I Said Coolers.........<br /><br />I don't know about You Guys,...... I only haul Empty Coolers on the Way Home......<br />And,...... That's Only if the Fish aren't biting...............
Load your boat and weigh the tongue. 5 - 7% is not enough tongue weight. There have been dozens of posts on this topic and most long time towers and trailer manufacturers will advise 10 - 15%. The heavier the load the more important tongue weight becomes.
Tandems can take a bit of a lighter tongue weight...but I agree with previous posters that indicate going heavier is generally better...ESPECIALLY on a single axle trailer where tongue weight is generally far more critical. This of course assumes you have a tow vehicle that can handle the higher tongue weight. And as for the original question...I also agree that the weight includes the TOTAL weight of every last item being towed...boat, trailer, and everything IN the boat. Here's the recommendations I have always followed, and I've seen similar numbers in many sources: <br /><br />Single Axle<br /> 10% minimum/15% maximum<br /> <br />Tandem Axle<br /> 9% to 15%<br /> <br />Travel Trailer<br /> 11% to 12%<br /> <br />5th Wheel<br /> 15% to 25%
To determine proper tongue weight, total the package weight (boat with fuel/battery, motor with maximum horsepower, and trailer) and multiply it by 6% on single axles and 5% on tandem axle trailers. ShoreLand'r suggests that tongue weight may be acceptable in a 5-7% range.
What Ron said.<br /><br />5% on tandems, 7% on singles is the "standard" tongue load.<br /><br />However, the "add ons" must be loaded to balance the boat over the axle. Because there is usually more room in the stern that is where most of the add-on weight ends up, lightening the bow and the tongue.<br /><br />Since a light tongue is a lot more dangerous than a heavy tongue I usually recommend the 10-15% number for a carefully loaded single axle rig so that the carelessly loaded rig will still be safe.<br /><br />Poor loading has less effect on tandem trailers, so I stick with 7% on them except on really big, heavy rigs. Then go with 5% so that you don't overload the rear suspension on the tow vehicle.
Shorelander indicates 5-7% is a minimum "guideline". Anything lighter than that they indicate can cause sway. They also indicate that this figure applies up to 4000# after which they throw things to the wind and suggest whatever tows well. This is definitely not a one-size fits all situation.
How do I measure tongue weight? I assume I first have to measure the full weight of the boat with both the axle and jack on the scale? Guess I need to stop at a truck stop to do that?
After you find out the gross weight all you need is a bathroom scale. On level grouns set a 3ft 2x4 on two blocks 3ft apart. The height should be around the height of your reciever. Next put the scale on the center and lower the trailer on to the scale. Multiply the reading by 2 to get the tongue weight.<br /> Dead Eye
Depends on the load. Some bathroom scales go well over 250#. Put a small piece of plywood on the scale and set it under the tongue jack. Crank it down and measure the weight as the coupler lifts off the ball.
He's describing a method of weighing for example a 500 lb tongue weight when your scale only goes to 250. Here's a photo describing things better.<br /> http://www.rverscorner.com/articles/tongueweight.html <br />...they multiply by 3 in this example. If the trailer was centered on the board, they'd have to multiply scale reading by 2. It depends on where your scale and fulcrum are placed. Simple math really. For trailers with tongue weights below the capacity of your bathroom scale, there's no need for the pipes and boards...you can just set the tongue on the scale.<br /><br />Based on the same concept, I disagree with measuring tongue weight by setting the scale under the tongue jack. This is not an accurate reading because some tongue jacks can be mounted as far as 4 feet behind the coupler, others are mounted only a foot back. On a trailer where your axle is 12 feet back from the coupler and your tongue jack is 4 feet back, this would cause the weight at the tongue jack to read about 25% more than your true tongue weight, and you therefore run the risk of being too light in the tongue. The shorter your wheelbase, the less accurate the tongue jack measurement point becomes. <br /><br />Tongue weight needs to be taken at the coupler itself to be accurate.
When I did mine I put piece of plywood on the scale, put a jackstand on top of the wood, zeroed the scale, and placed it under the actual coupler, and cranked down the jack until the couplere was on the jackstand and the weight was on the scale. They go to about 300 lbs so you have to be careful!
