A New Year's Resolution - Suggestion

[Donna D.]

I wanna lose weight, I wanna exercise more... etc., etc., etc.

I purpose those that have NEVER had their trailers weighed... loaded for camping...

I mean really, does what the "Jones" own/tow really matter when it's really all about YOU?

I know what my trailer weighs, what the hitch weight is... what about you?

[BAMA & Pachyderm Posse]

nope but i will make my #1 New Year's Resolution

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by BAMA & Pachyderm Posse

nope but i will make my #1 New Year's Resolution

[Jon Vermilye]

The first stop on every trip is to our local dump (oops, make that local transfer station) scale. As long as you don't need a certified printout of the weight, it's free. While I don't have an actual tongue scale, I use a bathroom scale to check tongue weight before I leave.

I also stop an any closed weigh station scales along the way to check for "additions". Unfortunately, here in the east, most closed weight stations also shut down their scale readouts...

[kootenaigirl]

I love stopping at weigh stations to check my trailer weight when I have it out. My husband doesn't share my keenness however and tries to drive past them quickly without me seeing and to do both the total weight and tongue weight takes major powers of persuasion!

[Jim Bennett]

Well, I do watch the weight under my belt. I should be more aware of the weight of my trailer.

All I have ever done is weight the tongue to make sure it is okay. I know that I pack my trailer WAY lighter than the average Escape 19 owner, so though I don't know what that weight is, I do know I am okay.

But, you are right, Donna. I really should check it out someday soon.

[Jared J]

No idea. I might check out of curiosity, but it's really irrelevant. The lazy side will probably end up winning.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Hey, that reminds me of a question. If I know the tongue weight and I have just the trailer on a scale, is the total weight going to be the readout plus the tongue weight? Or does the tongue weight also show up in the readout?

And a question we argued about on my sailboat forum- for tongue weight, does the scale need to be at tongue height or can it be on the ground so that you are really weighing the jack stand (or wheel) weight? (I know the tongue itself has to be at hitch height.)

[Jim Bennett]

Bobbie, the hitch weight would not be included in your scenario, if only the trailer is on the scales.

As long as the tongue is sitting at travel height, the scale can be on the ground under the jack. As you mention, the tongue should not be dropped to the ground, or the reading would be off (higher) a little bit.

[Bobbie Mayer]

So if the trailer weight (on the scales) x and the hitch weight is y, is the towing weight x or x+y? I'm assuming the latter (weight of the trailer if not hitched up) is the towing weight.

[Jared J]

The tongue weight is part of the trailer weight.

Whatever your trailer weighs, that's what you're towing.

Tongue weight only has to do with how much of the trailer weight is putting a downforce (hopefully!) on your vehicle.