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COUPLING TO THE TOW VEHICLE
In the following table, the second column notes the rule of thumb percentage of total weight
of the trailer. For example, a trailer with a gooseneck hitch, with a loaded weight of 12,000
pounds, should have 20-25% of 12,000 pounds on the tongue. That is, the example trailer
would have 2,400 to 3,000 pounds on its tongue.
TONGUE WEIGHT AS A PERCENTAGE OF LOADED TRAILER WEIGHT
Type Of Hitch
Ball Hitch (or Bumper Hitch)
Gooseneck
Percentage
10–15% for large
trailers
6-10% for smaller utility
trailers
10-25%
WARNING
Improper tongue weight (load distribution) can result in loss of control of the
trailer, leading to death or serious injury. Make certain that tongue weight is
within the allowable range.
Be sure to:
• Distribute the load front-to-rear to provide proper tongue weight (see chart);
• Distribute the load evenly, right and left, to avoid tire overload; and
• Keep the center of gravity low.
CHECKING TONGUE WEIGHT
To check the tongue weight, the tow vehicle and trailer must be on level ground, as they will be
when the trailer is being towed.
vehicle only onto the scale and get the weight. This weight must be less than your tow vehicle’s
GVWR. Pull the trailer onto the scale and uncouple it from the tow vehicle, leaving just the trailer
on the scale. Get a ticket which lists the total trailer weight. Re-connect the trailer to your tow
vehicle and the drive the tow vehicle wheels off the scale, just leaving the trailer axles on the
scale. Get a “ticket”, which lists the trailer’s axle weight. Simply subtract the axle weight from
the total weight to determine the hitch weight.
While you are at the scale, you should weigh the entire combination vehicle. This result should
allow you to get individual axle weights also.