Proper Tongue Weight

[Steve Curren]

Brian, I was not able to get a good tongue reading because the scale I have won't read from the middle and I had the wheel on one side and I am not sure it was accurate. Also Martyn has it right, I want the total empty weight of the trailer and I am also wondering how much additional weight I have added to my Jeep, poor thing.

 

[Skylinerider]

Go hit up a truck stop, most have weight scales, usually will cost around 8 bucks, some will charge up to $15. Or go to a scrap yard/recycling facility they generally have scales too.

 

[Martyn]

Brian, I was not able to get a good tongue reading because the scale I have won't read from the middle and I had the wheel on one side and I am not sure it was accurate. Also Martyn has it right, I want the total empty weight of the trailer and I am also wondering how much additional weight I have added to my Jeep, poor thing.

Steve

From a practical point of view you will also need a loaded weight so you can insure you have enough tongue weight when you are fully loaded for a trip. You can either do this by taking a loaded trailer over the scales, detached from the vehicle, or weigh each item that you place into the empty trailer. Don't forget the water and fuel.

Gasoline weighs 6.25 lb per gallon
Water weighs 8.35 lb per gallon

 

[Steve Curren]

Martyn, Just got out of the garage and I added the rest of the camping gear and am only lacking water, 5 gallons of gas, items in the Engle and a bit of ice for the gin & tonic. I thought that it would be easier to subtract than add to the empty weight.
Thanks,
Steve

 

[Photog]

Brian, I was not able to get a good tongue reading because the scale I have won't read from the middle and I had the wheel on one side and I am not sure it was accurate. Also Martyn has it right, I want the total empty weight of the trailer and I am also wondering how much additional weight I have added to my Jeep, poor thing.

Well, I know you won't be able to measure the total weight with a bathroom scale; but once you know the total weight, you should have no trouble measuring tongue weight.

Buy a cheap scale at WalMart. Cut a piece of plywood to fit the top of your scale (distributes the load across the scale). Cut a 4x4 board to the length that matches the ball height of your Jeep's tow hitch. Place the 4X4, on end, on top of the scale, and lower the trailer tongue onto the 4X4. You could make the 4X4 fancy, by boring a hole in the end, and placing a trailer ball in it. (Don't forget to "zero" the scale, before lowering the trailer tongue onto the scale. It works great.!:jumping:

 

[Steve Curren]

Thanks, I am going close to Wal-Mart tomorrow on the way to weigh and I will get a cheapie scale that fits what you have described.. A lot cheaper than the $100 I was looking at for a tongue weight scale online...
Sure is nice having people who know stuff, makes it easier to get things done as well as new ideas to old problems..

 

[BoxCar]

What he said.

 

[Steve Curren]

Just got back from the scale place and what a surprise.. Both Jeep and Chaser, minus water, weighed in at 6660 pounds, what a tongue weight it's gonna be. :gunt:

 

[762X39]

Be careful, it is the weight of the trailer only you are interested in when checking tongue weight. The weight of the vehicle doesn't have anything to do with tongue weight.

 

[Steve Curren]

Roger that, according to the scale operator the trailer was @1480 w/o water, gin and food..
Thanks for the heads up..

 

[ntsqd]

Careful with the Gin, that's what will trip you up. <-sarcasm
:sombrero:

I have a device, that while not ideal specifically for tongue weight, does yield usable weights on tires and could be used to get tongue weight. I tried to find a picture of it on the net with no success, so I'll try to describe it.

Picture a square steel tube pedestal with two opposing ears welded on it's top extending above the top of the tube by an inch or so. Then there's a same sized steel tube "beam" that pivots on a bolt stuck through those ears. One end has a little tab welded to it that engages whatever it is to be lifted. The other end has a 1/2" square socket in it and the length of the beam results in a 10:1 ratio between the two sides when a beam type torque wrench is fitted to the socket.
Note that the pedestal is adjustable in height so that the beam stays slightly higher than level when at rest.

In use the tire or tongue is lifted off the ground by pushing down on the torque wrench's handle, a piece of paper is slid under the tire or landing foot/tongue jack, and then the tire or tongue is lowered to the ground. A helper lightly pulls on the paper as you push down on the wrench handle. When the paper slides out you note the 'torque' indicated. Multiply that number by 10 and you have the weight on that tire or tongue.

 

[Photog]

Roger that, according to the scale operator the trailer was @1480 w/o water, gin and food..
Thanks for the heads up..

Was that the weight of the trailer, after you disconnected it from your jeep? Or was your jeep still holding up the tongue of the trailer? If it was still hooked to the jeep, you didn't get an accurate trailer weight, as part of the weight was being supported by the jeep, and not the scales.

 

[Jay S.]

Brian (Photog)

What size tires are those in your signature?????

 

[Photog]

Brian (Photog)

What size tires are those in your signature?????

Well.......

It says 275/79R17. I must have "fat fingered" the keyboard again.

They are actually 275/70R17.

I will correct it. :Mechanic:
Thanks.

 

[Steve Curren]

Too true, I was talked into just having the Jeep first and then the whole match on the scale. I am headed back to have the Jeep done alone, thanks for waking me up. I did manage to jury rig a scale for the tongue and I came up with a whopping 325 pounds, got me wondering.
Thanks once again to all..