Mal Try replied:

Mark, Depending on what the weight is you can use a set of bathroom scales. If it exceeds the capacity of bathroom scales courier depots have larger capacity scales. The method: Place your trailer on a flat surface and level it front to rear with the jockey wheel. Chock the wheels. Place the scales centrally under the towing hitch. Cut a piece of timber (say 75x50mm pine) to fit neatly between the tow hitch and the scales. While someone holds the timber in place, slowly wind up the jockey wheel until it is no longer bearing any weight. The reading on the scales is the weight the tow ball carries.
But yes, you are probably being unnecessarily concerned unless you are packing everything in the front of it or your wheels are in the wrong place. let me know ow you go. Mal.

Steve replied:

The generally accepted weight on the tow bar has been about 50 lbs to 75 lbs, sorry about the old specs, this is the weight that is measured on a scale at the hitch and at the coupling height, by a bathroom scales or a butchers scale, same as you hang the meat on ! Its not high tech, but clearly does not put a huge load on the bar in a standing position. The drama unfolds under way as the weight is transfered forward and backwards under acceleration and braking on to the towing vehicle, and this is something that you will have to work out yourself with adjustments on weight distribution in the trailer to suit your driving/ handling preference ! Loading the towbar above this will transfer weight to tow vehicle and stress the rere suspension components and cause unnecessary wear..

Hope this helps you somewhat !
steve

Nigel replied:

In case anyone is wondering, the weighbrdige method goes like this: Drive your vehicle off the weighbridge leaving your trailer on it while still attached to your vehicle and take a reading. Then disconnect the trailer from the vehicle and make sure the jockey whell is on the weighbridge and take a second reading. The ball weight is the second reading minus the first reading. Cheers

Keith replied:

Just another tip to add to Nigel's comment: while at the weighbridge with the trailer loaded ready for a trip, weigh the trailer's left hand wheel (with the RH wheel off the bridge), then the same with the RH wheel. This will tell you whether your load is balanced. It's probably not too important for a trailer, but for my 2.2 tonne 6m tandem caravan, I found a considerable difference. I then adjusted the load to achieve a reasonable balance left to right. Also, check the total weight of loaded trailer when attached to the vehicle to make sure it doesn't exceed the manufacturers GTM which is usually specified on the build plate.