Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks: Adding Stromberg Carlson CC-255 tounge rack, weird

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Adding Stromberg Carlson CC-255 tounge rack, weird

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Topic: Adding Stromberg Carlson CC-255 tounge rack, weird

Posted By: TomM
Subject: Adding Stromberg Carlson CC-255 tounge rack, weird
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2018 at 5:22pm

I just received my Stromberg Carlson RV Cargo - CC-255 tongue rack and wondered how much actual tongue weight it would add. I have read multiple places that adding weight there could have serious impacts. So I did this:

Weighed the rack as delivered in the box -- 65#

Made sure the wheels were not chocked, made sure the rear stabilizer jacks were retracted. Got my bathroom scale (capacity 390#) and but some pads on it so the tongue support would not harm the scale. With the front stabilizer jacks down and the front of the trailer resting on them, cranked up the tongue jack so that it was off the ground and high enough to slip the scale under. Then I cranked the jack down until the entire tongue was resting on the scale. Result, 255#.

So far so good. So then I took the rack, still in the box, and placed it on the tongue approximately where it will be bolted. Result: Scale did not register any more weight. Hmmmm....

So I stood on the tongue, with the rack still in place, adding about 280# to the tongue. I had my wife look at the scale. It had increased by maybe 2 or 3 pounds. I got off the tongue, and removed the boxed rack. Hardly any difference. Double checked to make sure the wheels were unchocked and the front stabilizer jacks were well off the ground.

Then I cranked up the jack so that the entire weight was back on the stabilizer jacks and verified the scale once again read zero.

I repeated the whole process. Both my wife and I understand physics and math (or thought we did), but each of us had guessed that adding nearly 300# to the tongue would add at least 30# to the tongue weight.

This is an RP-179, approx 80" from back of trailer to axle, and approx 160" from axle to tip of tongue.

If anyone can explain the math behind these results, I would much appreciate it. While I wait, I'm going to finish the installation and not worry about adding too much to the tongue weight.

Thanks!

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-T

Replies:

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2018 at 5:48pm

I have a Stromberg Carlson rack. Interestingly FR says your tongue weight is approximately 350 lbs. You didn't come close to that with a bathroom scale. I purchased a Sherline, added my rack and found the weight was distributed across the frame, and added little, it wasn't until I put genset on I saw a difference. Then it wasn't a complete weight but more a distributed weight across the A frame. I was only looking at tongue weight. The weight does decrease as you move from rear to back and what is directly placed on the coupler. If you were to move rack forward the TW would reflect some amount of that change. Personally I would move from the bathroom scale. Get a Sherline and measure again.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2018 at 5:53pm

Correction, latest RPod sheet shows 179 TW at 292.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."

Posted By: TomM
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2018 at 6:19pm

Thanks, Mike, I'll grant you that a bathroom scale isn't ideal, but the order of magnitude agrees with your observations. My 179 has a labeled dry weight of 2840. I know I've got about 20 gallons in the fresh water tank, hot water tank full, very little in black, grey empty. I've got a stove and folding kitchen in the front storage, and canned goods and some pots and pans back under the kitchen counter... And a 10" foam mattress and 2nd battery

So 2840 + 160 + 50 +50 + 50 + 30 + 40 = 3220

I'd like to see about 300# on the tongue, and will weigh it when loaded for the next trip. We put the r-dome and solar panel on the bed, and an ice chest in front of the axle, so we are probably OK. I have never felt the trailer sway except when the entire rig was being pushed around by severe side winds earlier this spring.

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-T

Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 20 Jul 2018 at 6:48pm

From what I'm readng, I think you'll be okay, but if your total weight is 3220 lbs, you should aim for 320 to 483 lbs on the tongue. For stability reasons, you want about 10% to 15% of your trailer's weight on the tongue.

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2010 176
FJ Cruiser

Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 21 Jul 2018 at 6:49am

+1 to TT, I know on my 178 with genset mounted I am at 382 lbs. No water in aft FW tank, single battery and electric jack. I think 300 would be a little light.

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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."