Tongue weight of 2619

[KParis]

Thanks again to all who have helped me through the pre-owner process.

Question about tongue weights. I know the 2619 has a tongue weight of 351 pounds according to the brochure. I am assuming this includes the weight of the propane tanks (2) but unfilled. I also assume it doesn't include the battery. 1. Am I right so far? If the filled tanks weigh about 40 pounds more and the battery weighs about 65 pounds (I am guessing), I once again assume these are added to the tongue weight. 2. Right?

Now here are some other questions. The definition of tongue weight at one of the sites says that you add that to the GVW. And that you must be below the GVWR. Okay. But are they talking about the trailer or the tow vehicle? 3. Or does GVW only refer to the tow vehicle? I even Googled it and they don't specify. I was told that I go to the scales and weigh the trailer and then the tow vehicle's front wheels (trailer and tow vehicle are still hooked together). I then repeat with the back wheels and add the two weights together (which is the GVW of the tow vehicle). I then remove the trailer, weight it separately and then weight the tow vehicle alone (front wheels and back wheels). Subtracting the GVW of the tow vehicle with the trailer minus the GVW of the tow vehicle without the trailer gives me the tongue weight. Now I have a tongue weight. 4. What do I do with it? Do I add it to the trailer to make sure I don't exceeds its GVWR or do I add it to the tow vehicle to make sure I don't exceed its GVWR? Whew--I thought it would be so simple to just pick a trailer and use one of the recommended vehicles they say can tow 3500 pounds but noooooo. They are too small. I have to find something that tows 5500+ pounds to be safe.

Once again, I really, really appreciate all the help so many of you have given me. You are much better than the dealers.

THANK YOU, Kathy Paris:new_Eyecr:new_Eyecr

 

[mjlaupp]

Probably one of the best trailer weight calculators is at Changin' Gears:
http://changingears.com/rv-sec-calc-trailer-weight-tt.shtml
This should answer most of your questions.

 

[brulaz]

I would say "Yes", you are right to 1 and 2. But also any other weight you add to the trailer between the trailer axle and hitch will add to the tongue weight. The closer to the hitch, the more of the additional weight will be on the tongue. It's proportional; if it's loaded half-way between the axle and tongue, half the additional weight will be on the axle and half on the tongue.

And for 3&4, yes, add the tongue weight to the vehicle payload. The vehicle's total GVW which includes the trailer tongue weight, passengers, gas, and whatever else you've added to the truck/SUV should not exceed its GVWR.

If you add a WDH, things get a bit more complicated, as it can transfer some of the tongue weight back to the trailer.

And the same applies to the trailer. You do not want it's total GVW to exceed it's GVWR.

The total trailer GVW is split between the weight on its axle GAW and on its tongue. The trailer's GAW should not exceed it's GAWR. The tongue weight is carried by your Tow Vehicle.

And you can also consider the TV's front and rear axle weight ratings (GAWR).

You really need a scale to get into GAW measurements.

 

[cochise-TMO]

"4. What do I do with it? Do I add it to the trailer to make sure I don't exceeds its GVWR or do I add it to the tow vehicle to make sure I don't exceed its GVWR? Whew--I thought it would be so simple to just pick a trailer and use one of the recommended vehicles they say can tow 3500 pounds but noooooo. They are too small. I have to find something that tows 5500+ pounds to be safe".

TrailManor has a tendency to under estimate the actual tongue weight, in writing no less. I own an Elkmont 24, which they boldly advertise as weighing 3500 lb with 350 on the tongue in their brochure. Even empty it weighs way more, more like 600 lb on the tongue. And in my case at least even the document used to register the trailer was falsified as it showed the shipping weight from the dealer, with all the options, including LP gas tanks as 2733 lb. And the dealers sales flyer shows the same with all the equipment. So I would be very wary of anything they tell me. Brulaz knows what I am talking about, he got his Elkmont from the same dealer as I did.

 

[brulaz]

Yup, be cautious about Trailmanor's published weights. My tongue weight, loaded, is 620#. Some people here have reported other Trailmanor tongue weights closer to 720#

Trailmanor designs its trailers with the axle much further from the tongue than other manufacturers. This does improve the handling. Even with my Upright Elkmont, sway bars are not necessary with a properly adjusted WDH. But it also puts more weight on the tongue. You need a vehicle with a fairly high GVWR if you want to carry much else in the vehicle.

On our last trip I took our ELkmont+Tacoma to a weigh station and discovered that I exceeded the GVWR of the Tacoma by several hundred pounds. As a result, we're driving a lot more cautiously these days as I'm afraid the Tacoma's brakes are our weak link.