what do ya think????

[Mark from the Fort]

I am wondering if a 35 with loaded rear tires were placed on a "balance board" at exactly mid point of its length would be more engine heavy or rear heavy?
I have a smaller trailer and have tried both ways and didn"t see much difference when i measured the drop of the bumper of my truck when loaded vs unloaded.
I think this question is a sign that my school year is almost over and my "gray matter" is running on empty.
Mark

 

[bob old iron]

try a scale house, scale the front tires, then the rears. should show how much weight is at each end on tires, figure where the middle point is that you want to determine when on scale....'like the big rigs do at the port of entry'.

 

[Jerry/MT]

It will be more heavy behind the midpoint. That"s the purpose of loading the tires; to increase the tractive capability of the rear tires. The cg unloaded is about at the middle of the gear box. Adding CaCl/H2O to the rear tirs will move it back somewhat. If you can weigh the front and back tires independently on a scale and, you can determine the cg location by summing moments about the contact points of the tires.

Measuring the bumper deflection with the tractor on a trailer is a little trickier because you have to know where the trailer cg is also.

 

[Bob (Aust)]

I'm inclined to think the CofG would move aft significantly with "loaded" rear tyres. I guess you could calculate the movement in CofG by putting the total rig over a weighbridge with and without H2O in the tyres, thus establishing the weight of water? I'd think you may also get a fair idea by "bouncing" the trailer tow bar when loaded?

Australia is very strict on trailer regulations. Tow bars must be manufacture compliant (no home made); maximum tow ball static loading 250 kg; my Nissan tow bar is branded maximum 500 kg static load; maximum gross trailer weight 2,000 kg with single axle braking, 2,500 kg with dual axle braking (although my Nissan is approved for 3,000 kg tow ball pull).

I have three trailers, a 5 x 7 single axle; single axle boat and boat trailer approx 800 kg; and a double axle car trailer with single axle braking, 680 kg net, 1,860 kg with my E Type Jaguar on the trailer. Aside from safety and stability, the ride is very uncomfortable if I get the load CofG wrong.

 

[Xwild]

I've wondered just where it is on mine as well.. same thing.. not much difference on forward or backward.... I think its somewhere between the center of the rear wheel, and the forward edge of the wheel..

 

[Tony in Mass.]

Either way, if you are worried about trailering, back it on, so much safer going on or off. Yeah it's a pain to balance on the axles, one time a state cop chewed me out for being to light on the tongue, but you don't want the weight on the ball, or so's I thought. I have been wondering about the 'trim'? balance? too, seems when the harrows are on the TO30, it's like power steering...

 

[Jeff-oh]

Depends on whether it is on a Monday or Thursday. On Saturdays in Illinois it does not matter.

 

[trac]

What i try to do is let the trailer take the weight you only need a little bit of tongue weight,but thats easy for me to say since i have a double axle trailer.

 

[jon corbett]

11/28 tires are roughly 800lbs apiece,total for 1600lbs.add weight of rearend and u have twice the load of the engine.answer:back it on.