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WARNING
3.1
TONGUE WEIGHT
It is crucial 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 the 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).
In the table below, the second column notes the rule of thumb percentage of total weight of
the trailer plus its cargo (Gross Vehicle Weight, or “GVW”) that should appear on the tongue of
the trailer. For example, a trailer with a gooseneck hitch, with a loaded weight of 12,000
pounds, should have a 20-25% of 12,000 pounds on the tongue. The example trailer would have
2,400 to 3,000 pounds on its tongue.
Tongue Weight as a Percentage of Loaded Trailer Weight
Type of Hitch
Percentage
Ball Hitch / Bumper Hitch
10-15%
Gooseneck Hitch
20-25%
Fifth Wheel Hitch
20-25%
An overloaded trailer can result in loss of control of the trailer, leading to death or
serious injury.
Do not load a trailer so that the weight on any tire exceeds its rating.
Do not exceed the trailer Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or the Gross Axle
Weight Rating (GAWR).
Содержание Gooseneck
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