Trailer suggestions for high millage

[SeniorCitizen]

I have pulled trailers for a good many years and have yet found a way to weight anything??? I have gone to the salvage yard and they weight the trailer and tow vehicle as a unit. So how would anyone know tongue weight?

Equipment needed:

1 or 2 bath scales
1 2x6 about 2 ft. long

If using 2 scales park them side by side about 6 inches apart. Nothing critical here.
Place 2x6 on top of scales that you placed under where the jack stand will rest.
Lower jack stand down on 2x6 somewhere in mid vicinity between the 2 scales.
Remove loaded trailer hitch from puck-um-up truck ball.
Raise the trailer hitch from ball hitch.
Read the 2 scales and add for the total.

Reverse the order to proceed with your daily adventures. Put the bath scales back where you found them.

 

[Ric]

Equipment needed:

1 or 2 bath scales
1 2x6 about 2 ft. long

If using 2 scales park them side by side about 6 inches apart. Nothing critical here.
Place 2x6 on top of scales that you placed under where the jack stand will rest.
Lower jack stand down on 2x6 somewhere in mid vicinity between the 2 scales.
Remove loaded trailer hitch from puck-um-up truck ball.
Raise the trailer hitch from ball hitch.
Read the 2 scales and add for the total.

Reverse the order to proceed with your daily adventures. Put the bath scales back where you found them.

Try one of these Sherline Trailer Tongue Weight Scale - 2,000-lb Capacity Sherline Tools 5780

 

[reynoldston]

OK I am sure everyone who owns a trailer but me weights there trailer tongue. I guess I am running on luck I don't lose my trailer. Personally I think just some common sense works here. You do need some tongue weight or your trailer will sway.

 

[Ric]

OK I am sure everyone who owns a trailer but me weights there trailer tongue. I guess I am running on luck I don't lose my trailer. Personally I think just some common sense works here. You do need some tongue weight or your trailer will sway.

It was you that ask, So how would anyone know tongue weight? I just gave you an answer and a link to a scale. The thing is if you make sure your trailer is level and your load is center you should have very little weight on the tongue and the trailer shouldn't wobble.

 

[reynoldston]

It was you that ask, So how would anyone know tongue weight? I just gave you an answer and a link to a scale. The thing is if you make sure your trailer is level and your load is center you should have very little weight on the tongue and the trailer shouldn't wobble.

I guess we disagree on tongue weight, Oh well. No sense me going any farther on this.

 

[exotion]

I figure I should be able to lift the tongue and move it. That's a sign of good balance. If the rear is to heavy it's way to easy to lift and will almost tip when lifted. If tongue is to heavy your back is going to hurt

 

[Ric]

I figure I should be able to lift the tongue and move it. That's a sign of good balance. If the rear is to heavy it's way to easy to lift and will almost tip when lifted. If tongue is to heavy your back is going to hurt

That's what I was told also. Basically your trailer should set level, your trailer your tongue weight should be about 10 percent of total trailer weight empty.That's what the manufactures say. Your tongue weight will increase when you add your load to the trailer.

 

[reynoldston]

That's what I was told also. Basically your trailer should set level, your trailer your tongue weight should be about 10 percent of total trailer weight empty.That's what the manufactures say. Your tongue weight will increase when you add your load to the trailer.

I know and understand what you are saying here. I am looking at it in the real world. Very few people have a way to weight their trailer load. It takes common sense. When I pick up a lawn tractor I make a judgment how heavy is it, I don't know the exact weight. Now when I load it I have to make another judgment call by balancing it over the axle to make sure I have enough tongue weight but not too much. Unloaded the trailer is level which helps with this call. There is a lot of different between a push mower and a 1500 lb. garden tractor how I load it. There are also times also when you have a load that its hard to get that good balance. Common sense You don't go down the highway 60MPH but go a slower speed on the back roads. Other common sense things tie your load down proper, look for hoods that can fly open, light weight things can fly off your trailer. When you are doing lawn service you know how to load your trailer and do it the same each time, when I pick up repairs no two loads are the same.

 

[exotion]

I know and understand what you are saying here. I am looking at it in the real world. Very few people have a way to weight their trailer load. It takes common sense. When I pick up a lawn tractor I make a judgment how heavy is it, I don't know the exact weight. Now when I load it I have to make another judgment call by balancing it over the axle to make sure I have enough tongue weight but not too much. Unloaded the trailer is level which helps with this call. There is a lot of different between a push mower and a 1500 lb. garden tractor how I load it. There are also times also when you have a load that its hard to get that good balance. Common sense You don't go down the highway 60MPH but go a slower speed on the back roads. Other common sense things tie your load down proper, look for hoods that can fly open, light weight things can fly off your trailer. When you've are doing lawn service you know how to load your trailer and do it the same each time, when I pick up repairs no two loads are the same.

I

When loading heavy things it's always better to have more weight on the tongue so tractors I back in and park with the engine on top of the axle and rear wheels on the tongue knowing the exact weight can be troublesome and a waste of time unless you have a light weight vehicle just balance best you can as long as your not waaaay off your fine

 

[Ric]

I

When loading heavy things it's always better to have more weight on the tongue so tractors I back in and park with the engine on top of the axle and rear wheels on the tongue knowing the exact weight can be troublesome and a waste of time unless you have a light weight vehicle just balance best you can as long as your not waaaay off your fine

How you load a trailer and what you load it with really depends on the physical size of the trailer and it's load ratings. In my case knowing the weights of every piece equipment makes a big difference in how and where it gets loaded and mounted and it shouldn't be a waste of time if you care about safety. Trucks have pull ratings as well as load ratings. Pulling with a light weight vehicle is fine as long as your pulling something within the vehicle's tongue weight and recommendations.