xcntrk

with a fully loaded car hauler towing my early bronco. Went through twice, once fully loaded with the trailer in tow (including weight distribution), then again without the trailer and tow rig at full running weight. Bottom line for me is that I’ve determined I can realistically tow a 7,800# trailer max without exceeding the GVWR.

Thought I’d share the results for those interested.


Maximum Capacities:
GCWR – 17,100
GVWR – 7,650
FRONT GAWR – 3,750
REAR GAWR – 4,050


CAT Scale Base Weight:
FRONT – 3,500
REAR – 2,980
TOTAL – 6,480
* Loaded running weight with 36gal fuel, x2 adults, x1 child, WD hitch, tools, misc gear.


CAT Scale Trailer – 18ft Car Hauler w/Bronco (w/WD Hitch):
FRONT – 3,420
REAR – 3,740
TRAILER – 6,240
GROSS – 13,400


Calculation Results:
Tow Rig max available pin weight less payload – 1,170 (1,070 rear axle balance)
Trailer base weight – 6,920
Trailer tongue weight actual – 825 (12%)
Trailer tongue weight w/WD – 680
Trailer WD advantage – 145 (17.5% actual)
Realistic max trailer GVWR possible – 7,800 (15% @ 1,170)

brulaz

For some reason my SCab Eco 4x2 has only a 7500# GVWR, compared to your 7650#, but it has a high payload (2050#) and the same rear axle as yours with a 4050# GAWR.

Our recent CAT scale weights for the new trailer gave 7500# for the trailer total but a very high 1140# tongue weight (over 15%). I ran it through the scales a third time with the WDH slacked to get that number.

The tongue weight surprised me. It put the truck 130# over it's rear GAWR and very close to the receiver's WDH max. rating. All other numbers, including GVWR, were fine.

It's harder to re-balance a travel trailer compared to a car hauler. But after the CAT visit, I did managed to move some stuff from the pass-thru to behind the trailer's rear axle.

And then I cinched up my 1000# WDH bars to their max. This puts me close to 100% reduction of front end lift. Ford recommends only 50% reduction. Equal-I-Zer WDH recommends upto 100% but no more. As long as I'm not adding weight to the front, it should be ok.

Next visit to the CAT will tell the tale.

xcntrk

Forgive my ignorance, what does 50/100% reduction of the front end mean?

Another weird observation from my numbers is that the base front axle weight is 3500#, yet fully loaded with the trailer and WD hooked up that number drops to 3420#, meaning my front end was 80lbs lighter with the trailer hooked up.

brulaz

When you drop your trailer tongue on the truck's ball, the tongue weight lifts the front end of the truck by some amount. That's "Front End Lift". People usually measure it at the top of the front wheel wells.

It's an indicator of the amount of weight lifted off the front axle by the trailer's tongue weight. This weight is transferred to the rear axle. Sort of like a teeter-totter. You get a better estimate of the actual weight lifted off the front axle at a CAT scale.

When you cinch up your WDH tension bars, some of that weight is transferred from the rear axle back to the front (and some goes to the trailer axle). In your case, even with the WDH, you still have 80# lifted off the truck's front axle. In my case, without the WDH 380# was lifted off the front, and 80# with the WDH.

Since then, I've tightened up the WDH to its max, the front end lift has been pretty much eliminated and perhaps the front axle will have the same weight with the trailer as it does without and my rear axle is under the GAWR. We'll see.

xcntrk

Ah I see.. So I'm 97.7% reduction, which sounds fine to me.

StinsonEB

With payload being an issue could you move the Bronco back to get closer to 10% pin actual weight? Looks like the Bronco is fairly far forward. Maybe your setup handles the best this way?