Excellent video demonstrating the importance of proper TW

[Camper_G]

Hey y'all,

I found this video on another forum and wanted to share here.

If it's been posted before i apologize. This really shows in a practical way how important it is to have proper tongue weight. This is especially important when your loaded near the weight limits of your tow vehicle. It's always important, but if you have a heavy tow vehicle, versus a much lighter trailer, it can mask improper hitch set-up to some degree.

Check it out:

Tongue weight video

Thanks
G

[Camper_G]

mosseater wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:

mosseater wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:
Don't forget this video was designed to sell something and doesn't nesessiarly display a real world situation. I doubt anyone actually tows with negative tongue weight.

Doesn't have to be negative tongue weight. If you're not in the recommended proportion of tongue weight to trailer weight, this can happen. I witnessed this first hand on a landscaping trailer hauling a mini excavator. The unit was parked only slightly forward of center axle and still it almost upset the rig at 25 mph! The perfect storm can crop up no matter what your set up is. Best to optimize it and use a good hitch. Can't cheat physics.

But the video is a demonstration of negative tongue weight so that's what the video is about. The discussion is about something other than what the video demonstrates. I fail to see how the video is helpful since it has no application in the real world. I have never seen or heard of anyone trying to tow with negative tongue weight.

I won't discount what you're saying. I agree with the conclusion. The point is, somewhere between optimum and negative is a tipping point where the same thing happens. Whether it's negative weight, neutral weight, less than optimum or optimum, I don't want to dance with less than recommended. The video may well be selling a product and using negative tongue weight to prove their point. For us on this forum in the real world, there is a range which we should strive to maintain. That is the value of the video for us, not so much whether we are going to buy a product based on marketing which is not applicable to our situation and common sense. Don't miss the point being made. extrapolate backwards and spread the word: tongue weight is good, America!

Exactly. This is what i was getting at from the beginning. It was simply a warning to ensure you have proper tongue weight. Not to delve into the minuta of how its not a TT, axle location, etc. I couldn't have said it any better. Thanks my fellow Pennsylvanian! 🙂

[mosseater]

hohenwald48 wrote:

mosseater wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:
Don't forget this video was designed to sell something and doesn't nesessiarly display a real world situation. I doubt anyone actually tows with negative tongue weight.

Doesn't have to be negative tongue weight. If you're not in the recommended proportion of tongue weight to trailer weight, this can happen. I witnessed this first hand on a landscaping trailer hauling a mini excavator. The unit was parked only slightly forward of center axle and still it almost upset the rig at 25 mph! The perfect storm can crop up no matter what your set up is. Best to optimize it and use a good hitch. Can't cheat physics.

But the video is a demonstration of negative tongue weight so that's what the video is about. The discussion is about something other than what the video demonstrates. I fail to see how the video is helpful since it has no application in the real world. I have never seen or heard of anyone trying to tow with negative tongue weight.

I won't discount what you're saying. I agree with the conclusion. The point is, somewhere between optimum and negative is a tipping point where the same thing happens. Whether it's negative weight, neutral weight, less than optimum or optimum, I don't want to dance with less than recommended. The video may well be selling a product and using negative tongue weight to prove their point. For us on this forum in the real world, there is a range which we should strive to maintain. That is the value of the video for us, not so much whether we are going to buy a product based on marketing which is not applicable to our situation and common sense. Don't miss the point being made. extrapolate backwards and spread the word: tongue weight is good, America!

[Hannibal]

I found out many years ago with my dad and his boat trailer that his is very real and applies to real world towing. He moved his boat back on the trailer by moving the winch back so he could lift the tongue by hand. All fine and dandy towing back and forth to the boat ramps. First trip on the interstate was interesting to say the least. We moved the winch back to it's original position and it towed straight with no sway.

[hohenwald48]

I've seen negative tongue weight on utility trailers but this is a TT forum. Never seen it on a TT.

I never said a light tongue would not cause sway. Just that the video is a gross exaggeration for the purpose of selling a product and is totally unrealistic in the TT world.

[GrandpaKip]

Not too long ago, I came up on a fellow towing a small trailer with a lawn tractor aboard. We were on I40 just outside of Asheville. The trailer started swaying as I approached, so I backed off. He would hit the brakes, the sway would stop, then he'd speed up and the sway would start again. I finally got a chance to get around the doodlehead. As I passed, I saw the problem. Almost all of the mower was behind the axle.
If he didn't have a negative tongue weight, it sure had to be close.

[hohenwald48]

mosseater wrote:

hohenwald48 wrote:
Don't forget this video was designed to sell something and doesn't nesessiarly display a real world situation. I doubt anyone actually tows with negative tongue weight.

Doesn't have to be negative tongue weight. If you're not in the recommended proportion of tongue weight to trailer weight, this can happen. I witnessed this first hand on a landscaping trailer hauling a mini excavator. The unit was parked only slightly forward of center axle and still it almost upset the rig at 25 mph! The perfect storm can crop up no matter what your set up is. Best to optimize it and use a good hitch. Can't cheat physics.

But the video is a demonstration of negative tongue weight so that's what the video is about. The discussion is about something other than what the video demonstrates. I fail to see how the video is helpful since it has no application in the real world. I have never seen or heard of anyone trying to tow with negative tongue weight.

[mosseater]

hohenwald48 wrote:
Don't forget this video was designed to sell something and doesn't nesessiarly display a real world situation. I doubt anyone actually tows with negative tongue weight.

Doesn't have to be negative tongue weight. If you're not in the recommended proportion of tongue weight to trailer weight, this can happen. I witnessed this first hand on a landscaping trailer hauling a mini excavator. The unit was parked only slightly forward of center axle and still it almost upset the rig at 25 mph! The perfect storm can crop up no matter what your set up is. Best to optimize it and use a good hitch. Can't cheat physics.

[the_happiestcam]

Yeah, that's why I quit towing with a Mustang

[nickthehunter]

Camper G wrote:
Thanks. To me it really shows not just the importance of proper tongue weight, but also what can happen if your towing at or over your limits and you encounter a big gust of wind or have to perform an emergency maneuver.

Amazing how quickly the tail can wag that dog . I had never seen that video before a few days ago and i really liked it too

Really? Maybe you could explain to me how this video "shows" anything about "towing at your limits".
The only thing this video "shows", is all about tongue weight.

[Sandia_Man]

Good video and makes a valid point albeit extreme since towable RVs won't be so poorly designed.

[hohenwald48]

Don't forget this video was designed to sell something and doesn't nesessiarly display a real world situation. I doubt anyone actually tows with negative tongue weight.

[Captain_Happy]

THis video gets posted about every 2 to 3 months. Still interesting. But I'd like to see what might happen if he moves the axle back to where it's should be located.

[Bears_Den]

Good video, never saw it before.

[Bucky_Badger]

While it is mostly true, i'd like to see him move the axle back a bit and then do it just to see the difference. I know my axle isn't in the center of my TT