Towing an Airstream with 1000 pound tongue weight

[JonDR]

Hello,

I will try and be concise. If my tow vehicle has a maximum tongue weight capapcity of 800 pounds and my estimated tongue weight of Airstream will be 1000 pounds - will I be safe if I use a weight districution hitch.

This is just a general query as I will get everything weighed.

Appreciate your help.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by JonDR

Hello,

I will try and be concise. If my tow vehicle has a maximum tongue weight capapcity of 800 pounds and my estimated tongue weight of Airstream will be 1000 pounds - will I be safe if I use a weight districution hitch.

This is just a general query as I will get everything weighed.

Appreciate your help.

Safe is a very subjective word. The rating is based on tongue weight BEFORE WD is applied, so in your scenario, you would be 25% over your rating. Not a good idea for many reasons.

[Dennis C]

Many vehicles have a published maximum tongue weight with a weight carrying hitch, and another for a weight distribution hitch. For example, my GMC Denali 1500 has a published maximum tongue weight of 700 lbs. with a weight carrying hitch and a maximum tongue weight of 1,250 lbs. with a weight distribution hitch.

Your vehicle may (or may not) be similar in this regard.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

Many vehicles have a published maximum tongue weight with a weight carrying hitch, and another for a weight distribution hitch. For example, my GMC Denali 1500 has a published maximum tongue weight of 700 lbs. with a weight carrying hitch and a maximum tongue weight of 1,250 lbs. with a weight distribution hitch.

Your vehicle may (or may not) be similar in this regard.

True. I guess I shouldn't have assumed OP was talking 800 capacity with a WD setup. Perhaps some more info on tow vehicle/receiver would help.

[JonDR]

Rich - can you enhance my understanding about weight distribution hitches. I understood them to transfer weight forward as well as some back to the trailer ... and as such doesn't that reduce the tongue weight on the actual rear of the car ... and as such bring me, theoretically, back into the "safe" zone?

[ROBERT CROSS]

If the Airstream published TW is a 1000lb for your trailer of choice it's a good idea to add at least 200lb when loaded for camping.🤔 (possibly more)
Ours was 860 and ended up at 1000-1200 depending on load.

WD does not reduce TW, just moves the load. If the tongue weight rating of the TV is a concern, you might consider another TV or a lighter AS.

Bob
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[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by JonDR

Rich - can you enhance my understanding about weight distribution hitches. I understood them to transfer weight forward as well as some back to the trailer ... and as such doesn't that reduce the tongue weight on the actual rear of the car ... and as such bring me, theoretically, back into the "safe" zone?

All that transfer is taken into account by the engineers when determining the max "dead weight" the receiver/TV can handle ....yes "safely". So there is no free lunch with weight loss. That dead weight is translated into torque on the receiver....another engineered component to overall stresses on the receiver/TV.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

All that transfer is taken into account by the engineers when determining the max "dead weight" the receiver/TV can handle ....yes "safely". So there is no free lunch with weight loss. That dead weight is translated into torque on the receiver....another engineered component to overall stresses on the receiver/TV.

Rich said it better....
I get in trouble calling it 'receiver weight'>when in reality it's load....I think.

Bob
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[uncle_bob]

Hi

Actually it's worse .....

If you have a tongue weight of 1,000 pounds, you still have to add the 100 to 300 pounds of shank plus hitch into the "picture". It's still weight hanging off of the receiver so it has to be taken into account.

In the great scheme of things, replacing a receiver with a stronger one is not a real big deal. There might be some welding involved, but maybe not. There are a lot of places you can get this sort of upgrade done.

Another consideration: Once you get to a campground, pretty much all the WD hitch folks tell you to "turn off" the WD. As you go over big bumps and around tight corners you can put more strain on the setup than it is designed to take. Once you "turn off" the WD ... it's all on the receiver no matter how you look at it .....

With any thing like this, the real goal is to be at or below 80% of the max rating. If you do have a 1,000 total weight on the receiver, get one that is rated for > 1,200 pounds.

Bob

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by JonDR

Hello,

I will try and be concise. If my tow vehicle has a maximum tongue weight capapcity of 800 pounds and my estimated tongue weight of Airstream will be 1000 pounds - will I be safe if I use a weight districution hitch.

This is just a general query as I will get everything weighed.

Appreciate your help.

Jon, I just noticed you're from Lunenburg, NS, one of the most beautiful places I've been and certainly the highlight of my NS trip. I was ready to run away from home and build wooden boats using hand tools.

In general, Airstreams usually are heavier than the spec sheet reads, then add the hitch, etc.
Although I believe in engineers building in some fudge factor, your's looks too much. Look to payload also.

[rodsterinfl]

Ditto on the other comments. To know exactly I went to the cat scales and weighed my truck. Then I added the "stinger" to the receiver and weighed and then the trailer. What uncle bob says is true. All is weight to be considered. If your vehicle has a maximum WD hitch weight of 800 then you are over max. My hitch has two ratings- reg and WD.

[Daquenzer]

IF the rating of 800lbs is without a WDH then you can go over that with a WDH. The tongue weight capacity WITH a WDH is generally 10% of your maximum towing capacity. A CLASS IV hitch is rated to 1400lbs, if that is what you have. So my truck is rated to tow 12,500lbs. My max tongue weight with WDH is 1250lbs. I determine that at the scales or I have an app with my truck that helps me determine it. After you put on the WDH, the actual weight at the hitch will be less as it is adjusted. So when I adjust my hitch the pickup levels out as the WDH transfers weight to the front axle of the truck and the axles of the trailer.

I don't know of any AS's that start out at 1000lbs. Rear Bedrooms start out heavier than front bedrooms. So my suggestion is that if you have a front bedroom layout, your tongue weight will probably increase after you load things up. And you CAN adjust that by how you load the trailer. But the WDH will take care of that by transferring that weight to front axles of the tow vehicle and the axles of the trailer.

If your max tongue weight with a WDH is 800lbs then that could be problematic.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I....

I don't know of any AS's that start out at 1000lbs. ......

Hi

Pretty much all the Classic's are above 1,000 pounds tongue weight "as delivered"/ empty. People have reported loaded trailers as short as 25' with tongue weights above 1,000 pounds. It is a pretty common thing on AS trailers once they are ready to go camping.

Bob

[Bill M.]

It sounds to me like you will need to install a new hitch with a higher rating.

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Pretty much all the Classic's are above 1,000 pounds tongue weight "as delivered"/ empty. People have reported loaded trailers as short as 25' with tongue weights above 1,000 pounds. It is a pretty common thing on AS trailers once they are ready to go camping.

Bob

I am not talking about loaded ready for camping. I'm talking about dry empty weight.

You are right. There are a few that are over 1,000lbs: The Globtrotter 30'RB' and Classic 33'FB. All the rest start out 903lbs or less.

[Ultraclassic]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Actually it's worse .....

If you have a tongue weight of 1,000 pounds, you still have to add the 100 to 300 pounds of shank plus hitch into the "picture". It's still weight hanging off of the receiver so it has to be taken into account.

In the great scheme of things, replacing a receiver with a stronger one is not a real big deal. There might be some welding involved, but maybe not. There are a lot of places you can get this sort of upgrade done.

Another consideration: Once you get to a campground, pretty much all the WD hitch folks tell you to "turn off" the WD. As you go over big bumps and around tight corners you can put more strain on the setup than it is designed to take. Once you "turn off" the WD ... it's all on the receiver no matter how you look at it .....

With any thing like this, the real goal is to be at or below 80% of the max rating. If you do have a 1,000 total weight on the receiver, get one that is rated for > 1,200 pounds.

Bob

Hey Bob

I have Never turned off my WD!!! Not Until un hitched.

I HAVE loosened my "anti sway bars" additionally added bars so it is quiet turning in the camp site.But the weight distribution bars are intact.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Ultraclassic

Hey Bob

I have Never turned off my WD!!! Not Until un hitched.

I HAVE loosened my "anti sway bars" additionally added bars so it is quiet turning in the camp site.But the weight distribution bars are intact.Attachment 402890Attachment 402891

Hi

With an Equalizer, the bars should come off when you get to the campground. Once the bars are off, you have no WD and no AS. That's just the way it works.

Indeed, at campground speeds, there is no need for AS. The point is you may well need WD. On your hitch, "loosening" the bars effectively eliminates the WD feature.

Not sure what your hitch manufacturer says about campgrounds, but Equalizer is very clear in the manual. The bars come off.

Bob

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Daquenzer

I am not talking about loaded ready for camping. I'm talking about dry empty weight.

You are right. There are a few that are over 1,000lbs: The Globtrotter 30'RB' and Classic 33'FB. All the rest start out 903lbs or less.

Hi

If you are going by published weights, you aren't looking at the "whole story". These trailers do come in heavy, even on day one. The published tongue weights apparently are an estimate rather than a spec ....

Bob

[DCPAS]

A max tongue weight issue I have been struggling with is Ford's specified max tongue weight. For my truck, it is 870 lbs. which is 10% of the 8,700 lbs. tow rating with weight distribution. The receiver itself has a label on it saying 930 lbs. max, which is 10% of the max tow capability of the version of the same truck which is rated to tow 9,300 lbs. At the same time, the towing option is described as "Class IV Heavy-Duty" which implies 1,200 lbs. or more of tongue weight capability when using weight distribution. So, what really is max tongue weight when I am towing less than my max of 8,700 lbs.? I'm not sure.

My only point here is that when the manufacturer using 10% of rating towing as the max tongue weight, it may not be the actual max of the receiver.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by DCPAS

A max tongue weight issue I have been struggling with is Ford's specified max tongue weight. For my truck, it is 870 lbs. which is 10% of the 8,700 lbs. tow rating with weight distribution. The receiver itself has a label on it saying 930 lbs. max, which is 10% of the max tow capability of the version of the same truck which is rated to tow 9,300 lbs. At the same time, the towing option is described as "Class IV Heavy-Duty" which implies 1,200 lbs. or more of tongue weight capability when using weight distribution. So, what really is max tongue weight when I am towing less than my max of 8,700 lbs.? I'm not sure.

My only point here is that when the manufacturer using 10% of rating towing as the max tongue weight, it may not be the actual max of the receiver.

Hi

The hitch and shank have a rating on them. That often follows from the dimensions of the shank. ( 3" is heartier than 2 1/2" is heartier than 2' ....). Indeed you can find "under rated" bits so you *do* have to look at the specs.

The receiver on the vehicle will have a *separate* rating that is not the same as the rating on the shank or the rating on the hitch. That will ( or should ) be listed on the receiver it's self.

In addition, some manufacturers "know" this or that about their vehicles. They further derate the receiver numbers a bit due to something or nothing .....

This is very much a "chain is only as strong as it's weakest link" sort of thing. Having a massive number on the shank and a tiny number on the receiver ....is of no benefit. If the receiver has the lowest number, it's what "rules".

Some (but by no means all) receivers have multiple ratings on them. Just why this is gets into how they are mounted and the structure of the vehicle. Somebody dug into all the variables and did a careful analysis. The number is a result of that work.

If there *is* no separate "WD" number on your hitch, then the single number you have is what must be used. There is no magic way to come up with another number without all the structural information and some analysis based on that info.

Do folks get away with this and that? (possibly for years...) Sure they do. All of this analysis is based on the weakest receiver and vehicle they expect to see. The analysis *assumes* certain vehicle dynamics. It will *never* be exact. This then gets into "how lucky do you feel?". If it's my property and my life ( or my families ) or even those folks in that other vehicle over there ..... I really don't want to trust to luck ....

Bob