How To Check Tongue Weight Of Multiple Trailers In The Yard?

Published 02/10/2026

Question:

I manage a small fleet of trailers and I’m never totally sure if the tongue weight is where it should be on each one. How do I know if I’m in the right range?

asked by: Steve

Expert Reply:

Steve, a good rule of thumb is that tongue weight should usually fall between 10–15% of the trailer’s total loaded weight. The challenge, especially with multiple trailers, is knowing where you actually land once cargo is added.

That’s where a TW scale such as the B&W Digital Tongue Weight Scale # BW34KR really helps. It gives you a clear digital reading in 5-lb increments, so you know exactly where each trailer stands and can make adjustments with confidence. With a 4,000-lb tongue weight capacity, it’s well-suited for a wide range of trailer types. I'd be impressed if you had a trailer that had over 4k lbs of tw!

Are these trailers staying fairly consistent, or does the load change often from one job to the next? Luckily this works with 2" and 2-5/16" trailer couplers so you should be good for a variety of applications.

expert reply by: Andrew N