# Suggested Tongue Weight As Percentage Of Trailer Weight



## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

I often hear that the tongue weight should be 10-15% of the trailer weight. When doing this calculation, should the trailer weight be the weight of the trailer when it is connected to the TV (ie. the weight on the OB axles) or the total weight of the trailer when it is disconnected from the TV.









Thanks folks.


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

The tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of the loaded weight of the trailer. If you were to unhook the trailer on the scales with the tongue jack and all the tires on the scales, that is the total weight of the trailer.

I hope this helps.

Gary


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

Fire44 said:


> The tongue weight should be 10% to 15% of the loaded weight of the trailer. If you were to unhook the trailer on the scales with the tongue jack and all the tires on the scales, that is the total weight of the trailer.
> 
> I hope this helps.
> 
> Gary


Thanks Gary...I was hoping to avoid disconnecting the trailer at the scale. Maybe I still can avoid it...what do you think.

I put the TV (with cargo and occupants) on the scale by itself, althought it was connected to the OB. Since I know the weight of the TV (with cargo and occupants) when it's not connected to the OB, the difference should be the tongue weight. While there, I also weighed the OB alone, but still connected to the TV. So can I take this "OB alone" weight and add the calculated tongue weight to get the weight of the disconnected trailer...and then use this as the denominator when calculating tongue weight to trailer weight percentage. Hope this makes sense


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## Fire44 (Mar 6, 2005)

That sounds like it would work.

Gary


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

Fire44 said:


> That sounds like it would work.
> 
> Gary


Phew...thanks.


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## Scott and Jamie (Aug 27, 2006)

Sounds like you got it figured out


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## NobleEagle (Jul 8, 2006)

I am not trying to throw a wrench into the works here. And that sounds like it would work. But, if you didn't disconnect, and you towed it to the scales....Don't you have a "weight distributing hitch"? Wouldnt that put some weight on the front axels? That would throw off all of your weights for your formula. Again, I am not trying to burst your bubble I am simply trying to look at this as a possible problem. If it works I may try it myself.


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

NobleEagle said:


> I am not trying to throw a wrench into the works here. And that sounds like it would work. But, if you didn't disconnect, and you towed it to the scales....Don't you have a "weight distributing hitch"? Wouldnt that put some weight on the front axels? That would throw off all of your weights for your formula. Again, I am not trying to burst your bubble I am simply trying to look at this as a possible problem. If it works I may try it myself.


No need to apologize...I'm looking for truth, no appeasement. I appreciate your thoughts!

I think you raise a valid question, but I think it's the weight distribution to the TT axle that throws off my calculation of tongue weight (rather than the weight distribution to the front TV axle). In fact, it raises the question...Why do we care what the tongue weight is while disconnected from the TT? Shouldn't we just care about tongue weight (as a % of TT weight) after distribution, and for this tongue weight, we only need to know the difference between the weight of the TV before and after connection to the TT. Just a few more thoughts...looking forward to other people's thoughts!


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

No need to overanalyze here IMO as the recommended range is 10-15% of total trailer weight, it's not an exact requirement.

You have the weights of your truck unhooked and then hooked as well as the axle weights of the trailer. Simply subtracting the unhooked weight of the TV from the hooked up weight of the TV gives you the tongue weight, add that to the trailer axle weight and that gives you total trailer weight. If you use the tongue weight calculated after weighing your truck hooked and unhooked and it falls within the 10-15% of the total trailer weight, that's close enough. No need to worry about small discrepancies.

After all that, if the tongue weight is within the 10-15% range, your not overweight on any ratings and it tows well, get back to camping









Mike


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## Morgueman (Dec 3, 2006)

camping479 said:


> No need to overanalyze here IMO as the recommended range is 10-15% of total trailer weight, it's not an exact requirement.
> 
> You have the weights of your truck unhooked and then hooked as well as the axle weights of the trailer. Simply subtracting the unhooked weight of the TV from the hooked up weight of the TV gives you the tongue weight, add that to the trailer axle weight and that gives you total trailer weight. If you use the tongue weight calculated after weighing your truck hooked and unhooked and it falls within the 10-15% of the total trailer weight, that's close enough. No need to worry about small discrepancies.
> 
> ...


Yup...I was thinking about his stuff alot the other day when I was trying to figure out why I was the only person on earth to experience sway with a Hensley-Arrow. ALAS...I think that I figured out the problem; though I haven't hooked up the OB to verify. For those that are interested...the square nut on one of the strut assemblies was about one inch too loose, which permitted the orange section to move horizontally. I'm quite excited to have figured out the problem....can't wait to verify!


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## beachbum (Nov 27, 2006)

My thoughts are that you need to weigh the TT by itself to get the true weight of the TT and the true tongue weight. After all, it is the true tongue weight that you use when figuring the gross vehicle weight of the TV. As stated, the WD system does transfer weight to TT axles and TV front axle. Unhooking WD system on the scales will give closer to true TT weights (tongue and axles). On my next trip to the scales, one of my tasks will be to weigh TT by itself to make sure the TT is not overweight and the tongue weight is within specs. I've already done the weights hooked up and TV alone, but I really want the TT weight, (all travel ready and loaded of course).
david


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