Weight Distribution on a One Ton Truck

[kkmacs]

My new trailer has about 1450lb of tongue weight. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 diesel, and the specs for it are as follows: GVWR is 12,300; Base Weight is 8165 with 5013 front and 3151 rear. The GAWR is 6000 front and 7000 rear. If all this is correct, I have less that a thousand pounds of weight to put on the front axel and almost 4K to put on the rear. My inquiry; seems I wouldn’t want to be distributing as much weight to the front as I would have with my old trailer and RAM 1500 set up. If I distribute too much weight to the front, doesn’t that create another sway risk? I have looked all over for a discussion of this situation but seem to not get passed all the talk of “YOU MUST DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OR RISK …” but isn’t there also a risk of towing an 11K trailer with too much weight being transferred to an already loaded front axel? Thanks for any insight.

Sorry, just realized I put this in the wrong forum and don’t know how to put it in the towing, hitching forum. If someone can move that would be great.

[FT4NOW]

Before you dig too deep in it, look on your truck receiver, should have a weight rating for with and without a distribution hitch. If you are already exceeding the non-weight distribution rating, seems like you would already have your answer.

[kkmacs]

Before you dig too deep in it, look on your truck receiver, should have a weight rating for with and without a distribution hitch. If you are already exceeding the non-weight distribution rating, seems like you would already have your answer.

Didn’t know they had that data, will look. Thanks.

[huntindog]

My new trailer has about 1450lb of tongue weight. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 diesel, and the specs for it are as follows: GVWR is 12,300; Base Weight is 8165 with 5013 front and 3151 rear. The GAWR is 6000 front and 7000 rear. If all this is correct, I have less that a thousand pounds of weight to put on the front axel and almost 4K to put on the rear. My inquiry; seems I wouldn’t want to be distributing as much weight to the front as I would have with my old trailer and RAM 1500 set up. If I distribute too much weight to the front, doesn’t that create another sway risk? I have looked all over for a discussion of this situation but seem to not get passed all the talk of “YOU MUST DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OR RISK …” but isn’t there also a risk of towing an 11K trailer with too much weight being transferred to an already loaded front axel? Thanks for any insight.

I have been towing with duallys since 2001. All TTs until2020.
You will not be able to transfer enough weigt forward to overload the front axle. Do not be tempted to not use Sway control though. When I was using WDs, (yes my last one had 1400+ TW, I could feel the difference of a singie hole adjustment on my 14K EQUALIZER, which was the largest available back then.

[xrated]

My new trailer has about 1450lb of tongue weight. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 diesel, and the specs for it are as follows: GVWR is 12,300; Base Weight is 8165 with 5013 front and 3151 rear. The GAWR is 6000 front and 7000 rear. If all this is correct, I have less that a thousand pounds of weight to put on the front axel and almost 4K to put on the rear. My inquiry; seems I wouldn’t want to be distributing as much weight to the front as I would have with my old trailer and RAM 1500 set up. If I distribute too much weight to the front, doesn’t that create another sway risk? I have looked all over for a discussion of this situation but seem to not get passed all the talk of “YOU MUST DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OR RISK …” but isn’t there also a risk of towing an 11K trailer with too much weight being transferred to an already loaded front axel? Thanks for any insight.

Sorry, just realized I put this in the wrong forum and don’t know how to put it in the towing, hitching forum. If someone can move that would be great.

I just moved this for you, no problem

[xrated]

My new trailer has about 1450lb of tongue weight. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 diesel, and the specs for it are as follows: GVWR is 12,300; Base Weight is 8165 with 5013 front and 3151 rear. The GAWR is 6000 front and 7000 rear. If all this is correct, I have less that a thousand pounds of weight to put on the front axel and almost 4K to put on the rear. My inquiry; seems I wouldn’t want to be distributing as much weight to the front as I would have with my old trailer and RAM 1500 set up. If I distribute too much weight to the front, doesn’t that create another sway risk? I have looked all over for a discussion of this situation but seem to not get passed all the talk of “YOU MUST DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OR RISK …” but isn’t there also a risk of towing an 11K trailer with too much weight being transferred to an already loaded front axel? Thanks for any insight.

Sorry, just realized I put this in the wrong forum and don’t know how to put it in the towing, hitching forum. If someone can move that would be great.

My first trailer was a tow behind and was 34 1/2' long and a GVWR of 13,000 lbs. If I recall, about the most weight that got distributed to the front axle of the tow vehicle was between 150 to 170 lbs. The weight distribution hitch will distribute some to the steer axle and also some weight to the trailer axles....and of course the rear axle gets the majority of the weight.

[kkmacs]

Thanks for the insight!

[Riverbug]

My 2022 Ford F350 has a hitch weight rating of 2100# non-distributed. I would guess yours should be similar. Based on specs I can tow my trailer without WDH but after testing with and without, I choose to use it. I already had it from the previous trailer and F150, it's pretty simple to use, and even at the weight of my trailer it is still a noticeable difference. It wasn't bad by any means without it, but it is noticeably better with it. That said, it's not so much about the distribution as it is about the anti-sway. You could set yours up fairly light perhaps if that's a concern but try it with and without to see how each feels. Back to your specific question though, you are correct in that the numbers dictate how much you can distribute without going over the GAWR. You'll have to weigh and adjust accordingly.

[Redapple63]

My new trailer has about 1450lb of tongue weight. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 diesel, and the specs for it are as follows: GVWR is 12,300; Base Weight is 8165 with 5013 front and 3151 rear. The GAWR is 6000 front and 7000 rear. If all this is correct, I have less that a thousand pounds of weight to put on the front axel and almost 4K to put on the rear. My inquiry; seems I wouldn’t want to be distributing as much weight to the front as I would have with my old trailer and RAM 1500 set up. If I distribute too much weight to the front, doesn’t that create another sway risk? I have looked all over for a discussion of this situation but seem to not get passed all the talk of “YOU MUST DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OR RISK …” but isn’t there also a risk of towing an 11K trailer with too much weight being transferred to an already loaded front axel? Thanks for any insight.

Sorry, just realized I put this in the wrong forum and don’t know how to put it in the towing, hitching forum. If someone can move that would be great.

Your numbers give you a basic payload of about 4135lbs. To be sure look in the drivers door pillar for that payload sticker.

As far as weight distribution you want to get from 50-90% front axle weight restoration.
With a tow behind you will lose weight on the front axle as the rear bears the brunt. WD will restore some of that. Let me dig up my last cat scale numbers for you. You are ok.

Bill

[Calbar]

My new trailer has about 1450lb of tongue weight. I have a 2022 RAM 3500 diesel, and the specs for it are as follows: GVWR is 12,300; Base Weight is 8165 with 5013 front and 3151 rear. The GAWR is 6000 front and 7000 rear. If all this is correct, I have less that a thousand pounds of weight to put on the front axel and almost 4K to put on the rear. My inquiry; seems I wouldn’t want to be distributing as much weight to the front as I would have with my old trailer and RAM 1500 set up. If I distribute too much weight to the front, doesn’t that create another sway risk? I have looked all over for a discussion of this situation but seem to not get passed all the talk of “YOU MUST DISTRIBUTE THE WEIGHT OR RISK …” but isn’t there also a risk of towing an 11K trailer with too much weight being transferred to an already loaded front axel? Thanks for any insight.

Sorry, just realized I put this in the wrong forum and don’t know how to put it in the towing, hitching forum. If someone can move that would be great.

Just for some real world information on the same truck and tongue weight. I towed a 2018 Reflection 297RSTS with my 2019 RAM 3500 and used the weight distribution hitch to return the before hitching weight to the front axle. Sure the truck would have handled the weight without but it would have unloaded the front axle causing the truck to handle differently with lighter steering. I set up the WDH to return my front axle to the pre-hitched fender height and weight for best handling. My WDH also had built in sway control which helps with the towing control as well. I wouldn't tow such a large trailer without the WDH and sway control.

Rob