2014 21BHS - Weighty Matters!

[fasteddieb]

We just got back from a short camping trip to a nearby campground - trip report and photos to follow.

But on the way out of town we had a chance to weigh our setup for the first time, for free at our local recycling place.

In the Flex (some rough guesses):

3/4 fuel
Me & Karen
90 lbs of dogs (2)*
45 lbs of tools
Emergency supplies bag - 20 lbs
Clothing 50 lb
Firewood 30 lbs
Misc computer bags, purse, etc. 20 lbs.
Rubber mats - 30 lbs
EAZLift hitch 75 lbs

In the trailer (2014 21BHS w/"XL Living Package"):

All our usual camping gear, food supplies
1/2 fresh water tank
No grey or black water
Propane about 3/4
No bikes

We first drove the entire rig onto the scales, and as described the scale read 10,000 lbs. (apparently measures in 20 lb increments)
Unhooked the trailer, and with the hitch the Flex and contents weighed 5,520 lbs.

So that means "Campy" weighed in at 4,480 lbs.

That's good news, in that the maximum tow weight for the Flex is listed at 4,500 lbs (Whew! Cutting it close!)

Open to any comments. We're already going to look carefully at all the cr*p we carry, with almost a "line item veto" in effect.

The only unknown right now is the tongue weight, and later today I'm going to try to use some levers to get it into the range of our bathroom scale.


*This is what 90 lbs of dogs looks like:






I wish they could get comfortable in the trailer!

Of course, The Dog Whisperer has told us dogs must have rules, boundaries and limitations. Right...

[djsamuel]

the only thing you want to check is if the tongue weight plus the weight added to your TV exceed the GVWR of the Flex.  But overall, if it tows well, and the Flex doesn't seem to be straining too much, I wouldn't worry about it.

Pleased to hear the weight of the 21BHs.

[gnies]

So you are at 4480 lbs with a 21BHS imagine this guy he is towing a 28BHS with a Flex like you! He must be overweigth for sure! http://livinlite.proboards.com/thread/282/2013-ford-limited-livin-28bhs

[tinkeringtechie]

It looks like the GCWR for the flex is 9,622, so your 10,000 figure puts you 378lbs over. It makes sense though since their maximum tow rating is with a minimum of contents in the vehicle (1 person, no cargo). All the stuff you added to the vehicle besides yourself reduces the amount you can tow.

[david]

It is interesting that options, food, gear, water and propane add almost a thousand pounds to the listed dry weight of that trailer. There are a couple of other considerations as to towing weight:

As you note the TV loaded weight and the tongue weight should not equal the TV's GVWR. Unfortunately I can't find the Flex's GVWR online. But it should be on your door sill. Your tongue weight needs to be a minimum of 10% of the trailer weight, so 450 lbs.

The combined weight of the trailer and loaded TV should be less than the GCWR of the TV. Again I can't find this data anywhere even on Ford's towing guide for the flex.

Each axle load (front and back) should be less than the load rating for the axle. These should be on your door sill.

My guess is that you are going to be very close to or above one or more of these. You definitely need the WDH and sway control as well for these loads to be safe.

David

[fasteddieb]

Thanks for the comments so far.

Got to run, but as asked for:

[djsamuel]

Assuming a 12% tongue weight, the total weight of the Flex would be 538 lbs (tongue weight) + 5520 lbs Flex (measured).

This brings the total to 6058 lbs, which is just below the GVWR of 6250 lbs.

Looking at it a different way, you can add the tongue weight (538 lbs calculated) to the listing of the payload you have in the Flex (roughly 744 pounds assuming 300 lbs for people and an 18.6 gal fuel tank that's 3/4 full).  that totals at 1282 lbs, slightly above the cargo limit of 1160 lbs shown on the placard.

In either case, you're right around the limit.  I'd give the first calculation showing you slightly below the GVWR limit since it is based on the actual measured weight of the truck.

If it tows well, I'd just go with it and be sure you don't keep accumulating stuff in the camper.

[leslie]

Love the pictures of your dogs. Maybe they could learn to love the camper someday! LOL

My dogs go straight to the lower bunk in my 21-BHS, so they can lie on their beds and look out their window. That is better than home!

[fasteddieb]

Karen said next time she's going to insist that WE get the bed!

[fasteddieb]

I'm stuck, and need help from an engineering type.

To bring the tongue weight down to the range of my bathroom scale, I used a lever arrangement.

Pivoted a 40" pipe on a cinderblock. Tongue 10" away from the pivot.

At the end of the pipe, I put the scale. Minus about a 5 lb tare weight, it measured 70 lbs. with the tongue weight at the 10" point.






I'm figuring that 10" is 25% of 40", so I should multiply the 70 lbs by 4 to get 280 lbs.

Does that sound right?

[shovelhead]

Eddie,

Do you ever get close to Cumming?   I have a brand new tongue weight scale you are more then welcome to use. I could even meet you 1/2 way I need to get out of the house (LOL) Looking at google map you're about an hour away.  So 30-45 minute for 1/2 way meet as long as you buy the coffee :-)

Dave

[david]

I think that your rig has too many kluges to get an accurate tongue weight: The pipe is bent, the pipe on the cinder block looks like rest on the side of the block- is that where you measured from?, the pipe is supported over a 4" width on the wooden block on the scale, not a discrete point.

Try an 8' 2x6 on edge to spread the dimensions out so that you get double the accuracy. Use short lengths of 1" pipe, wooden dowel or similar laid crosswise to the 2x6 for each support point. That way you can measure within a 1/4" of where they touch. Be sure that the tongue support is exactly in the middle of the coupler.

Yes, you do have the math right. For your current rig: 10 X TW = 40 X SW, so TW = 40/10 * SW.

But it could easily be off 10-15% as you have it. But even 320 lbs is really light. The TW on my 16TBS is 280 lbs.

David

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Eddie,

You math is correct, but your answer seems a bit light. For example, my 21RBS with no waste water, 2 full propane tanks, 2 sixty+ pound batteries, full WH, camping junk, and 2 bicycles on the rear weighs 525# on the tongue. If yours is like mine the fresh water tank is over the axles and has little effect on tongue weight. The bikes, being on the rear, lessen the tongue weight. A few points:

[ol type="decimal"][li]The accuracy will increase if the ratio is closer to 1:2. Put the tongue exactly in the middle of your bar. Half the weight on the block; half on the scale and easy calc.
[/li][li]The scale should be on a flat, smooth board. Bathroom scales are very sensitive to uneven loading of their supporting surface.[/li][li]The cinder block and scale interface with the bar should be close to knife edges. I take a short (approx. 8") piece of 2x2 lumber and rip it at 45 degrees. This gives me two lengths with triangular cross section like two pieces of angle iron. Place one on the block and one centered on the scale with the bar spanning the two. A 4x4 would be easier than the round bar. [/li][li]Your 280# reading, if correct, should be close the the capacity of the scale by itself. You could get a rough check by lowering the tongue slowly onto the scale. But you number sounds too light. 
[/li][/ol]

[/font]

[fasteddieb]

This was just my first "quick and dirty" attempt.

And the pipe was not bent to start with!

I'll play with it some more tomorrow and let you know what I find.

[shovelhead]

This has diagrams and a lot of help.
http://www.etrailer.com/faq-how-to-determine-trailer-tongue-weight.aspx