Help, I think I'm overhitched!

[GammaDog]

I hear your concern, but I'm not sure what's fueling it.

The only things that really matter are whether your rig is set up to operate within the manufacturers specs (truck, trailer, hitch, tires) and whether it is safe and comfortable for you as the driver.

The specs and limits on your specific truck will be on a sticker that should be on the post of the driver's door. Dodge does publish general specs which can be found here: http://www.dodge.com/bodybuilder/2007/docs/dr/mlup.pdf A typical 2500, quad cab, short bed, diesel (top of page 9) has a gross weight rating of 9,000 lbs, a rear axle rating of 6,000 and a front axle rating of 4,600. You are under those weights even without your WD bars. You might want to read the tire limits on the sidewalls of your specific tires, but if the truck has proper tires those should not be an issue. I did not see any published tongue weight ratings in the Dodge specs, so that should be researched, too.

Coming full circle to your original post, you could step up to a stronger weight bar, but given the FALR of nearly 100% and the capabilities of the 2500 TV I'm not sure I would do that.

So.... what is it about your current setup that you think should be improved? Lots of folks (including me) pull more trailer with less truck. Our 25 Eddie Bauer is heavier than your FC by a bit. The Tundra has lower limits all around than your 2500. We've towed 20,000 miles including four passes over the Rockies in total confidence that truck, trailer and hitch are near, but not over, their design limits. I'd set aside the RV guy's weight taken at your tongue jack since you have more precise, specific and detailed measurements from the CAT scales and those seem to say you are not exceeding any manufacture's limits.

[gecko]

Originally Posted by Powerarrangr

...my tongue weight is 1350 lbs!!

The rig was weighed with both propane tanks full, fresh tank full, grey and black tanks empty. Full tank of fuel in the truck, not much else in the bed. Subtracting the truck from the total rig weight, the trailer weighs in about 6800. Max weight for this trailer is 7200 according to the placard, although it has two 3800 lb axles. I don't like to run too heavy if I can avoid it.

After visiting the CAT scales I was thinking the tongue was heavy with a 1K difference on the drive axle (see pics). I went to the local RV place and we checked the tongue with a load cell.

So the solar upgrade with four golf cart batteries under the bed is probably not helping. I need to figure out how to push some weight aft and lose a few pounds. I haven't even started loading for full timing yet.

I dropped the L-brackets one notch and the rig tows fine. Haven't gotten a weigh with this latest change, though.

Thoughts? (Flame suit ON)

Our 28' International has a tongue weight if 1280, and we have four Lifeline AGM's--two in the battery box and two under the short leg of the L gaucho forward on the port side.

We have done a temp fix to the left front tire separating twice by switching to 16" Michelins from GYM's and shifting moveable ballast aft. The latter starts with the 10-12 gallons of spring water we used to carry forward shifted to under the front if our rear bed (about 90 lbs off the front moved to the back.) we've also done the same with the 1/2-while case of wine with which we travel.

Our next step will be to switch the four AGM's which weigh almost 300 lbs for their 440 amps of storage (220 usable) for a lithium 300 bank with about 250 usable) that weighs 84 lbs, thereby removing another 200 lbs forward..

We've recently increased the WD on our Equalizr/Sprinter 3500 combo by one L bracket bolt hole and find it an even better towing rig. The Mercedes rear end is so solid that it didn't need the WD, but increasing it had brought the anti-sway feature back into a good range. (The Sprinter is rated at 11,000 GVW and weighs in fully loade with all our gear at 6000 lbs, so plenty of payload left!)

Good luck!

[Powerarrangr]

You're right, I'm probably making a mountain out of a molehill, but a tongue weight at 20% of the trailer weight really surprised me, especially since there's nothing else stored under the bed yet. I'm going to be full timing and still need to 'move in'. The best storage space is under the bed, and now the weight of the batteries is decreasing my weight margin.

I can move the four 6V AGMs farther aft and still be under the bed. It's only a couple of feet but might help a bit. You can see in the pic that it's my dirty laundry area, but that can live in the back of the truck.

I'd love to get lithiums - might be able to do it after I sell the house. That would probably solve this once and for all!