Why having enough tongue weight is critical when towing a trailer

Jerry Bransford

Jerry Bransford

Too many arguments and personal attacks, I'm done.
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If anyone ever wondered why I and so many others stress that you MUST have at least 10% of a trailer's total gross weight on the hitch ball as tongue weight, this video shows it clearly.

Too much weight in the rear causes swaying and excessive weight in the rear will cause a violent sway that can throw the tow rig and trailer out of control. So if your trailer and everything on it weighs 2000 lbs., the tongue weight on the hitch ball must be no less than 200 lbs.

 
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This is very true and is the main cause of towing accidents due to the lack of insufficient tongue weight.

I always recommend an weight distribution hitch with anti-sway bars for optimal safety. I personally use Reese brand.

But even with the proper towing equipment, it's advised to have proper tongue weight.

And yes, even with smaller trailers that we tow behind our TJ's that may not require additional equipment, the 10% rule still applies for a safe towing experience.
 
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Another mistake I see alot of people do is NOT criss cross their safety chains.
They'd be much better off not connecting them at all if they are not crossed.
I was on my way to work one day when some poor sap found out why, the hard way!
 
egclassic said:
Another mistake I see alot of people do is NOT criss cross their safety chains.
They'd be much better off not connecting them at all if they are not crossed.
I was on my way to work one day when some poor sap found out why, the hard way!
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What’s the purpose of crossing the chains? I’ve heard different things. I do always cross my chains!
 
JMT said:
What’s the purpose of crossing the chains? I’ve heard different things. I do always cross my chains!
Click to expand...
Crossing the chains will create a cradle for the tongue to rest on should something fail in the connection to the hitch. Hopefully, the tow rig can safely come to a stop, instead of the tongue dropping to the pavement at speed.
That is my understanding on why to cross the chains.
 
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To straddle the hitch and keep it off the ground if it comes unhooked.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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At a prior job, we often towed a trailer to job sites. The safety chains were far too long and often dragged on the street. We would cross them and twist them to make the cradle and take up some slack, but the boss wouldn't listen when some of us tried to explain how unsafe the long chains were.
 
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Ok, that was my understanding for the reason. Twisting is also important if they are too long and would not provide a cradle. Important info!
 
TJDaveX said:
Crossing the chains will create a cradle for the tongue to rest on should something fail in the connection to the hitch. Hopefully, the tow rig can safely come to a stop, instead of the tongue dropping to the pavement at speed.
That is my understanding on why to cross the chains.
Click to expand...
Exactly!
I've seen the aftermath of someone not crossing the chains. He was hauling a small (10') box trailer and the coupler let loose. The trailer tongue hit the pavement and the trailer flipped on to its side. Could have been much worse.
 
The position of the axle on the trailer also plays a role on tongue weight. I found this out when I built my jeep tub trailer.
 
Even towing with my big goose neck it matters. If I don't have the jeep forward enough I can feel the trailer hitting on the pin trying to push the truck around.
ef05fc0adaac4edfa98ab30cb3e8932c.jpg


This trailer is 7k lbs empty btw.

—
There must have been a time
when we could have said no.
 
i had a bad expierence with this a couple weeks ago. i went and got a ton of soil and on my way home goinng about 50 i hit a bump the trailer starting pulling the suburban all over. it scared the shit out of me. i pulled over and looked at the load realized it was on one side and more the driver side then it should have been it sucked
 
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when I load a vehicle on a trailer I watch the front of the trailer or the rear of the tow vehicle and pull up on it until I see the front or rear bumper drop a little not a lot if ya go too far you can take the weight off of the front axle of the tow vehicle witch can be not so good either
 
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