jmtandem
carson city nv
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Joined: 01/18/2006
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Piac,
I agree with you and even if it is a little too much just back off the tension a little. However, hanging around the Airstream forums, I have learned that they state that there can be too much spring bar and too much tension for the trailer frame, ride quality of the trailer, and resultant damage from the overtensioned WDH. So, I don't really know what to believe now. Makes me wonder if some of the bent A frames on the ultra light trailers we occasionally see damaged is the result of too much tension. I don't know. I use 1200 pound bars and don't think they are overkill for my set up at all. My tongue weight can be (depending on fresh water, black and grey tanks quantities) over 1100 pounds.
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Huntindog
phoenix arizona USA
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piac wrote:gosh guys dont complicate things...you will be fine with the 12's...you cant have too much bar...but you can have too little...
Actually you CAN have too much bar. My 2001 Fleetwoods owners manual stated the limits of how strong the bars could be based on how thick the frame was. Exceeding the limits would void the warranty.
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LarryJM
NoVa
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crispyc21 wrote:Here's the story...
I was originally going to get a camper with a dry tongue weight of 800lbs. (dry weight of camper 6085lbs). Figuring the loaded tongue weight would be closer to 1000lbs. I purchased an Equalizer Hitch with the 1200lbs weight bars.
The deal on that camper fell through. The new camper I am getting has a tongue weight of 590lbs (dry weight of camper 6108lbs). I'm sure the loaded tongue weight will be around 800lbs or so.
Will I still be okay with the 1200lbs bars or should I get the 1000lbs bars?
I personally like to have my WDH bars about 200 lbs over the dead tongue wt. to account of additional WDH loading when loading cargo behind the the rear axle of the trailer and want a slightly stiffer connection. However, I have a 1 ton Van that has a very, very high cargo capacity ... in excess of 4K lbs from the factory configuration.
To guesstimate the approximate tongue wt. from dry wts. I would add 200lbs for propane and battery and some FW and then add 15% of the CCC of the TT or 15% of the difference is the TT dry wt. and the TT GVWR.
These are really rough guesstimates that can in some cases be way off for some particular trailers.
Larry
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coug
Washington
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I had the same question because I was worried about the size of my bars. I have 1400 lb bars for my trailer (about 7500 lbs gross weight). I also have two 40lb propane tanks and two 6V batteries. I emailed the company and this is what they said:
"With the weights you have, I don't see a problem with the 14,000/1,400 hitch. You'll want to be sure that you keep the hitch adjusted to transfer the weight of the trailer as you use it, so it's transferring the weight it should. Other than that, I think you're well equipped for safe travel."
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crispyc21
VA
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Thanks everyone for your input. The camper I am getting is a 2010 Sprinter Select 26BH. It doesn't list the gross weight but if the dry weight is 6100 and the cargo capacity is 3300. I guess the gross is about 9300. Of course I will never carry over 3000 lbs of cargo. I would say the camper would maybe be 8000lbs at the most. That would put me at 1200 tongue weight if at 15%.
Of course I don't have the camper yet so I can't take any official measurements. Guess I will stick with the 1200 bars for now and wait until I can get some real life weight readings.
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Komfort 23TS
Western Michigan
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I have 900 lbs weight and my 1200 arms work just fine. but good idea to ask the company. I don't want to be quoted on this but I think the 1200 lbs are tested to 1700 lbs.
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Bigdog
silverdale wa.
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To be sure,you could do as I did and buy one of those Sherline tongue scales.I did and was really surprised at what my actual weight was several times.When it shows that you are close to max on your bars,you can shift some things around to change your center of balance. It's really surprising just how fast you can load up that old tongue. Tools and mats,etc in the front compartments.A couple of 6V batteries and full propane tanks on the tongue.. And then there is the DW's extra clothes for the weekend hanging in BOTH of your closets,PLUS all the stuff under the bed.
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cachingcampers
Niagara Region,Ontario
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Bigdog wrote:To be sure,you could do as I did and buy one of those Sherline tongue scales.I did and was really surprised at what my actual weight was several times.When it shows that you are close to max on your bars,you can shift some things around to change your center of balance. It's really surprising just how fast you can load up that old tongue. Tools and mats,etc in the front compartments.A couple of 6V batteries and full propane tanks on the tongue.. And then there is the DW's extra clothes for the weekend hanging in BOTH of your closets,PLUS all the stuff under the bed.
Ditto!
I found 3 camping pals and we split it (A Sherline Scale)33.3% cost between us, netted out to about a box of beer each and WE AREN'T guessing at TW any more. Cant\t believe how many people are willing to roll the dice and guess or use haphazard formula's to determine rig & TV weights.
I weigh mine at least a half dozen times during the season, helps me monitor weight creep and keeps me informed, being informed is being safe.
NO one here should be telling the OP what EQ he needs until actual weights are known.
Weigh it, Know it. Quit guessing.
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H & E
North Texas
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I have #960 tongue weight and contacted Equal-I-zer about the hitch I was running because I thought it was not enough. It was a #1000 set up. They recommended that I go to the 1200, which I did, and it performs a lot better.
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