Tongue weight

[Maxxcamping]

We have a 2021 Grand Design Reflection RLTS. After watching MANY Youtube videos of people with same model, they show front closet loaded with gear and clothing. We have minimal in our closet with pretty much light summer gear stored. The other day, took the rig to a scale (tanks empty) and the tongue weight was already over the mfg rating by about 30%. By re-distributing the weight to the back, I have got it down to about 20% over. Any one else run into this issue of exceeding the tongue weight?

[shane_the_ee]

What was your tongue weight and what was the manufacturer’s rating? (Hint: the one in the brochure is the tongue weight before they add any options/batteries/propane/etc. My tongue weight is almost twice the brochure tongue weight.)

[Tomahawk]

since the MFG tongue weight is without a battery or propane tank, those sit right on the tongue, you can figure to add 60 LB for a group 29 FLA battery and about 40 LB per 20 LB propane bottle (20LB Propane + Bottle Tare weight). For my trailer, the MFG weight is 350 LB. When loaded I measured about 650 LB, which is 13% of GVWR of 5000 LB.

[jleonard]

Our TT brochure spec is 597 lb, and actual from the factory was 661 lb. Weight per the CAT scale when only loaded for 3 nights was roughly 1000lb.

[Dave Pelletier]

Originally Posted by Maxxcamping

We have a 2021 Grand Design Reflection RLTS. After watching MANY Youtube videos of people with same model, they show front closet loaded with gear and clothing. We have minimal in our closet with pretty much light summer gear stored. The other day, took the rig to a scale (tanks empty) and the tongue weight was already over the mfg rating by about 30%. By re-distributing the weight to the back, I have got it down to about 20% over. Any one else run into this issue of exceeding the tongue weight?

Typically there is no maximum rated tongue weight by manufacturer, only a published dry weight. You shouldn't worry about being over the dry tongue weight in hte brochure and simply aim for 12 - 15% of your trailer's loaded weight on the tongue.....and better a bit too much than too little.

Manufacturer's tend to publish ultra low tongue weights so they appeal to buyers with smaller tow vehicles but running with too little tongue weight is a recipe for instability and sway.

2 cents,
Dave

[Jayc71]

Our Outback UML's rated tongue weight is around 600 if I remember correctly. I grabbed a tongue scale and with tanks empty, unloaded the actual weight was about 850.

That's about where I assumed it would be. The sales guy couldn't understand why I didn't believe the rated tongue weight when we bought it... apparently he's never had anybody question it. All a dealership cares about (for legal reasons) is that your truck is rated to tow the dry weight of the TT you are driving off with, they don't want to even talk about tongue weight and payload.

[WillT]

Our 2018 26N specs lists tongue wit at 678 lbs. Loaded for camping with empty black and gray tanks and full fresh, (over and behind the rear axle), the weight on the axles is approx. 7400 lbs. Like that, I have weighed the tongue a couple of times at just under 1,000 lbs. So going out with black and gray empty and full fresh we are probably at about 14% on the tongue. I have never weighed the tongue coming home with empty fresh and fuller gray and black, (gray over the axles and black partly over and in front of the front axle), but I suspect tongue weight is 15 - 16% of total weight. So we are slightly heavier on the tongue than standard recommendations and at least 300-400 lbs. over the specs. tongue weight. The TT tows perfectly. As others noted above, I would rather be over on the tongue wt. than risk sway by being under. With a heavy tongue TT likes ours it is also nice to have a one ton truck. I think more important than a heavy tongue weight is what vehicle that tongue weight is hitched to.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

Typically there is no maximum rated tongue weight by manufacturer, only a published dry weight. You shouldn't worry about being over the dry tongue weight in hte brochure and simply aim for 12 - 15% of your trailer's loaded weight on the tongue.....and better a bit too much than too little.

Manufacturer's tend to publish ultra low tongue weights so they appeal to buyers with smaller tow vehicles but running with too little tongue weight is a recipe for instability and sway.

2 cents,
Dave

^^^THIS^^^

Dave nailed it on the head. No "max" tongue weight is determined by the trailer mfg. Load the trailer as you would for a trip (best to include water esp if it is behind the axles) and go weigh again. You want that magic 12-15%.

Weigh truck alone with hitch in the receiver, throw the bars in the back of the bed.

Weigh truck and trailer with the bars disconnected.

Charles

[bneukam]

Very few manufacturers weigh each unit as it comes off the factory line. They will build a prototype, and apply those weights to all the other units built.

These weights include no options, propane, and batteries.

Not all floor plans will tow the same. Some manufacturers build floor plans with no thought with how it will trail down the road. Some only require 11 to 12%. Others need extreme tongue weights to trail smoothly.

[JohnLoves2Sk]

Originally Posted by Dave Pelletier

Typically there is no maximum rated tongue weight by manufacturer, only a published dry weight. You shouldn't worry about being over the dry tongue weight in hte brochure and simply aim for 12 - 15% of your trailer's loaded weight on the tongue.....and better a bit too much than too little.

Manufacturer's tend to publish ultra low tongue weights so they appeal to buyers with smaller tow vehicles but running with too little tongue weight is a recipe for instability and sway.

2 cents,
Dave

See above. Spot on Dave!

[Sammicic]

The part that scares me on my TT is that the tongue has stamped near the coupler 700 lbs. max.
Factory TW states 440# Trailer GVW 4400#
Actual TW with 2 20# LP and LifePo battery in pass through and WD bars it will typically weigh just over 600#.
I can live with that because it’s around 15%.
BUT, as soon as I add fresh water(19 gal fresh and 6 gal HW) it will exceed 750+ lbs!
Needless to say I rarely travel with more than 5 gal of FW.