Measuring Tongue Weight To Determine Correct Spring Bars For Trailer Weight Distribution System

Updated 08/19/2019 | Published 08/17/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control - 2" Hitch - Underslung - 10K GTW, 1K TW

(58)

$844.76

Replacement Spring Bars for Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution System - 1,500 lbs TW

(73)

$242.02

Question:

I have a sherline 2000lb scale and measured my tongue weight. Using a floor jack and the sherline accessory for the ball receiver on the trailer. My driveway has a slight incline back to front. I ensured the trailer was level and took multiple measurements and get about 1050 lbs. of tongue weight. Would this be considered accurate or should I move the trailer to level ground and measure. Also my trailer dealer pulled his truck up to our trailer with a hitch scale built into the receiver and weighed our trailer at 850 lbs. he said his would be the correct measurement for sizing a wd system. H said the stand alone scales are not measuring a distributed weight like the hitch scales would so that would account for the difference He is setting up a blue ox with the 1000 lb. bars and it is not working well at all. very rough ride especially on interstate concrete. Also handling is very unsettling as it seems unstable. We have a f150 king ranch 3.5 eco oust with the HD tow package 2018. Had to turn of the built in trailer sway control to make this usable.

asked by: Tami

Expert Reply:

When you say Blue Ox 1,000 lb bars, I believe you are referring to the Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control part # BXW1003 system which has bars rated between 750 lbs-1,000 lbs trailer tongue weight. It doesn't make much of a difference which tongue weight scale is used to measure tongue weight when determining the correct weight distribution system as long as you are on level ground (the truck and the trailer) and the trailer is loaded. You want to make sure you are measuring for the loaded tongue weight of the trailer and not the empty weight. You also want to take into consideration any cargo that may be stored behind the rear axle in the truck.

I recommend to re-measure the tongue weight of your loaded trailer on level ground to see what you get. If your tongue weight really is 850 lbs then the Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution w/ Sway Control part # BXW1003 is the correct system. If your tongue weight is actually 1050 lbs then your system is underrated if you are using the BXW1003 with 1K tongue weight bars. If by a very rough ride you mean you are experiencing a lot of sway then the system is most likely underrated. If you are referring to a rough and bouncy ride then the bars may be overrated for your tongue weight.

If your tongue weight ends up being too high for your 1K tongue weight bars then you can use Replacement Spring Bars for Blue Ox SwayPro Weight Distribution System part # BXW4008 that are rated between 1,000 lbs-1,500 lbs to upgrade them.

expert reply by: Heather A