Measuring Tongue Weight with Big Truck Big RV Tongue Weight Scale Before or After WD Hoookup
Updated 09/03/2026 | Published 09/01/2026
Question:
Im want to tow a 3000 enclosed car trailer loaded with a 4500 car. I will be using an equalizer hitch. Im wanting to buy the tongue jack foot scale from you but have a question. Should I hook the trailer to the ball and weigh tongue weight, or hitch up, install the equalizer bars then measure tongue weight? My motorhome has a dead weight hitch rating of 750 or 800 with an equalizer hitch.
asked by: Jim M
Expert Reply:
Hey Jim, you can do both ways with the part # BTBRV014 if you like but it really comes down to what you are wanting the tongue weight info for. If you want to know your tongue weight without WD system hooked up then do it without the system hooked up. Now if you want to know how much tongue weight the WD system would be taking off then you would need to take that measurement before and after the system is hooked up.
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Lee
9/3/2026
I was using a CAT Scale at a nearby truck stop. Using this tongue scale is a lot more convenient.
Jameson C.
9/3/2026
Randy Z.
9/3/2026
I haven't used the tung weight scale as of yet i don't know if I can use it where I park my travel trailer at my house due to the driveway not being level if anyone would like to let me know I would really appreciate it. P.S. I sent KMon H an email concerning another subject he has pictures with my trailer in it where I park it.
Jameson C.
9/3/2026
Randy Z.
9/3/2026
That's why I haven't used it yet we're going camping on the 25th of this month I'll try it out when we get to where we're going.
Jameson C.
9/3/2026
Randy Z.
9/3/2026
I'll be more than happy to.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Big Truck Big RV Trailer Jack Foot Scale with Tongue Weight Gauge - 2,000 lbs
- Tongue Weight Scale
- Analog Scale
- Jack Foot Scale
- 2000 lbs
- Fixed Height
- Big Truck Big RV
more information >
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Ted H.
9/3/2026
You really want to know the actual tongue weight after your trailer is loaded and ready to hook up, not even touching your tow vehicle. The WD hitch is going to skew the numbers since its job is to push weight down on your front tires of the tow vehicle and the tires of the trailer, thus distributing your tongue weight. You need to have 10-15% of your trailer total weight on the tongue. I find that, if you have a WD hitch, closer to the 15% the better. If you weigh with the hitch on, you can’t have pressure on the bars or the trailer ball. If you want to load your trailer with it attached to your vehicle, which is the safest, that’s fine. But then to weigh the tongue, put the scales on the jack foot and then lift the trailer, with the bars disconnected, until it starts to lift off the ball, there’s the tongue weight. After you read the weight you can adjust your load, if need be and after it’s where you want it, you can hook the bars up, since they’re safest to hookup without the weight on the truck, and then you let the tow vehicle take the weight. Keep in mind, if you set your WD hitch up with an empty tow vehicle, and then load it down before hooking up to the trailer, the WD hitch will re-distribute the weight in the vehicle if the weight causes your tow vehicle to sag at the hitch. This is fine as long as your WD hitch is rated high enough. Safe travels with the angels at your side.