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Topic ClosedTowing with Full Water Tank
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Towing with Full Water Tank
    Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 5:32pm
+1

Bottom line, weigh it. Public scales don't lie. If you already have weighed without filling the fresh water tank no problem. You don't need to weigh it again. Just add 250 lbs to the total trailer weight for the 30 gal tank. 

You can also recalculate your tonque weight without going back to the scale. The full tank changes tongue weight according to the formula:

250 lbs X distance from trailer axle to tank / distance from trailer axle to hitch. Add if the tank is in front of the axle, subtract if behind.

Same formula applies for full  (or partially full) 30 gal grey and black tanks (and for any other loads in lbs you want to add in the trailer). 
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 6:11pm
What's lighter? Vodka, Bourbon or Gin? Just wondering while sipping my one glass of wine. Heheh
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 7:25pm
And the winner is....wait for it...
Gin.

But if you filled your fwt with Tanqueray rather than water (now there’s a thought, no fear or biological contamination- even if contamination were possible you would have no fear, being comatose) you would save all of 15 lbs.

http://www.aviationexpeditions.com/Drinks/AlcoholDensityChart
1994 Chinook Concourse
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fwunder View Drop Down
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Posts: 1676 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 7:36pm
Perfect! Add a half gallon of olives and Triple Sec and a decal on the back - "Shaken, Not Stirred"

Bet you would get more tours than normal!

Carry on...

EDIT: So sorry. Dumb suggestion. Don't put olives in tank. Add after. Sorry.
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podwerkz View Drop Down
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Posts: 966 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 7:37pm
Fill the fresh tank with water, and then put all your canned food, cases of drinking water, provisions, etc up front, which will offset that imbalance. 
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3227 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 8:07pm
Offgrid helped me with this about 3 years ago as I also tow a 177 and at that time, with a Ford Explorer.  Tongue weight is critical as has been discussed.  I was at the nominal range 240 lbs on my hitch, the 177 weighs in at 2440 empty and about 2700 with a full tank of water (and HW tank) putting me on the edge of safety.  By proper loading we were able to increase tongue weight to the point that there were no problems towing even with a full tank of water using only a Curt anti-sway bar.  So here we are, 9 plus years later, 36,000 miles on 2 sets of tires, a bit older, grayer, and hopefully a bit more humble and wiser.
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'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
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lostagain View Drop Down
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Posts: 2587 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Jul 2020 at 8:52pm
If you are moving stuff out of the trailer to the TV to lighten the load, be sure not to exceed the GCVWR or Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating.  It's the absolute limit for your TV and contents and the full weight of trailer.  It is different from the GVWR, in that GVWR doesn't add in the trailer weight.  Unfortunately, a lot of manufacturers don't make it easy to find, and some don't publish it at all.  
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geewizard View Drop Down
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Posts: 347 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2020 at 8:52am
Originally posted by jato

Offgrid helped me with this about 3 years ago as I also tow a 177 and at that time, with a Ford Explorer.  Tongue weight is critical as has been discussed.  I was at the nominal range 240 lbs on my hitch, the 177 weighs in at 2440 empty and about 2700 with a full tank of water (and HW tank) putting me on the edge of safety.  By proper loading we were able to increase tongue weight to the point that there were no problems towing even with a full tank of water using only a Curt anti-sway bar.  So here we are, 9 plus years later, 36,000 miles on 2 sets of tires, a bit older, grayer, and hopefully a bit more humble and wiser.


What did Offgrid say that helped you?  I'd like to know since I tow a 177.
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offgrid View Drop Down
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2020 at 9:31am
Just that the fwt is behind the axle in that model, as is the water heater, so if you're already close to your 10% tongue weight with the tank empty, as Jato was, then when you add 250 lbs of water in the tank and fill the water heater (50 lbs) you will be under 10%. Both the total weight will go up and the tongue weight will go down (because its a teeter tooter) at the same time. That makes the 177 more sway prone than some other models. 

Easy fix, move some cargo forward (or have dual batteries or propane cylinders) should take care of the problem. Best thing, load up, tank up (if you plan on boondocking) and weigh the trailer and tongue, then you'll know. 
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
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jato View Drop Down
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Posts: 3227 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 29 Jul 2020 at 2:26pm
Geewizard, and you thought Offgrid had a bad memory?  NOT !Smile
God's pod
'11 model 177
'17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost
Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake
"...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."
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