How to Calculate Trailer Tongue Weight
When you want to tow a trailer behind a vehicle, you'll need to know the minimum and maximum capacity that your car or truck can haul for the trip. If the tongue weight is too light, the trailer could sway while driving; if it is too heavy, you will have difficulty steering and maneuvering the towing vehicle safely. Experts agree that an acceptable tongue weight is between 9 and 15 percent of the gross trailer weight (GTW). You can perform a simple calculation to find out what the ideal range is for your vehicle.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine the weight of your trailer. You will need to know the actual weight of your trail, or gross trailer weight (GTW) to calculate your ideal tongue weight. You can find this information in your trailer's owner's manual, or drive the trailer to a public scale for weighing.
-
2
Calculate your ideal tongue weight range. Multiply the GTW by 9 percent and then by 15 percent to determine what your ideal range for the tongue weight is.
-
-
3
Calculate your maximum tongue weight value. The maximum tongue weight is the lowest of: 50% of the tongue weight rating of the trailer hitch, or the hitch extender's maximum tongue weight.
-
4
Determine the actual weight of the tongue. For small trailers, you can measure the weight of the tongue using a standard bathroom scale. Place the scale at the same height as the hitch ball on the tow vehicle and put the tongue of the trailer directly on the scale to read off the weight.
-
5
Adjust the weight of the tongue. If you need to make the tongue lighter or heavier based on your ideal reading in Step 2, you will simply need to shift the cargo you are carrying forward or back until you reach the target weight.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Never use an adapter or extender with a weight distributing trailer hitch, or use more than one hitch adapter or extender. Don't exceed the towing capacity of your vehicle under any circumstances. Don't weld or modify the adapter or extender in order to meet your weight requirements.
