Share Pics of People Hauling or Towing Something Wrong

[California]

Has this questioneverANSEWERED

Here's an answer!

4x8 trailer rated 2k.

I weigh 180.

Had wife measure distance hitch to ground before loading, then measured it again with me standing on hitch. It settled some 3 inches.

Loaded the trailer, adjusted the carried cargo (unmounted bumper weights) - to get a little more than that 3 inch hitch deflection.

Easy peasy!


(Note everything here is nearly at, but not exceeding, rated capacity. Except there should be trailer brakes over 1k).

 

[BigBlue1]

^^ Scientific method in action!

 

[tacticalturnip]

Here's an answer!

4x8 trailer rated 2k.

I weigh 180.

Had wife measure distance hitch to ground before loading, then measured it again with me standing on hitch. It settled some 3 inches.

Loaded the trailer, adjusted the carried cargo (unmounted bumper weights) - to get a little more than that 3 inch hitch deflection.

Easy peasy!


(Note everything here is nearly at, but not exceeding, rated capacity. Except there should be trailer brakes over 1k).

I love that you towed the Yanmar with the Outback.

 

[WinterDeere]

^^ Scientific method in action!

 

[California]

I love that you towed the Yanmar with the Outback.

160 miles, in 105 degree weather! Redding to home. Open freeway, no trafffic. Then next day, the additional 100 miles home to ranch. Rolling along with the slowest trucks went smoothly.

Then a few years later I finally found what I had searched for for years. Another YM186D (low enough to get under my orchard trees), this one with loader and the rare Power Steering option. And only 20 miles away. That tow was just over rated weight, but was slow and on back roads with no other cars.

 

[goeduck]

I cannot recall which towing thread taught me this lesson, but I wanted to thank the experts at TBN for saving me time and perhaps more.

I was towing wrong today. Had a SxS on my trailer and was going down the road. Got up to about 30 mph and it starts to wiggle. Even before TBN, I knew this was bad. Thanks to TBN, I knew exactly what was wrong and how to fix it. I was able to go about 25 until I got to a boat ramp. Pulled in there, loosened the straps and moved the load forward about 12-18 inches. (Retightened) Presto, no more wiggle, even at highway speed.

A hearty and sincere thanks to whomever (probably many of you) pointed out the symptoms of too little tongue weight.

I really like my new Weigh-Safe hitch with the built-in scale, it takes the guesswork out of positioning on the trailer. I try for 10 to 15% of Gross Trailer Weight on the tongue. This trailer gross was around 13,000 lbs.

 

[WinterDeere]

I really like my new Weigh-Safe hitch with the built-in scale, it takes the guesswork out of positioning on the trailer. I try for 10 to 15% of Gross Trailer Weight on the tongue. This trailer gross was around 13,000 lbs.
View attachment 823820

I love that!!!

 

[Grumpycat]

Going for a level trailer is a good starting point, but that also relies on having the correct drop on your hitch and a tow vehicle with a tongue weight rating appropriate for the trailer. Likewise, if you know you're hauling ~5k lb, and you find you can lift the tongue, you're obviously too light. After that, feeling how it tows is the final metric.

I stand on the bumper or hitch of the tow vehicle, measure the sag, and knowing how much I weigh gives me a calibration. Then when trailer is hitched I measure again. If same sag as with me standing on the bumper then I know the tongue load is roughly my weight. If twice as much sag then I know it is at least twice my weight as the tow vehicle springs will be somewhere between linear and progressive.

But I don't worry too much about the 5%-15% tongue load thing. What is really critical is to not have a negative tongue load or for it to go negative on the road during bumps. Then the other thing is the mass behind the trailer axles. This is the mass which wags the dog.

 

[Code54]

I also have a weight-safe hitch on the truck - costs a bit more but it is a VERY well-made hitch and it takes any guesswork out of loading any trailer with any items, even the first time.

 

[bigtiller]

I really like my new Weigh-Safe hitch with the built-in scale, it takes the guesswork out of positioning on the trailer. I try for 10 to 15% of Gross Trailer Weight on the tongue. This trailer gross was around 13,000 lbs.
View attachment 823820

I really like my Weigh-Safe hitch but the only way I can read it is to do what you did, take a picture of it.