So I've been back and forth on what my next move was with the current loads not acceptable to me. Move up to Super Duty level, or make the Expy situation work out. This weekend I decided I'd put the trailer on a diet and see if I could made some headway, and I did! I was able to reduce the tongue weight by 200lbs. Here's the changes I made..
- Removed both 30lb propane tanks, swapped in one 20lb tank (3/4 full), and crafted a PVC pipe to support the other missing tanks spot. Got some more changes for this area in mind. I've ordered two 17lb fiberglass tanks that are half the weight of a steel tank. Problem is nobody can seem to get them in stock. So this 20lb tank set up will do for now.
- Re-adjusted my Equalizer, moving the arm brackets further away from the tongue to the recommended 32" distance, probably a move of about 1 3/4" but figure any bit more will assist in transferring more weight from the tongue to the trailer's axles.
- Went through all the cargo, tools, and accessories in the camper and played (do I really need this?). Removed several items, from a small vaccum that is never used to extra water hoses and a teak outdoor shower platform. Yeah, stuff I don't "need".
- Moved all heavy items from front storage to storage over axles or in rear of trailer. Between this reorganization and the propane changes I'm sure it was the bulk of the weight savings on the tongue. Only stuff I'm leaving in front storage is sewage hoses, outdoor carpet, small grill, and cellular antenna.
So after doing all this and hooking up immediately I could see a much better stance of the Expys rear end, it was very much improved. Now it was time to get on to a scale and get the results of my efforts.
Wife wasn't crazy about it but we packed pretty much like we were going away for a weekend from clothes in the closets to bikes on the rear mount, dog food, canned food, camp chairs, you name it. So on to the scale...
2010 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer with HD tow. 10,000# Equalizer WDH, 2015 27RBDS Winnebago Ultralite
Truck sticker has payload of 1402, FGVWR of 3700 and RGVWR of 4250
Trailer has two 3500 axles, and an GVWR of 7700
Trucked weighed with one axle each on pad with 2 adults, 1 large dog, one small dog, one small cooler:
Steer Axle: 3040
Drive Axle: 3380
First pass, 2 adults, 1 large dog, one small dog, one small cooler. WDH engaged.
Steer Axle: 3020
Drive Axle: 4100
Trailer Axle: 6740
Gross Weight: 13860
Second pass, 2 adults, 1 large dog, one small dog, one small cooler. WDH arms unloaded
Steer Axle: 2600
Drive Axle: 4700
Trailer Axle: 6560
Third pass, 2 adults, 1 large dog, one small dog, one small cooler. Truck completely on pad 1 of scale, Trailer Jack on middle pad, Trailer axles on rear scale
Steer Axle: 6420
Drive Axle: 900
Trailer Axle: 6540
Gross Weight: 13860
So, as I see it, I went from 1100lb tongue weight to 900lbs! WHD is moving about 180lbs of that 900lb off the tongue and onto the trailer's axles.
Now this wasn't an exact re-test because the payload was different this time compared when I was with 3 teenage boys. Large Rottie weighs 120 so he's close to the size of one of them, wife too, so figure compared to last time the payload was about 220lbs lighter in the truck. But this test is more real for me, because this is the setup I'll have 90% of the time.
So I think I can work with these numbers, especially getting into a Gen 4 Expy with a slightly higher payload and a gain of about 130lbs more capacity on RGVWR. I think I'll be within my needed margins most of the time and some. Maybe not when I take 3 teenage boys, but that one time a year I do that I think it'll be close enough.
I'm happy with the results, happy enough that I'll be shopping for a 4th Gen Expy in the near future. I'll tweak a little more weight off if I can, especially in the propane department and I think it'll work out.