How to Measure the Tongue Weight of a 4x8 Utility Trailer

It's important to know the tongue weight of any trailer before you head down the road with it. An improperly loaded trailer might be too heavy on the tongue, which could overload the trailer hitch, or too light, which can cause a dangerous sway. Tongue weight can be estimated by lifting up on the trailer tongue, but this method is not at all accurate. The only way to be certain of the tongue weight is to use a scale.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bathroom scale
• 4 inch by 4 inch by 14 inch piece of wood
• Wheel chocks

1. Block the trailer wheels to prevent any movement.

2. Position the bathroom scale directly under the trailer coupler.

3. Place the 4 inch by 4 inch by 14 inch piece of wood vertically between the trailer coupler and the center of the bathroom scale. Making sure the wood stays perpendicular to the jack, turn the crank handle and jack the trailer down onto the wood until the jack foot is clear of the ground.

4. Read the tongue weight on the bathroom scale.

Tips & Warnings

• It may be necessary to use a longer or shorter piece of wood. The best way to determine this is to measure the distance between the bottom of the trailer coupler and the ground when the trailer is sitting level. Cut your piece of wood to be the same length.

References

• Method to weigh tongue weight