Question and an observation for fellow Conqueror Compact owners

[red_5]

I'm curious what sort of tongue weights you all are getting with a fully loaded trailer.

I'm at about 250lbs right now, which seems about right based on common trailering practices and my uber accurate 1 to 5 leverage platform/bathroom scale calculated fully loaded trailer axle weight of 2250lbs.

Trailer tows great and I've not had any issues with my modified hitch arrangement.

 

[XJBANKER]

Any photos of the ding and modified tounge? I Extended my tounge and made it removable and it allows me to get the tire carrier of my jeep open now as well at if fits in the garage better when the hitch attatchment is removed. I have not noticed anything with mine that stands out at all.

 

[racingjason]

At one point the tongue weight on our Compact was about 200 lbs. I have since replaced the big 31 series battery in the nose box with two smaller ones placed at the back and now the tongue weight is probably about 100 lbs or even less. On our latest trip from Canada to Arizona and the trailer was stable as ever. I think that keeping the nose level (or slightly down) is the key. I am hesitant to get too much tongue weight as we had a bad experience in Baja when the trailer was loaded and road was rough. I know it was likely just a defect in the steel but I shifted the weight back anyway.

 

[red_5]

I reenforced the nose of the tongue with a plate and added a 2 inch receiver tube shortly after we got the trailer. Here's a pic:

Here's a pic of the ding, doesn't show on camera too well though.

After some fiddling about, I'm pretty sure that this was caused by the trailer flexing.

Being the curious sort that I am, I took the LP bottle off, stood in it's place, bounced on the trailer and there was detectable movement at the point indicated. Given the construction of the trailer, I'd expect this.

A close inspection revealed that the nose box is not bolted or riveted to to the main box and seal between the nose and main boxes is a foam gasket and not urethane adhesive used at the "Hard" joints, indicating that some flex is expected in this area. I also noted that the indicated corner of the nose box has a slight "point" on it where the sheet metal was folded into shape, making the clearance there about 2mm tighter than it is on the other side, which is not dinged.

 

[red_5]

Good idea on the battery. I've got a group 31 Marine battery in there that weighs about a ton and a half...

I may move the jerry cans to the XTerra though as that will not only lighten the tongue load considerably, but put the fuel where it's useful out on the trail.

Something like this for a 6 on 5.5 bolt circle would be useful to me:http://www.columbiaoverland.com/product/land-rover-discovery-i-spare-tire-jerry-can-holder

 

[red_5]

For the curious, the official weight of our compact, including all our gear, full water tanks, full 80L fridge, two full 10LB LP bottles, no gas cans is 2040lbs on the axle.

Taken at a state run truck scale.

 

[red_5]

Update: My OCD-fired curiosity and subsequent micro-inspection of this "problem" has led me to believe that this was a result of tolerance stacking when the trailer was assembled and is a non-issue. It's tough being me sometimes... :xxrotflma

I did move the LP tanks to the back of the trailer which took about 40 or so pounds off the hitch. In their place, I mounted up a couple of 800rd 5.56 ammo cans to store some small items like trash bags, hand soap, etc. that were rolling around in the nose box.

I'll put up a couple pics a bit later.

 

[red_5]

Update on this "problem". Over two years, several off-road adventures and and thousands of miles later.... guess what? It's exactly the same. No problem.