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Old 07-10-2009, 05:11 PM   #1
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17 & 19 hitch weights

I'm considering either the a 17B or a 19. I'm looking to tow with a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder - class 3 hitch, 5000lb tow capacity. 500lbs max tongue, I'll have about 1000lbs for passengers, fuel, cargo and hitch weight. I know that the dry hitch weights of the 17B and 19 are around 250lbs. What are they typically when loaded? I'd like to get the dual propane tanks and dual 6v battery option. Where are the batteries located (on the hitch?). Anyone actually weigh their unit when fully loaded? Thanks...

Randy in Edmonton
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Old 07-10-2009, 05:23 PM   #2
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Hi Randy, and welcome.

I have actually never weighed my hitch on the 19 all loaded up. I have a 450 lb hitch capacity on my Pilot and never seemed to have an issue with too much weight, even without a WD hitch. The batteries are under the front right dinette seat (I have the 2-6V ones).

I actually worry more about not enough hitch weight, as the majority of the storage space is in the rear, under the bed.

I really should get it weighed some time, in order to devise a more weight appropriate way of packing.
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Old 07-10-2009, 10:24 PM   #3
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Our Highlander has the same capacity and when we picked up the 17ft we hitched it up and quickly realized that WDH was needed even though it was well within tolerance.. My best guess was the hitch weight was around 400Lbs (when fully loaded w/Dual Propane and our stuff inside the trailer) the backend really looked a tad out of wack once hitched.. We opted for a WDH, when installed really evened everything out..
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Old 07-26-2009, 12:53 AM   #4
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

JeffZ, what year is your Highlander? I have an '08 pulling a 17' Casita and hopefully will be pulling a new 19' Escape! With the Casita I am only using an anti-sway bar and have wonder about using a WDH.

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Old 07-26-2009, 06:12 PM   #5
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

A search in the other forum... someone weighed in at 2610 + 320 = 2930 for a 17B... a little on the high side I would suspect.
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Old 07-26-2009, 10:19 PM   #6
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Ours is 2008 Sport w/towing package.. we definitely needed the WDH as the back end sag'd a bit.. so it was money well spent. I have no doubt that you'll be able to pull the 19ft.. we end up with a AS Bambi and towed all the way to FL (from SF) and back of course.. The AS is 3680 dry weight and 460 tongue and it was just a tad too much for the 6 cylinder - so we up the ante up to F150.. I really think that the Highlander would-of pulled the 19ft with no problem.. I wouldn't get the high axle lift though..
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Old 07-27-2009, 08:32 PM   #7
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Jeff, thanks for the information. I must say the Highlander is a nice, very nice, vehicle. At the recent Oregon Grathering, where I saw the 19 footer for the first time, my Casita came in at 3,320 lbs. If I kept the speed to 60 mph, I was getting 17 mpg. But going home, I was going 65+ and the mpg's dropped to the high 14's.

Interesting is that my 17' Casita comes in at exactly 3,000 lbs dry while the Escape 19' is 2,510 lbs.
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Old 07-27-2009, 10:14 PM   #8
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Rick, do you include stuff like batteries, propane bottles and the awning in your dry weight though. I would definitely thought it would be a bit lighter.
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Old 07-28-2009, 01:17 AM   #9
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Jim, me too, I thought the Casita would have been lighter. The 3,000 lbs inculdes the 1 battery, propane and the awning, but no water. Well, about 2 gallons or so in the the black water tank, empty gray water tank and no water in the fresh water tank.
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Old 08-29-2009, 01:35 AM   #10
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

I was having an issue with trailer "bob" so I finally got my 17B weighed to check things out. Trailer weight was 3460 and tongue was 340 with 1 propane bottle 1/2 full and fresh water tank about 1/2 full (no gray or black tanks). Most sources say 10-11% is ideal but Reace tells me I should have more tongue weight to reduce the "bob". I find this hard to accept because the weight placard in my trailer says MGVW is 3500# amd max tongue weight is 350# which is exactly 10%. My rig is heavy because I am full timing in it and necessarily carry a lot of stuff, although I have since gone on a diet and jetisoned about 250#. I am not running a WDH, only air bags to reduce rear droop, and find my trailer tows beautifully.

My tow vehicle is an Toyota FJ Cruiser with 5000# tow limit and 500# hitch limit. I am getting 13-14 MPG towing, mostly in the Colorado mountains.

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Old 08-29-2009, 01:57 AM   #11
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Quote:
.. I wouldn't get the high axle lift though..
JeffZ, could you explain why you would not get the high axle lift? I believe you had that option on your Escape?
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Old 08-29-2009, 10:53 AM   #12
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Tao-

We had a Highlander and we believed that High Axle Lift really didn't help us for our needs.. we don't off-road it and felt that it gave us a bigger/taller trailer that increased the wind drag and possibly lowered gas mileage.. that was the main reason..

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Old 08-29-2009, 01:30 PM   #13
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

I would agree with Jeff, I do have one because I do some gravel roads and a few unmaintained roads (trails). If you were only going to be going on roads, there is no need for the extra height, there really is a lot of clearance with a normal axle.
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Old 08-29-2009, 02:57 PM   #14
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ace Brown
I was having an issue with trailer "bob" so I finally got my 17B weighed to check things out. Trailer weight was 3460 and tongue was 340 with 1 propane bottle 1/2 full and fresh water tank about 1/2 full (no gray or black tanks). Most sources say 10-11% is ideal but Reace tells me I should have more tongue weight to reduce the "bob". I find this hard to accept because the weight placard in my trailer says MGVW is 3500# amd max tongue weight is 350# which is exactly 10%. My rig is heavy because I am full timing in it and necessarily carry a lot of stuff, although I have since gone on a diet and jetisoned about 250#. I am not running a WDH, only air bags to reduce rear droop, and find my trailer tows beautifully.

My tow vehicle is an Toyota FJ Cruiser with 5000# tow limit and 500# hitch limit. I am getting 13-14 MPG towing, mostly in the Colorado mountains.

Ace
Anybody got any comments on proper tongue weight? I especially would like to know if you agree with the suggested tongue weight being 10% of trailer weight.
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Old 08-29-2009, 07:42 PM   #15
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.. But I do recall reading or hearing that 10% percent rule somewhere.. Hope your using a hitch pin especially if your getting a lot of bounce on the hitch..
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Old 08-29-2009, 10:57 PM   #16
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

I don't feel I have excessive bounce, that is Reaces' opinion based on a related problem. There is some flex in any frame and what I am experiencing seems normal to me. What I would ask of a few of you 17B owners is check the tongue weight listed on the trailer placard. Mine reads 350# which is what I would expect to see.

Regarding the hitch pin; if I didn't have one I would loose my trailer in the first quarter mile. I believe you meant hitch latch pin. Yes my latch is always locked. I don't want to loose my home!

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Old 08-29-2009, 11:22 PM   #17
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

Ace--

Yep you're right "Hitch Latch Pin"
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Old 08-30-2009, 01:55 PM   #18
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

What is the hitch latch pin? I don't recognize this; when we picked up our 17A on August 5 Reace showed us how to hitch up, but I don't think the latch on the hitch contains a pin -- the 3-to 4-inch long lever on top of the trailer hitch pivots down & forward, then a smaller lever on top of it clicks into place in a rearward direction with what look like small teeth at the back of it. It appears to be some kind of over-center arrangement, so forces exerted by the trailer would just make it tighter. We've been checking that the hitch is fully connected by cranking the hitch up higher and making sure that the car follows it up to where it's raising the car above the point where it usually sits. Doing so also makes it easier to connect the WDH chains.

Although we'd ordered a hitch lock, Reace told us that there wasn't one available that fit this hitch.

If there's supposed to be a pin, where does it go, and can I buy it at an aftermarket place, being as we're on Vancouver Island and the trailer is stored on the Mainland.
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Old 08-30-2009, 04:25 PM   #19
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights

It's that lever that locks the hitch to the hitch ball (you pull it up to release the hitch) -- There's a hole in the side of it about 1/4 inch in diameter.. When you're pulling the trailer you don't want that lever to "pop-up" & release the hitch (like if you hit a big bump or pot hole).. I just use a "caribiner" (i think that's the spelling - rock climbers use them to quickly attach to ropes & loops)..

You can use anything that stops the upward motion of the lever..

It's a safety precaution..
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Old 08-30-2009, 05:02 PM   #20
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Re: 17 & 19 hitch weights


A carabiner doesn't require a key, but this does. It locks the hitch, at least from casual thieves. I use it when the trailer is off the hitch and when it is on. A padlock with a long hasp also works, but this one doesn't allow a thief to employ a bolt-cutter.

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