Design Rules for the Length of a Utility Trailer Tongue

Is there a standard length for a trailer tongue? If not, how do you choose how long your trailer tongue should be? 

This is a common topic in online forums. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but very little science to back it up. Is there an optimal tongue length for small- to medium-sized utility and RV trailers?

Illustration of a pickup truck towing a small utility trailer.

The Short n’ Sweet Answer to Trailer Tongue Length

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for the best trailer tongue length. But if we limit our conversation to small trailers – ATV trailers, snowmobile haulers, landscaping utility trailers, etc. – then a sweet spot emerges.

3 responses to “Design Rules for the Length of a Utility Trailer Tongue”

  1. tirod3

    Recent aero studies, some prompted by makers building RVtrailers for EV’s, are showing gains in mpg when the tow vehicle is closer to the trailer. It’s not showing up as much for a pickup, vs SUV. Apparently an SUV keeps the airflow raised longer to impact the nose of the trailer less. Some have shown a topper on a pickup can do the same, keep air up and moving instead of creating drag from a larger “hole” where no bodywork exists. Airstream noted that putting a cover over the tongue helped to reduce the drag where tanks sat on the tongue. OTR trucks do the same with cab fairings, and now, skirts plus tails are added to smoooth flow, too. Some of this can have returns on larger RV trailers as they are adopted. It goes to back to back testing showing an aero trailer will net mileage gains over a stick and tin older model.

    Now if we could just getmakers to improve skyscraper tow vehicles.

  2. i have a TS Utility Trailer with streight hitch. I won’t have the max weight allowed in this trailer i will have a scanoe (LAKE BOTTOM AND FLAT BACK MOUNTING POINT IN REAROF SCANOE ) scanoe weight is 98 lbs just bulky, load on trailer bow to front of trailer for better airflow. (What would be recommended for max travel speed).?

    1. Ed, the maximum travel speed is the legal speed limit 😀 As far as what’s the sway-free travel speed, there’s no easy calculation for that. For many trailer combinations, 55 mph is a safe estimate with a healthy margin. Physics has shown that almost all trailer combinations will sway at some speed, and the tipping point is sharp. It would be quite unnerving to be cruising along at 76 mph, accelerate to 81 mph to pass a box truck, and the extra 6 mph was enough to send you careening into the ditch. Better to err on the safe side!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *