Tongue weight percentage

Bumper-pull: 10–15%

For conventional ball-hitch trailers — travel trailers, utility and cargo trailers, bumper-pull horse trailers — aim for 10–15% of the gross (loaded) trailer weight. The midpoint, about 12.5%, is a good single target. This is the most widely cited towing figure.

Boat trailers: lower, at 5–7%

Boat trailers run a lower percentage — 5–7% of the whole loaded rig — because their axles sit farther to the rear and the engine biases weight aft, so a smaller percentage still produces adequate down-force at the coupler. Aim for about 6% on a single-axle trailer and 5% on a tandem. Note the percentage is taken against the total loaded weight, not the bare trailer.

Gooseneck & fifth-wheel: higher, at 15–25%

Goosenecks and fifth-wheels carry far more at the hitch — 15–25% of the trailer weightas pin weight, commonly planned around 20%. Because that load rides in the truck bed, higher pin percentage improves stability but consumes truck payload fast. (Sources agree on the ~15–20% design range; the 25% ceiling is cited less consistently — always verify on a scale.)

What happens outside the band

Below the range, the trailer can sway and fishtail. Above it, the tow vehicle's rear is overloaded and its steering lightened. Both are dangerous — see what tongue weight is for the full picture, thenrun your numbers.