Pontiac G8 manual Weight of the Trailer Tongue

Vehicle Service and Care 9-87

Weight of the Trailer

How heavy can a trailer safely be?

It should never weigh more than 2,000 lbs (907 kg). But even that can be too heavy.

It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle, and the amount

of tongue weight the vehicle

can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue” later in this section for more information.

Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted form the maximum trailer weight.

You can ask your dealer/retailer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at our Customer Assistance Offices.

See Customer Assistance Offices on page 12-4 for more information.

Weight of the Trailer Tongue

The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. If you have a lot of options, equipment, passengers, or cargo in your vehicle, it will reduce

the tongue weight your vehicle can carry, which will also reduce the trailer weight your vehicle can tow. And if you tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See

Loading the Vehicle on page 8-28 for more information about your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.

If you are using a weight-carrying hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B).

After you have loaded your

trailer, weigh the trailer and then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights are proper. If they are not, you may be able to get them

right simply by moving some items around in the trailer.