Buick 2003 LeSabre Owner's Manual page 245

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. 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 Your Vehicle
on page 4-33 for more information about your
vehicle's maximum load capacity.
A
B
If you're using a weight-carrying hitch or a
weight-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A)
should weigh 10-15 percent of the total loaded
trailer weight (B).
After you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately, to see if the weights
are proper. If they aren't, you may be able to get them
right simply by moving some items around in the
trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's Tires
Be sure your vehicle's tires are inflated to the upper
limit for cold tires. You'll find these numbers on
the Tire-Loading information label located at the rear
edge of the driver's door or see Loading Your Vehicle on
page 4-33. Then be sure you don't go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the
trailer tongue.
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