Travel trailer and weight distribution question

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

alex800

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Posts
18
Reaction score
2
Location
Florida
Hello all,

I’m a new member here and need to run something by the community. I recently bought new 35ft travel trailer and towing it with 2011 Expedition EL limited. The trailer is Wilderness 3150DS. The dealer installed a Equalizer hitch for me but I don’t think it was setup properly. I had about 3” squat in the rear axle and had some sway issues on the way home from the dealer. I did some adjustments on the hitch and would like to get some opinions.

Here are my measurements. (Done without any passengers)

TV only – no Trailer
Front wheel well height – 35 ¾
Rear wheel well height – 35 ¼

TV and TT – No weight distribution engaged
Front wheel well height – 36 3/8
Rear wheel well height – 33 3/8

TV and TT – With weight distribution engaged
Front wheel well height – 35 ¾
Rear wheel well height – 34 1/8

I also decided to drive 40 mi to CAT scale and here are my weights with passengers.

TV only – no Trailer
Front Axle load – 3240
Rear Axle load – 3560

TV and TT – No weight distribution engaged
Front Axle load – 2700
Rear Axle load – 5060
Trailer Axles load – 6480

TV and TT – With weight distribution engaged
Front Axle load – 3180
Rear Axle load – 4380
Trailer Axles load – 6660

According to my calculation I have the following:

TV weight = 6800
Gross Combined Weight = 14240
TT Weight = 7440
Tongue Weight = 960

According to the above weights I’m about 70lbs over the hitch limit and about 130 lbs over the Rear axle limit.

My next move is to try to adjust weight distribution and move more weight to the front axle.

Any thoughts?
 
Last edited:

Bedrck47

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Posts
5,641
Reaction score
652
Location
Elizebethtown, PA
what I normally do to set up a WD hitch is to be on level ground and with the trailer level measure the distance to the top of the coupler. Whatever that distance is it should also be the same for the top of the ball on the receiver. OR very close. Then I hook up and adjust the equalizer bars so that the trailer is sitting level. If you then check your measurements you will find them to be very close to what they were before you hooked up.

There are some very good videos on youtube on this subject.

Keep in mind the hitch head I use is an adjustable head so I am able to adjust the ball height. This comes in handy if you haul different trailers.

Also weight distribution of the load inside the trailer does help. Try to keep any heavy items over the axels and also low to the floor

Good sway control will help.

Also the method I use works well for me, and there may be others that either agree or disagree. I have also used the above method for over 30 years and it saves me from taking all the other measures that others recommend.

How long have you been towing?
 
OP
OP
A

alex800

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Posts
18
Reaction score
2
Location
Florida
Hi Roxy, I already did pretty much what you suggesting and everything looked great until I went to the scale. I only have about an inch squat in the rear and front looks the same as unloaded. Trailer looks leveled too. My rear axle and hitch is overloaded so I think I need more weight distributed from the rear axle. I will try to rise L brackets tomorrow.

Regards...
 
Last edited:

Bedrck47

Full Access Members
Joined
Jul 4, 2014
Posts
5,641
Reaction score
652
Location
Elizebethtown, PA
what I referred to as the hitch head is also the ball mount
From the sounds of your reply it appears you need to adjust you equalizer bars a little bit more. I use a Reese system which may be different than what you use.
 
OP
OP
A

alex800

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Posts
18
Reaction score
2
Location
Florida
Little off topic but how does the expedition tow such a large (35') TT such as yours. I'm looking at them and was curious how it'd tow such a long trailer.

I don't have much experience towing such a big trailer but I did tow it from the dealer about 200mi and few local trips. I thought Expedition handled pretty good. I did experience some sway when semi was passing me though. That’s why I’m trying to adjust my hitch because I think the dealer didn’t do a good job.
 

tkoden

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2013
Posts
16
Reaction score
0
Location
Roxboro, Nc
Little off topic but how does the expedition tow such a large (35') TT such as yours. I'm looking at them and was curious how it'd tow such a long trailer.

I tow a 35' trailer with my 07 4x4 EL. I towed over 4500 miles this year towing a 35' Keystone Passport 32FB. I have a reese dual cam weight distributing hitch with sway control. Fully loaded, with fuel, propane, 4 adults and 1 baby I was 500 lbs over on my rear axle.

I towed from the SF bay area to Yellowstone to Bismark, ND. The expedition pulled great. Some of the passes in the Sierras and Rockies were a bit slow but it did well. There were some nasty cross winds going though the plains but the sway control took care of that and didn't push me around.

All that being said, I have been pulling car and equipment trailers for years so I am not new to this.
 
OP
OP
A

alex800

Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Posts
18
Reaction score
2
Location
Florida
Tkoden, thank you for your reply. It gives me some conference. How heavy is your TT?
 

tkoden

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2013
Posts
16
Reaction score
0
Location
Roxboro, Nc
It is about 6800 lbs empty.

32fb.jpg
 
Top