measuring tongue weight?
12-18-2004, 10:16 PM
#12
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Re: measuring tongue weight?
No prob, glad to help. I am newbe here and have learned TONS from the folks here and on the off chance I can contribute ....I always like to give something back. As you know tongue weight has huge effect on the towing performance and safety of your stuff. I have a buddy that bought a brand new 18 foot maxium and it was so hosed up I would not tow it above 20 mph and he had to battle like crazy with the dealer to adjust the trailer. It literally had like 20lbs tongue weight. Dealer kept insisting that it was a "package" and the factory knew what they were doing.
12-19-2004, 08:28 AM
#13
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Re: measuring tongue weight?
Ref;
http://www.classicmfg.com/manual3.htm
Text:
* Raise the tongue of the trailer with the jack.
* Place a bathroom scale on the ground, directly below the coupler.
* Place a strong block support (such as a cement block) on the scale - note the scale reading for the weight of the block support.
* Lower the tongue until the coupler rests on the block support and the jack is 1/2 inch above the ground.
* The scale reading, minus the weight of the block support is the tongue weight.
* If the tongue weight exceeds the capacity of a bathroom scale, you can use "leverage" to divide the tongue weight between the bathroom scale and another support (see "Checking Tongue Weight" figure).
o Raise the tongue of the trailer with the jack.
o Arrange a brick, 2 x 4 (or 4 x 4) board, bathroom scale and pipes as shown in "Checking Tongue Weight" figure. The brick should be about the same thickness as the bathroom scale.
o Leave a 3 foot distance between the pipes, and place the coupler about 2 feet from the pipe on the bathroom scale.
o Place a strong block support (such as a cement block) on the board. Note the weight indicated on the scale.
o Lower the tongue until the coupler rests on the block support and the jack is 1/2 inch above the ground.
o Subtract the scale reading with the block and board alone from the scale reading with the trailer on the block. Multiply the result by 3 to get the actual tongue weight.
EXAMPLE:
* Scale reading with block and board alone = 10 lbs.
* Scale reading with trailer coupler resting on board = 50 lbs.
* Actual tongue weight: (50-10) x 3 = 120 lbs.
The tongue weight can also be checked at an axle weighing scale.
Pic
http://www.classicmfg.com/manual3.htm
Text:
* Raise the tongue of the trailer with the jack.
* Place a bathroom scale on the ground, directly below the coupler.
* Place a strong block support (such as a cement block) on the scale - note the scale reading for the weight of the block support.
* Lower the tongue until the coupler rests on the block support and the jack is 1/2 inch above the ground.
* The scale reading, minus the weight of the block support is the tongue weight.
* If the tongue weight exceeds the capacity of a bathroom scale, you can use "leverage" to divide the tongue weight between the bathroom scale and another support (see "Checking Tongue Weight" figure).
o Raise the tongue of the trailer with the jack.
o Arrange a brick, 2 x 4 (or 4 x 4) board, bathroom scale and pipes as shown in "Checking Tongue Weight" figure. The brick should be about the same thickness as the bathroom scale.
o Leave a 3 foot distance between the pipes, and place the coupler about 2 feet from the pipe on the bathroom scale.
o Place a strong block support (such as a cement block) on the board. Note the weight indicated on the scale.
o Lower the tongue until the coupler rests on the block support and the jack is 1/2 inch above the ground.
o Subtract the scale reading with the block and board alone from the scale reading with the trailer on the block. Multiply the result by 3 to get the actual tongue weight.
EXAMPLE:
* Scale reading with block and board alone = 10 lbs.
* Scale reading with trailer coupler resting on board = 50 lbs.
* Actual tongue weight: (50-10) x 3 = 120 lbs.
The tongue weight can also be checked at an axle weighing scale.
Pic
Last edited by GLH; 12-19-2004 at 08:35 AM.
12-19-2004, 05:43 PM
#14
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Location: Holland MI
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Re: measuring tongue weight?
That's basically the setup we use for verifying/updating aircraft weight for the weight-and-balance sheet, which is required in every aircraft. There may be someone at the local airport that can help you with that, such as an EAA chapter.
12-19-2004, 08:02 PM
#15
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Re: measuring tongue weight?
Of course once you have your tongue weight you need to be sure of the total trailer weight.
When I got my boat 4 years ago it would drag the rear bumper of my HD2500. I went down to truck weight place 7 weighted 3 times, out of fuel, full of fuel & just tongue. After I had weighed I learned the scale I had used was divided into 3 diferent sections so when they weigh an 18 wheeler they can get the weight on each group of axles. If I would have known that before I started I could have save the trouble of the last weighing. My trailer had aprox. 2000 lbs of tongue weight. Moved boat back & now about 800lbs.
When I got my boat 4 years ago it would drag the rear bumper of my HD2500. I went down to truck weight place 7 weighted 3 times, out of fuel, full of fuel & just tongue. After I had weighed I learned the scale I had used was divided into 3 diferent sections so when they weigh an 18 wheeler they can get the weight on each group of axles. If I would have known that before I started I could have save the trouble of the last weighing. My trailer had aprox. 2000 lbs of tongue weight. Moved boat back & now about 800lbs.
