B How to Fulcrum weigh camper trailer on bathroom scales?

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To weigh a camper trailer tongue using bathroom scales, a lever system is employed, with the fulcrum positioned at 0" and the trailer tongue at 6". When the scales, placed at 18", read 150 lbs, the calculated tongue weight is 450 lbs, assuming the board remains horizontal and stable. Testing confirmed a tongue weight of 226 lbs, indicating the need for adjustments, such as relocating the spare tire to achieve a safer weight distribution. The ideal tongue weight should be about 375 lbs for optimal towing stability. Proper weight distribution is crucial, with 40% of the trailer length behind the axle and 60% in front.
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TL;DR Summary
How to Fulcrum weigh camper trailer on bathroom scales.
I think I have it figured out just want to make sure. Camper trailer pushes down with a wt of about 450 to 600 lb how to find the exact togue weight with bathroom scales that only goes to 250 lbs.? I am using a strong board as the lever.

Fulcrum is at 0"

Trailer tongue is at 6"

If scales at 18" reads 150 lbs tongue weight should be 450 lbs.

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That fulcrum must prevent the rollover of the board, which will tend to happen as long as the point of application of the trailer's weight has a higher elevation than the fulcrum-scale contact line.

Your calculation of 150 lbs is correct, as long as the board is kept horizontal, and secured in such a way that is steadily able to hold those 450 to 600 lbs without causing any accident.
 
gary350 said:
TL;DR Summary: How to Fulcrum weigh camper trailer on bathroom scales.

As an alternative, can you borrow a few bathroom scales from your neighbors for this measurement? Make it a neighborhood party event and serve drinks. :smile:
 
Lnewqban said:
That fulcrum must prevent the rollover of the board, which will tend to happen as long as the point of application of the trailer's weight has a higher elevation than the fulcrum-scale contact line.

Your calculation of 150 lbs is correct, as long as the board is kept horizontal, and secured in such a way that is steadily able to hold those 450 to 600 lbs without causing any accident.
I tested it and it works. As it turned out trailer tongue weight is 226 lbs.
 
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gary350 said:
I tested it and it works. As it turned out trailer tongue weight is 226 lbs.
But how many neighbours, and what were the drinks?
 
Baluncore said:
But how many neighbours, and what were the drinks?
Drinks are always red wine about 9:30 pm at our camp site. Trailer tongue is about 150 lbs. too light weight. Spare tire and several other items need to be moved up front. Total camper trailer weight = about 1500 lbs divide by 4 = tongue wt. should be about 375 lbs. or more for trailer to be safe to pull faster than 30 mph. Trailer should be 40/60 = 40% of trailer length behind the axle and 60% of trailer length in front of the axle.

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