How much weight comes off the tongue?

My 700# +/- motorcycle removes 100# from the tongue. However it really depends on exactly where that weight is located.

Fargo - Oops...sorry misread your post.

With respect to weight placed behind the trailer's axle group, the trailer is a lever with the center of the axle group acting as the fulcrum. So simple lever math should work except one variable is the type of suspension the trailer has. The more flexible the suspension is in the first bit of travel the more accurate this method is. Our toyhauler has Mor-ryde suspension and this method is quite accurate.

what wittmeba said will be close for ballpark. For a wheeled vehicle in the garage you need to know it's center of gravity as well, and measure from that point.

For an accurate number suggest you park the rear axle of your tow vehicle on a scale, then see how the weight changes as you move a known weight forwards and backwards in the garage.

If weight and balance is critical and you haul different stuff write down where it goes and tie it down right there each time.

Self equalizing axles compensate for unlevel 5th wheels and trailers. If one wheel should be on a speed bump and the other on flat ground you may shift the center of the axles (balance point) but it doesnt change the formula. You cant change physics. It is that simple.

Not much, if you have a large toyhauler. I just figure NO weight taken off. I have a triple axle. However, if you have a bumper pull, it may make quite a difference.

on review, I see you do have a bumper pull, 29'. You need to weigh, as it may make a big difference.

Rough idea, measure from ball to center of the two axles. Then, measure to middle of load in garage.

If it is 20 feet to ball, and 4 feet to center of garage load, about 1/5th of the weight will transfer. ie, if 1000# bike, about 200# will come off.

I would load trailer full, wo load. Weigh. Then, load garage. Weigh again.

Now you know for sure EXACTLY what happens.

Thanks for the replies....I didn't think it would be a simple answer but it was worth asking!

Nana Kathy

wittmeba wrote:
It is just simple math.

Negative ghost rider

The ratio method to calculate wieght changes mentioned above is a simplistic method to estimate the wieght changes. However, with multiaxle self equalizing axles the calculation is not that simple as the center of rotation moves with load characteristics. Certainly use the method for estimates but your actual wieght loss on the tongue/pin will be significantly lower

The only real way to know is as was posted by the moderator. Go get it wieghed.

If your doing wieght calculations to determine tow vehicle requirements do yourself a favor and calculate figuring the maximum wieght on the tongue/hitch as there is no guartentee you will always be hauling the heavy toys and need to move it empty sometime.

Depends on your trailer set up but very little weight actually comes off the pin or tongue..... probably in most cases less than 100 lbs & as others have said it can add more......

Water tanks have nothing to do with the formula for calculating the change in placing weight in your garage. It is strictly relative to wheel to ball/kingpin (distance) and the distance behind the wheels you place the weight.

If you are asking about how much your water tanks affect the tongue/pin you can calculate it based on where they are located and how much you put into them.

To calculate your tanks affect - where are they (distance) and how much is half? It is just simple math.