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Weight on Trailer Tongue
The allowable personal cargo must be distributed in your trailer in such a manner that the Gross
Axle Weight Rating GAWR and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating GVWR are not exceeded.
To determine this, it is necessary to load all of your allowable personal cargo.
Place the unhitched trailer axle on a scale. If the weight on the axle exceeds the axle system GAWR
then some of the personal cargo must be redistributed forward in order to place some of this
weight on the tongue, or simply removed.
The tongue weight should be in between 10% and 15% of the trailer’s total weight, and must not
exceed the tow vehicle or the hitch maximum weight rating. To determine tongue load, unhitch
tow vehicle and place the tongue hitch post on a scale. The trailer must be properly loaded as
determined above, with your allowable personal cargo.
Use a scale, such as a bathroom scale, that has a higher weight limit than your tongue load, to
check tongue weight or see sections Weight Distribution and Specifications.
NOTE: Be sure trailer is level when you read scales.
Weighing of Travel Trailer
Since a trailer adds to the load on your tow vehicle’s tires, it is crucial to properly weigh towed
vehicles. A travel trailer should first be weighed with the tongue, while detached from the pulling
vehicle. For safe operation, the actual weight of the trailer must be less than or equal to the
GVWR, otherwise contents must be removed until the weight is within maximum GVWR
limitations. The weight of the attached trailer, excluding the towing vehicle, must also be
determined. This will give you the axle weight. If you subtract this weight from the GVWR, you
will obtain the tongue weight which should be between 10 and 15% of the total weight. The
weight of the attached trailer must also be determined, without the tow vehicle. Each wheel
should be weighed while still attached to the towing vehicle, including the tow vehicle wheels to
check for overload.
If you determine that the loads on your trailer’s tires are uneven, the actual weight of the trailer
on each tire must be less than or equal to its maximum load capacity of each tire for safe
operation, otherwise contents must be removed until the weight is within maximum load
limitations.
Coupling
For ALTO R1713, R1723 and F1743, the top of the 2″ hitch ball should be about 17 inches (43 cm)
from the ground if ALTO is equipped with 13-inch wheels.
For ALTO F2114, A2124 and F2414, the top of the 2″ hitch ball should be about 21 inches (53 cm)
from the ground.
If you plan long trips with the trailer heavily loaded, you should check your trailer after loading to
determine the optimum height. To check, park the trailer on a level surface and crank the front
jack up or down until the measurement from the frame to the ground is the same front and rear.
Measure from the ground to the upper surface of the hitch ball coupler. Add one inch (2.5 cm) to
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