Tongue Weight: The Key To Safe Towing (2024)

FAQs

Tongue Weight: The Key To Safe Towing? ›

What Is Proper Tongue Weight? For conventional trailers with ball-mounted hitches, proper tongue weight is roughly 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight.

Tongue weight (TW) is the downward force exerted at a vehicle-trailer coupling point when your trailer is hooked up for towing. The tongue weight should be about 10-15% of the gross trailer weight.

Start by driving the towing vehicle onto the scale and weighing it without the trailer attached. Then, connect the trailer and weigh the towing vehicle with the trailer attached, but ensure the trailer wheels don't go on the scale. Subtract the first weight from the second.

What does 500 lb. tongue weight mean? Usually, the tongue weight is just a representation of how much you are towing. For example, a 500-pound tongue weight would ideally mean you are hauling a 5,000-pound trailer.

Tongue weight is exactly what it says: the weight of the trailer tongue on the hitch of the tow vehicle. The rule of thumb is that you want a tongue weight equal to 7 percent to 12 percent of the total weight of the (fully loaded with fuel and gear) boat/motor/trailer combo.

If the trailer has too much tongue weight, it can overload the tow vehicle. This can cause a loss of steering and braking control for the tow vehicle. It also puts too much stress and weight on the tow vehicle's rear axle, leading to the axle or suspension failure if not addressed.

Tongue weight should be around 700 pounds plus. Most Class III hitches are rated for 5,000 to 6,000 pounds convential pulling. Add a weight distribution hitch and you will be fine at 7,000 pounds. Usually the ball has a weight rating stamped into it.

For instance, if a 2,000-pound conventional trailer is loaded with 1,000 pounds of cargo, the proper tongue weight of the loaded trailer should be between 300 and 450 pounds, or 10-15 percent of the loaded 3,000 pound total.

Tongue load should be 10 to 15 percent of the trailer's total weight—if you're towing 5,000 pounds, then the tongue weight would be 500 to 750 pounds.

If trailer hitches are too high or too low, they can cause a vehicle to zigzag or drive unevenly on the highways. These issues can cause accidents.

Can a hitch carry as much tongue weight as it can pull? ›

A quick way to calculate hitch Tongue Weight Capacity is to multiply your vehicle's Gross Towing Capacity (GTWR) by 10% (tongue weight = GTWR x 10%). So, a vehicle and hitch with a 5000 lb towing weight capacity will have a tongue weight capacity of 500 lbs.

Your tongue weight should come in between 10 and 15 percent of the total weight of your loaded trailer, also known as your Gross Trailer Weight (GTW). So if you are hauling a 2,000 pound trailer that's loaded up with 2,000 pounds worth of cargo, your tongue weight should be between 400 and 600 pounds.

Often, someone will suggest that a vehicle's published tow rating should be 80% or 75% of the published towing capacity to provide a safe towing capacity margin. Some are teaching these rules at various RV safety seminars too.

If the cargo is loaded near the hitch ball, you'll have a higher tongue weight. However, moving the cargo away from the hitch ball will have less weight on the trailer tongue. That's because when you move the cargo, you're pulling the pressure away or towards the trailer's wheels.

Subtract the axle weight from the total trailer weight to determine your trailer's hitch weight. A general rule of thumb is that 20 to 25% of the total weight of a trailer plus its cargo should be placed on the tongue of the trailer.

If you had a trailer, you also need to subtract the tongue weight from the GVWR. For this same example, if you had a trailer that weighs 2,000 pounds, the tongue weight would be at least 200 pounds.

A quick way to calculate hitch Tongue Weight Capacity is to multiply your vehicle's Gross Towing Capacity (GTWR) by 10% (tongue weight = GTWR x 10%). So, a vehicle and hitch with a 5000 lb towing weight capacity will have a tongue weight capacity of 500 lbs.

A caravan with a 2500kg towing weight should have a maximum tow ball of between 7 – 15% of the caravan's weight (preferably closer to 10%). This works out to between 150 and 375 KG.

Explanation: If a trailer has a gross trailer weight of 3500 pounds or more, it is typically mandatory that it be equipped with its own braking system.