Accurate tongue weight with this scale?

Durango1

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Messages
559
We're setting up our new-to-us 2022 E-19 and know a 10%-15% tongue weight is important. But I wonder if instead of paying 200.00+ for a seldom used scale this 60.00 Amazon workaround could be used with the trailer support post? (Maybe with a couple of scale size pieces of plywood to spread the weight?)

I realize the measuring point will be around 12" behind the actual ball. Will this skew my results too much? BTW, I always say I'm not cheap but I am FRUGAL!:ROFLMAO: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08521653Q/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1
 
I can’t comment on the quality of the scale but you can easily calculate the percent difference between the weight at your weigh point and the actual tongue weight you get from a trip to a CAT (or other) scale. The ratio between the two will remain constant as the tongue weight varies depending upon your load.
 
But I wonder if instead of paying 200.00+ for a seldom used scale this 60.00 Amazon workaround could be used with the trailer support post? (Maybe with a couple of scale size pieces of plywood to spread the weight?)
IMO that'd work just fine and accurate enough for this purpose.

Or. if you already have a common bathroom scale, there's the method shown on this e-trailer page (also good enough for this purpose, IMO)

You'll of course still need to know the total trailer weight to figure the weight-bias %.
 
I use this scale to check tongue weight (purchased from Canada's equivalent to Harbor Freight) . I imagine it can be found in the US at a similar price point.


It is pure chinesium, to the extent where it is only calibrated in KG. I don't think I would trust it to provide high-precision measurements, but find it is sufficient to determine if the tongue weight is in the ballpark of acceptability.
 
I have this same scale. It is very robust; you just have to convert KG to lbs or use a Sharpie to mark where you want to be in weight. A number of years ago there was an effort to weigh trailers, tongue and wheels, at different fiberglass rallies. The scale above was compared to the expensive Sherline models and weighted with surprising accuracy. My scale has an association with Australia, not Canada. I heard about the Princess scale but found a US vendor of an Australian product for around $35.
 
I also use the Princess auto scale, easy to convert kg to lb.
It is accurate enough for the purpose
 
My two cents: Loaded for camp with passengers & gear, about $20 for two weighs at the CAT scales. First one hitched, then drop the camper & circle back for the tow vehicle alone. A little math to learn MOST of the important numbers including tongue weight, GVWR, GAWR, GCVWR & remaining payload. Tongue weight only solutions are ignoring the big picture of towing safely. Don't guess-Don't tow on specs: GET WEIGHED !
 
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My two cents: Loaded for camp with passengers & gear, about $20 for two weighs at the CAT scales. First one hitched, then drop the camper & circle back for the tow vehicle alone. A little math to learn MOST of the important numbers including tongue weight, GVWR, GAWR, GCVWR & remaining payload. Tongue weight only solutions are ignoring the big picture of towing safely. Don't guess-Don't tow on specs: GET WEIGHED !
But for those times when you only want to know the tongue weight, and I often do, having a cheapish scale beats driving 20 miles to the closest scale and paying 18 bucks, at least for me.
 
my one minor complaint about the princess style tongue scale is it has a lot of travel. so you need to jack the tongue up pretty high to put the scale under it if you have any hope of the trailer being approximately level when the full tongue weight is sitting on the scale.
 
my one minor complaint about the princess style tongue scale is it has a lot of travel. so you need to jack the tongue up pretty high to put the scale under it if you have any hope of the trailer being approximately level when the full tongue weight is sitting on the scale.
I haven’t done a tongue weighing before but now considering buying that Princess auto scale. Am I correct in thinking I need a level spot for the trailer, blocked, then raise the trailer, slip the 19 in torpedo shape scale in the hitch and lower til trailer’s side level monitor shows bubble centred? Take a wt reading, yes in Kg, which shud be 10-15% of trailers total loaded wt. ?? Tks
 
same as others, I've been happy with my "big boy" people scale (goes up to 650 lbs) bought on amazon. I use it both to get the hitch weight, and can always use if for myself if I overindulge in pasta dinners on "eat out" travel days :)

(bit of a joke there, tho i recall in 1976 while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, there was a famous pasta restaurant in Medford, Oregon (Callahans), that all the "through hikers" stopped at. My pal and I ate so much pasta, we couldn't possibly hike afterwards, and had to beg permission to pitch our tents on the restaurant lawn for the night!....)
 

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