RE: Basket In Front or Rear of A/C

[whitestar505]

 
Hi All,
 
   Have a small problem. I have purchased a basket for the top of my Utah. Writing Coleman, thay state that the basket should be forword of the A/C so there will be less sway. I would like to put it on the rear of the A/C for easy access and to help take some of the weight off the tongue. If I am correct the Max tongue weight is up to 400 lbs on this unit. With all the storage comparment full and the inside of the front of the trailer full I feel that I am over 400 lbs. Any Ideas?
 
 

[Pick 6]

 whitestar505
Load the camper as if you re really going camping. Go to a truck stop and weigh it. Put the tires of the trailer on solid ground and your tongue jack on the scales. Level the camper.
 I would be more concerned about sway and would, thus, but the basket forward of the a/c.

[Cadeuses]

 Pick 6
As Pick 6 said... I d be more concerned with sway than the tongue weight.
 
 

If I am correct the Max tongue weight is up to 400 lbs on this unit. With all the storage comparment full and the inside of the front of the trailer full I feel that I am over 400 lbs. Any Ideas?

 I am unsure as to where you got your reference for what you say above.  Is this from info regarding your PU or the TV?  If it is the TV, a WDH will solve the problem of rear sag.  Another quick fix would be to add a leaf spring to your TV  increasing it s overall capacity, and eliminating the sag problem.  There are lots of Utah s out there, so I doubt this is a really difficult problem to fix.
 
   If the reference is from the PU, (which I doubt) there is little you can do to increase tongue capacity besides re-welding and beefing up the A-frame.  (I bet that s not the issue here).
 
   According to Fleetwood, the unloaded tongue weight (UTW) for your PU is 100lbs, which is seriously low for a PU of this size and weight.  (Low tongue weight=serious sway)  
   Additionally it states that your unloaded vehicle weight (UVW) is 2635lbs.  In order to meet the absolute minimum RECOMMENDED tongue weight ratio of 10% (15% would be better) you need to increase the tongue weight to at least 263lbs.  
   Of course none of us camp with an empty PU so go for the max.  The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of your Utah is 3450lbs.  15% of that maximum weight is 517lbs.  This being the maximum, it would be wise to reduce the tongue weight slightly from that mark... say 450lbs, which is just a little more than 13%.
 
   Given a tongue weight such as that, you will definetly have a problem with sag... which brings us back to your problem... and ways to fix it.
 
   Many in the past have suggested getting a WDH/antisway combo like the Reese 350 mini, which incidentally is produced to deal with Coleman PU s and their folding tongue jack.  I would recomend you try that out, or something similar.
 
   Bottom line is... your 400lb tongue limit is probably for the TV.  Select a way to increase it s capacity, and get the antisway WDH.  HTH
 
 Have a great day!

[whitestar505]

 Cadeuses
Cadeuses,
     
       My Max tongue weight is 750 lbs on my TV.The tongue weight is 100 lbs empty on my trailer. Somewhere I read that 400lbs was max.tongue for the Utah.
 
  Sooooooooo, I guess that the tongue weight is not increased that much by loading the front storage compartment and the inside front of the trailer.
 
    Bottom line here, Put the basket in the front of the A/C.
 
 
 Thanks
 
 

[Cadeuses]

 whitestar505
**whitestar505**
 
   No problem.  Keeping your tongue weight between the 10-15% ratio is definetly the way to go to prevent a sway problem from happening.  By placing the storage rack ahead of the AC, you help to reduce sway.  I would still look at getting the antisway WDH.  It would be a good investment.
 
   Have you noticed any rear sag in the TV when you are hitched to your loaded PU?
 
 Have a great day!

[whitestar505]

 Cadeuses

Have you noticed any rear sag in the TV when you are hitched to your loaded PU?

 No sag so far. I do have a sway bar also.

[Cadeuses]

 whitestar505
Excellent!  []