Tounge Weight

[uHu]

What is the benefit of keeping a high tounge weight?

I can see that traction will be better with more of the weight on the driving wheels, but say that that's not an issue.
And a negative tounge weight is not very driveable. but as long as we keep a few tens of pounds on the hitch, isn't that enough?

Around here the rule is to keep the tounge weight at 50-75 kg, roughly 100-150 pounds, disregarding the trailer weight. When I see tounge weights of 400-500 pounds, I can't see the point. That's when a weight distribution hitch becomes a requirement.

What am I missing?

 

[titanpat57]

Hi

IMHO the number one reason is to make sure that the hitch and ball stay hooked together....and one way to insure that is to put a fair amount of weight there. Another reason is to improve handling. There is nothing more dangerous than to have a trailer improperly loaded (say too much weight to the rear of the trailer itself) making it much harder to handle and control.

Just my 2cents

 

[bigndn]

What are you missing? A lot. What size trailer are you talking about? If it's a snowmobile trailer, I'd say 150 lbs tongue weight is prolly OK. If it's my 24' 14K tandem axle flatbed, you'd better have more TW than that.

 

[John E Davies]

This is a great article, with more than you probably want to know about trailers:

Trailer Loading and Towing Guide

John Davies
Spokane WA, USA

 

[uHu]

What are you missing? A lot. What size trailer are you talking about? If it's a snowmobile trailer, I'd say 150 lbs tongue weight is prolly OK. If it's my 24' 14K tandem axle flatbed, you'd better have more TW than that.

Can you explain why?


I have hauled trailers heavier than 4 tons (well over 8 k lbs) with a tounge weight of under 100 kg. Didn't see any problems, highways or dirt roads.

 

[uHu]

This is a great article, with more than you probably want to know about trailers:

Trailer Loading and Towing Guide

John Davies
Spokane WA, USA

Good trailer guide, although I didn't find anything which hasn't been said before.
It recommends tounge weights, but doesn't say why.

Why is it that on one side of the atlantic, the recommended tounge weight is so much lower than on the other. Must be a reason (for both?). From pictures (here and elsewhere) I observe that trailers in the US generally have the wheels further rearward than what I see around here.
Don't get me wrong. I'm just trying to find out the reasoning behind the two different "styles" of trailering.

 

[John E Davies]

I suspect that "high" tongue weights are recommended in the USA for one reason.

We are a a society that loves to sue people, and most of us are unwilling to accept any personal responsibility. An excessively heavy tongue is way less dangerous than one that is too light, especially at freeway speeds with heavy truck traffic. Since heavy duty tow vehicles are so common here, a heavy tongue isn't a big deal for most folks. The trailer manufacturers tell you to have 10-15% weight bias so they can defend themselves in court when some moron has an accident, preventable or not.

John Davies
Spokane WA

 

[uHu]

I suspect that "high" tongue weights are recommended in the USA for one reason.

We are a a society that loves to sue people, and most of us are unwilling to accept any personal responsibility. An excessively heavy tongue is way less dangerous than one that is too light, especially at freeway speeds with heavy truck traffic. Since heavy duty tow vehicles are so common here, a heavy tongue isn't a big deal for most folks. The trailer manufacturers tell you to have 10-15% weight bias so they can defend themselves in court when some moron has an accident, preventable or not.

John Davies
Spokane WA

Well, that's a valid reason. Wonder if it is the only one? And if yes, does that mean that 50-75 kg is enough in any case? (For up to 3.5 metric tons, which is the max for 50 mm ball, IIRC)

 

[jasonmt]

Like John has alrady said in NA lots of the domestic tow rigs are good for 1500-5000#'s of weight capacity which is easily able to handle 15% tongue weight on a 7000# trailer. My F-350 can take 15% tounge weight on a 21K bumper pull if needed.

 

[gavman]

Good heavy shiftable tongue weight is desirable when you are running an off-road trailer in muddy or snow conditions. Every pound moved over to the tongue of the trailer and off the trailer axle is (within reason) good.
By shiftable I mean moving heavy items like tools and maybe a heavy tent or outboard motor to the front when needed.

 

[oro-o]

I don't know what your local rules are, but simply following sensible rules are making the tongue weight 10% of the total weight. Why? Because the LC is not a heavy duty truck, and it's rear suspension is not a leaf style to take absurd extra levels.

Keeping the ball weight to 10% keeps the suspension working as designed, and refers the towed weight back to the trailer's axles. Very sensible.

If you are considering putting over 2500lbs behind the beast, I seriously recommend a weight-distribution hitch. It will reduce tongue weight and improve braking function a great amount.

Outside of these parameters, you have a massively mis-loaded front/rear axle, with compromised handling, suspension, and four-wheel interaction. You have a vehicle now mis-loaded to the degree it will jack-knife, porpoise, or enter a death shimmy. Don't load it that way. The rules are in the book.