We’re gonna need a bigger scale

[jondrew55]

Finally got around to pulling my Shereline scale out to measure the actual tongue weight of my 25’GT. Unfortunately, I bought one that only goes up to 1000 pounds. Even with the trailer more or less empty, I hit the 1000 pound mark. Granted, my ProPride hitch contributed a lot. Guess I’ll have to sell this one and get either the 1500 or 2000 pound model if I want to use it on this or the 30’ GT I have on order

[GMFL]

Yep, I have a 30’ GT with a ProPride and trip ready we weigh in a 1400lbs tongue weight.

[Ndcctrucks]

You could divide the tongue across a bridge and multiply the measured weight by the ratio.

It’s the same method used to utilize a 400 lb bathroom scale.

[Fungus]

Two weights:

1. Weight on the ball. This is tongue weight. Important for how the trailer tracks and the (10% to) 15% rule.
2. Weight at the truck’s hitch receiver. Important for not exceeding receiver specs and TV payload.

With no WD hitch these two weights are nearly the same. At the other end of the spectrum is a PPP, which weighs a couple hundred pounds. A previous thread calculated the effect of a PPP to be 186# on the receiver (#2) and not the tongue (#1). In other words, the bulk of the PPP is under and supporting the ball.

A trip to the scales will give you #2. Then calculate #1.

As for the Sherline, it depends on where you put the scale. Under the ball without the PPP. Under the head? Under the ball area with the head attached? Under the receiver end of the stinger?

Stinger weight varies by a little depending on receiver-end size (2”, 2.5”, 3”).

Which were you weighing?

[jondrew55]

Hitch was on. As close to the ball as I could get it. The weight bars converge there so a few inches off.

Originally Posted by Fungus

Two weights:

1. Weight on the ball. This is tongue weight. Important for how the trailer tracks and the (10% to) 15% rule.
2. Weight at the truck’s hitch receiver. Important for not exceeding receiver specs and TV payload.

With no WD hitch these two weights are nearly the same. At the other end of the spectrum is a PPP, which weighs a couple hundred pounds. A previous thread calculated the effect of a PPP to be 186# on the receiver (#2) and not the tongue (#1). In other words, the bulk of the PPP is under and supporting the ball.

A trip to the scales will give you #2. Then calculate #1.

As for the Sherline, it depends on where you put the scale. Under the ball without the PPP. Under the head? Under the ball area with the head attached? Under the receiver end of the stinger?

Stinger weight varies by a little depending on receiver-end size (2”, 2.5”, 3”).

Which were you weighing?

[JCWDCW]

Bathroom Scale

You can use a bathroom scale and a box to measure tongue weight of smaller trailers. Place the coupler of the loaded trailer on the scale at normal towing height (see Figure A). For heavier tongue weights, use the second method (Figure B). Be sure to perform these measurements on a level surface and with a leveled trailer.


To use the method in Figure B, follow these guidelines:

• Place the trailer tongue 1 ft from the pipe on the support brick
• Multiply the reading on the scale by the total distance between the 2 support pipes
• Use a brick that is the same thickness as the scale so that the 2 x 4 is level when you weigh your trailer

Example: If the distance between the trailer tongue and the pipe on the scale is 2 ft, and the distance between the trailer tongue and the pipe on the support brick is 1 ft, then multiply the reading on the scale by 3 to get the tongue weight. If the distance between the trailer tongue and the pipe on the scale is 3 ft and the distance between the trailer tongue and the pipe on the support brick is 1 ft, then multiply the reading on the scale by 4 to get the tongue weight.

[Bill M.]

Or you could just go with the hitched weight on the TV from a 2 pass CAT scale trip.

[AstroBruce]

https://www.amazon.com/Instruments-P...84&sr=8-3&th=1

[WhereItsAt]

How heavy is your trailer?

Originally Posted by GMFL

Yep, I have a 30’ GT with a ProPride and trip ready we weigh in a 1400lbs tongue weight.

[switz]

When we had 4 Lifeline 6Vdc 300 amp hour GSM batteries mounted on the tongue just behind the propane tanks on our 2014 31' Classic, the tongue weight was 1,375 pounds. Note that the ProPride is rated for a max tongue weight of 1,400 pounds. When we removed the GSM batteries and put a 600 amp hour lithium battery under the sofa, the tongue weight declned to 1,175 pounds.

Note our Hensley Arrow on the 2013 25FB and used over on the 2015 23D was rated 1,200 pounds.

Those pesky weight limit restriction numbers pop up everywhere.

[Jason P M]

Our 2021 GT 25 FBT loaded with everything that stays in the trailer even when we’re not using it (I.e., everything but food and clothes), with the Propride hitch attached, is 1000 under the tongue jack and 900 under the Propride shank (receiver weight). Even though the PP is heavy, it transfers some of the tongue weight back to the trailer wheels due the extra length even before WD is applied.