Trailer Tongue Weight...

BigDog9721

Member
Jun 25, 2020
45
Brentwood, TN
Boat Info
'92 Sea Ray BR 200
Engines
MerCruiser 4.3L V6 262ci
I had my boat and trailer weighted today... 3440 lbs. What should be the tongue weight? 10% or 344 lbs or what? (that seems real heavy).
 
10-15%. Is the acceptable range. You need enough tongue weight or the trailer will handle poorly.
 
About 7% is what boat trailer manufacturers recommend (that 10-15% is for fifth wheel trailers). However, with a small boat, you can go higher with no problems since it's still a lighter weight. Better to be a bit higher than lower.

Question... If you weighed the rig, why not weigh the tongue weight while you were at it? You can do it at home with a bathroom scale - you just have to use a little 5th grade math. Just google for it - there's plenty of info out there on this and it will save my fingertips!
 
that was my next task.. to use a scale and put it under the front trailer wheel!
 
that was my next task.. to use a scale and put it under the front trailer wheel!
But... that won't tell you tongue weight. Balance the ball coupler on a 4x4 - cut to a height to equal what it would be on the truck.
 
Yes. if you put the scale under the trailer jack you will get an inaccurate number that will be heavier than the actual tongue weight. Yours will probably be under 300lbs so if you have a bathroom scale that goes to 300 then no geometry will be needed but like Lazy Daze said, if it's too heavy for the scale you are using then you need to create a 'lever' and do some math. Easy to find that info on Google
 
For a single axle trailer, the 10% rule is right on. It can be less for a tandem axle.
 
My truck manual said 200 to 350 lbs at 5 to 10% of the 4500 lb tow weight. I thought I was OK at 325 lbs as I had always heard that a heavier tongue made for a more stable trailer. I think I ended up with too much weight on rear truck axle as steering was a bit light. Next time boat is out of water on a less busy weekday, I will move hitch post back a couple inches. I had moved it forward to shorten the package in garage.

No math, put the receiver on a tall block on the scale and crank down the trailer jack till the scale is carrying the full weight the truck will receive.
 
What tow vehicle do you have? 325lbs is not really a lot of tongue weight unless you are hauling with a Jeep or something. Even then...
 
300lbs tongue weight should barely squat that if at all.
 
No math, put the receiver on a tall block on the scale and crank down the trailer jack till the scale is carrying the full weight the truck will receive.
Not all bathroom scales go high enough.
 

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