Understanding the Facts: How to Decrease Tongue Weight Safely

September 30, 2025 •

4 min read

Overlooking the proper distribution of cargo can result in dangerous towing conditions, as incorrect tongue weight can compromise a vehicle's handling and braking. For this reason, understanding how to decrease tongue weight is a crucial safety measure for anyone hauling a trailer.

Quick Summary

An explanation of tongue weight, its importance for safe towing, and how to accurately decrease it by adjusting cargo distribution. Detailed steps for measuring tongue weight and strategies for balancing a trailer for optimal performance are provided.

Key Points

Tongue Weight is for Towing: Tongue weight refers to the downward force a trailer exerts on a vehicle's hitch, not human health.
Balance Your Load: To decrease excessive tongue weight, shift heavier cargo toward the rear of the trailer, away from the hitch.
Aim for 10-15% GTW: For conventional trailers, the optimal tongue weight is 10-15% of the gross trailer weight for stability.
Measure Accurately: Always use a tongue weight scale or visit a commercial weigh station to accurately check your tongue weight.
Avoid Sway and Sag: Too much tongue weight causes vehicle sag and poor handling, while too little leads to dangerous trailer sway.
Secure Your Cargo: After adjusting, secure all items to prevent shifting, which would alter the weight distribution.
Consider a WDH: For heavier trailers, a weight distribution hitch can help manage and properly distribute tongue weight.

Clarifying the Misconception: Tongue Weight is Not a Health Issue

Before diving into the specifics of weight distribution, it is important to clarify a common misunderstanding. Despite the name, "tongue weight" has no relation to general human health or the anatomy of the tongue. The term refers exclusively to the automotive world, describing the downward force exerted by a trailer's coupler onto the hitch ball of a tow vehicle. Excessive or insufficient tongue weight is a serious towing safety hazard, not a medical condition.

What is Tongue Weight and Why It Matters

Tongue weight (TW) is the most critical measurement for safe trailer towing. It is typically recommended to be between 10% and 15% of the total loaded trailer weight (Gross Trailer Weight, or GTW) for conventional, bumper-pull trailers. This range ensures stability and prevents dangerous vehicle behaviors while on the road. A trailer acts like a seesaw with its axle as the pivot point, and the tongue weight is the force applied to one end.

The Dangers of Improper Tongue Weight

Too much tongue weight: This causes the rear of the tow vehicle to sag, lifting the front end. This can result in less traction on the front wheels, reduced steering control, less effective braking, and accelerated wear on rear tires.
Too little tongue weight: This creates an unstable, nose-high setup, which can cause the trailer to sway violently, or 'fishtail,' especially at higher speeds. This can lead to a complete loss of control and a serious accident.

How to Decrease Tongue Weight with Proper Loading

Decreasing your tongue weight is primarily achieved by adjusting the location of the cargo within your trailer. The goal is to shift weight backward, away from the hitch. A good rule of thumb is to place about 60% of the cargo weight in front of the trailer's axle and 40% behind. However, if your current tongue weight is too high, you must move heavier items from the front toward the rear.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adjusting Your Load

Measure First: Never guess your tongue weight. Use a commercial scale at a truck stop or a specialized tongue weight scale for the most accurate measurement. You can also use a modified bathroom scale method for lighter trailers (under 3,000 lbs), but a dedicated scale is safer and more reliable.
Park on a Level Surface: Ensure both the tow vehicle and the trailer are on a flat, even surface during the loading process.
Rearrange Heavy Cargo: Identify the heaviest items in your trailer. These have the most significant impact on weight distribution. Carefully and securely move some of these items further back, away from the hitch. For example, if your fresh water tank is located at the front, consider draining it and filling a tank behind the axle instead, if possible.
Balance Side-to-Side: While focusing on front-to-back distribution, don't neglect side-to-side balance. Uneven side loading can also affect stability and vehicle handling.
Re-Measure and Re-Adjust: After each adjustment, re-measure the tongue weight. Repeat the process until your reading falls within the safe 10-15% range of your GTW. Making small, incremental changes is safer and more effective than drastic shifts.
Secure All Cargo: Once the proper weight distribution is achieved, secure all items with straps or tie-downs. This prevents the cargo from shifting during transit, which would alter the tongue weight and create a hazardous situation.

Comparison of Towing Dangers


Feature	Excessive Tongue Weight	Insufficient Tongue Weight
Effect on Vehicle	Rear-end sag, lifted front end.	Trailer rides nose-high, feels unstable.
Steering Control	Reduced traction on front tires, poor steering responsiveness.	Light feeling in the front end, loss of steering control.
Braking Performance	Compromised braking, increased stopping distance.	Potential for jackknifing during hard braking.
Trailer Stability	Can cause the trailer to push the tow vehicle around.	Leads to violent trailer sway or 'fishtailing'.
Tire Wear	Accelerated and uneven wear on rear vehicle tires.	Can cause poor and uneven tire wear on trailer tires.

Advanced Equipment for Weight Management

For those who frequently tow or have large trailers, specialized equipment can make tongue weight management easier and safer:

Weight Distribution Hitches (WDH): These systems use spring bars to distribute the tongue weight more evenly across the axles of both the tow vehicle and the trailer. They are especially useful for heavier trailers and can help prevent excessive rear-end sag.
Built-in Tongue Weight Scales: Some hitches, like those from Weigh Safe, have an integrated scale that measures tongue weight automatically, eliminating the need for separate equipment each time you tow.

Conclusion

Decreasing tongue weight is a critical part of safe towing and has nothing to do with personal health. The key is to manage and redistribute the trailer's cargo correctly to fall within the safe 10-15% range of your total trailer weight. Always measure your tongue weight before a trip and secure your load properly. By following these steps, you ensure a stable, safer towing experience for yourself and others on the road. For further guidance on vehicle capacities, always consult your owner's manual.

GMC Trailering Guide: Importance of Tongue Weight

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no connection. 'Tongue weight' is a term used in the automotive and towing industry to describe the force a trailer exerts on a vehicle's hitch. It has no medical or general health relevance.

Excessive tongue weight can cause the tow vehicle's rear to sag, lifting the front wheels and reducing steering and braking control. This creates an unsafe driving condition.

The main method is to rearrange the cargo inside the trailer. By moving heavier items from the front of the trailer to a position behind the axle, you can reduce the downward force on the hitch.

If the tongue weight is too low, the trailer can become unstable and experience severe sway or 'fishtailing' at higher speeds. This can lead to a loss of control.

The most accurate methods include using a dedicated tongue weight scale or visiting a commercial weigh station. For very light trailers, a specialized bathroom scale setup may be an option.

No, a sway control device helps to manage or reduce trailer sway, but it does not decrease or correct the actual tongue weight. Proper weight distribution is the primary solution.

For most conventional trailers, the ideal tongue weight should be between 10% and 15% of the total loaded trailer weight. Always verify your specific vehicle and hitch ratings.

Decreasing tongue weight by re-distributing cargo won't change your vehicle's stated towing capacity. However, keeping the tongue weight within the recommended range ensures you stay within your payload limits and tow safely.