Bike rack weight limits

[Steve Morris]

All tanks empty with no bikes and rack folded. Tongue weight 525ish pounds. 

[MAX Burner]

Great data dump, @Steve Morris; thanks for sharing.  We're doing the same weight data collection with our's.  Just curious, we plan to weigh with the 6gal water heater full, do you have the tank-type or tankless?  If tank-type, was it full or empty?  We're using the hitch scale from eTrailer, FYI.

Our last weight measurement was:

1. Tanks: Empty

2. Garage: 25# tool kit, 30amp cable, "Lego" blocks for rear jacks, patio carpet, solo stove.

3. Front Box:  X-chocks, fresh water hose/filter, 15# misc. items

4. LPG: Full 30# tanks

5. No food stuffs in the larder, full water heater, 1UP folded.

6. Full cooking/kitchen kit

Tongue WT:  485#. This seems a bit low to us...

(Haven't weighed it yet with he two bikes on the 1UP (approx. 55#).

[Steve Morris]

Tankless heater, so minimal weight change.

 

3 hours ago, MAX Burner said:

Tongue WT:  485#. This seems a bit low to us...

That's about what ours is with the bikes loaded on the back. If you have a similar delta, you'd be close to 400# with the bikes on, which is 8% of an unloaded unoptioned EII, and recommendation is 10-12%.

I haven't weighed our trailer, but it is around 5400 empty (7000 minus sticker cargo capacity.) I have no idea how much stuff I have in it, but if 6000# total, my 475# tongue weight is about 8%, too. 

[MAX Burner]

Yeah, brother - I'm racking the brain-box figuring out how to hit that 10-12% window with the bikes hanging out the back end...  Thoughts?

[John E Davies]

1 hour ago, MAX Burner said:

Yeah, brother - I'm racking the brain-box figuring out how to hit that 10-12% window with the bikes hanging out the back end...  Thoughts?

Don’t stress out over a non-issue, these LE2 trailers tow perfectly well with light tongues. as long as your suspension is tight and your tires are in good shape and inflated, nothing bad will happen. The Aussies run their caravans with very light TW. The 10-12% is a USA rule of thumb for SOB stick and staple trailers with boxey, rickety bodies,  sagging worn-out suspensions, feeble frames and bald tires.

One configuration of “Mouse” had a 480 pound TW, it was completely fine.

John Davies

Spokane  WA

[MAX Burner]

18 hours ago, John E Davies said:

The Aussies run their caravans with very light TW. The 10-12% is a USA rule of thumb for SOB stick and staple trailers with boxey, rickety bodies,  sagging worn-out suspensions, feeble frames and bald tires.

Good to know!  Thanks, John!