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Denis4x4 · 05-26-2013, 01:19 PM

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.

SteveH · 05-26-2013, 01:40 PM

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.

MaxTow · 05-26-2013, 01:54 PM

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'.

dkottum · 05-26-2013, 03:02 PM

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

Wazbro · 05-26-2013, 03:15 PM

As an experiment you could weight the tongue and then lower the scale 2" and weigh again to compare the weights.

mojo · 05-26-2013, 03:19 PM

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.

dkottum · 05-26-2013, 03:31 PM

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

MaxTow · 05-26-2013, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkottum

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.

Ridgerunner3 · 05-26-2013, 06:31 PM

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.

Wazbro · 05-26-2013, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ridgerunner3

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).

Denis4x4 · 06-02-2013, 08:05 AM

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.

SteveH · 06-02-2013, 08:08 AM

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. :-)