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tongue weight

To those about to read this, don't take it too seriously. I understand the safety guidelines out there, and I don't recommend anyone do differently. This is simply a little debate, and is not directed at anyone. I just want others input.

So I was having a friendly argument with someone today, and some good points were brought up. It was about tongue weight, and I'll come right out and say it, I think it is over rated. Why? It has been my experience that it really doesn't matter as much as many will have you believe. The recommendation I often see is 10% of the total weight as a minimum, and usually 15% is best. I see two problems with this. One, I don't think you can just put a number one something like this and cover all trailers, and all trucks. A ford explorer towing a boat is going to handle different than a chevy 3500 with a flat bed with 6 tons on it. I've had loads with next to no tongue weight that pulled fine, and I've had loads with a lot of tongue weight pull terribly. I don't think the answer has to do with scales, or percentages. There are people out there that honestly go out there with a scale, and will balance a load exactly. The guy I was arguing with will only tow with 15% tongue weight. I don't remember the exact numbers but the boat was around 1000 pounds, so he had about 150 pounds of tongue weight. IMO, that is not a good choice. My experience tells me the same boat with about 50 pounds of tongue weight will not sway, and handle better. The argument started when I told him I towed a full size car home on a heavy duty car trailer (over 1000 itself) with the explorer. He just couldn't understand how I was able to do it. A load like that should have close to 750 pounds of tongue weight in his mind, and the explorer would not handle that well without a weight distributing hitch. I told him I had closer to 300 pounds, and it towed fine. I drove 15 miles home driving 55, and never had it sway. He just couldn't wrap his mind around it, as it wasn't even close to 10% of the total weight. At that point I brought up the fact that I never weigh trailers unless I'm at the scrap yard, and I never calculate tongue weight. I just pick up the tongue by hand, and I can tell if its ok. In the case of towing cars, I just watch how it sags the rear end of the truck. If it sways (hasn't happened to me in a long time) I move weight forward. Its not rocket science, and I don't understand why so many people want to make it that way. I also don't get how anyone can just use 10% as the magic number.

Disagree, or agree with me, I want to hear what you all have to say.
 



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You don't see how you can "put a number on something like that".
Having a 10-15% rule-of-thumb is not "putting a number on something". Putting a number on something would be what your friend is doing, refusing to tow anything below or over 15%. The 10-15% RANGE is a widely accepted range, which in most cases will avoid excessive sway (from too little TW), and excessive loading to the tow vehicle (too much TW).

In my opinion, you and your friend are both wrong. Your friend is being a bit too picky, criticizing your for not having exactly 15% on the ball. 10% is a perfectly acceptable amount of TW, based on the accepted standard. But you are wrong for not knowing what you are towing. Just doing things by feel has gotten a lot of people in trouble.

For example, from the numbers given, it sounds like you were towing about 5000 lbs of loaded trailer, since 15% of 5000 is 750 (your friends recommendation/requirement). You were just find towing a few miles at no more than 55mph.

But that's likely a speed threshold that won't get any sway anyway. What if you towed the same thing next time, but over a longer distance. You may have false-confidence based on the short trip. Get on a downhill run and accidently get up to 65-70, then find out the hard way that you under-loading has created a major stability problem that you can't handle.

For short trips (like when you first purchase a trailer locally and need to bring it home), many people will bend some rules, knowing they are driving well under speed limits and short distances. But your line of thinking (IMO) is not to be followed for someone prepping a rig to tow regularly/repeatedly. Going under this standard greatly increases risk.
 






I agree with the above statements. As a 3rd party it seems you both agree with each other and disagree with 2stroke's friend. 2stroke's buddy says there is a minmum cut and dried which we all disagree with saying that is always the case even if "when you first purchase a trailer locally and need to bring it home".

2stroke is saying that the weight number isn't as important as the stability and he will move the weight according after he monitors it with a short tow if he estimate is incorrect. And understands that a non-perfect load needs extra caution.

brakeman is saying you should start with the rule of thumb or industry standard for numbers keeping in mind conditions. like speed and distance.

Too me it sounds like you agree except 2stroke doesn't know the weight and eyeballs then tests. And Brakeman calulates the load because he has the approx weight of objects towed.


One thing I will add is that tongue weight is the stability of the trailer being towed. Things like weather (wind), tow angle, tow vehicle (size), and tongue length can affect this also. If you are towing a 1000lb boat with a F250 diesel you may not notice a wiggle even though it might be slightly unstable. Tow the same boat with an exploder and the slight wiggle might move the ex around because it is smaller and the springs are softer. The boat is the same but the tow vehicle reacts different. Also dual axle trailers react different than single axles.
 






Both you and your friend are providing a lot of misinformation, IMO, and instead of trying to dissect each separately (not even sure where to start), I will just add that I hope you guys discussed something other than tw because there is much more involved in towing than some magic tw # or the right/wrong "feel" or "eyeballing" of how the rig is set up.
 






I agree with the above statements. As a 3rd party it seems you both agree with each other and disagree with 2stroke's friend. 2stroke's buddy says there is a minmum cut and dried which we all disagree with saying that is always the case even if "when you first purchase a trailer locally and need to bring it home".

2stroke is saying that the weight number isn't as important as the stability and he will move the weight according after he monitors it with a short tow if he estimate is incorrect. And understands that a non-perfect load needs extra caution.
...
I don't know...
2stroke said he was towing that car-hauler, having checked the TW only by hand (!) and estimated it at only 300 lbs. From what I read, that thing was loaded to 5000 lbs, which means only 6% TW (estimated by hand!?). I definitely do not agree with that plan.
 






Yes there is a huge difference between a moderate trip of 5-100 miles or so, and a long distance trip. My main point was towing does not need to be a science. Yes I start by checking the TW by hand. Its either good or not good. You don't need to bring out a scale for the loads I tow, or anything you should be hooking to an explorer. I will say I don't think 15% of the weight on the tongue is a good idea. Maybe not that bad with the right tow vehicle, but not necessary for most load the average person tows. In my experience, moderate loads (up to maybe 4,000 pounds), single axle, low center of gravity, 5%-10% would be a more accurate range. With around 300 pounds on the ball towing my car with my explorer, it towed fine. You shouldn't be towing loads like that far with an explorer anyway, but the short tip was fine. Had I put the full 750 pounds on the rear end of the truck, I would have been in for real trouble. The 20 year old leaf springs would have sagged so much, it wouldn't have handled well at all. Don't look to seriously into this thread. I just wanted to pass some time, and what better way to get people fired up than to challenge the standards of towing.
 






not necessary...points made
 






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