What Should Tongue Weight Be on a Trailer?

For most bumper-pull trailers, tongue weight should be 10–15% of the trailer’s actual loaded weight; for gooseneck and fifth-wheel setups, aim for 15–25% of loaded weight. Staying within your tow vehicle and hitch ratings is essential to avoid sway, maintain steering and braking stability, and prevent component failures.

Why Tongue Weight Matters

Tongue weight—the downward force the trailer exerts on the hitch—directly affects stability. Too light and the trailer can sway; too heavy and the tow vehicle’s rear sags, lightening the front axle and compromising steering, braking, and headlight aim. Correct tongue (or pin) weight helps keep the rig composed in crosswinds, during evasive maneuvers, and under braking.

Recommended Tongue/Pin Weight Ranges by Trailer Type

The following guidelines reflect widely accepted practices across the towing industry; always follow your trailer and vehicle manufacturer specifications first.

• Conventional bumper-pull (utility, cargo, travel): 10–15% of the trailer’s actual loaded weight (also called GTW).
• Boat trailers: typically 7–12% to account for stern-heavy engine placement; if sway occurs, move toward the higher end or manufacturer guidance.
• Gooseneck equipment/stock trailers: about 15–20% of loaded weight.
• Fifth-wheel RVs: typically 20–25% of loaded weight (pin weight).
• Weight-distributing hitches don’t change the target percentage; they re-balance axle loads on the tow vehicle for better control.

These ranges are designed to minimize sway and maintain safe axle loading. Deviations should only occur when a manufacturer specifies otherwise for a particular design.

How to Calculate and Measure Tongue Weight

Quick Calculation

Multiply your loaded trailer weight by the target range. Example: a 5,000 lb bumper-pull trailer should have roughly 500–750 lb of tongue weight; a 12,000 lb fifth-wheel would target about 2,400–3,000 lb of pin weight.

Ways to Measure Tongue Weight

Several practical methods can give you an accurate tongue or pin weight, from at-home scales to commercial weigh stations.

• Dedicated tongue weight scale: A portable scale designed for trailer couplers; place it under the jack or coupler as instructed.
• Bathroom scale with lever method: Use a sturdy beam and supports to create a 3:1 or 4:1 lever that keeps the scale within its range; calculate tongue weight based on the lever ratio.
• Fifth-wheel/gooseneck pin scales: Specialized pin weight scales fit under the kingpin or gooseneck coupler.

For high accuracy or heavy loads, commercial scales provide the best picture of your complete axle loading and can validate home measurements.

Using a Public Scale (CAT or similar)

The sequence below shows how to determine tongue weight with a multi-platform scale by comparing tow-vehicle axle loads with and without the trailer.

1. Weigh the tow vehicle alone and record its total weight (A).
2. Hook up the trailer and weigh again, recording the tow vehicle’s front and rear axle weights (add them together for B) and the trailer axle weight(s) separately.
3. Subtract A from B. The result is your actual tongue weight transferred to the tow vehicle.

This method also reveals how weight is distributed across axles, helping you verify compliance with GAWR, GVWR, and GCWR limits.

Staying Within Ratings

Meeting target percentages isn’t enough—you must not exceed the limits of the tow vehicle, hitch, or trailer. The checklist below covers the critical ratings to verify.

• Maximum tongue/pin weight rating for the tow vehicle (often specified with and without a weight-distributing hitch).
• Hitch class rating (dead-weight and weight-distributing ratings can differ significantly).
• Axle ratings (GAWR front and rear), vehicle GVWR, and combined rating (GCWR).
• Tire load ratings and pressures for both tow vehicle and trailer.

If any rating is exceeded, reduce load, redistribute cargo, or upgrade appropriate components before towing.

Adjusting Tongue Weight

If measurements show your tongue weight is outside the recommended range, these adjustments can help you dial it in safely.

• Shift cargo position: Move heavier items forward to increase tongue weight, backward to decrease—always keep weight low and centered.
• Boat trailers: Adjust the winch post/boat position slightly forward or revise engine/spare/fuel placement per manufacturer guidance.
• Axle positioning (where adjustable): Sliding axles forward increases tongue weight; moving them back reduces it.
• RV tanks: Fresh/gray/black water levels can materially change tongue weight; plan travel with known tank levels.
• Weight-distributing hitch: Increase or decrease bar tension per the setup manual to restore proper front-axle load on the tow vehicle.
• Re-weigh after changes to confirm you’re within percentage targets and ratings.

Make adjustments incrementally, securing cargo after each change to maintain balance and prevent load shift while traveling.

Common Symptoms of Incorrect Tongue Weight

Recognizing the signs of improper tongue weight can help you correct issues before they become dangerous.

• Too light: Trailer sway at speed, especially in crosswinds or when passed by large vehicles; chattering from the hitch; poor tracking.
• Too heavy: Rear of tow vehicle sags, front feels light with vague steering, longer braking distances, headlight beams point upward.
• Uneven tire wear or overheated trailer tires and bearings due to misloaded axles.
• Frequent trailer brake intervention or instability during abrupt maneuvers.

If these symptoms appear, stop, reassess loading, and measure tongue weight before continuing.

Example Scenarios

These scenarios illustrate how to apply the percentages and check compliance.

• 3,500 lb utility trailer: Target 350–525 lb tongue weight; confirm hitch and vehicle are rated for at least this amount.
• 7,500 lb travel trailer: Target 750–1,125 lb tongue weight; a weight-distributing hitch is often recommended at this level.
• 12,000 lb fifth-wheel RV: Target 2,400–3,000 lb pin weight; ensure truck payload and rear GAWR can support the pin plus passengers and cargo.

In each case, measure actual weights and compare against the tow vehicle’s ratings to ensure a safe margin.

Summary

Aim for 10–15% tongue weight on bumper-pull trailers and 15–25% pin weight on gooseneck/fifth-wheels, measured with the trailer fully loaded as towed. Verify that the resulting load stays within your tow vehicle, hitch, and axle ratings. If you’re outside the target range—or experiencing sway or poor steering—redistribute cargo, adjust equipment, and re-weigh until you’re in spec.

How much weight should be on the tongue of a trailer?

about 10% to 15%
Tongue weight should be about 10% to 15% of the total weight of the trailer or gross trailer weight. Too much tongue weight can impair driver control over the vehicle, and too little can lead to sway in the trailer.

What tongue weight makes a trailer sway?

The ideal tongue weight is between 10-15% of the fully loaded trailer weight. Too much will diminish your vehicle handling, while too little will cause trailer sway. Always measure your tongue weight during your towing setup, and make sure its within an appropriate range.

How much tongue weight for a 10,000 lb trailer?

Proper tongue weight is 10 to 15 percent of your loaded trailer weight. For example, if your trailer is 10,000 lbs when loaded, the ideal tongue weight would be 1,000 (10%) to 1,500 lbs (15%). For trailers that aren’t towed with hitch balls, like fifth wheels and gooseneck trailers, you’ll instead look at pin weight.

What is the 80/20 rule for towing?

The 80% towing rule is less of a “rule” and more of an idea: don’t pull a trailer with a GVWR that is more than 80% of your vehicle’s maximum towing capacity. That leaves 20% of your towing capacity left for other cargo like passengers, baggage, etc.