Toy Hauler TT Hitch Weight - Dutchmen Owners
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Old 04-08-2019, 05:44 PM   #1
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Toy Hauler TT Hitch Weight

Went through the cat scales recently and my hitch weight on my new Endurance is right at 2,000lbs... I didn't have any toys loaded, no water, probably 500-600lbs camping gear. My educated guess weight on the trailer is 10,500(didn't weight it alone, ran out of time). I know the toys will offset the hitch weight some but is loading 1,200LBS going to make a huge difference? I'm at 20% now, need to be down to 12-13%
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Old 04-08-2019, 06:13 PM   #2
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If you put that 1200 pounds behind the axles it will reduce the hitch weight. Is your trailer a 5th wheel or bumper pull?
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Old 04-08-2019, 06:23 PM   #3
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If you put that 1200 pounds behind the axles it will reduce the hitch weight. Is your trailer a 5th wheel or bumper pull?
Its a bumper pull. May have jumped the gun on the hitch weight. There is a 2,000 lb increase on rear axle but also a 400lb reduction in front axle weight when the trailer is loaded. Without weighing the trailer, is it safe to say that the 2,000LB increase in rear axle and 400lb decrease in front axle, nets around 1,600lb hitch weight?
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Old 04-08-2019, 06:29 PM   #4
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Just came across this interesting website for weight and balance of a trailer. It will tell you exactly what you want to know.

https://www.engineersedge.com/calcul...ht-balance.htm
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Old 04-08-2019, 07:03 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by azdryheat View Post
Just came across this interesting website for weight and balance of a trailer. It will tell you exactly what you want to know.

https://www.engineersedge.com/calcul...ht-balance.htm
Thanks for the info
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Old 04-08-2019, 09:32 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by PRKev View Post
Its a bumper pull. May have jumped the gun on the hitch weight. There is a 2,000 lb increase on rear axle but also a 400lb reduction in front axle weight when the trailer is loaded. Without weighing the trailer, is it safe to say that the 2,000LB increase in rear axle and 400lb decrease in front axle, nets around 1,600lb hitch weight?
nope. you need a weight balancing hitch to spread some of that load to the front wheels. You are probably overweight on the back of your truck.
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Old 04-08-2019, 10:02 PM   #7
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nope. you need a weight balancing hitch to spread some of that load to the front wheels. You are probably overweight on the back of your truck.
Under GVWR and 800lbs under rear axle ratings loaded as is
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Old 04-08-2019, 11:20 PM   #8
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Still doesn’t sound right. What type of truck? How much does it lower the rear end and how much does it raise the front? You would need a 1 ton pickup for 2k. The gvwr is the total weight of the truck with payload I thinks
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Old 04-10-2019, 11:45 PM   #9
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Since it sounds like you did a one pass weigh, I would assume no Weight Distributing Hitch, and there is no way you would put 2K on a half ton receiver without putting the trucks nose in the air, so assuming a 3/4-1 ton truck.



Since you don't have a truck only pass, which would give you your front and rear axle empty weights, it is hard to say exactly how much tongue weight you have.



In any event, dropping 1200 pounds on the rear behind the axles will remove quite a bit off the tongue, after all, that is basically the design of the Toy Hauler, and they really aren't meant to be towed with an empty garage.





I was at an RV show last month and there was this one TH that was claimed to be half ton towable. One look at it and I could tell anyone they would be insane to even think about dropping that on the ball of any half ton truck. The distance between the ball and first axle was 2/3rds the length of the trailer! It looked more like a 3 horse slant load trailer with where the axles were placed!
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Old 04-11-2019, 01:10 AM   #10
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Update since my original post, did a weigh in with truck alone and Determined my hitch weight is right at 1,600lbs. Hoping to lose 200-300lbs of that when we load up next week for our vacation. Also getting my wdh set up again, feel like the 1st installer was ready to get out of there at 4:30 on Friday afternoon. Am I right in saying if trailer hitch Is level at 23 1/2”, my hitch needs to be around 24 1/2”-25” ?
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Old 04-11-2019, 01:14 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by PRKev View Post
Update since my original post, did a weigh in with truck alone and Determined my hitch weight is right at 1,600lbs. Hoping to lose 200-300lbs of that when we load up next week for our vacation. Also getting my wdh set up again, feel like the 1st installer was ready to get out of there at 4:30 on Friday afternoon. Am I right in saying if trailer hitch Is level at 23 1/2”, my hitch needs to be around 24 1/2”-25” ?



Yes it does. One inch higher is recommended.
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Old 04-11-2019, 11:07 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by PRKev View Post
Update since my original post, did a weigh in with truck alone and Determined my hitch weight is right at 1,600lbs. Hoping to lose 200-300lbs of that when we load up next week for our vacation. Also getting my wdh set up again, feel like the 1st installer was ready to get out of there at 4:30 on Friday afternoon. Am I right in saying if trailer hitch Is level at 23 1/2”, my hitch needs to be around 24 1/2”-25” ?
One inch higher is a good place to start. The angle of the ball (tilted backwards) is important because that is how the arms transfer the weight. You have to attempt several settings (weigh in between) to get it "perfect".
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Old 04-11-2019, 01:21 PM   #13
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That also depends on the WDH used. A Blue Ox has a fixed head, only has two adjustments, head height and chain links. Easiest way to check without weighing is to return the front wheel wheel to unloaded height. 9 out of 10 times you will be spot on. The 10th time is usually because it is just too heavy and needs weight moved in the trailer.
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Old 04-11-2019, 02:21 PM   #14
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That also depends on the WDH used. A Blue Ox has a fixed head, only has two adjustments, head height and chain links. Easiest way to check without weighing is to return the front wheel wheel to unloaded height. 9 out of 10 times you will be spot on. The 10th time is usually because it is just too heavy and needs weight moved in the trailer.
LOL! Getting the weight right is a process! I'm on number 6 and by the time I get it right, I'll sell and get a new RV.
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Old 04-11-2019, 04:08 PM   #15
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Have to give the BO hitch credit. Nailed my setup the first time and even gained 400 pounds of payload back. No matter what I did with the Husky I was using I could not get weight transferred to the trailer.



Only complaint I have about the BO are the clamps, need to keep a hand on the chain so it doesn't slip out while turning them up.
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Old 04-13-2019, 11:36 PM   #16
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I recommend purchasing a Sherline scale to help with your setup. Easier than going to the truck scale every time.
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Old 04-14-2019, 12:33 AM   #17
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I recommend purchasing a Sherline scale to help with your setup. Easier than going to the truck scale every time.



Just today I was thinking to myself I should get one. I just replaced the Queen mattress a few weeks ago and it just downed on me that it is at the very least 3 times the weight of the one that came in the trailer. Of course, where is it located, but at the very front!



I own 5 trailers of various types so for me the scale can come in handy and is easier to use than the scale and 2x4 method.
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Old 04-18-2019, 12:08 AM   #18
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I went through the same 'enlightenment' when I got my 2015 Rubicon 2500. Puzzled the crap out of the techs at Husky because I couldn't get the hitch to balance and in the end, they said "Go and weight just the tongue weight" and it came back ridiculously high, 1700lb I think.

What came out of that is your standard class hitches are not rated for that and I had to fit a Curt Commercial hitch to the truck - 18,000lb haul and 2700lb tongue weight. A Class V hitch is only rated to 1200lb with no WDH and 1700lb with a WDH so you are going to be right on the borderline with that.

My honest advice after towing my rig over 100,000Km is...fit good quality airbags to the truck with an onboard compressor and get a solid WDH. I like my Husky Centerline even though the 1200lb bars I have on it are a bit undergunned.

Watch your A-frame welds where they join to the trailer frame like a hawk. There is MASSIVE loads on those joints as the trailer bounces along the roads. Mine has flexed so much it has pushed the checkerplate up in notches that are almost 2" deep.
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