Tongue Weight on 33FB

[CWSWine]

I know that the dry weight on the 33FB is 1175 has anyone weight one and got a loaded ready to camp tongue weight. I was using 15% or GVWR of 10,000 and that comes to 1500 pounds but looks like with the front bedroom without much storage it would a less than 15%.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Loading is so specific to an individual that you really need to check your specific trailer. Indeed as you load up on this or that, it's likely to vary a bit even on your trailer. If anything, the "factory" tongue weights tend to be a bit light compared to reality.

If the question is related to shopping and fitting a tow vehicle - I think it is best to work out the trailer first and then fiddle the tow. You should plan to hang on to the trailer much longer than most of us hang on to a tow vehicle.

Bob

[CWSWine]

Bob

What peeked my interest was most pull behinds run between 10% and 15% but they have a dry pin around 11% and loaded ready to camp climbs to about 12% to 13%. The Classic 33FB starts out on the high end 14.2 dry but looking at the floor plan with a front bedroom without much storage and most the storage just in front of the wheels and the rear bath having the majority storage. Just seems like you won't get much increase in percentage. Of course, it all depends on how you load your AS.

The 33FB we pick up on 1 Jul and the truck is already purchased. My truck specs are 2868 yellow tag payload 14,400 towing, and 21,500 GCWR. We figured 10,000 GVW with 1500 pin(15%), 500 pounds for people and stuff in the cab of the truck and 600 pounds in the bed of the truck so I think we are good to go.

[jrkott]

I have a 33FB “Twin” which has external access storage under each bed, therefore it is likely the tongue weight is higher than a queen bed model when loaded with gear.

I can’t recall the actual tongue weight I ended up with, but I tow with a HD2500 Duramax with a Blue OX Sway Pro and 1500lb bars. It tows very well. If we happen to really load up the trailer and truck bed, I tighten the chains up a couple links and all is good.

PS: Due to the heavy tongue weight , I upgraded to a Husky Super Brute 5000 jack.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Bob

What peeked my interest was most pull behinds run between 10% and 15% but they have a dry pin around 11% and loaded ready to camp climbs to about 12% to 13%. The Classic 33FB starts out on the high end 14.2 dry but looking at the floor plan with a front bedroom without much storage and most the storage just in front of the wheels and the rear bath having the majority storage. Just seems like you won't get much increase in percentage. Of course, it all depends on how you load your AS.

The 33FB we pick up on 1 Jul and the truck is already purchased. My truck specs are 2868 yellow tag payload 14,400 towing, and 21,500 GCWR. We figured 10,000 GVW with 1500 pin(15%), 500 pounds for people and stuff in the cab of the truck and 600 pounds in the bed of the truck so I think we are good to go.

In my experience...whatever you guesstimate without the CAT, add 3-500lb

Example...our 25 Classic. 860 spec, 1200 loaded for dock'n at the Lake.


“Its better to have what you don't need when you need it, than not to have it when you don’t.”
RLC


Bob
🇺🇸

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

Bob

What peeked my interest was most pull behinds run between 10% and 15% but they have a dry pin around 11% and loaded ready to camp climbs to about 12% to 13%. The Classic 33FB starts out on the high end 14.2 dry but looking at the floor plan with a front bedroom without much storage and most the storage just in front of the wheels and the rear bath having the majority storage. Just seems like you won't get much increase in percentage. Of course, it all depends on how you load your AS.

The 33FB we pick up on 1 Jul and the truck is already purchased. My truck specs are 2868 yellow tag payload 14,400 towing, and 21,500 GCWR. We figured 10,000 GVW with 1500 pin(15%), 500 pounds for people and stuff in the cab of the truck and 600 pounds in the bed of the truck so I think we are good to go.

Hi

Indeed Airstreams tend to run a bit heavy on the tongue. They always have. Part of the issue is not knowing just how people *will* load them. Put a bunch of bikes on the back bumper and .... yikes .... Their idea is to keep significant weight on the tongue no matter how it's loaded.

Bob

[thewarden]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

In my experience...whatever you guesstimate without the CAT, add 3-500lb

Example...our 25 Classic. 860 spec, 1200 loaded for dock'n at the Lake.


“Its better to have what you don't need when you need it, than not to have it when you don’t.”
RLC


Bob
🇺🇸

Totally agree. As pictured in Bob's post, a Sherline scale, is the best way to accurately weigh your tongue. You would be surprised at the differences in TW on each trip based on load differences and even how much propane is in the tanks.

[Froglips]

Great thread. Just ordered a Sherline scale. One of the odd things about the 30' Classic has been the low tongue weight. The dealer, JD Sanders, recommended keeping the fresh water tank at least half full to increase what they viewed as low tongue weight. I did that until I switched to the Pro Pride hitch which I figure added 200# to the tongue weight.

That said, I just added a rear receiver to my 2019 Classic 30 to fit a Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack (2" Receiver)with the Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Add-on Bike Rack to provide for four bike capacity. This is a large rack hanging off the rear when it is open to carry bikes. All our bikes are pretty light, <30# but the leverage of hanging them off the back of the TT willprobably unload the tongue quite a bit. The Sherline will certainly help me understand where the tongue weight is. I might end up filling the fresh water tank again

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Froglips

Great thread. Just ordered a Sherline scale. One of the odd things about the 30' Classic has been the low tongue weight. The dealer, JD Sanders, recommended keeping the fresh water tank at least half full to increase what they viewed as low tongue weight. I did that until I switched to the Pro Pride hitch which I figure added 200# to the tongue weight.

That said, I just added a rear receiver to my 2019 Classic 30 to fit a Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Hitch Bike Rack (2" Receiver)with the Thule T2 Pro XT 2 Add-on Bike Rack to provide for four bike capacity. This is a large rack hanging off the rear when it is open to carry bikes. All our bikes are pretty light, <30# but the leverage of hanging them off the back of the TT willprobably unload the tongue quite a bit. The Sherline will certainly help me understand where the tongue weight is. I might end up filling the fresh water tank again

Hi

Take a look at your trailer and where the water tanks are. They are far enough back that tongue weight isn't going to change as you load them up. They just load the trailer axles more.

The reason you load up the water tank on the 30' Classic is to get more weight close to the ground. They are a bit top heavy otherwise. Weight high is a bad thing for stability. It matters a whole lot more than tongue weight.

Bob

[Froglips]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Take a look at your trailer and where the water tanks are. They are far enough back that tongue weight isn't going to change as you load them up. They just load the trailer axles more.

The reason you load up the water tank on the 30' Classic is to get more weight close to the ground. They are a bit top heavy otherwise. Weight high is a bad thing for stability. It matters a whole lot more than tongue weight.

Bob

Thanks, Bob. Wow, more bad info from J D Sanders. What are the towing symptoms of being top heavy? I dropped the extra water because I didn't want the extra weight on a nearly maxed out TV. I am still struggling to get my Pro Pride set up properly. It is better than my old Equalizer but I now realize that I needed heavier bars for the Equalizer.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Take a look at your trailer and where the water tanks are. They are far enough back that tongue weight isn't going to change as you load them up. They just load the trailer axles more.

The reason you load up the water tank on the 30' Classic is to get more weight close to the ground. They are a bit top heavy otherwise. Weight high is a bad thing for stability. It matters a whole lot more than tongue weight.

Bob

^
X2

We always travel with the FW tank full, the weight between the axles has no negative effect on towing stability on a properly set-up rig.
In fact, it will tow better.👍
On TW...make sure the TV axle and hitch weights are within their ratings when TV and AS are fully loaded for camping. 🤓
If your TV is unable to handle the 'extra' water weight, it may be time to consider another TV.🤔

Bob
🇺🇸

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by Froglips

Thanks, Bob. Wow, more bad info from J D Sanders. What are the towing symptoms of being top heavy? I dropped the extra water because I didn't want the extra weight on a nearly maxed out TV. I am still struggling to get my Pro Pride set up properly. It is better than my old Equalizer but I now realize that I needed heavier bars for the Equalizer.

Notice that Bob Sherline scale above is showing 1200 pounds of tongue weight with a dry tongue weight of 860 not counting the weight of the hitch. He has a different floor plan and length but that could be an indication of maybe you have too much tongue weight for your truck. The Pro Pride just added more weight that you going to have to account for. Why I say this is your F150 has a Class 4 hitch that is rated to 1500 pounds tongue weight but Ford derates the F150 hitch to around 1200 pounds and why they derate it is the question. I would spend the money and get a Sherline scales and ensure I was within my hitch specs. The hitch specs are the hitch itself and have a with WD and without WD limits.

Normally the first thought is my truck is rated to tow XXXX number of pounds according to J2807 standard but J2807 is using 10% tongue weights when they rate the trucks towing capacity. There is a big difference between 10,000 GVW with 10% (1,000 pounds) and 15% (1500 pounds). According to the J2807 standard exceeding the hitch weight or payload, specs is a reason to fail.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Froglips

Thanks, Bob. Wow, more bad info from J D Sanders. What are the towing symptoms of being top heavy? I dropped the extra water because I didn't want the extra weight on a nearly maxed out TV. I am still struggling to get my Pro Pride set up properly. It is better than my old Equalizer but I now realize that I needed heavier bars for the Equalizer.

Hi

In the case of the Classic, running with the tanks full improves stability (sway). How much it improves it depends a lot on how fast you drive and how much weight you have in various parts of the trailer. Loading up the rear over-bed storage with the rock collection (and putting noting in any of the drawers) is not a good combo .... Driving above the speed limit in Texas may not be the best idea either.

Bob

[BryonJ]

Originally Posted by CWSWine

I know that the dry weight on the 33FB is 1175 has anyone weight one and got a loaded ready to camp tongue weight. I was using 15% or GVWR of 10,000 and that comes to 1500 pounds but looks like with the front bedroom without much storage it would a less than 15%.

Hi, I know this is an older post but thought you would appreciate this letter from Airstream that I received. In the end, we run about 17% of the loaded trailer weight. The real issue becomes proper weight distribution for us. We ended up using a Blue Ox system rated at 2,000 lb tongue weight. Works great.

It's just good to know that the trailer works well and is safe at this weight.

Thank you for the letter concerning the hitch weight on your Classic trailer. It has always been our belief that having more hitch weight always provides a better towing experience. When we engineer the chassis and the placement of the axles we do so with a 15% hitch weight factor in mind. As you stated the rule of thumb is to be 10% to 15% of the total weight. When loaded if you end up at 17% you will not notice any difference in your towing experience and it will not damage the trailer in any way. The main concern is when you get below that 10% barrier sway situations may occur. I have towed many trailers that were close and a little under that towed just fine as long as the hitch set up is correct.

I understand that most of the storage in a 33 Classic is in front of the axles and always something you want to be mindful of when traveling as you are. You probably noticed that even though you add 100 lbs. to the trailer near the front it does not equate to an additional 100 lbs. of tongue weight. It is dispersed a little throughout the floor of the trailer and not just on the tongue.

We always tell our owners to carry the fresh water they think they will need to get to their destination. You are just carrying extra weight. Unless you plan on camping off the grid then the trailer will handle the full tank.

To provide the best towing experience you want the trailer and the tow vehicle to be as level as they sit without being hooked together. Meaning that when I hook up a trailer to the tow vehicle the first thing I do is measure the fender areas of the tow vehicle and the hitch height of the trailer when everything is level to make sure that after I hook them together I am as close to these heights as I can be. This will allow your tow vehicle to provide the same type of stability as it does when not hooked to a trailer. The shocks, etc. still have the same travel experience. In order to obtain this level hook up the weight distribution hitch is essential. If the weight is not distributed evenly than the tow vehicle will have a light feeling front end and the back will be sagging a bit. Remember when the weight distribution hitch is used it is actually transferring some of the hitch weight to the front of the tow vehicle to even out the distribution. So when just measuring the hitch weight while the trailer is on a scale does not necessarily mean that exact hitch weight is present when the weight distribution set is installed.

Depending on the tow vehicle and hitch used sometimes it is impossible to get the trailer height exactly as it is when not hooked up. The hole placement on the hitch tow bar may require the trailer has to ride a bit higher or lower as this bar has 1 inch adjustment points. This will change the weight slightly so trying to dial in an exact weight just to comply with a percentage will not always be accurate.

To sum this up the trailer will not be damaged nor is there any danger if perhaps you are just over that 15% weight as long as the total overall gross weight of the trailer is not compromised. Remember the brakes are rated for total weight and not hitch weight and they are rated for quite a bit more than the gross weight of the trailer. As long as it is level and one axle is not carrying the majority of the load the brakes are just fine. The shell, chassis and a-frame are as well.

I hope I answered your questions, If not let me know.

Sincerely,

Rick March
GM – Customer Relations Group
Airstream Inc.
937-596-6111 ext. 7416