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Trailer Tongue Weight Calculator

Check your trailer’s tongue weight against the recommended 10–15% of loaded weight to keep towing stable and safe.

Loaded trailer weight

Measured tongue weight

Target tongue-weight %

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How it works

Recommended range = loaded weight × 10% to 15% · Target = loaded weight × target% · Your % = measured ÷ loaded weight × 100

Tongue weight is the downward force the trailer’s coupler puts on the hitch ball, and it is the single biggest factor in towing stability. For a conventional bumper-pull trailer it should be about 10–15% of the fully loaded trailer weight. Too little tongue weight lets the trailer fishtail and sway dangerously; too much overloads the hitch and rear axle, lightens the steering and hurts braking. You adjust it by moving cargo forward or back over the axle — heavier loads placed ahead of the axle increase tongue weight. Fifth-wheel and gooseneck trailers use a higher range, typically 15–25%.

Worked example

A trailer loaded to 5,000 lb should carry between 500 lb (10%) and 750 lb (15%) on the tongue. A measured 600 lb is 12% of the load — comfortably in the safe range, so the balance is good.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage should tongue weight be?

For a standard bumper-pull trailer, aim for 10–15% of the total loaded trailer weight. Fifth-wheel and gooseneck setups run higher, around 15–25%, because the load sits over the tow vehicle’s rear axle rather than behind it.

What happens if tongue weight is too low?

Too little tongue weight makes the trailer prone to sway or fishtail, which can become uncontrollable at speed. Shifting some cargo forward of the trailer axle raises the tongue weight back into the safe band.

How do I measure tongue weight?

You can use a dedicated tongue-weight scale, drive the coupler onto a bathroom scale (with a beam to keep it at towing height for heavier tongues), or use a truck scale by weighing with and without the tongue supported. Then compare it to the 10–15% target.

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