Towing question, load cargo van and trailer?

Let's say you have a van and you're towing a trailer full of bikes with spot for 1 more...

You have room for one more bike on the trailer...

Would you be better off putting the bike in the back of the van or on the trailer?

this is supposing you have like at least a 2500 series van.

I'm just wondering.. if like, in theory.. putting the bike in the van would be
better, as it's distributing some of the weight to the front of the vehicle,
as well as adding more weight to the tow vehicle, so you have more tow vehicle than you have trailer?

Or maybe same scenario with 2 bikes?

OR maybe it's just better to put the bikes on the trailer, putting less weight on the tow vehicle's suspension?

Any thoughts on this? it's pretty much theoritical.

Say a dodge b2500.. with 7x14 (with say 5 bikes sideways) or 6x18 with
say 7 bikes sideways? open trailer.. Or would an enclosed
be worth it at twice the price, just for one 800 mile round trip?
The trailer will be sold after the trip. (memorial day weekend vacation).
I'm thinking it would be easier to sell an open trailer cheaper than an enclosed trailer.

I'm thinking the b2500 should be fine for either open trailer regardless, but was curious of what was better,
to load the bikes in the back of the van or not.

TIA.

 

If your trailer capacity is enough for the bike, I would put the bike in the trailer first, over putting it in the tow vehicle.

I am assuming you are not at the absolute maximum the vehicle can tow and you have lots of capacity to spare both in the cargo capacity of the van and the trailer....

Why in the trailer?
1. The trailer should only transfer about 10% (8%~12% Range) to the trailer hitch.
2. The towing vehicle takes the trailer weight on the hitch as vehicle weight.
3. You avoid getting close to the GVW of the vehicle, while the trailer is not at it's maximum.


Down Sides?
1. Hitch weight may be so much that the trailer is taking weight off the front wheels of the towing vehicle. The Counter Measure for this is a weight distributing hitch, so you can transfer weight to the front wheels by creating a spring/moment arm setup.
2. Trailer may become so heavy it overpowers the towing vehicle. Once the trailer weight exceeds the towing vehicle weight by 1.2x, the trailer tends to push the towing vehicle around from the back. Trailer brakes can help this problem on the brakes and setting up the trailer level with a weight distributing hitch will also help.

 

ah, makes a lot of sense. thanks.