📋 Quick Facts
Time
Reference
Difficulty
Easy
Tools
1
Cost
$80 scale
Tongue weight (TW) is the static downward force a trailer puts on the hitch ball. It is what keeps the trailer steering through the truck instead of swinging like a pendulum. Get TW wrong and the trailer either sways at speed or overloads your rear axle.
⚠ Below 10% TW is dangerousIf tongue weight drops below 10% of trailer weight, the trailer can start to sway at highway speed - and once it starts, it gets worse fast. Cargo loaded too far aft is the most common cause. Fix it before you hit the highway, not after.
📝 Step-by-Step
- The 10-15% ruleFor bumper-pull trailers: tongue weight should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight. A 5,000 lb trailer should have 500-750 lb on the ball.
- Measure with a tongue scaleSherline and Weigh-Safe make tongue scales for $50-150. Place under the coupler at level. Read the gauge with the coupler at normal towing height.
- Measure with a bathroom scaleFree, slightly fiddly. Stack a brick or piece of pipe on a bathroom scale, lower the coupler onto it, and read - works up to ~300 lb. Above that, use a proper scale or CAT scale.
- Adjust by shifting cargoMove heavy items forward (toward the truck) to add tongue weight. Move them aft to reduce. Aim for the middle of the 10-15% range.
- Re-check after loadingTW changes with what you load. A trailer that was perfectly balanced empty can be 7% or 18% loaded. Measure both ways.
- Fifth-wheel pin weight is differentFifth-wheels and goosenecks use 15-25% pin weight instead of tongue weight. The load sits directly over the rear axle, so the truck handles it differently.
🔗 Related Towing Guides
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What if my tongue weight is too high?
Above 15% overloads the rear axle, lifts the front of the truck, ruins steering feel, and can exceed the hitch class rating. Shift cargo rearward in the trailer until you hit the 10-15% band.
Does a weight-distribution hitch change tongue weight?
No - it does not change actual TW, it transfers part of that load back to the front axle of the truck and forward on the trailer. The number on the scale is the same; the distribution is different. See /weight-distribution-hitch-explained.
How do I measure pin weight on a fifth-wheel?
Weigh the loaded trailer fully (with truck), then weigh the trailer alone. The difference is the pin weight transferred to the truck. Or use a CAT scale (~$12) with the trailer attached and detached.
Is tongue weight the same as hitch weight?
Yes - tongue weight, hitch weight, and TW all mean the same thing on a bumper-pull trailer.
My trailer manual lists a tongue weight - is that loaded or empty?
It is the EMPTY trailer tongue weight. Loaded TW depends entirely on how you load it. Always measure loaded.
What happens if I exceed my hitch's tongue weight rating?
You can bend or break the hitch receiver. Even short of that, you lose payload margin on the rear axle. Always pick the lowest of: receiver TW rating, ball mount TW rating, ball TW rating, and the truck's hitch TW rating.