVW(TT) based on MTW, you must estimate the weight of the "extras" which will be carried by your TV. The weight of the extras is equal to the loaded weight of the TV (you estimate 6,400#) minus the "curb weight" of the TV. The difference must be subtracted from the MTW to determine maximum allowable GVW(TT). This probably will differ from the value based on GCWR.
If the tongue weight maximum for your receiver is 860# and you want the TT's tongue weight percentage to be in the range of 10%-15%, then the receiver rating would limit the TT's GVW to about 5,700# to 8,600#. A tongue weight of 12.5% would limit the TT to about 6,900#.
So, if the receiver really is limited to a tongue weight of 860#, it looks as though the receiver rating will determine how much the TT can weigh.
Ron
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