5-202
Driving your vehicle
Trailer weight
What is the maximum safe weight of a
trailer? It should never weigh more
than the maximum trailer weight with
trailer brakes. But even that can be
too heavy. It depends on how you plan
to use your trailer. For example,
speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how often your vehi-
cle is used to pull a trailer are all
important. The ideal trailer weight can
also depend on any special equip-
ment that you have on your vehicle.
Tongue load
The tongue load is an important
weight to measure because it affects
the total Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. The trailer
tongue should weigh a maximum of
10% of the total loaded trailer weight,
within the limits of the maximum trail-
er tongue load permissible.
After you've loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be
able to correct them simply by mov-
ing some items around in the trailer.
Information
With increasing altitude the engine
performance decreases. From 1,000 m
above sea level and for every 1,000 m
thereafter 10% of vehicle/trailer
weight (trailer weighter + gross vehi-
cle weight) must be deducted.
i
Take the following precautions:
• Never load a trailer with more
weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load;
the rear should be loaded with
approximately 40% of the total
trailer load.
• Never exceed the maximum
weight limits of the trailer or
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Check weights
and loading at a commercial
scale or highway patrol office
equipped with scales.
WARNING
OLMB053048
Gross Axle Weight
Gross Vehicle Weight
OLMB053047
Tongue Load
Total Trailer Weight
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