How do you determine hitch weight?

If your estimates for vehicle limit (receiver, payload) using 15% of trailer GVWR puts your tow vehicle over GVWR or rear axle rating, then I would invest in a Sherline Scale and ask the dealer to help you measure any potential new TT.

If the purpose of this information is to determine if a tow vehicle is capable, then using 15% of TT GVWR will ensure you have a good match. This way if you don't actually load the TT to it's GVWR you will enjoy the extra performance in braking and acceleration, always best to have a good safety margin when towing.

coolbreeze01 wrote:
Seems like a reputable dealer would have a Sherline scale.

And they weighed it for me.

I would use this formula as a good estimate: Trailer rated gvwr x 13%.
Example: If the trailer gvwr (max allowable weight loaded) is listed as 8,000 lbs, the tongue has a potential loaded to weigh 1,040 lbs.

MargaretB wrote:
And what do you do if the mfr's. website says one thing and the dealers say another? Most dealers won't let you drive to a scale to determine the correct weights.

Google: "Determining trailer tongue weight" (on e-trailer dot com.)

You can do it "on the cheap" with a bathroom scale.

See the three methods on e-trailer...:W

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Seems like a reputable dealer would have a Sherline scale.

Dealers don't normally install batteries, propane, and some dealer installed accessories, until the unit is sold. If they let you weigh it before the sale, it would only be accurate until they prep it for delivery. Then it will go up.

Most likely, the closest estimate would be 12.5% of unloaded weight. However, even that will go out the window, when the buyer loads it up.

It would be impossible for anyone to give you an accurate loaded hitch weight. Only you will know what you are going to load, only you will know how it is loaded.

If you would like to have exact weights, while the unit sits on a dealer lot, when the units leaves the dealer lot, and after you load it up, you would need to purchase a tongue weight scale and bring it, with associated jacks and blocking, along on your shopping trip. You would still need to satisfy any liability issues, and convince the dealer to allow you to do the weighing.

For towing purposes, unloaded hitch weight has little value.

We never saw a dealer that had a scale. Weighing always involved driving somewhere else.

That's funny how dealers won't let you weight anything at the dealership ... my salesman practically had a hissy fit when I gave him a hard time about published weight mismatches.

If you have the spare change, pick up a Sherline scale from Amazon and take it to the dealership on your next visit. :)

Clicky