Tongue weight
The numbers
| Loaded trailer | Tongue weight at 10% | at 15% | Weight-carrying hitch OK? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 lb | 100 lb | 150 lb | Yes |
| 1,500 lb | 150 lb | 225 lb | Yes |
| 2,000 lb | 200 lb | 300 lb | Yes |
| 2,500 lb | 250 lb | 375 lb | Yes |
| 3,000 lb | 300 lb | 450 lb | Yes |
| 3,500 lb | 350 lb | 525 lb | Yes |
| 4,000 lb | 400 lb | 600 lb | Yes |
| 4,500 lb | 450 lb | 675 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 5,000 lb | 500 lb | 750 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 6,000 lb | 600 lb | 900 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 7,000 lb | 700 lb | 1,050 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 8,000 lb | 800 lb | 1,200 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 9,000 lb | 900 lb | 1,350 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 10,000 lb | 1,000 lb | 1,500 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 12,000 lb | 1,200 lb | 1,800 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
| 14,000 lb | 1,400 lb | 2,100 lb | No — needs weight distribution |
2025 Chevrolet Trailering Guide, p.7 (RGAWR and GVWR)
Tongue weight is a LOADING outcome, not a published vehicle spec — it depends on how YOU load the trailer, which is why manufacturers publish a percentage rule instead of a table. Too little causes sway; too much overloads the rear axle.
Common questions
How do I calculate tongue weight?
Tongue weight is 10–15% of the loaded trailer weight for a travel trailer (7–12% is often quoted for boat and utility trailers). A 7,000 lb trailer should carry roughly 700–1,050 lb on the ball.
Why doesn't the manufacturer publish tongue weight?
Because it is not a property of the trailer — it is a property of how you loaded it. Move a generator from the back of the trailer to the front and the tongue weight changes by a hundred pounds. No manufacturer can publish a number for that, which is why every one of them states the percentage rule instead of a table.
Does tongue weight count against payload or towing capacity?
Payload. It sits on your hitch, which sits behind your rear axle, so it counts against your Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Rear Gross Axle Weight Rating — not against your tow rating. This is the single most common way people overload a truck that is 'within' its towing capacity.
Measure it rather than guess
A tongue weight scale is the only way to know where you actually are in the 10–15% band.
Tongue weight scales on Amazon →Affiliate link — as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.