How to Determine Tongue Weight on 3400 lbs Pontoon Boat and Trailer

Updated 03/23/2015 | Published 03/21/2015

Question:

I have a pontoon boat. Total wt boat motor trailer is about 3400 lbs. Im trying to find out what tounge should be

asked by: John H

Expert Reply:

Tongue weight is typically 10 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight.

To find the tongue weight, there are a couple of methods you can use. The first requires the use of a bathroom scale. First, make sure the boat trailer is on a level surface. Take a cinder block or something similar and place the scale on top. Next, place the trailer coupler on the scale (the trailer should be parallel with the ground). The scale reading will be the tongue weight. You may also be interested in a tongue weight scale, part # e99044. This scale has a 2000 lbs weight capacity.

Another method to determine your tongue weight is to use a commercial scale at either a truck stop or quarry. The linked article details how to do this. You may have to pay a small fee for this service but it will provide a more accurate tongue weight measurement than the bathroom scale method.

expert reply by: Chris O