1994 Buick Century Owner's Manual - Page 169

Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total capacity weight of your vehicle. The capacity weight 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 will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue load from your vehicle's capacity weight because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See "Loading Your Vehicle" in the Index for more information about your vehicle's maximum load capacity. tongue (A) should weigh 12% 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 limit for cold tires, You'll find these numbers on the Certification label at the rear edge of the driver's door or see "Loading Your Vehicle" inthe Index. Thenbe sure you don't go over the GVWlimit for your vehicle. Hitches It's important to have the correct hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are a few reasons why you'll need the right hitch. Here are some rules tofollow: B If you're using a "dead-weight" hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded trailer weight (B). If you have a "weight-distributing" hitch, the trailer I 0 Will you have to make any holes in the body of your vehicle when you install a trailer hitch? If you do, the then be sure to seal holes later when you remove the hitch. If you don't seal them, deadly carbon monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can getinto your vehicle (see "Carbon Monoxide" in the Index). Dirt and water can, too. 167