Introduction
If you’re a seasoned trailer owner, you’re already aware of the importance of tongue weight – the amount of force the trailer’s tongue exerts on the hitch ball of your vehicle. It’s an essential factor in ensuring safer towing, greater stability, and smoother handling. But if you’re a newbie, you might be thinking, “What is tongue weight, and why does it matter?” In this article, we’ll explain how to measure tongue weight and why it’s crucial for your safety on the road.
5 Easy Steps to Measure Your Trailer’s Tongue Weight
The simplest and most accessible way to measure tongue weight at home is by using a smart weighing scale you might already have – your bathroom scale! This method is quick, easy, and inexpensive. Follow these steps:
- Park your tow vehicle and trailer on level ground. Make sure both are fully loaded, hitched, and ready to go – as if you’re about to start your journey.
- Place the scale parallel to and under the trailer’s tongue coupler. Put a thick board or large piece of plywood under the scale if you’re worried about damaging it.
- Lower the trailer tongue onto the scale. Make sure the scale is level to get accurate measurements.
- Read the scale reading. Ensure it’s zeroed out before you start. If the weight exceeds your scale’s limit, you may have to try another method.
- Multiply the scale’s reading by the distance from the ball coupler to the trailer’s axle. That’s your tongue weight in pounds.
Voilà! You’ve got your trailer tongue weight measurement, and you didn’t have to spend a dime on expensive measuring equipment.
The Importance of Knowing Your Trailer’s Tongue Weight: A Guide to Measuring it Right
It’s tempting to think that tongue weight is insignificant and that any weight will do. However, that attitude can lead to dangerous situations – such as swaying trailers that could cause accidents, instability, and damage to your vehicle.
Knowing your trailer’s tongue weight is critical in ensuring your safety, your passengers, and other road users. It helps you determine the appropriate hitch, weight distribution, and other equipment necessary to achieve stability, predictability, and smooth handling.
It’s best to measure your tongue weight using a smart scale or other measuring equipment. However, if you don’t have access to expensive gear. The bathroom scales are precise enough to give you a rough estimate of your trailer’s tongue weight. Make sure you multiply the results by the proper distance to receive a more accurate reading.
How to Use a Bathroom Scale to Determine Your Trailer’s Tongue Weight
Here’s a more detailed step-by-step breakdown on how to use a bathroom scale to determine your trailer’s tongue weight.
1. First and foremost, ensure you’re parked on a level surface. If your surface is slightly unlevel, take that into account and compensate for it as much as possible to keep the measurements as accurate as possible.
2. Next, prepare the bathroom scale and a piece of 2×6 board or a larger piece of plywood. Place it beneath the tongue jack and be sure it reaches the scale. By having the board or plywood universally located, you ensure that the scale won’t sink into any soft ground, and it also transfers the weight of the tongue jack across a wider area.
3. If the bathroom scale isn’t zeroed out, press the reset button to set it to zero. However, a professional scale is calibrated to determine weight accurately, so keep this in mind.
4. Proceed to crank the tongue jack down onto the board, which transfers the tongue weight onto the bathroom scale. Make sure to stand in a safe position while you lower the jack.
5. Once you see a measurement display in the weight range of your scale, your trailer’s tongue weight is being sensed by it. You can write down or store the measurements in your phone and move forward with loading your cargo trailer.
Bear in mind that this technique gives rough estimates, and you should always use proper measuring equipment for more accurate reading.
A Beginner’s Guide to Measuring Trailer Tongue Weight for Safe Towing
If you’re a beginner or don’t feel confident using a simple bathroom scale to measure tongue weight, you can always turn to other methods. Here are three alternative options:
1. Using a specialized scale
You can purchase specialized tongue weight scales that attach to your hitch ball’s top or plug into your vehicle’s OBD-II system. They’re more precise and designed to give accurate readings of your tongue weight, but come at a premium cost.
2. A suspension system upgrade
If your trailer’s suspension system is lacking or you don’t know its condition, upgrading it can improve stability and safety. It is ultimately also advisable to check the weight specification of your specific trailer model listing in its manual or speak to the manufacturer to determine the correct weight limits.
3. Hiring a professional to do it for you
If all else fails, you can always contact a dealer or mechanic to perform the tongue weight measurement for you.
Precision Matters: Various Tools and Techniques to Measure Tongue Weight
There are various types of tongue weight scales available. Here are some popular options:
Hanging Scales
They can handle weights up to 2,500 pounds and are relatively inexpensive. They’re hung from the hitch ball of your tow vehicle and are incredibly easy to use.
Pressure Gauges
They measure the air pressure in the airbags. However, as with the specialized scales, they are more expensive and require additional installation. Nonetheless, they provide a higher level of accuracy and are more reliable and durable.
Wheel/ Axle Scales
They weigh the entire trailer and calculate the tongue weight by subtracting the entire weight from that of the axle or wheel. They are the most expensive and bulkier set of tools on testing tongue weight in any location than a much smaller bathroom scale.
Get it Right: Common Mistakes to Avoid When Measuring Your Trailer’s Tongue Weight
Here are some common mistakes you must avoid when measuring your tongue weight:
- Unloading the trailer – It is advised to measure the tongue weight when the trailer is loaded as per your travel necessities, to ensure weight distribution and capacity.
- Asking two people to do it- It is necessary to ensure that you are not relying on someone else for measuring the tongue weight. Always do it alone.
- Compensating for excess weight – It is always recommended to distribute weight adequately across your trailer and tow vehicle. Do not compensate for excess weight in one region as this could cause the load to be insecure and add unnecessary strain to your towing capacity.
Conclusion
Measuring your trailer’s tongue weight should be a crucial aspect whenever you tow your trailer to ensure safe transportation. Regardless if you purchase expensive equipment or use the simple bathroom scale method, always remember to measure the tongue weight with the hitch attached to your vehicle or get a written Warranty for exact measurements done for hired trailer loads. By following the simple methods we have discussed, you can ensure safer, smoother, and more efficient towing experiences.
