How this calculator works
The tongue weight rules we use
- Travel trailers: 10% to 15% of the loaded trailer weight (etrailer and a U.S. General Services Administration towing guide); Ford recommends 10% to 15%.
- Fifth wheels: 15% to 25% of the loaded trailer weight; Ford recommends 15% to 25%, and the GSA guide gives about 25%.
- Payload: Tongue or pin weight counts against your truck's payload, along with everyone and everything in the truck.
- Weight distribution: Consider a weight distribution hitch when the trailer weighs more than half the tow vehicle (etrailer).
Below about 10%, many trailers become more prone to sway, which is why vehicle and hitch makers set 10% as a minimum. Too much weight on the tongue overloads the truck's rear axle and lightens the steering.
Hitch classes
Trailer hitch classes at a glance
- Class I: up to 2,000 lb trailer and 200 lb tongue weight
- Class II: up to 3,500 lb trailer and 350 lb tongue weight
- Classes III to V: heavier trailers; ratings vary by maker, from about 5,000 to 8,000 lb for Class III up to well over 15,000 lb for Class V
Ratings for the heavier classes differ between hitch makers, so always go by the lowest rating stamped on your vehicle, hitch receiver, ball mount, and ball.
Weigh it
Three ways to measure tongue weight
- A tongue weight scale: The easiest way: a dedicated scale, or a ball mount with a built-in gauge.
- A bathroom scale: For small trailers, rest the coupler on the scale at towing height with the trailer level.
- A truck stop scale: Weigh the truck and trailer hitched, then the truck alone with the tongue lifted off the ball. The difference in the truck's weight is your tongue weight.
Helpful gear
Towing gear worth having
- Tongue weight scale: Check your tongue weight at home after loading.
- Weight distribution hitch with sway control: Levels the truck and trailer and reduces sway.
- Wireless hitch camera: Makes hitching up a one-person job.
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Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What should my tongue weight be? +
For a travel trailer on a ball hitch, about 10% to 15% of the loaded trailer weight. A 6,000 lb trailer should put about 600 to 900 lb on the hitch. Ford recommends 10% to 15% for conventional trailers.
What is a fifth wheel's pin weight? +
Usually about 15% to 25% of the loaded trailer weight. Ford's towing guide recommends 15% to 25% for fifth wheels, and a U.S. General Services Administration towing guide gives about 25%.
Does tongue weight count against my truck's payload? +
Yes. Ford's manual counts tongue weight or king pin weight as cargo weight, along with passengers and gear, so a heavy trailer can use up most of a truck's payload.
How do I measure tongue weight? +
Use a tongue weight scale, a bathroom scale for small trailers, or a truck stop scale: weigh the truck and trailer hitched, then the truck alone with the tongue lifted off the ball; the difference in the truck's weight is the tongue weight.
When do I need a weight distribution hitch? +
Consider one when your trailer weighs more than about half your tow vehicle, or when the truck's rear sags or the steering feels light. Your vehicle's owner's manual may require one above a set trailer weight.
Is this a towing capacity calculator? +
Not exactly. Towing capacity is the most your truck can pull, set by the manufacturer and listed in your owner's manual. But many trucks run out of payload before they reach their towing capacity, because tongue or pin weight counts against payload along with passengers and gear. This calculator checks those numbers. Your payload is on the Tire and Loading Information sticker on the driver's door jamb, shown as the combined weight of occupants and cargo.