1965gtfb
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1962 Shasta Astroflyte
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Post by 1965gtfb on Oct 2, 2019 23:12:47 GMT -8
For a 1962 Shasta Astroflyte. What should the tongue weight be, pounds wise not just percentage?
Using a bathroom scale directly under the tongue it went past the 400 lb max of the scale just before it came off the jack. So it appears to be just over 400.
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turbodaddy
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17' 1965 Fan "Sunseeker"
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Post by turbodaddy on Oct 3, 2019 3:56:49 GMT -8
If your camper is safe to tow,take it to a landscape supply place, or transfer station and weigh it while detached from the tow vehicle. Then move the trailer back so only the tongue is on the scale. You want it to be about 10% or less of the trailer weight. Do it with trailer loaded as if you are going on a long trip (Full water tank, canned goods, etc.) Remember heaviest stuff should be forward of the axle(s).
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Post by bigbill on Oct 4, 2019 8:02:30 GMT -8
The tongue weight should be 10% or more but do not exceed the capacity of your hitch or vehicle.
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turbodaddy
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Post by turbodaddy on Oct 4, 2019 18:28:18 GMT -8
Thanks Bill,
I meant to say "more or" less. In this case more is better!
I can't believe how many poorly balanced and improperly loaded rigs I've seen bouncing around and swaying back and forth (usually going way too fast).
If it is safe to do so, I try to stay ahead of them in case a problem develops.
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debranch
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71 Shasta Compact
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Post by debranch on Oct 5, 2019 8:56:36 GMT -8
Thanks Bill, I meant to say "more or" less. In this case more is better! I can't believe how many poorly balanced and improperly loaded rigs I've seen bouncing around and swaying back and forth (usually going way too fast). If it is safe to do so, I try to stay ahead of them in case a problem develops. When I redid my camper I added tie down points at the front end to keep things from shifting while we are going down the road. It works great, and you can always find out of the way locations............ Debra |
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1965gtfb
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1962 Shasta Astroflyte
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Post by 1965gtfb on Oct 5, 2019 22:04:10 GMT -8
Thanks for the replies.
One of the things I'm dealing with is I use the longest ball mount I could buy on Etrailer. That gives me more spare due to the overhang of the bunk on an Astroflyte and also allows me to still open the tail gate when hitched up. That long shank puts more leverage on the truck and makes it squat the rear end more which of course lightens the front and make the steering seem a little more floaty, like when hauling a load of soil etc. The tow vehicle is my 1965 F100 Long Bed.
Might be time for a weight distribution setup.
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1965gtfb
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1962 Shasta Astroflyte
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Post by 1965gtfb on Nov 30, 2019 19:55:35 GMT -8
Thanks Rod. That is helpful info. |
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mobiltec
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1954 Jewel In Progress...
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Post by mobiltec on Dec 13, 2019 14:15:17 GMT -8
Hi, I know the last post is almost 2 months old but I still wanted to post. @400 lbs. for tongue weight seems really high. Did you ever get the correct tongue weight established? I found info at Oldtrailer.com that lists technical data for Shasta models. It lists the Astroflyte at 1990 lbs. www.oldtrailer.com/vintage-shasta-astroflyte-trailer-specs.html Even with gear, food, pots and pans and propane tanks, can it get the tongue weight that high? Everything is distributed over the length of the trailer. 400 lbs. is 20 percent which is more than the optimum 10 percent Big Bill states. I found a good description of how to measure tongue weight on etrailer.com. Peace, Rod I love Etrailer. They have lots of little tutorials on their site and I have never had anything but good experiences with them when buying or asking for help. The sales people really know what they are talking about. |
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