Does anyone know how to take tongue load and rear overhang and calculate how much weight would be put on the back axle?

Trying to find out at what tongue load the rear axle can handle and not exceed the Rear Axle Gross Weight Rating. It is rated for 4670 lbs and based on the weight distribution and weight of the truck the back axle already has about 2000 lbs on it.

So, 4670 - 2000 is 2670 more lbs the back axle can handle. I need to know the equation relationship show how tongue load and rear overhang (leverage) translate to weight on the back axle so I don't exceed this tongue load.

Thanks in advance if you can help.

 

Brandon:

As a very general rule-of-thumb, about 10% of the weight of a trailer and load transfer to the receiver hitch. On a gooseneck set up, in can be 20-25-30% or more.

There are a lot of variables:
1) Type/location of hitch
2) Distance from forward trailer axle to hitch (bridge)
3) Of course, weight of trailer and cargo

I suggest you consider this:
1) Fill the truck w/fuel, get in it
2) Weigh it at a commercial scale

Add a little "something" for any planned gear, cargo or additional passengers in the truck and you'll have your curb weight. That also gives you a baseline for what is next:

Hook up a (the ?) empty trailer. Re-weigh. You will now find out the trailer weight AND what potion has transferred to the front and rear truck axles.

Armed with this information, you can then assume, subject to how you load the trailer which can effect tongue weight, what your transfer % is, and thus determine what the % is is weight.

If you feel confident that there is 2,670 true available capacity (by rating) on the rear axle, that with a 10% transfer you could, in theory, hook up a trailer that (with load) weighed 26,000#. You don't give any info about your truck or trailer, so you are limiting responses.

 

thanks for the reply, i found the formula.

=((Wheelbase + Rear overhang)* Tongue load) / Wheelbase

That will tell you what kind of weight your tongue load is putting on the back axle considering it has the leverage of the rear overhang.

Much easier than visiting a scale.

 

I suggest looking at the hitch rating.