Easiest Way to Find Tongue Weight Capacity for a Given Vehicle

Question:

How do you figure out the tongue weight of a vehicle? I maybe looking for a newer SUV but need to know the tongue weight before buying. Most people know the tow capacity which is different.

asked by: Nancy H

Expert Reply:

The owner's manual is a great resource for finding towing capacities for a given vehicle, and with most vehicles manufactured after the mid 2000's, you should be easily able to find an online copy that you can download for free.

If the owner's manual doesn't spell out a specific tongue weight capacity for the vehicle, use 10% of the vehicle's towing capacity. You'll also want to note that not all vehicles are rated for use with weight distribution. If your vehicle manufacturer has a prohibition about weight distribution, it will be mentioned in the owner's manual.

I see you'd looked at the Fastway e2, part # FA92-00-0800 which is an excellent choice for trailers with a fully loaded and ready to tow tongue weight ranging from 400-800 lbs. I linked an article to explain several ways to determine the tongue weight. One way is a tongue weight scale like the # e99044.

expert reply by: Mike L