Trailer tongue weight

[ioan]

What's the right trailer tongue weight?
I got the trailer jack on the bathroom scale and it's 109lbs. It's that good or is my trailer tongue too fat and needs some diet?

I'm planing to tow my teardrop with a Hyundai Sonata sedan, which can tow 1000lbs safely.

Edit: also... where can I go to weight my trailer? The only large scale that I know around here is at the dump, but I don't know if they are going to agree to weight my trailer "just for fun".

[07rascal]

The number I have always used is tongue weight should be 10-15% of the unloaded vehicle weight (UVW). The placement of your axle will have a huge impact on your tongue weight. Farther back, the more tongue weight. Depending on your UVW, 109 lbs sounds about right. On our Cabin-A with a 1400 lb UVW, our tongue weight is spec'd at approx 150 lbs.

I have heard a good place to weight your trailer is at the local landfill.....never have done it, but I have heard that and truck stops are good places.

[wingnut]

You probably have a class 1 hitch on your Hyundia. Class 1 hitches are rated up to 200lbs.. Not sure what your car is rated for, but check the owers manual. You mit find that a light more weight will tow better. I wouldn't go less than 100lbs..
My VW tows best at around 160 lbs. tongue weight. My TD is short coupled, so it sways with a light tongue weight.

[jonw]

It's not any absolute weight, it's the weight distribution. The 10-15% is a good rule.

My TD weighs 700 lbs and the tongue weight is 65 lbs. It tows great and I can easily pick up the tongue to move the trailer around.

I was able to get by with a little less than 10% because most of my weight is (vertically) around the floor because I didn't build heavy or extensive kitchen cabinets nor do I have any heavy appliances. I wouldn't go any lighter (proportionally) than this on the tongue weight.

Of course, YMMV

[grant whipp]

As Terry & Lisa said, industry standard is 10-15% of the vehicle weight, but when it comes to typical teardrops trailers, I'll always argue for 5-10% (and believe me, we've beat this horse to death here on this forum ... ... ... ...!). If I were you, I wouldn't be worried about you 109# ... just be cautious and don't load it up so you get much more up there!

CHEERS!