Tongue weight

IIRC, about 10% of the total gross weight should bear on the hitch, with
the maximum being about 15%.

Less than 10% can begin to induce "tail wagging", which can amplify until
it sweeps the tow vehicle off the road (or at least out of its lane).

LLoyd

10 to 15 % trailer weight on the tongue. On a 1500 lb class trailer,
150 lb on the hitch.  MY rule of thumb is no less than 75 lb on the
tongue, regardless how light the trailer.

On 7/1/2012 7:21 PM, clare@snyder.on.ca wrote:

7500 pounds on my trailer.  750 to 1125 pounds tongue weight.

Goota remember, particularly with boats, that the static tongue weight
and the running tongue weight are not always the same. A boat can lift
significantly at speed, particularly if the hitch is higher than it
should be.

clare@snyder.on.ca fired this volley in


So long as it is hitched level, it shouldn't lift if the bottom is curved,
and the top is (semi) flat.  It should add tongue weight as speed
increases.

But level is the trick.  If it's sloped uphill, all bets are off.

LLoyd

 clare@snyder.on.ca wrote:


...but a drop hitch adapter isn't expensive. So it's just stooopid to
run the tongue higher than it should be on anything you own. Crap you
just bought or are moving a short distance for a friend, OK, perhaps,
but any trailer/tow vehicle combination you actually own should have the
right drop adapter in the bag.... Heck, I even was able to find a USA
made one for a reasonable price (not at Walmart, of course.)

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away.

On Sun, 01 Jul 2012 20:53:03 -0500, "Lloyd E. Sponenburgh"
<lloydspinsidemindspring.com> wrote:


It better be level for a two axle trailer, like for my bay boat.  Got
to replace all the tires 2/3 of the way through a 1500 mile tow
because of that.  One of the nuts spun, too.  That's fun on the road.
Nut was too soft for nut splitter, resorted to cold chisel and big
hammer.  Replaced the studs.  This was in Lake Charles, LA.

On the curve, the manufacturer warned me on a light canoe trailer to
always tow with the canoe upright if highway speeds.  Otherwise, he
said you could be pulling a kite.

Luckily, I moved to Texas, so most tows under 50 miles, except for 200
for the little trailer with kayaks aboard, or occasionally the same
with the jon boat.  I really like the wheel bearings running in oil on
that trailer.  When I replace the axles on the big trailer, that's
what I'll be shopping for.

Pete Keillor

Ten percent of gross trailer weight on tongue is the standard.

i

Ignoramus29868 used his keyboard to write :

If you can JUST lift it on then it's about right is my simple rule.

--
John G