Actual tongue weight?

[HoosierPapi]

I’m doing a ton of research in preparation of getting an Airstream for full time living.

I was surprised to see Airstream list a lower tongue weight for the classic 30 then the Globetrotter, even though the classic is actually longer.
If anyone has actually weighed theirs, please share, I’d love to know what are real world numbers.

Thanks!

[Daquenzer]

Originally Posted by HoosierPapi

I’m doing a ton of research in preparation of getting an Airstream for full time living.

I was surprised to see Airstream list a lower tongue weight for the classic 30 then the Globetrotter, even though the classic is actually longer.
If anyone has actually weighed theirs, please share, I’d love to know what are real world numbers.

Thanks!

It depends where the kitchen is, tanks, etc. Typically an empty front kitchen will have a higher tongue weight than a front bedroom when dry and no packing. HOWEVER, when you start to pack the tongue weight gets heavier on the front bedroom because there is more storage area under the bed. So my tongue weight for my 28’ front kitchen is around 930lbs. And it is that way when I get done packing. We tend to pack the heavier stuff toward the back. You can buy a tongue scale to see how your trailer handles weight placement. I would recommend it. It helps see how placing things in your trailer affects the tongue weight.

So the first thing I would do is compare where the kitchen is on the Classic vs the Globetrotter.

Most people state their tongue weight is around 1000lbs when all is said and done. Airstream recommends a tongue weight of not more than 1000lbs. There are things you can do to reduce your tongue weight such as removing the spare tire, keeping one LP tank empty, or go with lighter lithium batteries.

What you don’t want to do is get the tongue weight so light you get a sway condition with too much weight toward the back.

[ROBERT CROSS]

The AS stated 1000lb limit question has been around for a few years now...I still have a 1200lb TW, 15 seasons with the Hensley on the AS, SFSG.👍

Add about 200-300lb to whatever AS states the TW is, that should get you in the ball park....our stated TW is 860.🥴

Actual TW is a loaded AS, un-hitched on a tongue scale.

The CAT scale method is measuring the load added to the TV rear axle transferred by the TV frame...not the same.

Note...that mystery 200lb gets returned to the FA when WD is set.

Bob
🇺🇸

Bob
🇺🇸

[Froglips]

Originally Posted by HoosierPapi

I’m doing a ton of research in preparation for getting an Airstream for full time living.

I was surprised to see Airstream list a lower tongue weight for the classic 30 then the Globetrotter, even though the classic is actually longer.
If anyone has actually weighed theirs, please share, I’d love to know what are real-world numbers.

Thanks!

When I took delivery of my Classic 30' with empty everything the tongue weight was 870#. Loaded with all equipment the tongue weight actually dropped because much of the storage is in the rear, behind the axles. I run with a full fresh water tank to help push the tongue weight up. I have added a rear 2" receiver to mount a Thule XT Pro bike carrier. Now I carry two large bins with wood in the front of the trailer to help with the tongue weight.
The Thule is not recommended for mounting on a trailer (I will note this before the clamor begins. The rearview camera is easily adjusted to view the bikes as well as the rearview. Works well.) I need to go back to the scales as I suspect I am pushing the load limit for the trailer axles.

I will state that for me when the tongue weight gets significantly under 800# that I have trailers sway issues.

[HoosierPapi]

Thanks for the replies!

[beboyer]

Originally Posted by HoosierPapi

I’m doing a ton of research in preparation of getting an Airstream for full time living.

I was surprised to see Airstream list a lower tongue weight for the classic 30 then the Globetrotter, even though the classic is actually longer.
If anyone has actually weighed theirs, please share, I’d love to know what are real world numbers.

Thanks!

I have a 2019 30ft Classic. Weighed my hitch weight several times with a hitch scale, and each time it was around 800 lbs. That's with one propane tank full and the other at 45%, and with a Propride 3P hitch attached. Measured it at the point it connects to the truck. I suspect it's lighter than the stated weight due to the hitch extending out farther, thus the benefit of leverage.

[Froglips]

I don't know what the tongue weight is on a Globetrotter. The Classic 30 and 33 have their axles quite far forward compared to most other Airstreams. An odd design decision to be sure. Probably driven by the bathroom location. The low tongue weight is most certainly mostly attributable to axle location than tongue length. The leverage effect is minimal.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Froglips

I don't know what the tongue weight is on a Globetrotter. The Classic 30 and 33 have their axles quite far forward compared to most other Airstreams. An odd design decision to be sure. Probably driven by the bathroom location. The low tongue weight is most certainly mostly attributable to axle location than tongue length. The leverage effect is minimal.

It's more than you would think. In my case it is a 62# difference.

[aftermath]

Question: Why would a couple hundred pounds on the tongue one way or the other make a difference in your decision?


I have a 25FB and the tongue weight is pretty close to 950. I do not have a tongue scale but arrived at this number through weighing my trailer and using the formula I got from this forum.



I have a Tundra and use an Equalizer hitch. When connected I am under all load limits for the trailer and the TV. I personally like a heavier TW because I have read that this will enhance stability as you go down the road. I do not make a concentrated effort to load the trailer to adjust my TW.



I also believe that your actual TW will always be more than the published numbers. When going out on a trip I have two full propane tanks, two batteries and a spare all loaded on the tongue. Taking the spare off and putting it somewhere else is not something I would do. After all, I purchased an Airstream and fully expect to use it as it was designed.

[Woosch]

I had the Airstream dealer get the tongue weight when I last had the trailer in. 900 lbs with one LP tank full and the other empty. (we have 40 pounds tanks) Advertised tongue weight was 790.

[polarlyse]

When we had solar installed I was told that before the job the TW on our 2001 Excella 30' Classic was 880#. The installation included 2 new 6v AGM batteries moved inboard below the sofa along with the "stuff" needed for the solar and the TW was lowered to 800#. We carry 2 full propane tanks @ 40# each.

[Froglips]

[QUOTE=aftermath;2351564]Question: Why would a couple of hundred pounds on the tongue one way or the other make a difference in your decision?

There is a video on YouTube that I can't seem to find at the moment which shows the effects of low tongue weight scientifically. They have this miniature trailer on a rolling belt simulating 60 mph. They vary the tongue weight. When the tongue weight is under 10% of the trailer weight the trailer weight and the trailer is perturbed, it sway out of control. When the tongue weight is over 15% of the trailer weight, the trailer self-damps the sway when perturbed.

This is not the video but is good anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Dgxe584Ss

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Froglips

There is a video on YouTube that I can't seem to find at the moment which shows the effects of low tongue weight scientifically.

Don't fall for those videos being "scientific". In neither case do they tell you what the tongue weight is as a percentage.
What they do in reality is make the tongue weight NEGATIVE!
Of course, it goes all whacky!
The videos don't show what the effect of 10% tongue weight vs. 20% tongue weight.
(Don't assume I just said tongue weight doesn't matter. I'm only critiquing the biased videos.)