Tongue weight question

They sell tongue scales. Good item to have.

BobnDot, yea, I normally would, but my proposed tow vehicle has a 720# max for tongue weight, so I'm somewhat restrained. Trying to keep myself out of trouble. And there's at least one unit I have my eye on, so I'm going to have to go this alone a little more than I'd like.

Buy the floorplan that suits you, that's more important.
When you have enough truck and it's hitch is set up correctly , the small differences in TW becomes a little less of an issue.

Those weight numbers will change once you load it up with your personal stuff as well as the trailer options. I don't pay attention to dry weights.
Take it to a scale , weigh it when you load it all up and you are able to move things around in the trailer for proper weight distribution.


Sometimes you have to use straps to secure things and always try to pack things the same way. I use my phone and take pics of my packing plan.

Your hitch has adjustments to make things feel or ride better. This should be done at the dealership when they fit your truck to your trailer. It should all be set up for you correctly.
After that is all done , the loading of the trailer should be a conscious effort by you . Try your best to pack things evenly distributed, to compliment the original hitch set up of your combo.

8iron wrote:
Any units that I have looked at don't include propane or battery in the brochure/UVW tongue weights. Some manufacturers may but not the ones I've looked at.

x2. so first since battery(s) and propane tank(s) are almost over the tongue add 75lbs/battery and 30 lbs for each 7.5 gallon propane tank or 20lbs for each 5 gallon tank.

and then figure your real tongue weight will be between 150% and 200% of the factory unloaded tongue weight.

As an example, mine had 695lbs as the unloaded tongue weight. Actual loaded tongue weight w/o any water 1250 lbs, with full water tank, 1400lbs.

I would look at the GVWR of the trailer and assume 10-15% of that weight. That way you're prepared if you're fully loaded.

Tongue weight has a lot to do with how you pack your trailer. If you put EVERYTHING up front you may be at more like 25% tongue weight. If you put it all in the back, you'd be closer to like 5% tongue weight (I'm guessing at the actual percentage, but just giving you an idea of how it works).

The brochures are rarely accurate. I know my dry weight was lower on the sticker of my trailer than what the brochure showed. You can easily take the brochure tongue weight and add close to 300lbs for batteries, propane, hitch system and whatever you load in to the front of the trailer to give yourself an idea. Best bet is going with GVWR and assuming 15% to give yourself a peak number to stay under.

Any units that I have looked at don't include propane or battery in the brochure/UVW tongue weights. Some manufacturers may but not the ones I've looked at.

If you're looking at brochure listed weights, they are known to be inaccurate. You can use 13% of the total weight as a fairly accurate estimate of tongue weight.