Determine tongue weight

[Eric_Phillips]

How do you determine the amount of tongue weight when you load your trailer? When I drive my tractor up on to the trailer the back end squats down and it raises the back end of the truck. As I move forward you can feel the trailer settle back down the the back of the truck lower. I am pretty sure I get the tractor forward enough to have some tongue weight but I have no idea how close it is to the 10-15% mark.

 

[sdkubota]

I would stand on the trailer tounge unloaded and measure from the ground to the bumper. Load your tractor until it measures the same and you have whatever you weigh in addition to the trailer weight. Not perfect but gets you in the ballpark.

 

[Reg]

How do you determine the amount of tongue weight when you load your trailer? When I drive my tractor up on to the trailer the back end squats down and it raises the back end of the truck. As I move forward you can feel the trailer settle back down the the back of the truck lower. I am pretty sure I get the tractor forward enough to have some tongue weight but I have no idea how close it is to the 10-15% mark.

There is a method using bathroom scales and a few short lengths of black pipe(or similar).
(requires understanding of levers, etc.)
Basically you rig it so that the scales see 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 or some other appropriate fraction to make the tongue load fall within the scale's range, then multiply it up.
Personally I think it is dangerous as all heck unless you arrange it so the pipes are parallel to the center-line of the trailer.
I wouldn't try for EXACTLY 1/2, 1/3 or 1/4.
Instead I would aim for something close, then measure and use whatever fraction I happened to get;
say 19/63 or whatever other odd fraction happened.
Messing with pipe rollers carrying several hundred pounds ? - - not with MY delicate little fingers (-:

 

[grnspot110]

Don't try to make a big deal of it!

If your tow vehicle is substantial enough, a small amount of "squat" is OK, but not a lot. Personally, I prefer a longer tongued trailer with wheels farther back than most, giving me more tongue weight than recommended. The main thing is to have a tow vehicle capable of handling the load! ~~ grnspot

 

[sdkubota]

The trailer should be carrying almost all of the weight it is hauling. The reason you want a small amount of tongue weight is to make certain the CG is forward of the trailers balance point. If the center of load is behind the trailer axles (balance point or center of gravity)...it can be extremely unstable pulling down the road.

 

[newbury]

The trailer should be carrying almost all of the weight it is hauling. The reason you want a small amount of tongue weight is to make certain the CG is forward of the trailers balance point. If the center of load is behind the trailer axles (balance point or center of gravity)...it can be extremely unstable pulling down the road.

No, you want 10% at least and up to 15% to keep it firmly on the ball.

For instance my trailer weighs about 2,000 lbs. My B7610 tractor with associated equipment (FEL, Backhoe, chains, fuel etc.) probably adds 3,000 lbs so I try to get 500 to 750 lbs on the ball. For a VERY imprecise method of measuring I got myself and my son on the tailgate (about 450lbs at the time) and saw how far it dipped.

Etrailer has an article on the better ways to do it:
Determining Trailer Tongue Weight | etrailer.com

 

[sawtooth]

No, you want 10% at least and up to 15% to keep it firmly on the ball.

For instance my trailer weighs about 2,000 lbs. My B7610 tractor with associated equipment (FEL, Backhoe, chains, fuel etc.) probably adds 3,000 lbs so I try to get 500 to 750 lbs on the ball. For a VERY imprecise method of measuring I got myself and my son on the tailgate (about 450lbs at the time) and saw how far it dipped.

Etrailer has an article on the better ways to do it:
Determining Trailer Tongue Weight | etrailer.com

This is right. It needs to be 10-15% of total trailer weight so some of the previous post are not reflective of all load / weight requirements. For example i haul 13k which equates to at least 1300lbs on the hitch at all times. However with my truck closer to 15% tows better which equates to near 2000lbs. If i were to stand on the hitch and measure before and after loading the trailer this method would get me no where close to where i need to be. Not stepping on anyones thoughts but want to make sure everyone is towing safely. It really depends on just how much weight your towing. My F250 squats a good 3-4 inches with 2000lbs on the *** end.

 

[tcartwri]

I just roll the equipment forward until the truck levels out.

 

[JCByrd24]

Need to know the tow vehicle and the approximate trailer weight or at least type of trailer and what you are hauling. F350 towing a 5x10 single axle utility trailer, doesn't much matter, squat of the truck isn't going to tell you squat. You shouldn't be able to lift the tongue off the ball, or you could just put the load all the way forward. Tacoma or half ton pulling a dual axle trailer, much touchier subject, equal squat of two dudes in the bed is probably about right, much more and you are likely over the hitch tongue rating, unless you have a weight distributing hitch. Same goes for GM 3/4 ton trucks with factory hitches. A little more information will help us help you.

 

[Reg]

No, you want 10% at least and up to 15% to keep it firmly on the ball.

For instance my trailer weighs about 2,000 lbs. My B7610 tractor with associated equipment (FEL, Backhoe, chains, fuel etc.) probably adds 3,000 lbs so I try to get 500 to 750 lbs on the ball. For a VERY imprecise method of measuring I got myself and my son on the tailgate (about 450lbs at the time) and saw how far it dipped.

Etrailer has an article on the better ways to do it:
Determining Trailer Tongue Weight | etrailer.com

Nope - He has it RIGHT.
The location of the center of mass of the loaded trailer is what MATTERS, tongue load per se does NOT.
Think of a single axle trailer as a triangular platform with support at each apex.
With zero or close to zero load on the tongue the load is "balanced" over the axle and is very unstable - it is teeter-tottered.
This can (is LIKELY TO) lead to sway.
Tongue load is merely a representation of where the center of mass is relative to the axle and the coupler.
(beams and levers, etc.)