wildly at towing speed. Read the “Tongue Weight” section below.
The load distribution must be such that no component part of the trailer is loaded beyond
its rating. This means that you must consider the rating of the tires, wheels and axles.
For tandem and triple axle trailers, you must make sure that the front-to-rear load
distribution does not result in overloading any axle.
Towing stability also depends on keeping the center of gravity as low as possible. Load
heavy items on the floor and over the axles. When loading additional items, be sure to
maintain even side-to-side weight distribution and proper tongue weight. The total
weight of the trailer and its contents must never exceed the total weight rating of the
trailer (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or “GVWR”).
TONGUE WEIGHT
It is critical to have a portion of the trailer load carried by the tow vehicle. That is, the
trailer tongue must exert a downward force on the hitch. This is necessary for two
reasons. First, the proper amount of tongue weight is necessary for the tow vehicle to be
able to maintain control of the tow vehicle/trailer system. If, for example, the tongue
exerts an upward pull on the hitch, instead of pushing down on it (because the trailer is
overloaded behind its axle(s)), the rear wheel of the tow vehicle can lose traction or grip
and cause loss of control. Also, even if there is some weight on the tongue, but not
enough weight on the tongue, the trailer can suddenly become unstable at high speeds.
If, on the other hand, there is too much tongue weight, the front wheels of the tow vehicle
can be too lightly loaded and cause loss of steering control and traction, as well, if the
front wheels are driving.
In addition to tow vehicle control, tongue weight is necessary to insure that the trailer
axle(s) do not exceed their Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
TRAILER LOADING WEIGHTS
On all trailers there is a Federal certification/VIN label that is located on the forward half
of the left (road) side of the unit. This certification/VIN label will indicate the trailer’s
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). This is the most weight the fully loaded trailer
can weigh. It will also provide the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). This is the most
weight a particular axle can carry. If there are multiple axles, the GAWR of each axle
will be provided.
