CAT Scale Tongue Weight Calculator
Use truck + trailer with WDH engaged, the same combination with WDH disengaged, and truck-only weights.
Weigh 1 — WDH engaged
Weigh 2 — WDH disengaged
Weigh 3 — Truck only
Keep loading consistent
Passengers, fuel and cargo should remain as consistent as practical across the weighings.
Using three scale weights for towing
For the most useful towing comparison, record the truck and trailer with weight distribution engaged, the truck and trailer with weight distribution disengaged, and the truck by itself. TowAtlas uses those three measurements to estimate loaded trailer weight, tongue weight and how much front-axle load the hitch restores.
What to verify before you rely on the result
Compare the calculated weights with the exact ratings for your truck, receiver, hitch, axles, tires and trailer. Scale results help you understand the load; they do not by themselves certify that a combination is safe or compliant.
How to get useful CAT Scale weights for a travel trailer
For a conventional trailer with a weight-distribution hitch, three consistent weighings can show much more than a single gross weight. First weigh the truck and trailer with the WDH engaged as you normally tow. Then weigh the same loaded combination with the spring bars disengaged. Finally, weigh the loaded truck by itself without the trailer.
Keep the setup consistent
Fuel level, passengers and cargo should stay as consistent as practical between weighings. Large loading changes can distort the comparison because the calculator assumes the truck itself is otherwise in the same travel condition.
What the three weights help estimate
The truck-only and trailer-connected weights can be used to estimate actual loaded trailer weight and tongue weight. Comparing the engaged and disengaged axle readings also helps show how much load the weight-distribution hitch is returning to the tow vehicle's front axle.
What to compare afterward
Use the results with the exact ratings for your truck, axles, tires, receiver, hitch and trailer. Then open Rig Check to look at the major towing limits together rather than judging the setup from one number.
CAT Scale towing FAQ
Why do I need a truck-only weighing?
The truck-only reading gives a baseline for comparing how the trailer changes truck and combination weight.
Why weigh with the weight-distribution hitch disengaged?
The disengaged reading helps separate the trailer's natural tongue-weight effect from the load redistribution created by the WDH.
Should passengers stay in the truck for every weighing?
Keep passengers, fuel and cargo consistent across the comparison so differences are caused by the trailer and hitch setup rather than changing load inside the truck.