Weight return to Steer Axle

[cmac7203]

Just made a visit to the CAT scales in my Ram 2500 towing 8500 lb trailer.

Unloaded steer axle weight: 3800
Trailer hooked up, no WD: 3300
Trailer hooked up, with WD: 3480

How much weight should I shoot for to be returned to steer axle? Only transferred 180 lbs back and I am at maximum adjustment on Andersen anti-away. Front GVAWR 5100 lbs.

Please don’t comment that I need a new WDH or truck. I am just looking for optimal weight return target (weight, %?). That will inform my decision to change hitch and/or truck.

TIA

Charlie

[ASTMedic]

In theory back to stock

[cmac7203]

Originally Posted by ASTMedic

In theory back to stock

That’s what I was thinking. I can’t find this anywhere on any board or website. Loaded, no WD front wheel well height goes up .5”, and with maximum WD on Andersen anti-sway i can bring it back to within 1/4” of unloaded. Strange I can’t get closer returning weight to front axle...and I am SO far from GAWR limit.

[Demiles]

No you don’t return it back to stock or unloaded height, it’s what ever the vehicle manufacturer says which is usually 50%.
In the 2019 users manual it’s on pages 415-416.

[cmac7203]

Originally Posted by Demiles

No you don’t return it back to stock or unloaded height, it’s what ever the vehicle manufacturer says which is usually 50%.
In the 2019 users manual it’s on pages 415-416.

I have 2009, not a peep in there about it. Here are the actual weights:

TRUCK ONLY
Front axle: 3,800
Rear axle: 3,280

TRUCK and TRAILER, NO WD
Front axle: 3,300
Rear axle: 4,960
Trailer axle(s): 7,340

TRUCK w/ WD
Front axle: 3,480
Rear axle: 4,680
Trailer axle(s): 7,420

So my goal is to get back as much of the 3,800 as I can, but I am at the max adjustment for the hitch. I’m also only .25” high on the front wheel well from level. No drop on rear wheel well. There is funky voodoo weirdness going on I can’t figure out.

[kylemcmahon1]

I had a 2016 ram with an 11,000 lb tt on a 2500 ram. With the Anderson hitch. I returned about half weight and ran good straight as an arrow down the road with wind trucks around and all.

[ASTMedic]

Originally Posted by Demiles

No you don’t return it back to stock or unloaded height, it’s what ever the vehicle manufacturer says which is usually 50%.
In the 2019 users manual it’s on pages 415-416.

As long as you're not over loading and changing the angles on the front end I don't see how this hurts anything

[cmac7203]

Originally Posted by kylemcmahon1

I had a 2016 ram with an 11,000 lb tt on a 2500 ram. With the Anderson hitch. I returned about half weight and ran good straight as an arrow down the road with wind trucks around and all.

How many threads showing? I’m cranked down to 8, what Andersen refers to as the “sweet spot.”

[cmac7203]

Originally Posted by ASTMedic

As long as you're not over loading and changing the angles on the front end I don't see how this hurts anything

Yeah, I am a l-o-n-g way from GAWR of 5100.

[kylemcmahon1]

Originally Posted by cmac7203

How many threads showing? I’m cranked down to 8, what Andersen refers to as the “sweet spot.”

General driving for weekend was 8. If I went for a long trip more weight in camper so I cranked to 9. But keep in mind the amount of threads depends on how many inches you are from hutch head. There is a 2 to 3 inch gap that the brackets can be place at. So that can be a lot of thread difference. I just cranked down till it worked well for me. If it was swaying alittle to much cranked it to 9 and sway goes away.

[Demiles]

Originally Posted by cmac7203

I have 2009, not a peep in there about it. Here are the actual weights:

TRUCK ONLY
Front axle: 3,800
Rear axle: 3,280

TRUCK and TRAILER, NO WD
Front axle: 3,300
Rear axle: 4,960
Trailer axle(s): 7,340

TRUCK w/ WD
Front axle: 3,480
Rear axle: 4,680
Trailer axle(s): 7,420

So my goal is to get back as much of the 3,800 as I can, but I am at the max adjustment for the hitch. I’m also only .25” high on the front wheel well from level. No drop on rear wheel well. There is funky voodoo weirdness going on I can’t figure out.

I had a 06 2500HD that I towed several different trailers over 20k miles and never used more than 50% FALR. Handling went right down the crapper if I used more which was learned by trial and error.

[richardcoxid]

Maybe I am dreaming but somewhere I think that I read/heard that a Anderson WD TT hitch was OK up to about 500# loaded tongue weight. Greater than that it just couldn’t do the job.I have looked and looked but can’t find the information! Maybe I was dreaming!

Also an old time RV’r told me and it is only a guide (to many variables to be a hard and fast rule) Use the rule of 1/3rds. Example if your loaded tongue weight is 600# a properly set up WD hitch will transfer ABOUT 200# to the front TV front axle, ABOUT 200# to the TV rear axle and ABOUT 200# back to the TT axles.

[Wilde]

Originally Posted by richardcoxid

Maybe I am dreaming but somewhere I think that I read/heard that a Anderson WD TT hitch was OK up to about 500# loaded tongue weight. Greater than that it just couldn’t do the job.I have looked and looked but can’t find the information! Maybe I was dreaming!

I use the Andersen hitch. I have a 1,000lbs tongue weight and it works fine. It brings the front axle back to stock. OP has a 1,700lbs tongue weight... so maybe that's too much. I'm pretty sure I also read about it having a maximum effective limit, but I don't remember where.

[Demiles]

Why are you targeting weight moved forward? if the rig tows well and your not exceeding AWR leave it alone.