Here are all the numbers that have to do with my towing world. A 2004 access cab 4 wheel drive
The truck: gross vehicle weight rating is 6200lbs, As is at the scales without a body in there weighs 5440lbs ( 3/4 tank of fuel ).
Tow capacity is 7000 lbs. Hitch weight is 1050lbs with a WDH.
The trailer at the scales (less than 1/3 fresh water on board ) is 6120 lbs.
Tongue weight of trailer comes in at 880lbs. This is lees the actual weight of the ball hitch assembly which was on the truck but not there when the 5440 number was weighed.
WDH is a reese trunion type with 800 lb bars.
The manuel says I should have 15% tongue weight with WDH (918lbs of 6120)
The trailer is a fleetwood mallard 21cks. UVW 4645 GVWR 6400 dry tongue 636.
So how does this look so far? Seems I am within everything "they" ask. With the exception of an 880lb tongue weight with 800lb bars. What are your thoughts with that?
Add to the truck a wife, two dogs, two Honda 2000 gennerators, fire wood and a smattering of misc. B.S. would you say I should be okieDokie? Adding that I may be putting two bikes on the rear of the trailrer, Not sure of those weights.
Again, Thank you and if I am missing something please advise!
Rob
Last edited by Shrimptacos; 04-23-2009 at 08:28 PM.
That hitch weight of 880 lbs, how did you determine that? Was that the weight of the truck with the trailer minus the empty weight of the truck? Was that with the WDH engaged or disengaged? That number worries me as the hitch limit on your truck is 740 lbs. (not 1050 lbs as you have listed). It's also a concern in that your WD bars are rated for 800 lbs and you have 880 lbs of hitch weight.
How did you determine the trailer weight of 6120 lbs? That seems about right. Is that just the axles or the whole trailer (including hitch weight)? The hitch weight should be around 13% of the trailer total weight.
Let us know how you measured those weights and we'll go from there.
The hitch weight was come to by first weighing the truck then attaching the trailer (the trailer being off the scale but the truck on it) with no weight distribution bars engaged. The difference was 880lbs. I believe that my manuel says the hitch capacity is 750 lbs without WDH...it then says with weight distribution hitch 1050lbs...Am I reading that wrong? I did in the interim get 1200lb bars (I was also concerned with the 880 on 800lb bars) that was the next size up in the Reese trunion style WDH. The trailer weight was come to by (after doing the hitch weight) rolling forward to get the truck and trailer on the scale and subtracting the truck weight.
Perfect. I wish I still had my 2005 owner's manual. It stated a dead hitch weight capacity of 500 lbs. With a WDH, it was 740 lbs. So I would say with 99% confidence that your hitch weight limit with WDH is 750 lbs. I would absolutely not exceed that number. One of the few limits that even the most ardent overweight hauler will not exceed (there's three of them that are sacrisanct: axle limits, tire limits and hitch limts).
That's the bad news. The good news is we may be able to fix that. Where are your storage bins, water heater, fresh water tank and waste tanks? Where is most of your interior storage? We can use all of that to get the hitch weight down to 750 lbs. Doesn't take much to remove 130 lbs from the hitch.
I am looking right at my owners manual,2004 Tundra, Page 356, Weight distributing hitch, 2UZ-FE engine, Four wheel Drive Models, With towing package, 1050lbs. I may be reading this wrong, maybe someone out there can confirm or correct me on this.
One of the issues with the trailer I have is that the fresh water hold is uo front towards the tongue. Then as you go rearward is the grey then the black. Right up against the front of the trailer is the Dinette and you guessed it all that storage under the benches, nothing there really of any gross violating weight (although I suppose it can add uo. Mid trailer is the galley, Slide out sofa and Pantry. At the rear is the bath and bed. I kinda think that things are spread out fairly even. I was (before weighing everything) storing a 26 inch tv and a few folding chairs (3 folding webbed chairs and two folding webbed lounge chairs) under the dinette but plan to move those to over the axels and strap them off to footman loops, but that I am guessing may be75 lbs at the very most.
Other than that, That's that!
Thanks you for "checking over my shoulder" and let me know what you think.
I don't have my manual for my 2005 Tundra anymore. I can't offer any other advise with any greater authority than what you have stated from your manual. Maybe someone else can verify and expand on your info.
On average how long do you expect your trips to last? If you are only heading out for a week or so you don't need a great deal of LP gas. Instead of filling your fresh water tank find out if water is available at your destination or carry some of it forward in the bed of your truck behind the cab. Most state and national parks have water. One thing I didn't see in your weight figures is extra gas for those two generators. I have a Honda eu2000 and it will run about 7 hours just charging batteries but as soon as you start turning on stuff like the TV, coffee maker, hair dryer, electric fan or worse the microwave. Then there is the A/C and that is going to push those generators in series up to 75% load. Figure 5 gallons of gas just to be safe.
On average how long do you expect your trips to last? If you are only heading out for a week or so you don't need a great deal of LP gas. Instead of filling your fresh water tank find out if water is available at your destination or carry some of it forward in the bed of your truck behind the cab. Most state and national parks have water. One thing I didn't see in your weight figures is extra gas for those two generators. I have a Honda eu2000 and it will run about 7 hours just charging batteries but as soon as you start turning on stuff like the TV, coffee maker, hair dryer, electric fan or worse the microwave. Then there is the A/C and that is going to push those generators in series up to 75% load. Figure 5 gallons of gas just to be safe.
We used to not carry water when we had our old tundra's, but now with my new one and airbags i just filler up before we go. Our water tank is just above the front axle on the trailer, so it don't add a lot of weight to the pin. Propane..........we just fill up as well.
I think the OP has the 1st gen tundra, if i remember right so it may be wise to not fill with water until you get there. Just a little trick we've done before. Churches seem to have water, and we've done that before. Used a leatherman to turn it on, and it was dark outside when we did it.
Also filled up at gas stations a few times, they usually don't mind if you buy some stuff there. Campgrounds usually always have water, and if i was only camping in campgrounds i would never travel wet.
Come to think of it, last year going to disneyland we traveled with 1/4 tank of water is all. It's smart to travel with little water when goind long distances, if possible.
Hey droolingmess..........how was your trip in the beautiful rainy weather?
Which way did you go?
Hey Toyota. First couple of hundred out Wyoming was cruise control and audiobook. Some steep grades west of Fort Bridger. Then I hit Utah and eeeeew. Really should have taken your advise and gone 40 south but the interstate was already starting to flood and not being familiar with 40 I stuck with what I knew I-80. Bad move. Truck killer grade in rain and wind. Then tried to shave off a couple of miles by taking 215 to 15 and ran right into road construction. Oh well got to Springville and got the airbags on my truck and now I'm down in Delta hunting trilobytes. Way beautiful drive from I-15 to Delta. The desert in spring time is really something.
Hey Toyota. First couple of hundred out Wyoming was cruise control and audiobook. Some steep grades west of Fort Bridger. Then I hit Utah and eeeeew. Really should have taken your advise and gone 40 south but the interstate was already starting to flood and not being familiar with 40 I stuck with what I knew I-80. Bad move. Truck killer grade in rain and wind. Then tried to shave off a couple of miles by taking 215 to 15 and ran right into road construction. Oh well got to Springville and got the airbags on my truck and now I'm down in Delta hunting trilobytes. Way beautiful drive from I-15 to Delta. The desert in spring time is really something.
I tried to tell you that parley's can be a nightmare. You have friends in springville or something?
Did you go thru santaquin to get to delta? If you did, you drove right by the little sahara sand dunes on the way. I was there a couple weeks ago, and the weather was crappy.
Liking the airbags? Now you just need that wireless compressor for them. It sure is nice not having to dig the pump out when you need it.
Hunting trilobytes? Jack rabbits? Never heard that term before.
We go spotlighting at cherry creek quite a bit, and it's pretty good this year.
Hey Toyota. Don't know anybody in Springville it is only 10 miles from Payson where I got my air bags, there is a Costco about 5 miles away in Orem and the rv park in Springville has a good Woodall's rating. Yes liking the airbags so far. This is my third truck with air bags but the first time I have used Airlift. Don't know if I want the wireless compressor though if I see it on sale I will telling be myself I can't live without it. I came to Delta through Nephi on 132 and 6. Trilobytes are little critters that swam around in the ocean about 500 million years ago when most of Utah was under water. There is a quarry north west of Delta where you can dig for them. Go to u-digfossils.com. Went out there today and came back with a bunch of fossils and a sunburn. May drive out to Topaz Mountain tomorrow. Then it's clean trailer day and back on the road.
Hey Guys, Thanks for the info. I try to leave as little water in there for the trip to and from, so I am good there. Yes, about 5 Gals of gas in the bed of the truck for the gennys. I did move about 60-75 pounds from up front of the trailer but if I am reading the Manual correctly, with a WDH my tongue capacity is 1050...04 4 wd access cab V8
Numbers for Tom
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