Actual weights for our 179

We just returned from a 3 week trip with our 179.  Prior to leaving, we went to our local county landfill and weighed our rig.  We tow with a Ford Expedition EL and use an Equalizer 4 point wdh.

 Here are the weights we recorded:

First pass-Ford towing Pod, driver and passenger, ½ tank gas (Ford), full propane tank, 8 gal water,

wdh installed but not connected, canoe on Ford, 2 bikes/bike rack on rear of Pod

Ford front axle                                                            2,760

Ford both axles (includes tongue weight)             7,700

Combined weight-Ford  & Pod                                11,140

Pod axle weight                                                          3,440

 

Second pass-Ford only,

Ford front axle                                                            3,190

Both axles                                                                    7,010

 Pod Tongue weight (7700-7010)                             690 (1 propane tank, spare tire, 2 6v batteries)

Pod Total weight (3440+690)                                   4,130

Tongue weight % (690/4130)                                   16.7%

 Observations:

It appears that there is not enough weight being transferred to the Ford’s front axle by the wdh.  Hitching the Pod removed 430# off the front axle weight. Needs further adjustment.

Tongue weight is heavy (690#) and a high % of the total Pod weight.

Goodyear Endurance 215/75/14 tires inflated to 65psi have a rating of 2200#

 

Questions:

Can I safely assume that the Pod’s 3440# axle weight is ok with a 3500# axle as the 690# tongue weight is always supported by either the tow vehicle when moving or the front jack when parked and disconnected?

Is 16.7% tongue weight too much? I know it is a heavy tongue weight, but both the Ford’s max tongue weight capacity and the Equalizer tongue weight capacity are well beyond 690#.

 

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Thanks

Vann

Oi.

Also, being a fellow 179 owner and knowing the layout, I would remove everything from my front storage compartment and weigh it to see what all you have stored up under the front bed area (all in front of the axle which will add to tongue weight). If you have heavy items, like tools and such, consider moving them to the TV. 

Vann, looks like your pod is over max gross weight. MGW on a 2015 179 is 3785. The total weight and the 690 lb tongue weight seem really high to me. In comparison mine weighs in at 3700 with 500 on the tongue, and that’s with dual GC2 batteries, an 8 inch foam mattress, one full propane cyl, and a full fresh water tank (about 180 lbs more water than you had).   Did you have the identical load incl passengers in the Ford for both runs through the scales? Wdh left in the receiver for the second pass? If you did, what else could be in your pod that’s making it so heavy? Lots of tools and supplies?

Also, to answer your question re which is more important, being under MGW on the trailer or being under 3500 on the axle, the answer is both have to be in spec for you to be legal. And, both the frame and the axle on rpods are, to be very generous, not over engineered, so if your trailer is really that heavy you need to get some weight out of it.