Weight Registration

[Timd32]

Super long recap so skip if short on time.....
All worked out, thanks again to folks for tossing out stuff to chew on.

There is the key. A lot of trouble and angst for nothing. Safe trip.

Well Im personally not getting paid, I own the company and I sold the company van and was dropping it off, so for sure we are classifying this under personal as all I was doing was trying to get some Willys parts, and the van just happened to be on the trailer when I left and it's no longer on the trailer, not sure how that happens....

I have some details to learn for sure for when this is not a personal gig. I need to get those sorted because when it's 2 sections of electrical switchgear and not as cut and dry as this, I probably need to figure that out.

So yeah let's chaulk this up to super un-experienced driver duties. Work in progress.

It was a completely awesome trip we had a lot of fun, so that's the main goal in all this is to keep it safe, light hearted, and get some work and play done.

Summary:

Willys parts are secure. Van is safe in MI. We are home safe.

The truck performed flawlessly as I expected no less. Ive always loved my truck it's pretty perfect for what I use it for the 6.4 gasser is OK, PA is a rough ride across 80, the only issue is some longer grades you can be stuck at 4000 rpm screaming for a few minutes, but I will say the 66RFE is no slouch, the Trans Temps got to 174 for probably 2 separate grades and came right back to 168, are they real Temps who cares that's what we have to use and it has always been that way with my truck.

These RAMS are just super capable in almost every trim and package. The CAM pulled great it was very nice ride loaded and even unloaded was not bad. Would not change much there. Straps held, checked them at every stop.

I don't pull enough to know but got 9.0 MPG on the EVIC on the way out, and 12.4 MPH on way back, I have the slips can do the hand math later.

I have 4.10s so it winds out a little more, but really no complaints, I know my rig and it works for me.

On the weights just keep in mind I have a Tommy gate lift gate hanging off the back, so my drive axle could be a little higher then one might expect.

First off I have never been on a scale before like these so I had no idea what the heck I was doing, I got fuel and asked the lady inside she was super helpful and said just pull on and push the button we will tell you when your OK.

Ok so she was half right. Pull on push button, very simple, getting back inside and seeing a 9k steer weight, yeah do over.. which was fine she deleted it and I asked if it was 3 separate scales, she said yes and I said OK, got it, let me do that again. I knew exactly what I did wrong.

I had the entire truck on the front call it Scale 1, and the trailer was split across scale 2 and 3. That's kinda a mess. She thought I wanted just the total truck weight separate from the trailer weight.

For the next round we stepped off the scales so it was just the truck, maybe that's incorrect who knows, what we do know is the readings are pretty accurate for just the truck no drivers.

All weights are just the truck, full tank of fuel, steer on scale 1 (front scale), drive on scale 2, trailer on scale 3. Never unhooked trailer kept it all together, there was some option to disconnect the trailer, maybe some other day don't really care about that so I think.

Here is the full weight, van on trailer.

Here is the empty weight (note the Willys parts are in the back include fender agrill, leaf springs, guess 150lbs in bed)

Here is the Willys score. What a great find, original tailgate. Nice fender, nice grill, nice everything. I can use all of these for my 1950 Willys project.

I probably need to look at that 10k weight on the NYS Registration, which is what started this whole deal....... if I bored anyone sorry for the redundant questions and long winded summary.

All scales were closed in PA and Ohio so nothing to worry about there, were not open so did not need to address that at all.

 

[GAmes]

You might consider getting a weight distribution hitch. More than 200 pounds removed from the steer axle isn't good.

 

[Timd32]

You might consider getting a weight distribution hitch. More than 200 pounds removed from the steer axle isn't good.

I'm not totally surprised to hear that, when we loaded the trailer I wanted the van a little more to the back, others helping wanted it more to the front, I had a lot of room to play with, we just could not agree on the exact placement so we went in the middle, again just lack of experience there loading vehicles, but I could physically see it was way off lifting the front too much closer to the tounge and backed it off quite a bit from where we had it. But had a lot of room out back for this one.

Found this on etrailer.... the Tommy gate does not make it easy with this trailer I lose quite a bit of distance to the plate of the trailer I-Beam front, we swapped ball mounts once already to give me a few more inches back, it's not an extended ball mount.

Looks like there are special plates for the I-Beam set up to adapt too. Maybe I should give them some specifics and get the weight of the gate figured out.

Expert Reply:
In order to choose the correct weight distribution system, you will need to find the total tongue weight (TTW) of your towing setup by adding the tongue weight (TW) of both your loaded ready to tow trailer and any cargo stored behind the rear axle of the tow vehicle.

The average TW rating of a trailer is typically 10-15% of the gross trailer weight (GTW). An easy way to find this would involve using a tongue weight scale like the Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale part # 5780. When choosing a weight distribution system, you will want your total tongue weight to fall in the middle of the weight distributions weight capacity. For example, the ideal weight distribution system for a total tongue weight of 600 lbs. is one that is rated for 400-800 lbs. of tongue weight.......

Then it goes into specific systems looks like it matters if it's underslung or overslung, I think that mine is underslung, there was a picture of overslung where the trailer hitch part was on top of the frame rails.

 

[GAmes]

I have one set of bars for my hitch. It would be impossible to carry around multiple bars based on what I might get assigned. 500 lb bars work well for me. The problem with a car or other cargo on a flatbed is guesstimating the percentage you have on the hitch. Too much and you lose steering axle traction. Too little and you get sway (real sway, not the annoyance caused by cross winds and passing trucks). With a WD you have far more weight capability on the hitch because it gets transferred to the steer axle and the trailer axles. You don't need a hitch with a "sway control" gimmick. (Whatever it might be) A simple hitch will make driving a better experience. My recommendation is something like this. Easy to install and remove. https://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution-Hitch/Curt/C17057.html

 

[NIsaacs]

I prefer the trunnion bars v/s the round bars, more ground clearance. Picture for reference.

 

[GAmes]

I just sold a set with trunnion bars. They work well too.

 

[Timd32]

Thanks, yeah I will just need to measure the distance from the pin to the ball to make sure it clears the bed, but they look good, I was not aware they worked with the I beam trailers, but never looked.

I also was going to try to go down one hole on the height. I forget if its already where it needs to be with this ball mount.

 

[GAmes]

You might have to do some mods for an I-beam. I've only used them on C channel and box.