Tongue Weight

drew416

New Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2020
Messages
1
Hey Everyone,
My wife and I are looking at a 2002 T160. I have been able to find most of the specs in the way of weights...dry, gross....but I can't find the tongue weight. We have a 2013 Pilot 4wd, so we can do up to 4500, but going by the manual, I am going to play it safe and stick to my own limit of 3800lbs max to tow, so I know this trailer is good for. But the tongue weight is the only thing I don't find. I found one site that advised 500lbs....but that seems like a little much for this trailer. Thanks
 
This may not be exact but, I have the brochure from 2009 when I bought my FF and it lists the tongue weight of the X160 as 220 lbs.
 
And-a good weight distribution hitch (not just anti-sway bar) will help add a bit of a safety cushion to the tongue weight by . . . wait for it . . . well, weight distribution.
 
Don't forget to add the weights of the WDH, the battery and the propane tank(s) to the total tongue weight. The publicized weights in the sales pamphlets don't include the weight of the battery or tanks.
 
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With a WDH your weight will be distributed over the trailer as well. So the weight of the hitch is inconsequential. The tongue weight will also be lightened by the WDH. Your biggest concern should be with the typical round bar hitch that is prevalent on Japanese and euro vehicles. With WDH that round bar will twist everytime you hook it up and everytime you drive into a gas station. If you want proper advice then contact Andy at CanAm rv. He can give the correct advice to hook it up and supply you with help and products that will get the job done safely. He hooks up hundreds of these vehicles every year. He also has many articles on his website if you wish to take a look.
 
The physics involved with a WDH places a tremendous amount of force on the ball and where the hitch attaches to the TV. That is not a big deal to a body on frame vehicle but it is in a unibody vehicle like a Honda Pilot. The point I'm trying to make is don't stress the hitch or go over the hitch weight or you could distort the unibody.
 
Kia, that made our 290HP, 5000# rated Sorento AWD we use to pull our X160, warns against using a WDH with the unbody design. I opted for a Curt sway bar, friction style that mounts on one side and it does a good job at stopping sway.
 
The physics involved with a WDH places a tremendous amount of force on the ball and where the hitch attaches to the TV. That is not a big deal to a body on frame vehicle but it is in a unibody vehicle like a Honda Pilot. The point I'm trying to make is don't stress the hitch or go over the hitch weight or you could distort the unibody.

Frame or unibody makes no difference. It's how the hitch is attached. Many pickups have dropped their trailers. Add enough forces from a WDH hitch it will stress the hitch. This is common problem. Without a WDH hitch the only stress is on the ball, as soon as you add a WDH you transfer that weight forward and backward onto the trailer. The stresses involved are huge.
 
The proper matching of tow vehicle to a trailer is an exercise in mathematics and physics and sadly, is poorly understood by many folks out on the highways and byways. I strongly recommend that multiple sources be researched in the quest for the best method of safely connecting a tow vehicle to a trailer. RE: the unibody issue, if the vehicle manufacturer recommends NOT using a WDH, I'd take heed. If there were a situation that resulted in damage or injury, the insurance company and perhaps even law enforcement will side switch the manufacturer's recommendation. Claims will likely be denied and legal exposure could result. Just sayin'!
RE: tongue weight, it is variable and is dependent on "dry weight + added cargo AND how it is distributed. "Dry weight" is nearly a useless value as no one camps without putting "stuff" in their trailers. The trailer has an information sticker that, among other things, will state the GVWR, which is the the "dry weight" + max cargo weight (whch includes propane, water and everything else that is placed in or on the trailer)! The "hitch weight" should generally be considered to be 10-15% of the trailer's total weight (which may be less than the max weight) and achieved by proper distribution of the cargo in or on the trailer.
RE: the tow vehicle's capability, there are several things to consider. The manufacturer makes these determinations and lists them on a sticker. The GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rated) is the "rating" for the vehicle that includes its base "curb" weight + anything it might carry. This includes fuel, driver, passengers, any cargo AND the hitch weight of a towed vehicle! The GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rated) is the sum of the GVWR and the maximum weight of a towed trailer!
There are no "inconsequential weights" ! The parts of the WDH that are attached to the tow vehicle are a part of its payload. The parts that are attached to the trailer are a part of its cargo. Every pound counts!
 

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