Question regarding trailer weight calculation and design?

[Coalsmoke]

I'm building a 20ft 12,000lb gooseneck lowboy for my dodge. The empty weight is 3200lbs with the empty pin weight being 840lbs. This give a weight ratio of 26. 25%, which is too high. It will mean that my loaded pin weight will be 3,150 lbs. I am not sure if I calculated this right, I found the percentage empty and then applied it to max loaded weight, is that right? (If it is right, I need to drop about 1000lbs off the pin weight). I was thinking of moving the axles forward by about 2. 5-3 feet to help bring down the total trailer weight to pin weight ratio. Any thoughts good or bad about doing this?



Thanks in advance guys

 

[marksmith]

When I built trailers I put the center of axles 1" for every foot of bed, to the rear of the center of the trailer. If you had a 20' trailer, your center of axles would be 20" rearward of the center of the bed. Make sense? That should get you in the ballpark of 10 to 12% tongue weight when setting there (and properly loaded)





Mark

 

[Coalsmoke]

Thank you so much! Exactly what I was looking for. The set of plans I bought has the rear axle 3' from the back of the trailer. Thanks again.



PS, when you say "center of axles" that would be the center point from between the two axles right, not the center of the front or back axel?

 

[draymorris]

Yes as far as I know

I too used that rule. Although I never built a Gooseneck, is sure made tongue pulls, pull real good.