Here is how to measure your tounge weight with only a bathroom scale..

Go to the DrawTite home page at:

www.draw-tite.com

Select INFO... Towing Facts... "Determine GTW & TW Capacities"

Pictures available there... BUT here's how to do it..

Place a household scale and a brick that's as thick as the scale three feet apart as shown in Figure 2. Set a length of pipe on each and rest a beam across the pipes. Re-zero the scale to correct for the weight of the beam and pipe. Securely block the trailer wheels. Rest the trailer jack on the beam as shown, one (1) foot from the brick and two (2) feet from the scale.

To obtain the TW, multiply the scale reading by three (3). For greater tongue weights, place the scale and brick four (4) feet apart, rest the jack on the beam three (3) feet from the scale and multiply the scale reading by four (4).

 

OK, here's my homework from last night...

GCWR = 12500 (from chart)
GVWR = 6750 (from sticker in door)
Actual vehicle weight = 5340 (from scales last night w/ 1/4 tank)
= 5460 (estimated full tank of gas)
Planned payload = 435 (me & dogs, everything else in trailer)
Truck weight = 5895
Planned tounge weight = 475
Actual pulling vehicle weight = 6370 (truck, gas, pasengers, &
tounge weight)
=380 lbs under GVWR

Planned trailer weight full = 6200+-
12500-5895=6605 allowable trailer weight (max chart =7500)
6200+5895=12095 405 lbs under GCWR

3 more questions...
1)is 500lbs the 'max' for the tounge weight on the hitch on the truck?
2)How will this work out with a 6200lb trailer and 475-500lb tounge weight?
3)Is this an accurate way to determine actual tounge weight...
-Drive ONLY the truck onto the scales with the loaded trailer attached. What ever the weight is above my actual 5340 will give me the actual tounge weight. OR, Have the truck sitting on the scales with the trailer off the scales. Hook up the trailer and see how much the weight of the truck increases. Both are the same thing, I think.

I thought about putting only the trailer "foot stand" on the scales but the stand is a good 2-3 feet aft of the hitch so that would not be an accurate weight because of the whole arm/moment thing.

Anyways, knock out these three last questions guys and I'l let this one die...Thanks.

 

i was going to ask the same question about driving just the truck on the scale with the trailer attatched to get the toung weight

 

That's a nice GVWR (#6750). Wish mine was that high (#6250).

Anyway. Here's my answers to your Q's.....

1) Yes, unless you use a weight distribution hitch (then it's #1000). They rate it at #500 for some reason. Could you get away with heavier TW and no WD?? Probably. I've gotten away with it in the past, and with a lousy bolt on bumper hitch and even bolted to a Chevy!!

2) Not very good. You need at least 10% on the tongue (#620) for any trailer to tow well.

3) Your first two paragraphs will determine the TW and be easier then unhitching on the scales.

That's my experience with the whole thing. Been towing with all kinds of different rigs over the past 20 odd years. The one rule that always prevailed was the 10% rule on the tongue..... Always have more up front then the rear........

 

Thanks for the help guys. I'll be making this trip first week in August and I'll post how it went just in case anyone cares...

 

Oh yea, should I pump up the air pressure in the rear tires a little?? I run 35 all the way around right now and was thinking about 40 or so with the trailer...???

 

I'd just pump 'em up to whatever the max COLD psi rating for the tires are. If it's 35, then use 35. If it's 50, then 50 and so on.... As the tire heats up, the pressure will automatically rise anyway. If you start out being #5 or more over to begin with, then the pressure will be just that much more higher when it's hot, and the tire may not like it that high. If the max COLD is 35, I'd go no more then 37 on the tire. My travel trailer tires are only rated for 35, but I do put 36-37 in them. I'll be getting new tires for it soon that will have a max psi of 50, but I'll just run 'em at 50 at that point. My truck tires have a max of 50 and that's what I put all four at when I tow my trailer.

 

Man, you guys are going to kick my butt....after all this work and all your help, I went and picked up the trailer and went to the scales and guess what. That dang trailer weighs 4080 EMPTY. With just the trailer, truck, and mustang it was already over 13000 GVWR. No friggin way. I had pulled it before but only about 30 miles and it did great but this time I was going to add tools and a whole bunch of other stuff. Probably another 1500 lbs. Plus it's hot as a mother here. I thought the trailer weighed around 2000. Oh well. Thanks for the help guys. Sorry. Now on to plan B...

 

:o OOPS!

Well, at least you found out what could have happened before you were on the side of the road wondering what happened.

Looks like you're in the market for a F350.

 

Yeah, good thing you got some actual weights..... I too, was very surprised when I first weighed my setup. I thought I was going to be so far under any limits, that I could still load up the bed if needed, but was really shocked to find that I was right at the trucks GVWR of #6250 with a pretty small trailer and not much at all in the bed.....

Sounds like "plan B" should include some sort of 3/4 ton rig at the minimum. Watch out on the hitch ratings on those too! They usually only have Class 3 ratings as well (500/5000) unless they have already been upgraded to an aftermarket one or are running the "Ford Built Tough" brand of hitch......

Good Luck with "plan B"!

 

FYI, the trailer had an empty tounge weight of 500lbs exactly and it barely weighed down the truck. I was really impressed how it held it. Pulled it great too. Oh well...