Driving Your Vehicle
6-32
How to Weigh the Trailer Loads at a
Public Scale Fully load the vehicle and
trailer before going to the public scale.
You and passengers should remain
in the vehicle when performing the
measurement.
1. Measure the front gross axle weight.
2. Measure the gross vehicle weight.
3. Measure the rear gross axle weight.
4. Measure the gross combined weight
(vehicle and trailer).
5. Measure the hitched trailer weight.
6. Measure the unhitched trailer weight.
To calculate the tongue load, subtract (5)
from (6).
After you have loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If not, you can correct them
simply by moving some items around in
the trailer.
WARNING
To prevent serious injury or death:
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Never load a trailer with more weight
in the rear than in the front. The front
must be loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load. The rear
must be loaded with approximately
40% of the total trailer load.
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Never exceed the maximum weight
limits of the trailer or trailer towing
equipment. Check weights and
loading at a commercial scale or
highway patrol office equipped with
scales.
