Weights question

debbiet23

Member
I am currently looking at the Wilderness WD3150DS and the North Trail NT King 32BUDS. I have been told that trailer tongue/hitch weights are normally 13-16% of the trailer weight. The dry weight of the Wilderness trailer is 6550 with a hitch weight of 560 and the North Trail has a dry weight of 6995 with a hitch weight of 655. That is less than 10% for each hitch weight. How is that possible? I've talked to others that already own different brand travel trailers and they say it must be a mistake and that there's no way the tongue/hitch weights are that little. Is this due to the Wide-Trax Suspension or something else? Or are these numbers inaccurate? Also, we are looking at some options to add to each. Does either brand have a brochure/booklet that would show the different options available and what their weights are to know how they would affect the trailer weight and the hitch weight?

Thanks,
Debbie
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi Debbie,

Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum and hopefully to the family. We have a great bunch of folks here with lots of information and all willing to share their knowledge when needed.

As you stated, the figures you posted are the empty weight. When you get all your stuff loaded up it's very likely your weight will be in the right area. I'm sure some of out other owners will jump in soon.

Enjoy the forum.

Jim M
 

Speedy

Well-known member
Are the option you want to add factory or dealer installed? The trailer will be weighed from the factory with all options ordered installed. That way you have an accurate weight but if the items you want are dealer installed then you are going to have to research the weights.

Please keep in mind that dry weights are just that dry: no battery, propane tank/s or propane. So if you are trying to come up with a weight for the trailer ready to camp I would safely say add 500 to 1000 lbs to the dry weight and then take your 13 to 16% to come up with hitch weight.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
Also the NT probably has a large storage area in the lower front of the rig and anything you put in there will increase your weight. I had no trouble at all achieving fifteen percent for the tongue weight. . . . and anything you store in the bedroom will also affect your tongue weight.
 

evolvingpowercat

Well-known member
The tongue weight is quite variable, you need to be expect that at times it would be 10% of the dry plus maximum with water and cargo weight. The weights you posted might be dry with no water in the tanks. The water in the fresh tank when filled is 400 pounds and if the North Trail is like my Edge the fresh tank is pretty far forward and at least half its weight goes on the tongue. Also a lot of your cargo weight will be under the bed and in the pass thru, both well forward and a lot of that weight going to the tongue too.
 

Invizatu

Senior Road Warriors
FWIW... It's best to disregard dry weights. Do your math with the GVWR as you will probably be pretty close to it. When we had our North Trail (21fbs) it had a GVWR of 6990 and when we took off on long trips we weighed it and it was usually around 6500 pounds with 1/3 of a tank of fresh water and all our stuff. (We kept about 175 pounds on the rear slide out storage rack) The hitch weight at 15% would be 975 pounds. You will also want to buy your weight distribution hitch with the capability of carrying the amount of estimated hitch weight plus some more for a cushion.
 
Top