where to position tractor on trailer?

[Bearsixty7]

If you wanted to take the time and weigh tongue weight, you can with an ordinary bathroom scale.
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I did this years ago with my Modified Jeep TJ on my steeldeck car hauler. I was very surprised to find how far forward I had to place the TJ to get the 12-15% tongue weight.


the other option is a weight measuring drawbar like these. I'd like to get one as I pull 3 different trailers with always different loads.
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[Aquamoose]

Use the 60/40 rule. 60% of the weight in front of the centerline between the trailer axles. Quick way is to measure the height of the hitch as it sits with no load. If it’s at or higher than the no-load measurement, you’re too light which will spell disaster towing it. You also don’t want it too heavy at the tongue that would make the steering wheels loose traction. Just don’t exceed the tongue weight as stated in the owners manual.

Oh, and use grade 70 or better chains to secure your tractor.

 

[BackRoad]

The tractor steering wheel as center of weight might be an often repeated interwebby tale, but it seems appropriate, and one I've used safely so far.

Might also leave the bucket home even if you don't remove the FEL (one less item in the way at the dealer's and some states require implements to have separate tiedowns, even if attached to the primary equipment) which will shave a few hundred pounds off the front and save another chain.

 

[dodge man]

Me be the towing police your truck most likely would require a weight distribution hitch for a hitch weight over 500 pounds. If it’s a short trip I of course would buy one and hook it up

 

[ruffdog]

I would get a sure weight on the trailer/tractor weight and then do the bathroom scale bit to get the tongue weight correct. Then, mark the location or screw a piece of wood down on the deck so the tire rolls to it.

 

[fried1765]

I would get a sure weight on the trailer/tractor weight and then do the bathroom scale bit to get the tongue weight correct. Then, mark the location or screw a piece of wood down on the deck so the tire rolls to it.

That is EXACTLY what I have done!
2x4 screwed down across the deck.

 

[JCoastie]

I ordered a weight safe hitch last night and will use that for tongue weight etc. Looks like the trailer should be around 2500 pounds give or take. I'll use the steering wheel for initial positioning and fine tune it with the weight safe hitch.

 

[TractorGuy]

The only way to know for sure is to weigh it.

I bought a set of frames and bathroom scales off of eBay years ago to corner weigh my cars with. Have also used them on my trailer both for weighting total weight and tongue weight. I had the measurements recorded at one point but I can't find them now so I will get them out and measure one day when it stops raining. It's basically a metal frame that allows you to use a bathroom scale and you just multiply the reading times 4 to get the actual weight. I used it once to measure the tongue weight on a trailer at work and it turned out within a few lbs of what it read on a set of certified scales.

The method that Bearsixty7 linked to above may work okay.

The actual measurements don't have to be in feet, just a ratio. The set I have are not 4 feet wide I know that.

 

[fried1765]

The only way to know for sure is to weigh it.

I bought a set of frames and bathroom scales off of eBay years ago to corner weigh my cars with. Have also used them on my trailer both for weighting total weight and tongue weight. I had the measurements recorded at one point but I can't find them now so I will get them out and measure one day when it stops raining. It's basically a metal frame that allows you to use a bathroom scale and you just multiply the reading times 4 to get the actual weight. I used it once to measure the tongue weight on a trailer at work and it turned out within a few lbs of what it read on a set of certified scales.

The method that Bearsixty7 linked to above may work okay.

The actual measurements don't have to be in feet, just a ratio. The set I have are not 4 feet wide I know that.

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You do not have to buy anything to use the bathroom scale method, if you have some pieces of scrap lumber.
Don't even need to fasten anything together.
Just stack up some blocks, and span distance with a piece of 2x4.
Diagrammed method is shown on E-Trailer website.

 

[not2old]

I don't know if this works everywhere but when I first got my 5th wheel and added a motorcycle rack to the bumper I needed to know exactly where I stood and used the highway scale when it was closed. Here in B.C. they still work while closed and you can take your time doing all the measurements you need, both with and without being coupled.