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
will 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”
in
the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A
B
If
you’re using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A)
should weigh
10
percent of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B).
If
you
have a weight-distributing
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A)
should weigh
12
percent of
the total loaded trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see
if
the weights are
proper.
If
they aren’t, 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
limit
for
cold tires. You’ll find these numbers
on
the Certification
label at the rear edge
of
the driver’s door lock pillar or
see
“Tire
Loading”
in
the
Index.
Then be
sure
you don’t
go
over the
GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the
weight
of
the trailer tongue.
4-50
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