Perfect Weight Distribution?

[Rhertzy]

The first time I went to the Cat Scales I had the following reading:
2840 Steer Axle
3580 Drive Axle
7060 Trailer Axles
13480 Gross Weight

I was experiencing sway on the highway and made adjustments and weighed again:
2980 Steer Axle
3600 Drive Axle
7360 Trailer Axles
13940 Gross Weight

My truck weighs as follows with a full tank (36 gallons) no passengers:
3140 Steer Axle
2420 Drive Axle
5560 Gross Weight

Should the front axle and trailer axles bear more weight to be ideal? What is the best way to accomplish this? I just bought a scale to weigh the tongue weight, but the scale hasn’t arrived yet.

Rick
2019 Grand Design Transcend 29TBS
2018 Ford F-150 Lariat 3.5 Ecoboost
Andersen hitch (this is replacing the hitch I used for these scale weights)

[jmbopp]

I think Ford says set the WD bars so that 50% of the weight is transferred back to the front axle. So you need 3 passes through the scales: no trailer, trailer w/o WD bars snapped up, and trailer with WD bars snapped up.

[Rhertzy]

Is that 50% of the tongue weight?

[goducks14]

Is that 50% of the tongue weight?

50% of the weight removed from the front end. You can do the same with measurements. Measure the front fender unhitched, then with the TT hitched but no WDH. You want to be 50% or less of the difference between the two numbers.

[Rhertzy]

Ok, thanks! That makes sense.

Rick

[tamrick]

I used to do this juggling act with my 2013 F150 w/max tow package and 34' bumper pull. I was always at max weight rating for the hitch (1,150lb) and max overall with 2 passengers, no gear in truck. I set my front end height at 1/4" difference between loaded and loaded. This worked best for vehicle control.

And from experience, if you are staying with your setup, buy the ProPride, it is night and day compared to all others. I went from old school sway control to blue ox then propride. I hated the tail wagging the dog all the time and ProPride got rid of it.

[Rhertzy]

Thanks for the help! I think you are right - like you, we are maxed out on TV GVWR with just two people a full tank of gas and no gear. I ordered a tongue weight scale to help with properly loading the trailer so I can stay under 7000 pounds on the TV. The Andersen hitch is 60 pounds and the ProPride is 200 pounds. If I can stay under 7,000 pounds with the ProPride I will go that route.

Rick

[TerryH]

I'm using this new True Tow hitch from Weigh Safe and it's been an amazing deal. It has a gauge on the hitch head that displays the actual tongue weight. Incredibly accurate as GD listed the actual weight on my trailer as 1610 lbs. the WS gauge was right on. They have an app that you put several different values in and it tells you what the ideal distributed weight should be. That weight is adjustable using a adjustment bolt in the head. You simply turn the bolt until the gauge reads the proper weight and that 's it. Makes setup a breeze and changing setups or added weight etc... is a simple matter of just changing the values in the app to get the new setting. Sway control is managed with square bars similar to the Equalizer hitch has.

No affiliation. Just a very impressed customer.

[Rhertzy]

I hadn’t heard of this WDH before. How much does it weigh? The ProPride is about 200 Pounds. I like the fact that you can open the tailgate without hitting the electric Jack cover on both of these models. Have you experienced any sway? That is my biggest concern on the road - it isn’t fun having to white knuckle when towing on the highway!

[TerryH]

I hadn’t heard of this WDH before. How much does it weigh? The ProPride is about 200 Pounds. I like the fact that you can open the tailgate without hitting the electric Jack cover on both of these models. Have you experienced any sway? That is my biggest concern on the road - it isn’t fun having to white knuckle when towing on the highway!

Has pulled perfectly so far but I'm doing more testing this weekend with it loaded in different configurations. The hitch weighs 150#. Being able to open the gate is a big plus for sure.