tow & tongue

[chrisen]

Does anyone know why the tow capacity is 10000 lbs but the tongue weight is only 500 lbs. on a 2005 Vectra? Thanks for your input.

[ernieh]

Don't know about your coach, but my 03 Journey DL is very close to the max rear axle weight when loaded. More than 500# on my hitch would probably put me over the limit.

[vbugles]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisen Does anyone know why the tow capacity is 10000 lbs but the tongue weight is only 500 lbs. on a 2005 Vectra? Thanks for your input.

Tongue weight is the amount of weight directly carried by the hitch downward thrust. Tow weidght is the amount of supported weight being towed. re: if you pull a trailer part of the weight is carried by the tires and the rest is carried by the tongue, if you pull a car then little or no tongue weight is present as the weight of the car is carried by the four wheels.

The differnce is the weight supported and the weight pulled. I hope this helped.

Bill

[AFChap]

Because that is all the hitch itself is rated to carry in downward pressure, AND because when you multiplay the 500 lb times some unknown factor functioning as a lever behind the rear wheels, the 500 lb becomes considerably more weight above 500 lb on your rear axle. Of course it varies from one rig to the next depending on how long the rear overhang is, but putting 500 lb in downward weight on your hitch could actually add 750 lb to your rear axle weight while subtracting 250 lb from your front axle.