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RE: Need more tongue weight

Another possible and will not add much weight to the trailer...
Move the axle assembly BACK towards the rear
How much will take some mechanical engineering.
My guess something in the neighborhood of 6”-8”
Trailer OEM’s, in general, has the trailer axle assembly center line too close to the coupler and IMHO, reduces the tongue weight. At the cost of towing manners.
Thought about that and I could do that but I'm hoping I can accomplish what I need if I can load that front compartment really well.
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LITEPHIL
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03/22/21 07:23pm |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

I think the key here is to try to find a way to access that front storage area and fill it up with stuff. I'm not going to add weight at this time if I can load it down up front. It's not supper bad towing and I have made around ten trips with it. It's just not a great handling trailer with out a couple hundred pounds added up front. I was thinking about making the front couch/bed flip back for loading. Just trying to dial things in a bit.
Thanks!
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LITEPHIL
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03/22/21 09:36am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

Thank you all again. I think I'm back to trying to find a way to better access that front compartment so I can load it down. The compartment doors on both sides only have a 14 1/2 by 8 1/2 opening and through the couch there is only a little bit of access when the couch is half way flipped into a bed. Maybe I need bigger doors some how. I like this trailer but a few things were just not thought out. If they would have just put the axles a few inches back it probably would have towed better. I am NOT a fan of the Lite trailers myself
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LITEPHIL
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03/20/21 09:13am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

Tanks are always empty except fresh water is full on the way. It has a couch up front and the storage under it is the pass through. I pile as much stuff up front as possible but looking for a better idea. Don't want to just carry extra weight. I hate that they make these so called Lites with such little tongue weight.
You haven't commented on the mountable storage trays with like a gen on it. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Trailer-Tray-p/92-1577.htm?cvsfa=3124&cvsfe=2&cvsfhu=39322d31353737
Will something like this work?
I did check it out. Don't think I want to go that route at this time. My generator is used for a lot of other things and it looks like battery and tank access would be a pain but that you for your help.
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LITEPHIL
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03/20/21 08:45am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

Doesn't matter what the trailers GVWR is or it's dry tongue weight. What matters is what the tongue weight is when the trailer is loaded for a trip. So you would need to load it like you would for a trip then check the tongue weight. I always say 12% is what you want to be at. Is that 400lb tongue weight loaded for a trip or is it when it's empty? Either way you need to load it and then weigh the tongue. Get a Sureline tongue scale and then you can move stuff around in the trailer as needed, after you weigh the entire trailer.
Thank you for your input. I am very knowledgeable on setting up a trailer since I have had many over many years. Yes moving things inside to the front helps but that's not what I want to do every time since my door is upfront and it becomes total clutter.
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LITEPHIL
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03/20/21 08:40am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

Is there any way to access the pasthrough compartment through the couch and put larger things in that way?
This is what I'm trying to figure out. It has a couch that flips into a bed. If I can access the area up front I could load it better. I really don't know why they put such small outside access doors and no inside access. Thanks!
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LITEPHIL
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03/20/21 08:33am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

In conjunction to adding tongue weight...redo your hitch setup to lower the tongue pointing down, below level.
That increases the caster of the trailer and it will follow better
Yes, I always set my trailer around an inch lower in the front than rear and measured at the frame.
All this thing needs is a little more weight in the front and it will be good. I've put a few thousand miles on it and it's just not the trailer that you forget is there.
Thanks!
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LITEPHIL
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03/20/21 12:22am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

Got some ideas. I really wish the openings for the front pass through were bigger so I could load the compartment down. I would have to turn a battery sideways to get it through the opening.
Thank you all.
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LITEPHIL
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03/19/21 10:51pm |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

This is the first time I've ever seen anyone ask about adding weight LOL. Have you actually weighed? At 15%, or 930lbs based in your numbers, you need to add a lot more than one battery.
As I had said. I want to add couple hundred pounds. 15% works best but I'll be happy adding 200 lbs.
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LITEPHIL
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03/19/21 10:48pm |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

Tanks are always empty except fresh water is full on the way. It has a couch up front and the storage under it is the pass through. I pile as much stuff up front as possible but looking for a better idea. Don't want to just carry extra weight. I hate that they make these so called Lites with such little tongue weight.
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LITEPHIL
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03/19/21 09:55am |
Towing
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RE: Need more tongue weight

I have two 30 lb tanks and no room for second battery. The openings for the pass through front storage are very small. No space for generator.
Thanks
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LITEPHIL
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03/19/21 09:38am |
Towing
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Need more tongue weight

I have a 2002 Sandpiper T22 Lite and need to somehow add a couple of hundred pounds to the tongue weight somehow. Seems most everything is at the axles and back inside. Its a great little trailer but is a little unbalanced. The GVW is 6,200 and the tongue weight is only around 400 lbs loaded. My brother was a Forest River dealer and I have had many trailers and have found that the best handling trailers are at around 15% tongue weight.The truck and the hitch set up are not the problem,in fact I am using two friction sway controls and I have pulled this weight and size trailer before with no sway control and handled better then this setup. Truck is more than adequate for a 6,200 trailer. Problem is, all the tanks,bathroom,fridge,heavier mattress are at the rear. I have a pass through up front but it's not very big and I do have have my tools and heavier stuff in there but I am still light up front. Any ideas? I have dual tanks and a very heavy single battery up there. Can't fit 2 batteries.Thanks!
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LITEPHIL
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03/19/21 08:46am |
Towing
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RE: New tow rig. GM 10 speed

I drove my RST 5.3 from Az to Wisconsin and back at least 5 mph over the speed limit the whole time and averaged 22 mpg hand calculated. Better than I expected and that was with an engine and transmission in the back of the truck for the ride home. Been really happy with my 5.3 but I want the ten speed
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LITEPHIL
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03/04/21 08:15am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: New tow rig. GM 10 speed

My 2019 RST 5.3 8speed gets a solid 21-22 on the highway and around 15-16 around town. So I'd bet the small lift with the little bit bigger tires drops it a tad. I was thinking about getting the trailboss later this year for the ten speed but I may hold off.
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LITEPHIL
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03/02/21 08:18am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: New tow rig. GM 10 speed

They only put the ten speed with the 5.3 in the trailboss. Everything else gets the 8 speed unless you get the 6.2. Very nice truck there.
Thanks!
I expected it to have the 8 speed, so that was a pleasant surprise, although the 8 speed one I had for a couple months, previously, was a similar step up from the 6.
Fun fact, the LT Trailboss models get the 10 speed, but the Custom Trailboss models (low optioned) get the old 6 speed behind the 5.3 or 4.3 motors.
Your RST is a 6.2, correct? Love those truck too.
My RST is a 8 speed 5.3. Its a little rocket. Don't think I would want the 6.2
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LITEPHIL
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02/25/21 08:45am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: New tow rig. GM 10 speed

They only put the ten speed with the 5.3 in the trailboss. Everything else gets the 8 speed unless you get the 6.2. Very nice truck there.
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LITEPHIL
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02/23/21 09:01am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: 6.6 gas with ten speed?

I couldn't get it to link. Have to copy and paste. Hope to get a 6.6 gas with a ten speed later this year.
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LITEPHIL
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02/06/21 07:43am |
Tow Vehicles
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6.6 gas with ten speed?

https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/02/gm-to-invest-75-million-to-boost-10-speed-transmission-production/
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LITEPHIL
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02/06/21 07:33am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Ram 1500 at Load Maximum Woes

Overloaded. Need a bigger truck to be safe and within numbers. No hate
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LITEPHIL
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02/03/21 02:01pm |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Ford 7.3 vs GM 6.6 fuel economy TFL video

So basically the test was just as subjective as all fuel mileage claims?
Shocking.
And anyone who obsesses over gas mileage in a 8000lb truck literally pulling its own weight, needs a new hobby.
Any of y’all who have experience with a lot of vehicles, know that generally the differences are subtle. And save for the most controlled tests, not reliable.
I don't think anyone is obsessed here. I think we mainly just want more information on these trucks and how that compare.
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LITEPHIL
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12/24/20 07:51am |
Tow Vehicles
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