Trailer math

[BrinkME]

about 17.5" forward

 

[Xfaxman]

I was considering going to a gooseneck and while looking at them it seems the axles are farther back than a bumper pull, which would make a heavier tongue weight. So if a 3/4 ton truck is supposed to carry 1500lbs in the bed, isn't it overloaded at #2200 lbs? And if so, why would they make the axles farther back on a gooseneck?

Where did that come from? My 3/4 ton can carry more than twice that and still be legal.

Also a gooseneck hitch is 4" to 6" ahead of the rear axle, so some of the tongue weight is on the front axle.

 

[tcartwri]

As it is the equipment already hangs off the back of the trailer about 2'. It is just nose heavy. It is as far back as it can go. The only reasonable solution is to reposition the axles.

Bolt 250 lbs to the beaver tail. Keep adding weight until you get the pin number you want. You're not allowed to move the axles without getting it re-certified.

 

[4570Man]

As it is the equipment already hangs off the back of the trailer about 2'. It is just nose heavy. It is as far back as it can go. The only reasonable solution is to reposition the axles.

Or get a longer trailer.,

 

[LD1]

Bolt 250 lbs to the beaver tail. Keep adding weight until you get the pin number you want. You're not allowed to move the axles without getting it re-certified.

I thought about mentioning that too. Or just lengthening the trailer a few feet. But since the distance between between the rear of the trailer and axle CL is usually about half or less than the distance between the axles and pin,.........it would take about 1500# back there to lighten the pin by the ~740 needed

 

[tcartwri]

I thought about mentioning that too. Or just lengthening the trailer a few feet. But since the distance between between the rear of the trailer and axle CL is usually about half or less than the distance between the axles and pin,.........it would take about 1500# back there to lighten the pin by the ~740 needed

I don't think it would be advisable to take that much weight off the pin. But you are correct in the math.

 

[4570Man]

Where did that come from? My 3/4 ton can carry more than twice that and still be legal. Also a gooseneck hitch is 4" to 6" ahead of the rear axle, so some of the tongue weight is on the front axle.

I don't know about legal numbers, but my half ton can carry that much in the bed easily. My Grandpas new half ton is quite a bit stiffer than my 15 year old on and it would carry 1500 pounds pretty good. My ton truck wouldn't even know it was loaded with 1500 pounds in the bed. Although probably not recommend I have carried more than 5 times that much on a ton truck. The ton truck has 16,000 pound tags. I would be over the GVW, but I could still be potentially legal with 7,500 pounds in the bed. I'm not sure if I would get a ticket or not with that load.

 

[LD1]

I can see his concern from a legal standpoint. Alot of you guys are saying 3/4 ton should be able to handle that. But you are forgetting he has a cab full of people. Maybe 1000# there? Maybe some tools or other junk in the bed....then 2200+ pin weight. That's pushing 3500# payload on the truck. That pushing it on a 3/4 ton from a legal standpoint

 

[4570Man]

I don't know how the 3500 pound payload was taken, but it is going to be easier on the truck putting 1000 pounds in the cab and 2200 on the gooseneck ball VS setting a 3500 pound load evenly distributed in the bed.

 

[streamin]

Lots of knowledgeable people here, thanks to all for sharing.

 

[LD1]

I am just guessing.

He said his truck is 10k gvwr. Guessing it weighs 6500ish empty???

Every one keeps repeating that 2200# is no big deal on a 3/4 ton. But with 4 in the cab and maybe some tools, its easy to see how he is borderline on payload from a legal standpoint.

I see nothing wrong with loosing a little tongue weight given the total load of the trailer

 

[Ron50]

My bad on the math. That's what peer review is for. Used to be pretty good at loading flatbeds and getting it right the first time.

 

[bdog]

Thanks for the help and the calculations. 17.5" forward should be easy to do. The fenders are beat up and need replaced anyway. I was kind of hoping it was more like 32" so that I could reuse two of the existing spring hangers but moving them is no big deal.

Regarding the empty weight of the truck it is 7,440 lbs. full of fuel with a 200b driver. It is a crew cab 4x4 with a ranch hand front end replacement bumper and a B&W gooseneck hitch. It has an aluminum tool box with maybe 200 lbs of tools.

 

[LD1]

Full 32" would give only about half the tongue weight you are shooting for

 

[bdog]

Just wanted to post an update. I moved the axles 18" forward and it reduced my tongue weight 820lbs. Pulls like a dream and we are all legal now. The job took a couple days because I had to replace both fenders, I repacked the bearings, and had to redo the clearance lights as they were mounted on the fenders. All the wiring was in conduit and had to be cut and removed prior to cutting off the old hangers and welding on the new ones.

 

[dieselcrawler]

Thanks for letting us know... often projects like this get done and we never know the results.

Maybe you could post some comparison pictures, before and after, in the same post, good to see the contrast side by side.

 

[hosspuller]

Just wanted to post an update. I moved the axles 18" forward and it reduced my tongue weight 820lbs. Pulls like a dream and we are all legal now. The job took a couple days because I had to replace both fenders, I repacked the bearings, and had to redo the clearance lights as they were mounted on the fenders. All the wiring was in conduit and had to be cut and removed prior to cutting off the old hangers and welding on the new ones.

Just a thought ... Are you still legal if you DON'T take the UTV with you ? Without its weight behind the axles, your tongue weight will increase.

 

[bdog]

Just a thought ... Are you still legal if you DON'T take the UTV with you ? Without its weight behind the axles, your tongue weight will increase.

Don't know. I would never go without the UTV though. It is what we use to deploy the equipment I. The enclosed trailer.

 

[LD1]

Sounds like the math worked out just about right