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.
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.