Tongue weight calculator

Tongue weight is how hard the trailer presses down on the hitch. For a conventional ball-hitch trailer it should be 10–15% of the trailer's loaded weight; for a fifth wheel or gooseneck, 15–25%.

The math

Example: a 5,000-lb travel trailer should put 500–750 lbs on the hitch. Check that the top of that range is under both your hitch's tongue-weight rating and what is left of your payload after people and cargo. The Can I tow it? calculator does all of those checks at once.

Too light or too heavy

• Too light (under about 10%): the trailer is prone to sway, which can lead to loss of control. Move heavy cargo forward of the trailer axle.
• Too heavy: the rear of the tow vehicle squats, the front tires lose grip and steering and braking suffer. Move cargo back, or use a weight-distributing hitch if your vehicle's maker allows one.

How to measure it

The most accurate way is a tongue-weight scale under the coupler, or a truck scale: weigh the tow vehicle with and without the trailer attached and take the difference on the rear axle. A bathroom scale works for small trailers if the coupler is at hitch height.