User Tag List

Thanks Thanks:  0
Likes Likes:  0
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 19 of 19
  1. #11
    Site Sponsor Steven@147's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2017
    Location
    Texas Fulltimers
    Posts
    2,551
    Mentioned
    32 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Jim's right, get a Sherline tongue weight scale. Yes they are a little pricey but at what price is your peace of mind and safety. I found them on sale at Amazon.com. You need to make sure of what your towing each time you pull away. I got a Sherline and I'm glad I did. Also No matter what hitch you get, keep the manual handy for reference of nut or bolt torque and check the bolts for tightness once in a while or every time you hitch up.
    From the initial dealer installation of my hitch I found the ball was not properly torqued, it was loose.

    Don't feel alone. The numbers game is confusing at best with hitches, RV weights and tow vehicle ratings depending on options. Just find all your numbers for your RV, hitch and tow vehicle. Get your unit weighed to be sure and keep an eye on your tongue weight.
    Steve & Tami Cass - Escapee's, FMCA Members, Texas Fulltimers Since July 2020
    2019 Solitude 3350RL S-Class, 2018 Ram 3500 DRW, Laramie Longhorn, B&W Companion, Texas Class A Non-CDL Drivers License
    Sharing the Fulltime Lifestyle - www.youtube.com/@tsrvadventures3219/videos, Nonprofit Channel

  2. #12
    Seasoned Camper Drolaw's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Cibolo, TX
    Posts
    213
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I'm going this headache as I write this.

    My new TT has a tongue weight is 1400lbs and that is before I added any cargo to the TT. The Sherline tongue weight scale was pointing right at 1400lbs. I have an Equalizer 1400/14000 WDH that was used on my last TT (1235lb tongue weight) but won't support this TT once I get some of my gear loaded.

    Anyone with a Reflection 315 RLTS stuck in between the 1400-1600 lb weight? If so, what WDH are you using?

    I"m looking at the following WDH's.

    - Strait-Line Weight Distribution w Sway Control - Trunnion Bar - supports 1000lb - 1,700 lbs TW (seems complicated to install)
    - Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control - supports 1000lb to 1,500 lbs TW

    I'll need to load the TT with our gear first before I decide for sure but I really hope the Blue Ox will work. The next step on the Blue Ox supports 1600-2000lb TW which would be too much.

  3. #13
    King Pin
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    6,521
    Blog Entries
    10
    Mentioned
    41 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Drolaw View Post
    I'm going this headache as I write this.

    My new TT has a tongue weight is 1400lbs and that is before I added any cargo to the TT. The Sherline tongue weight scale was pointing right at 1400lbs. I have an Equalizer 1400/14000 WDH that was used on my last TT (1235lb tongue weight) but won't support this TT once I get some of my gear loaded.

    Anyone with a Reflection 315 RLTS stuck in between the 1400-1600 lb weight? If so, what WDH are you using?

    I"m looking at the following WDH's.

    - Strait-Line Weight Distribution w Sway Control - Trunnion Bar - supports 1000lb - 1,700 lbs TW (seems complicated to install)
    - Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control - supports 1000lb to 1,500 lbs TW

    I'll need to load the TT with our gear first before I decide for sure but I really hope the Blue Ox will work. The next step on the Blue Ox supports 1600-2000lb TW which would be too much.
    Actually, most 315 owners that I know are using the Blue Ox Sway Pro with the 2000# bars. It doesn't seem to unload the rear tires like you'd expect. And don't forget that you need to account for some of the weight in the bed of the truck also if you want to level out the ride. In fact, I'm using the 2000# bars and 2-1/2" shank myself with my 297RSTS. I was using the 1500 pound bars, but when I got weighed, I was losing weight off of the steer tires on the truck. With the 2000# bars, I'm right in the correct range. But I do load the trailer and the truck heavily. The boat weighs 400#, and my 10 HP Mercury motor weighs 105 pounds. Then I have the truck camper shell, generators, and other items too.



    Jim

  4. #14
    Big Traveler
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    1,539
    Mentioned
    13 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Drolaw, I use the Blue Ox 2000lb TW hitch with the 2000lb bars. Works like a champ. I wouldn't even consider a 1500lb hitch with the 315.

  5. #15
    Seasoned Camper Drolaw's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Cibolo, TX
    Posts
    213
    Mentioned
    2 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Thanks Jim and Chief for the responses. I'm so close to ordering on etrailer .

    Quick question...are there negative effects to the TT with selecting the Blue Ox 2000#? I asked because my current TW is 1400lbs and the rating on the Blue Ox is 1600-2000# TW. Would the ride be too stiff? Or more importantly, would it put too much pressure on the TT frame or cause any safety concerns? I've read a lot of articles about how a WDH rated too high could also be a safety concern??

  6. #16
    Rolling Along
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Posts
    627
    Mentioned
    10 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I also use the Blue Ox SwayPro 2,000 lb bars and the 2-1/2" shank with my 297RSTS. I tried the 1,500 lb bars and upgraded. I believe that the Blue Ox ratings are too optimistic in the real world. I saw nothing but improvement with the heavier bars.

  7. #17
    King Pin
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Posts
    6,521
    Blog Entries
    10
    Mentioned
    41 Post(s)
    Tagged
    1 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Drolaw View Post
    Thanks Jim and Chief for the responses. I'm so close to ordering on etrailer .

    Quick question...are there negative effects to the TT with selecting the Blue Ox 2000#? I asked because my current TW is 1400lbs and the rating on the Blue Ox is 1600-2000# TW. Would the ride be too stiff? Or more importantly, would it put too much pressure on the TT frame or cause any safety concerns? I've read a lot of articles about how a WDH rated too high could also be a safety concern??
    The primary concern with using spring bars that are too big is that the rear tires would "unload". In other words, the spring bars would put so much pressure on the pivot point that the rear tires on the tow vehicle would actually start to lift. It could cause a loss of traction and control, especially on wet or slippery roads. My personal belief is that this would be very hard to do if you have a trailer with a tongue weight over 1,400 pounds. I do not know of anyone using the 2000# bars that has experienced this with a Reflection TT. BTW, I did the same as Klenger and went with not only the 2000# bars, but also the 2-1/2" shank. It makes for a very heavy hitch when lifting it, but it sure is stout.

    Jim

  8. #18
    Setting Up Camp
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Posts
    16
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by klenger View Post
    My hitch does not have any ratings sticker, but I've attached the chart from the owner's manual that might be of interest for Ram owners. The chart covers all Ram trucks from 1500 - 3500 models.

    Attachment 11205
    What year truck is this chart for?

  9. #19
    Fireside Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
    Posts
    61
    Mentioned
    0 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by TucsonJim View Post
    I wish it were so. How many times have we seen a dealer sell a fifth wheel or trailer that grossly exceeded the payload to an uninformed owner? We see it frequently on this forum. One of the main points of this forum is to educate our members so that they will not make costly errors that have to be corrected later.

    Frequently, we see new members on this forum that are shopping for a trailer hitch before they complete the RV transaction at the dealer. By informing them of what they need to consider before making a hitch purchase, they can avoid getting the wrong one. I for one, will never solely trust a dealership with my safety or properly equipping my vehicle and trailer. The dealerships I've dealt with have a tendency to work from "empty" pin and tongue weights that manufacturers provide. They usually don't have a clue what the loaded trailer will weigh. Have you ever seen a dealership say "Now before you leave the lot, we need to weigh your rig to make sure you're not over-weight or exceed the payload or hitch ratings of your truck?" They don't know how an owner will load the cargo or what they'll be carrying. It truly is a case of "buyer beware".

    Jim
    I wish I would have seen this post BEFORE I bought my 260RD. I ran through the numbers, tried to do a responsible level of investigation before I bought my trailer. After the purchase, the scales showed I exceeded my GVWR. It cost me around $10000 to fix that problem! I realize now, the dealer could easily prevent that from happening. I could have weighed my truck at the scales, have the dealer provide a measured pin weight, then crunch the numbers. But then, they probably would have lost the sale! Or I would have bought a TT instead of a 5th wheel.

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Similar Threads

  1. Anyone full time travel in a GD Travel trailer?
    By lcseds in forum Full Timing your Grand Design RV
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 11-29-2017, 08:25 AM
  2. Bunk Weight Ratings
    By Redwing13 in forum Interior
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 08-13-2016, 09:29 AM
  3. Help me to understand
    By rmorrow111 in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 12-15-2015, 08:25 PM
  4. I don't understand
    By APIINC in forum General Discussion
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 01-26-2015, 06:44 PM
  5. Need tires with higher weight ratings
    By ACDW-Ottawa in forum Tow Vehicles
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 08-26-2014, 08:20 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.