Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight
to measure because it affects the total or gross weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you
may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. And if you tow a trailer, you must add the
tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See Loading Your Vehicle
on page 4-30 for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
If you are using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A)
should weigh 10 to15 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B).
After you have loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the upper limit
for cold tires. You will find these numbers on the Tire
and Loading Information Label. See Loading Your
Vehicle on page 4-30. Then be sure you do not go over
the GVW limit for your vehicle, including the weight
of the trailer tongue.
4-39
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