SherlineLM 1000 - Trailer Tongue Weight Scale - 1000LB

I bought this because the travel trailer I bought could easily be too heavy on the hitch if the load is not balanced properly. This scale is very sturdy and does its job just as I needed. It's easy to use and read and comes with a well written manual that goes into great detail about using it. I compared it to others that were like poles with a spring and graduations that were surely difficult to read and of dubious accuracy. Being older, it's difficult for me to get down on the ground to read a scale with graduations like a torque wrench on the sides. No problems like that with the Sherline it's gauge can be seen easily from a standing position. The build quality is obvious.

This 1000 lb. Sherline LM 1000 Trailer Tongue Scale is worth its weight in gold. WAY better than using beams, dowels, and a bathroom scale. I just put it on my floor jack and jacked it up so that it nestled into the center of the trailer tongue coupler and lifted the trailer leg off the ground. A quick check to make sure everything is leveled, a few gentle shakes on the trailer tongue to make sure the scale piston is fully settled, and VOILA: accurate tongue weight readings in less than five minutes.Why is this important? Just walking from the front to back of the boat/trailer will be eye opening as this scale shows you how significantly an average adult's body weight (~190 lbs.) can change the weight on the trailer tongue. You'll immediately see that a few hasty decisions about tossing a loaded cooler, propane tank, and some other cargo in the back of your boat/trailer can significantly alter the towing dynamics. But with a scale like this, you can just load everything up as usual and confirm the proper tongue weight before you travel. Way better than guessing.My body weight fluctuates from 185 to 195. When I first received the scale, I stepped on top and it read 190 on the nose, so it's definitely accurate to +/- 5 lbs. at least, which is plenty accurate for the intended use. When taking tongue weights, just make sure you have it centered up in the coupler, with the trailer level, and all gear/etc. loaded as you intend to tow it. The hydraulic piston can stick a little when these are new, so always wiggle the trailer a little bit to help it settle. The first two readings I took varied by 10 lbs., but once it was broken in the next five readings I took were within 3 lbs. or dead on each time, so as others noted, I think the shaft/O-rings inside may be a little stiff or dry until you operate it by placing a heavy weight on and off it a few times.Ideally, you should choose a scale with approximately twice the capacity you expect your tongue to weigh. In my case, I'm looking for a tongue weight of around 640 lbs., so I bought the 1,000-pound scale. A larger scale would be harder to read accurately (because the weight reading index marks get smaller/less precise as the capacity increases) and, more importantly, this type of scale is usually most accurate across the middle of its capacity range (i.e. roughly 250-750 lbs.) rather than at the highest or lowest ends.Keep it stored indoors, in a room temperature location, inside a plastic ziploc bag, and it should keep the fluid warm and the housing protected from rust for many years of reliable, accurate use. I can't confirm that's the case with this model, since I haven't had mine very long, but I'm pretty sure it will last if stored properly like that. It seems decently well built and I was impressed by how repeatable the readings were in use. (A few times, I took weights with a known load that I moved ten or twelve times. Each time I returned that load to the same location, I got the same reading at the tongue, which is a very good sign this scale is accurate.)In short, if you're wondering about tongue weight, this is a good investment.

Definitely much more convenient then a "4x4 beam, brick, bathroom scale, pipes, measuring tape, and a calculator". I used a floor jack to push the scale into position and got a 310 pound reading which was about what I expected with the current load and balance of my trailer. Jumping up on the hitch it went up to just under 500 pounds and I'm 185 pounds so it seems accurate enough to me. It feels very well made. The instructions (and other reviewers) warn against lifting it in the piston (the black part) and due to it's size and weight it is a bit inconvenient to handle and store. But, again, still way better then the alternative and portable for on the road load changes if you are careful with the dial and piston. The instructions cover what to do if you get air in the system (or want to change the dial, allows changing the range) and it seems straight forward enough but I still hope to avoid that and will not need more then 1000 pound capacity anytime soon. The manual and additional info on usage or repairs can be found by searching for "sherline tongue scale instructions". Hope this helps (and that the results above are consistent even after more use).

We live in an area where it's far too difficult to weigh trailer/towing vehicle on scales. This scale allows us to approximate required tongue weight by starting with documented dry weight of both vehicles then weighing all cargo as added to both vehicles. Scale is well made and provided consistent results. We used a floor jack to place scale under trailer tongue. PROS: Ease of use, consistency, small footprint. CONS: RTFM...Ensure you DO NOT pick up the unit by the scale shaft, body only. Do not discard the small piece of wood shipped with the unit as it must be replaced between the scale body and shaft after each use...again, RTFM. DO NOT drop the unit. I expect that if I can remember to accomplish these things :-(, the scale will perform as advertised.

I saw someone doing a review of this on YOU TUBE. I was impressed with what he showed, how moving things around changed the tongue weight, so i got one to try on my trailer. I found my trailer is heavier then I thought.