[A/S] Re: tongue weight and suspension

["Matt Worner" <wornmatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris

<snip> 
> I pull a 1979 31' International sovereign with a Ford F250 diesel 4X4 
> pick-up. tongue weight is ~ 1,100 lbs, according to a coop grain scale. 

If you have the same factory hitch receiver I had (before I replaced 
it with a Class V) you are 10% over the hitch rating.  Check the tag 
on the receiver cross member

> Total trailer loaded weight is 8,200 lbs. 

Better take a look at the tag on the right front area of the coach 
for GVWR and GAWR numbers.  8200# sounds just a bit fat for a '79 
Sov.  My '75 is only 7100# GVWR.  I find it hard to believe that a 
half ton was added to the gross weight in 4 model years.

Have you done any major (chubby) mods to the rig or do you travel 
with your pet bricks?

There is a neighbour around the lake with (I believe) a '79 rear 
bath twin, I'll check his tag later today to see if the weight had 
gone up that fast.

>I use an Equilizer hitch. I 
> have the hitch set up to so that the trailer is level front to back 
> (ball height is ~18"). I am perceiving a bit more squat in the truck 
> than I'd like- the back of the truck is noticeably lower than the front <snip>

Trunion springs level the truck, not shock or truck springs.  Ball 
height is the only way to level the trailer.  Of course if the 
tongue weight is too heavy you may not have enough trunion capacity 
to pick up the connection point (ball/tongue).

My F-350 4x4 Powersmoke rides so high that I need the biggest drop 
drawbar I could find and am still about 1/2" higher than trailer 
level with the ball.  You may have to settle for a bit of "down by 
the stern" if you have the same problem.

I'd check out those weight ratings and get within them if you are 
not.  Heaven help you if there is an accident and the lawyers find 
you were overloaded to any significant degree.

"My client's travelling 75 in a school zone had nothing to do with 
the accident, ladies and gentlement of the jury.  It was Mr Koehnh's 
inabillity to move his grossly overloaded trailer out of the way 
that made him hit that loaded schoolbus in an effort to avoid a 
collision!"  Just stupid enough to work!

Matt