Towball down weight

[watto11]

Can someone pls explain to me or give me suggestion on how to work out what the Down weight on my towball is suppose to be and how to work out what it is pls I have no knowledge in this area.

[Gunna Do]

I can't help out with what your ball weight is meant to be, but I can help out with how to work out what it is.

Check out this thread, it'll give you a few ideas.  Make sure you use old bathroom scales, as ours weren't real good after the test.

Correct way to measure tow ball wieght

[Apollo]

I usually work on 10% of your trailer weight as a guide for towball weight.  I too use the old bathroom scales as a measure of the actual weight.

Steve

[John Connor]

The bathroom scales are a good idea under the jockey wheel. I usually put a lump of wood between as the jockey wheel likes to put a big dint in the scales. The industry standard as mentioned is 10% of LOADED weight. The max ball weight that your 4wd/car can take should be in the owners manual. If you can't find this in the owners manual let me know what your vehicle is with the year and I can probably look it up.

PS Most Bathroom scales go to around 130 kgs so if you think the ball weight might be above this be careful you don't destroy the scales.

Regards
John Connor (Camper Tragic)

[BigBlock1DT6]

You should read THIS so you can get an understanding of the 10% rule
as there is more to it then just 10% of the trailer weight

[watto11]

Thanks guys I'll read up on those links and do some measuring cheers

[Redback]

I would set your ball weight at 80kg to 100kg, for anything from 800kg to 1500kg in single axle, my camper is 1400kg and my ball weight is 90/95kg.

7% to 15% of the trailer weight is a good percentage to work on, the heavier the trailer/van the lower the percentage if you can.

Also I use bathroom scales to measure my ball weight.

Baz.

[watto11]

Thanks once again guys u have all been a great help another demonstration of the power of forum use I've learnt a lot and can now work out my towball weight. It's great to find people that are will to help and encourage people to have a go I've found that many people now days spend to much time critising people for having a go we may not all be the most intelligent or the best welders or cutters or whatever but the thing is we r having a bloody go and take everything just as serious and strive to do the best we possibly can. Anyway that's something I needed to get of my chest after being given a hard time by so called friends for having a go

[crackacoldie]

I took mine to the local garden centre on a quiet day, onto the weighbridge and measured the weight whilst hitched(a) to the car, then took off the car and measured the entire weight(b).    then (b)-(a)=towball weight.

  Cracka

[CRW]

I took mine to the local garden centre on a quiet day, onto the weighbridge and measured the weight whilst hitched(a) to the car, then took off the car and measured the entire weight(b).    then (b)-(a)=towball weight.

  Cracka

So what were the results??

[crackacoldie]

total loaded weight 1460kg, weight on wheels 1320kg, 140kg on the treg.

  Cracka

[Camel Tow]

I took mine to the local garden centre on a quiet day, onto the weighbridge and measured the weight whilst hitched(a) to the car, then took off the car and measured the entire weight(b).    then (b)-(a)=towball weight.

  Cracka

That is the best way to do it.

Remember, that tow ball weight is just 1 aspect and you need to make sure that you are aware of all your other weight limitations and what your trailer actually weighs - this can effect insurance and safety.

What Cracka describes above is IMHO a compulsary activity that we should all do.

ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) is what the trailer weighs fully loaded (including water and fuel) including the weight on the tow ball. To weigh this you need to unhitch the trailer from the car and make sure that the trailer and jockey wheel are on the weighbridge.

If you don't have brakes then your ATM is limited to 750kg.

The GTM (Gross Trailer Mass) is the weight transmitted to the ground by the axle(s). This is measured with the trailer attached to the vehicle (i.e tow bar is taking the weight of the drawbar), but ONLY the trailer wheels are on the weighbridge.

Your trailer will have a GTM limit based on the axle and suspension materials used.

Therefore as Cracker describes ATM - GTM = tow ball weight.

Tow ball weight should usually be around 10-15% of the ATM and also in accordance with the vehicle / towbar specifications.

Then you also need to worry about the GCM (Gross Combination Mass) which is specified by the vehicle manufacturer and specifes what the total weight limit of the vehicle + trailer is allowed to be.

Clear as mud !

Cheers

Camel Tow

[watto11]

I weighed my trailer a few wks ago after finishing making my dirtbike rack that goes on drawbar with dirtbike and fully loaded trailer weighted 1ton I haven't installed batteries yet so a bit more weight I'm guessing when I finish will be approx 1300kg my bike won't be traveling with us much but great to have option. I'm interested to see what I get towball weight with bike on drawbar at I'll do weights next wk when I finish work for the round my cars towbar is rated at 180kg
( ? U r not able to work out ball weight by just weighting trailer r u, u need to actually put scales under jockey wheel as instructed in posts??)
After weighting my trailer I'd be very surprised if anyones trailer loaded is under 750kg and I'd also incourage people to do the experiment I just went to
Local metal recycler and cost $10 weighted car and trailer then unhooked trailer weighted car job done
Thanks everyone for input I'm working reLly hard to make improvements to my CT that r safe and learning every step of the way
Cheers

[Redback]

I weighed my trailer a few wks ago after finishing making my dirtbike rack that goes on drawbar with dirtbike and fully loaded trailer weighted 1ton I haven't installed batteries yet so a bit more weight I'm guessing when I finish will be approx 1300kg my bike won't be traveling with us much but great to have option. I'm interested to see what I get towball weight with bike on drawbar at I'll do weights next wk when I finish work for the round my cars towbar is rated at 180kg
( ? U r not able to work out ball weight by just weighting trailer r u, u need to actually put scales under jockey wheel as instructed in posts??)
After weighting my trailer I'd be very surprised if anyones trailer loaded is under 750kg and I'd also incourage people to do the experiment I just went to
Local metal recycler and cost $10 weighted car and trailer then unhooked trailer weighted car job done
Thanks everyone for input I'm working reLly hard to make improvements to my CT that r safe and learning every step of the way
Cheers

No, put a jack stand under your trailer hitch and that will give you your ball weight (understand, bath scales only go to 120kg)

BTW if I had a limit of 180kg ball weight on my towbar, I'd be making sure my ball weight was as low as possible, without going too low, low ball weight causes other issues.

Try to keep big heavy objects off the drawbar.

Baz.

[toddy]

I've also read elsewhere that to avoid wrecking your scales if you think it's over it's limit, get two scales and place a piece of suitable duty timber across and then the jockey wheel on the timber in the middle and add the weights (minus the timber of course).

Haven't tried it myself as i only have one scale, maybe it's a option.

Cheers,

[watto11]

Hey guys well I've done some experiments with towball down weight on my trailer after some mods to accommodate my dirt bike on the draw bar I'm still missing a few things from in trailer that will change these results slighty I guess but I'm pleased to get some idea of what ive done and where I'm heading so results r
With dirt bike and no water towball weight was 136kg
Added 80lt of water results 126kg
Trailer weight with water and dirtbike is 1000kg I'm pretty happy with balance of trailer and how it tows I just added a set of 9inch mech drum brakes and while I did that I repositioned axle under the springs
It's all an experiment I guess to see what works I'm not worried about the tow vehicle my pajero has a towball rating of 250kg it's fitted with heavy weight Lovell springs front and rear and raw shocks there is no sag with trailer on I'm comfortable that the trailer tows safely And happy with my results so far I'll do some more measurements as I go but id be interested in others response to these results
Cheers watto

[Redback]

Sounds good to me, that ball weight is a pretty good result considering the weight of a dirtbike, now all you have to do is find a place to go

Baz.

[cancan]

Thought I would check my tow ball weight as I noticed on our last trip that the back went down a bit.
Checked the wifes bathroom scales and they went to 150kg so placed it on the driveway. rag on top followed by an axle stand then slowly lowered the trailer onto the axle stand. It came to 135kg after i deducted the weight of the axle stand and rag.
A lot more than I thought and last trip I had a BBQ strapped to the tool box although travelling I would have food and clothes stored in the rear of the CT which would lighten the tow ball a bit.
Also rechecked the scales after they went back to the bathroom and I only put on 2 kg during the exercise, I think I could be in trouble.

[way-t-go]

Can anyone recommend a weighbridge on Brisbanes southside other than BCC Chandler Transfer Station?

Gary

[BigBlock1DT6]

Can anyone recommend a weighbridge on Brisbanes southside other than BCC Chandler Transfer Station?

Gary

these are Public weighbridges for the southside of brissie
that i can think of at the moment

Wanless Metal Boundary Road Coopers Plains
Logan City Council Browns Plains Landfill
Ipswich City Council Nimmo Street Booval
Recycling Metal Industries Boundry Road Archerfield