Tongue weight scale

[TrailTamer]

There is a reason people say 10-15% tongue weight.

I’ll like to add that this is the minimum.

More tongue weight the better, as long as your tow rig have the capacity to handle the tongue weight.

The more tongue weight %, the more stable the trailer will be at high speed. But don’t go too far as too much weight can cause tow rig to bounce, either front end bounces on bumps/dips or rear end will act as you have blown shocks as they don’t have enough dampening to dampen bounces or gets light on front axle.

Figuring out exact tongue weight can be critical when either a tow rig is at its max towing capacity or diagnosing & correcting a towing issue. I use CAT scale and their app for that.

 

[TrailTamer]

so my reasons for the scale were i changed trailers this year and it freaking sucks. no the trailer is awesome. but its a tilt deck and the tires are more centered on the trailer. things i had no idea would make a difference like it does. i carry tool boxes on the front of the trailer and with the buggy, the normal load, i can pull up far enough to get the placement good with out scales. but when i tried to put a car or my land cruiser on there with the tool boxes i think i had 200 pounds of tongue weight with the lancruiser because my bumper hit the tool boxes and would not let me go further forward. so off cam the boxes and now i will relocate them further forward of the deck right above the jack but inside the the tongue triangle so i wont fuck up my turning or jack knifing ability.
i estimate the boxes weight approx 200 total and if i can apply that weight further forward and free up deck space that would be ideal.

How much higher your land cruiser will need to be to clear the tool box? Maybe a stack or two of 2x8 or 2x12 as a ramp screwed to deck to clear the tool box will work for you?

I once got luck I had ramps stashed in back of my truck to park the front car over the winch when I needed tiny bit more deck space to fit the third in-op car on my 35’ bumper pull trailer.

 

[2big bronco]

Hitch scale seems gimmicky and most likely weaker then a hitch without. Pull the load forward till the truck sags a bit and 99/100× you will be fine. The 1× its not it will probably still be ok or you could shift the load forward a bit.

 

[white-rhino]

Although adding tongue weight has its advantages, overloading the front can add a disproportionate amount of load on the front axle of the trailer. Having the trailer sit level and balanced is a lot easier on the springs, axles and tires.

 

[TrailTamer]

Although adding tongue weight has its advantages, overloading the front can add a disproportionate amount of load on the front axle of the trailer. Having the trailer sit level and balanced is a lot easier on the springs, axles and tires.

Adjust hitch height lol. But even though you went too far on tongue weight for your tow rig or the WD hitch, if equipped, at that point

 

[white-rhino]

Adjust hitch height lol. But even though you went too far on tongue weight for your tow rig or the WD hitch, if equipped, at that point

Sure, I'll go buy another hitch every time I carry a different load. (fwiw, I probably have 4 different offset hitches that I have bought over the years.) But that varies by the coupler height of each individual trailer. The trick is to get the trailer properly balanced and level. It gives the longest life to the components. I have driven far forward to add tongue weight, just as you suggest, and can confirm that it will wear out the front tires of a tandem axle trailer quicker than the rear.

I own a WD hitch but haven't used it in years. Why? Proper trailer loading. And, not overloading my trailer.

 

[arse_sidewards]

I own a WD hitch but haven't used it in years. Why? Proper trailer loading. And, not overloading my trailer.

WDH is a valuable tool for letting you tow more weight because it lets you distribute tongue weight across both of the tow rig's axles and in doing so lets you carry more tongue weight than you could otherwise which lets you move a heavier trailer all else being equal.

 

[TrailTamer]

white-rhino don’t argue and use some common sense.

 

[arse_sidewards]

white-rhino don’t argue and use some common sense.

Am I wrong?