Hitch Dry Weight, Explained: What It Means and Why It Matters

Hitch dry weight is the vertical load a trailer places on the tow vehicle’s hitch when the trailer is empty at its factory “dry” (unloaded) weight. In other words, it’s the baseline tongue weight (for conventional/bumper-pull trailers) or pin weight (for fifth-wheels) before you add cargo, water, propane, batteries, or dealer-installed equipment. Understanding this figure helps shoppers compare trailers, but real-world towing decisions must be based on your loaded, measured hitch weight, which will be higher than the dry number.

What “Hitch Dry Weight” Means

Manufacturers often list “dry hitch weight,” “hitch dry weight,” or simply “dry tongue weight” alongside a trailer’s unloaded vehicle weight (UVW). This number reflects the downward force at the hitch point with the trailer in its as-built factory configuration and no user-added load. For fifth-wheels, the equivalent is “dry pin weight.” Because it’s measured with the trailer empty, it’s primarily a reference number—not the weight your tow vehicle will actually carry on the hitch once you load up.

What’s Included—and What Isn’t

Definitions vary by manufacturer, but “dry” generally means no cargo, no fresh/gray/black water, and no dealer-installed options. Some builders also exclude propane and battery weight from the dry figure, while others include them. Always check the brochure footnotes and the weight labels on the trailer for the definitions used.

The following list outlines common items that are often excluded from “hitch dry weight” unless the manufacturer states otherwise:

• Fresh, gray, and black water (especially impactful if tanks sit ahead of or behind the axles)
• Propane cylinders and fuel in them
• House batteries and battery boxes
• Dealer- or owner-installed options (awnings, solar panels, generators, bike racks)
• Cargo: food, gear, tools, clothing, and personal items
• Accessories and fluids added after delivery

Because these items shift weight and may sit forward or aft of the trailer axles, the actual hitch weight can change significantly from the dry figure—often increasing by hundreds of pounds.

Why It Matters for Towing Safety

Hitch weight counts against your tow vehicle’s payload and axle ratings and must stay within the hitch receiver’s rating. It also affects stability: too little tongue weight can cause sway, while too much can overload your rear axle and lighten the steering axle. A well-loaded trailer keeps hitch weight in a safe proportion to the trailer’s actual loaded weight.

These are typical target ranges used by many towing guides and technicians for properly loaded trailers:

• Conventional (bumper-pull) trailers: about 10–15% of the loaded trailer weight as tongue weight (12–15% is common; under 10% increases sway risk)
• Fifth-wheel trailers: about 15–25% of the loaded trailer weight as pin weight

Staying within these ranges helps maintain stability and ensures your tow vehicle, hitch, and tires operate within their rated limits.

How to Estimate and Measure Real Hitch Weight

Quick Estimate

As a planning shortcut, multiply your expected loaded trailer weight by the percentage range above. For example, a 7,000 lb loaded travel trailer at 13% suggests roughly 910 lb of tongue weight. Treat this as an estimate—measuring is better.

Measure on a Scale (most accurate)

The steps below explain how to measure actual hitch weight using public truck scales (e.g., a CAT Scale). This method works for both conventional and fifth-wheel setups. Perform the measurement without the weight-distribution hitch engaged (if equipped) to capture true tongue/pin weight.

1. Weigh the tow vehicle alone: record front axle, rear axle, and total (Weight A).
2. Hitch the trailer (do not tension the weight-distribution bars yet), then weigh again: record tow vehicle’s front axle, rear axle, and total (Weight B). The trailer axles can be on the scale, but you only need the truck numbers for this step.
3. Calculate hitch weight: subtract the tow vehicle’s total from Weight A from the tow vehicle’s total from Weight B. The difference is your actual tongue/pin weight.
4. If you use a weight-distribution hitch, hitch up normally, engage the bars, and weigh a third time (Weight C) to verify axle loads are within limits. Note: WDH redistributes load; it does not reduce actual tongue weight.

This process yields the real load your hitch and truck must carry. Compare results to your truck’s payload sticker, rear axle rating, tire ratings, and the hitch/receiver label (with and without WDH, as ratings often differ).

Common Pitfalls and Misconceptions

The following points highlight frequent misunderstandings that can lead to unsafe setups or overloaded tow vehicles.

• Relying on “dry” numbers: Dry hitch weight is a starting point, not your real-world figure.
• Ignoring payload: Hitch weight uses up payload capacity along with passengers, pets, and gear in the truck.
• Assuming a WDH reduces tongue weight: It shifts weight forward, improving axle balance, but the actual tongue weight doesn’t go away.
• Overlooking tank placement: Filling a forward fresh-water tank increases tongue weight; a rear tank can reduce it and affect stability.
• Not reweighing after changes: Adding batteries, a second propane cylinder, or front storage boxes can materially alter hitch weight.

Avoiding these traps helps ensure your combination remains within ratings and behaves predictably on the road.

Key Related Ratings and Terms

Understanding the broader vocabulary makes it easier to interpret spec sheets and labels.

• UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight): Trailer as built at factory; often excludes water, cargo, dealer options, and sometimes propane/battery.
• GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): Maximum allowable loaded weight for a single vehicle (truck or trailer).
• GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): Max weight on a given axle.
• GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating): Max combined weight of tow vehicle and trailer, fully loaded.
• GTW (Gross Trailer Weight): Actual weight of the loaded trailer.
• Payload (tow vehicle): Weight the truck can carry in and on itself, including passengers, cargo, and hitch weight.
• Hitch/receiver rating: Maximum vertical load and pull rating for your specific hitch. Often higher with a weight-distribution hitch than without.

These figures work together; staying under all of them—not just tow rating—is essential for a compliant, safe setup.

A Quick Example

A travel trailer lists 600 lb dry hitch weight and 5,500 lb UVW. You load 1,000 lb of gear and fill a forward-mounted fresh-water tank (300 lb). Your loaded trailer is roughly 6,800 lb. At 13%, the expected tongue weight is about 880 lb—hundreds above the dry figure. Your truck must have at least that much spare payload (after accounting for passengers and cargo) and a hitch rated for it.

Bottom Line

Hitch dry weight is the empty-trailer vertical load on the hitch—a useful comparison tool, but not the number you’ll tow with. Plan using realistic percentages and confirm your actual, loaded hitch weight on a scale. Then verify you’re within payload, axle, tire, and hitch ratings for a safe, stable towing experience.

Summary

Hitch dry weight is the baseline tongue/pin load measured with an empty trailer at its factory “dry” weight. It typically excludes water, cargo, and often propane/batteries, so real hitch weight is usually higher once loaded. Aim for about 10–15% tongue weight on conventional trailers (15–25% pin on fifth-wheels), measure on a scale, and ensure your tow vehicle’s payload, axle, and hitch ratings can accommodate the actual load.

What is the difference between hitch weight and dry weight?

Dry weight is the base weight of a trailer without liquids, cargo, or accessories, while hitch weight (also called tongue weight) is the downward force the trailer’s hitch places on the tow vehicle, representing about 10-15% of the total loaded weight. The dry weight is a static measure, whereas the hitch weight is a dynamic force that changes with the distribution of cargo inside the trailer and the addition of options like propane tanks or batteries, and can even change based on how you pack your gear.
 
Dry Weight

• Definition: The weight of the trailer as it leaves the factory, with no options, water, propane, batteries, or cargo. 
• Purpose: Provides a baseline weight to calculate a trailer’s total carrying capacity by adding expected consumables and gear. 
• Key Point: It is a manufacturer’s specification and is the starting point for estimating the trailer’s true weight when loaded. 

Hitch Weight (Tongue Weight) 

• Definition: The specific downward force exerted on the tow vehicle’s hitch by the trailer’s tongue or pin. 
• Calculation: It’s a percentage of the trailer’s total weight and varies based on where you load gear; placing cargo further forward increases hitch weight, while placing it over the axles or further back decreases it. 
• Purpose: Crucial for ensuring stability and safety; too little leaves the trailer prone to swaying, while too much stresses the tow vehicle’s suspension and hitch. 
• Key Point: The manufacturer’s listed hitch weight is usually the dry hitch weight and needs to be adjusted to account for your actual loaded weight. 

Key Difference & How to Use the Information

• Dry Weight: is the empty foundation of the trailer. 
• Hitch Weight: is the active force on your tow vehicle that changes with loading and stability. 
• Using Them Together: You must estimate the trailer’s loaded hitch weight (often 10-15% of the trailer’s loaded weight) to ensure it doesn’t exceed your tow vehicle’s payload or your trailer’s axle ratings and to maintain a stable and safe towing experience. 

Does RV dry weight include water?

Unloaded Vehicle Weight
Sometimes referred to as “Dry Weight,” UVW means the weight of an RV as built at the factory. The UVW, as used in Jayco product literature and other promotional materials, does not include cargo, fresh water, propane gas, occupants, options or dealer-installed accessories.

Do you add hitch weight to dry weight?

No, the published dry weight does not include the hitch weight, as it represents the trailer’s empty weight as it rolled off the factory floor, before any cargo or fluids are added. However, the hitch weight is an actual weight that is a component of the trailer’s total weight, and this portion of the weight is what is transferred to the tow vehicle’s hitch. 
Understanding Dry Weight

• Definition: Dry weight (also known as Unloaded Vehicle Weight or UVW) is the weight of the trailer when it leaves the factory, with no cargo, no water, and no propane. 
• What’s included: It represents the base weight of the trailer itself, including any factory-installed options. 

Understanding Hitch Weight

• Definition: Hitch weight (or tongue weight) is the amount of weight the trailer’s tongue places on the hitch of the tow vehicle. 
• Relationship to dry weight: While not included in the dry weight, the hitch weight is a portion of the trailer’s total weight that is transferred to the tow vehicle. 
• Dynamic nature: Hitch weight changes depending on how the trailer is loaded, with any cargo stored in front of the axles increasing the hitch weight. 

Key takeaway
You should never simply add the published dry weight and hitch weight to get the trailer’s total weight. Instead, remember that the hitch weight is a part of the overall weight that presses down on the tow vehicle, and this must be accounted for when calculating the total payload and towing capacity.

What does dry weight mean?

Dry weight refers to the weight of an object, organism, or substance with all of its water or fluid content removed. For patients, it’s their body weight without excess fluid, helping kidney doctors monitor health. For vehicles like RVs, it’s the weight of the standard vehicle and equipment without fluids, cargo, or passengers, which is crucial for determining load capacity. 
In Medicine

• Dry weight: for a person on dialysis is their weight when all extra body fluid has been removed. 
• This helps doctors avoid either fluid overload (which causes swelling, high blood pressure, and breathing problems) or dehydration. 
• Patients on dialysis are often monitored to ensure they reach and maintain their dry weight, as this is a critical factor in their treatment. 

For Vehicles and Equipment

• Dry weight: is the weight of the vehicle itself, including its standard components, but without any fuel, fluids, optional equipment, cargo, or passengers. 
• This definition is particularly important for fleet management and for determining a vehicle’s capacity to carry weight safely. 
• It is also known as Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW) in the case of RVs and trailers. 

Other Uses 

• Dry matter: in biology and agriculture refers to the weight of a plant or animal sample after all water has been removed, which helps in evaluating nutrient content and comparing different feeds on an equal basis.