Downside to tongue weight over 15%?
Tongue weight should be between 10 & 15%. It usually is. There is a potential serious safety issue if it's below 10% and that's well documented everywhere. But what is the downside of being over 15...
Forum Discussion
myredracer wrote:
I just came across this interesting article yesterday on another thread. How to tow safely
The author talks about a "standard" 8-12% tongue weight. It appears that the article is rather dated though.
...
He's trying to compensate for low payload in the tow vehicle.
The reasons for the 8-12% hitch weight are 1) the limitations of fixed-ball weight-
distributing hitches and 2) the load-carrying capacities of the average towing vehicle.
Although a 15% hitch weight on a 30-foot trailer coach (about 1,200 pounds) may work
for your towing vehicle, for most vehicles and hitches it would be too much. Thus, the
need for this 8-12% standard.
Think he would agree that it's better to go with a higher % hitch weight *and* a vehicle that can support it. But he doesn't get into it much. Payload limitations of the time I guess.
