Tongue Weight on E21

[Chama]

After reading the thread Scrambled Eggs, I got serious and ordered a Sherline tongue weight scale. I weighed our E21 this afternoon for the first time and I am not sure what to think-> 440 lbs. We are mostly packed up in the front storage and under the bed. We do have a pretty full water tank and empty grey and black tanks parked here at home. The trailer cabinets and dinetter cabs are mostly unloaded but we will be packing for a trip in about 10 days and will repeat the weight-in before we leave. I really need to get a scale weight on the trailer when fully packed to make sure we are above that magic 10% number and below 5000 lbs gross. Wondering how this compares to others who have done tongue weights on E21. Spec says 360 lbs dry tongue weight for E21.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Chama

After reading the thread Scrambled Eggs, I got serious and ordered a Sherline tongue weight scale. I weighed our E21 this afternoon for the first time and I am not sure what to think-> 440 lbs. We are mostly packed up in the front storage and under the bed. We do have a pretty full water tank and empty grey and black tanks parked here at home. The trailer cabinets and dinetter cabs are mostly unloaded but we will be packing for a trip in about 10 days and will repeat the weight-in before we leave. I really need to get a scale weight on the trailer when fully packed to make sure we are above that magic 10% number and below 5000 lbs gross. Wondering how this compares to others who have done tongue weights on E21. Spec says 360 lbs dry tongue weight for E21.

We had a group tongue weight check at Quartzite with a Sherline. My 21' won the heaviest tongue weight with 700 lbs. Most of the 21's were running about 550-600 lbs. I don't know how the 360 lb dry tongue weight came about but my trailer was over 550 lbs with the WDH attached and empty.

Now why was my tongue weight so high? I have a WDH thats adds weight, the front storage box was full, the black tank was full, and the under bed storage area was full when we weighed the trailer. We try to load the front half of the trailer first and start loading the rest of the trailer after the front half is full.

Try shifting some of your stuff to the front and see if that helps.

[Iowa Dave]

We have a first generation (Classic) 21. Loaded and ready to go on the road for a two week trip we are right at 500lbs. I usually do not haul full fresh water but may have the hot water tank and about 10 more gallons of fresh on. That’s where I was when the Sherline showed 500 lbs at level. We did some changing around this spring and removed some things we had not used in the past 2 years. I suspect we will be around 4400. I like 12% and that’s where I ran our 19 Escape. It was 3640 lbs and 440 tongue weight.
Trailer weights in the real world on the Fiberglass RV site will show you some additional trailers. I think a couple entries were at pickup, so might be a shade light. I might mention we have a heavy mattress, 22 additional lbs propane and tank in the front box, and when we’re going out for an extended time our propane tanks are topped off full.
Iowa Dave

[Chama]

TDF-Texas. Thanks, helpful info. I did not think to include the weight of the E2 sway bars and the two between-tire chocks. That would probably add 50 lbs.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Chama

TDF-Texas. Thanks, helpful info. I did not think to include the weight of the E2 sway bars and the two between-tire chocks. That would probably add 50 lbs.

My front box has the sway bars, water hose, tire irons, hydraulic jack, tool box, 6 chocks (2 heavy rubber, 2 plastic, 2 between-tire), and the sewer hose fittings. I haven't weighed all of it, but it's a lot. The box is rated for 150 lbs and I'm probably close to it. Don't forget two full propane tanks.

[Chama]

Was just this minute looking at the front box. Our says 100# weight limit. We are ~50 lbs now so we have capacity for some more weight.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by Chama

Was just this minute looking at the front box. Our says 100# weight limit. We are ~50 lbs now so we have capacity for some more weight.

I should probably take some stuff out.

[cpaharley2008]

My first G E21 was 500# tongue and 3800# on axles, total 4300#. I imagine the 2nd G E21 to be about 200# heavier. These numbers are wet, propane full, packed for 2 weeks, food in refer and 1/2 fresh tank, empty black and grey tanks.

[steve dunham]

This thread has been extremely interesting . Reading about tongue weights in the area of 700 Lbs has me thinking either my trailer is going to have to go on a serious diet or a 3/4 ton truck is in our future . I could clear out my front storage box but an empty cargo box kind of defeats its’ purpose ..

[cpaharley2008]

Just fill up the fresh tank, that should keep it around 500#

[GeorgiaBill]

We pick up our E21 August 6, and I hope to find lots of new weights posted here.


I'll post our weights when we get back to Georgia, and are hoping for weights close to 4200#/480#.


Towing capacity for the TV is 7000# and I'm not sure about tongue weight but suspect it would be 700-1050#.


Thanks to all who post.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

I could clear out my front storage box but an empty cargo box kind of defeats its’ purpose ..

If I were you, I'd leave the snow balls at home.

[Rossue]

Classic Baggy comment about this time of day....

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Rossue

Classic Baggy comment about this time of day....

Classic Rossue retort.

[fgunderson]

I am planning to purchase a Sherline hitch scale...see they have 1000,2000, or 5000 Lb. available. I am thinking the 1000 Lb. option, as I am only planning to use for tongue weight and also the gauge shows Kg or Lbs. wondering which you prefer. price seems to be close on all three. Any thoughts? Thanks...FGunderson

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by fgunderson

I am planning to purchase a Sherline hitch scale...see they have 1000,2000, or 5000 Lb. available.

Sherline states that the gauge is most accurate at the centre of the range, which is why I bought a 1,000 lb. gauge from Sherline to replace the 2,000 lb. gauge that mine came with ( note that etrailer.com only sells the Sherline with a 2,000 lb gauge, unless they've changed ).

It's also a lot easier to read. My 17B tongue weight is about 340 lbs.
Note that the scale should NOT be stored on its side as in this picture. I now support the scale in the upright position.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by fgunderson

the gauge shows Kg or Lbs. wondering which you prefer.

It shows both. See picture enlarged.

[fgunderson]

attn. gbaglow, thank you for information...amazon has the type avail. with the 1000 Lb. gauge that also reads in Kg. Looks like the one I will be getting. Will be interesting to get better idea of actual weight distribution on my 17B loaded for travel. Again thanks for your reply...fgunderson

[gbaglo]

When you get it, the instruction book is a good read on the subject of towing.
And note that you should not pick it up by the top, which is perfectly natural to do.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

I don't know how the 360 lb dry tongue weight came about but my trailer was over 550 lbs with the WDH attached and empty.

The cargo box (empty) and two propane tanks (full) make up half of the difference between a 360 pound base/dry/empty tongue weight and a 550 pound tongue weight as equipped and with propane. By "WDH attached" I assume that you mean that the 550 pound tongue included the WDH brackets, not that the spring bars were set. The brackets can be hefty things, depending on the WDH design.

The rest of the difference was presumably options, but it's hard to think of any options which would be located significantly ahead of the axle centre to contribute to tongue weight.