Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-26-2013, 01:19 PM   #1
Rivet Master
 
Denis4x4's Avatar
 
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Currently Looking...
Durango , Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,112
ProPride Tongue Weight Question

UPS guy brought 282 pounds of steel from Propride last week. Installed it yesterday and will fine tune it next week. This is an '06 Safari 25' FB weighing 6284#. I was using a Reese Dual Cam. The stinger on the PP weighed in at 49.5 lbs on a beam scale and the Reese hitch was 38.5 on the same scale. I bought a Sherline scale and the tongue weight was 800# before installing the PP. The tongue weight is now 1200#!

Logic says the tongue weight should go up about 200#, not 400#. Can somebody clue me in.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0405.jpg
Views:	244
Size:	251.8 KB
ID:	186566   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0477.jpg
Views:	217
Size:	240.8 KB
ID:	186567  

Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0476.jpg
Views:	258
Size:	169.8 KB
ID:	186568  
Denis4x4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 01:40 PM   #2
Rivet Master
 
SteveH's Avatar
 
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
First, did you weight the tongue with the Sherline before the installation, or are you going from specs? Edit: (I see you did looking at the pictures.)

My ProPride had a shipping weight of 230 pounds marked on the paperwork. My 30'er has a tongue weight with the Sherline and Propride attached of 1140 lbs.

Yes, your logic seems correct to me, and I don't understand how the weight went up 400 lbs., unless you raised the tongue up to a much higher elevation, and that might have raised the measured weight.
__________________
Regards,
Steve
SteveH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 01:54 PM   #3
3 Rivet Member
 
MaxTow's Avatar
 
2005 30' Safari
Kanata , Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 210
I was measuring my rig this morning with the Sherline scale. This is the first time that I've really used the scale even though I've had the scale for 6 months.

I found the results were highly variable - tongue weight was measuring between 1050 lbs. and 1200 lbs. on successive readings. In between trailing measurements I would weigh myself - it seemed reasonable accurate...

Perhaps you are experiencing this same 'measurement error'.
MaxTow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 03:02 PM   #4
Rivet Master
 
dkottum's Avatar
 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake , Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
To be meaningful the trailer would have to be exactly level in each measurement, and measured at the same distance from the trailer axle where the comparative hitches are supported by the tow vehicle receiver. Not sure if that's possible because the stingers would have to be attached.

doug k
dkottum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 03:15 PM   #5
Rivet Master
 
1988 32' Excella
Robbinsville , New Jersey
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,116
As an experiment you could weight the tongue and then lower the scale 2" and weigh again to compare the weights.
Wazbro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 03:19 PM   #6
Lost in America
 
mojo's Avatar
 
2015 27' FB International
2006 25' Safari FB SE
2004 19' International CCD
Santa Fe , New Mexico
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,151
Dennis, we have the same trailer and mine weighs in at around 7200lbs loaded for travel. With the Hensley hitch it weighs 1200lbs on the tongue jack and 900lbs resting on the hitch head where the stinger inserts. A bit of difference all around.
__________________
This is the strangest life I've ever known - J. Morrison

2015 Airstream International Serenity 27FB
2017
Chevy Silverado 2500HD Duramax Diesel

mojo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 03:31 PM   #7
Rivet Master
 
dkottum's Avatar
 
2012 25' Flying Cloud
Battle Lake , Minnesota
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 7,714
As I understand it, the farther you weigh from the trailer axle (fulcrum), the longer the "lever", the lighter the load at that point.

So even though the the Propride weighs more than the old hitch, the actual weight felt on the tow vehicle receiver is less than the difference between the two hitches. This is because the Propride is longer.

doug k
dkottum is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 04:07 PM   #8
3 Rivet Member
 
MaxTow's Avatar
 
2005 30' Safari
Kanata , Ontario
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 210
Quote:
Originally Posted by dkottum View Post
As I understand it, the farther you weigh from the trailer axle (fulcrum), the longer the "lever", the lighter the load at that point.

So even though the the Propride weighs more than the old hitch, the actual weight felt on the tow vehicle receiver is less than the difference between the two hitches. This is because the Propride is longer.

doug k
The lever analogy is correct provided the lever has no appreciable weight. In this case, the new portion of the lever is very heavy. It will show up directly on the weight taken at that point.

We can get into a discussion of how much of the tongue weight is transferred to the TV thanks to the WD design - but most of the weight of the ProPride is directly added to the payload of the TV as it is fixed to the TV. It's only the weight behind the pivot point of the hitch that get distributed to between the TV and the trailer.
MaxTow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 06:31 PM   #9
Rivet Master
 
Ridgerunner3's Avatar
 
2002 25' Safari
Fountain Inn , South Carolina
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 714
Images: 13
Just to share some information. I have a 02 Safari 25 with a Propride hitch. The tongue weight I have calculate from CAT scale weights (full tank of water and ready to camp) is 1020 lbs. Back when I was using a Reese Dual Cam my CAT scale calculated tongue weight was 860# with a similar load for camping (the loads were similar but not exactly the same).

Tongue weight calculated by subtracting TV unhitched weight from TV hitched weight with no tension on the WD bars. Am I looking at the correctly?

I have a Sherline scale but I am not certain where I should place the scale when weighing the tongue with the Propride installed. I have attempted to weigh the tongue at different points and have not been able to replicate the calculated tongue weight from the CAT scale. Sherline readings have been in the 850# range. I have been using a floor jack with the Sherline scale sitting on the floor jack. Trailer is sitting level and I bring the jack up until it just barely lifts the tongue jack foot off the pavement.
__________________
Bud
Ridgerunner3 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-26-2013, 07:25 PM   #10
Rivet Master
 
1988 32' Excella
Robbinsville , New Jersey
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 3,116
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3 View Post
Just to share some information. I have a 02 Safari 25 with a Propride hitch. The tongue weight I have calculate from CAT scale weights (full tank of water and ready to camp) is 1020 lbs. Back when I was using a Reese Dual Cam my CAT scale calculated tongue weight was 860# with a similar load for camping (the loads were similar but not exactly the same).

Tongue weight calculated by subtracting TV unhitched weight from TV hitched weight with no tension on the WD bars. Am I looking at the correctly?

I have a Sherline scale but I am not certain where I should place the scale when weighing the tongue with the Propride installed. I have attempted to weigh the tongue at different points and have not been able to replicate the calculated tongue weight from the CAT scale. Sherline readings have been in the 850# range. I have been using a floor jack with the Sherline scale sitting on the floor jack. Trailer is sitting level and I bring the jack up until it just barely lifts the tongue jack foot off the pavement.
I believe you did it correct with a difference of about 160# it sounds right to.

Note: There are 2 definitions for tongue weight, this one the weight carried by the receiver and another definition where the weight of the hitch doesn't count as tongue weight (I guess this definition would apply to having the correct tongue weight for the balance of the trailer).
Wazbro is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 08:05 AM   #11
Rivet Master
 
Denis4x4's Avatar
 
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Currently Looking...
Durango , Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,112
Update

Inserted the hitch and used a 6' level in the trailer and came up with a new tongue weight of 1050#. Had to weigh this several times as the hitch pivot makes it somewhat difficult to keep the unit from sliding off the scale! I think that I can live with this number.

While I buy into the lever theory, it appears that I only added the weight of the components even though the weight was calculated at least one foot beyond the original weigh point.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0485.jpg
Views:	220
Size:	278.2 KB
ID:	187153   Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0487.jpg
Views:	376
Size:	298.0 KB
ID:	187155  

Denis4x4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 08:08 AM   #12
Rivet Master
 
SteveH's Avatar
 
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
That sounds about right. Mine weighed 1150 under the tongue jack with the ProPride, but without the drawbar.

Now, tell us about what's behind what looks to be a T-bucket front end in the Right of the picture. :-)
__________________
Regards,
Steve
SteveH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 08:13 AM   #13
Rivet Master
 
Denis4x4's Avatar
 
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Currently Looking...
Durango , Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,112
'26 Zipper lakester with 1931 Model A running gear. Four banger puts out about 110 HP through a '39 Ford transmission. Loads of fun!
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	MVC-011S (2).JPG
Views:	201
Size:	60.7 KB
ID:	187156  
Denis4x4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 08:23 AM   #14
Rivet Master
 
SteveH's Avatar
 
2005 39' Land Yacht 390 XL 396
Common Sense , Texas
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,319
Cool! By chance have I seen that one before at the Pueblo Nats.?
__________________
Regards,
Steve
SteveH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 10:24 PM   #15
Rivet Master
 
JFScheck's Avatar
 
2020 30' Classic
Derwood , Maryland
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,515
Images: 37
Denis4x4 - sweet Rod!!!

Oops - sorry, off topic, the Zipper got me...
__________________
John "JFScheck" Scheck
2020 30’ Airstream Classic
**I Love U.S.A.**
JFScheck is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Airstream, Inc. or any of its affiliates. Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:37 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.