Will Lighter Weight Lithium Battery Increase Tongue Weight?

[Deleted User]

I'm trying to keep my tongue weight as low as possible so I don't have to use a weight distribution hitch.  I'm contemplating getting a 200AH Lithium battery installed in my (on order) 2022 400.  A 200ah lithium battery weighs about 60 pounds and two 6volt AGM batteries weigh about 130 pounds???  Since the batteries are behind the axle on the 400, acting as a counter-balance of weight on the tongue, it seems if I cut the counter-weight by more than half that it will increase the tongue weight? I understand that all weight in the trailer results in weight on the tongue so maybe it will just equal out the same? 

manyman297

I think it might have a negligible effect. I know having a full water tank lightens the tongue quite a bit but a full tank is pretty heavy. 

[Deleted User]

oh yea, good comparison.  That means I could add a bit of water to the tank to make up for the loss of battery weight.  

Denny16

The water tank is centered over the axle on older TaB400s, and with the axle shifted forward, the water tank weight is more behind the axle, so less tongue weight.  The tongue weight still needs to be around 15% of the total trailer weight for best towing. 

 

The lithium battery will increase the tongue weight by a few pounds, but this can be compensated for by placing heavier gear in the under bed center compartment on a 2021/2022 TaB400.  So I would not worry about the small difference.  You could also add more lithium battery to have 300 amps, and that would get you back to around 100 lbs of battery.

[Deleted User]

oh that's right. You don't want to take too much weight off the tongue. Thanks for the reminder on that.  All good ideas. I think adding gear under the bed will be the most economical option!  I kept the spare tire under the bed on my 2019, but I know they redesigned under there and the tire no longer fits in the later models.  I think I will go with 200AH lithium and keep some heavier items under the bed like a bottle jack and things I don't need to be able to get to regularly. 

Denny16

Sounds like a good plan to me. 
cheers

Viajero

Good thread. We are adding a second propane tank and a 44 pound generator to the tongue so we’ll be counter balancing with heavy items strategically packed. We tend to travel with full water so that will help offset a bit. Our 400 arrives in feb and we’ll be getting a high capacity bathroom scale so we can confirm the tongue weight. We are shooting for 12 percent tongue weight. We’ll assess from there. 

[Deleted User]

I highly recommend the Sherline tongue scale. It's expensive but worth the price I think.  I paid about $120 for it I think.  Also be very aware of the tongue weight capacity of your tow vehicle. 

Viajero

TabbyShack said:

I highly recommend the Sherline tongue scale. It's expensive but worth the price I think.  I paid about $120 for it I think.  Also be very aware of the tongue weight capacity of your tow vehicle. 

Thanks for the tip on the scale. 

Re the hitch weight. We are fortunate to have friends with the exact same combo. He keeps his hitch weight at about 340 pounds which is just about 11 percent of his loaded weight. He has done a lot of the trial stuff for us. Handy.