Tongue weight scales
B&W digital tongue weight scale review
Tongue weight is the one number on the whole rig that decides whether a trailer sways, and almost nobody actually knows theirs. A scale turns that figure from a guess into a measurement, and the question between models is usually how that measurement gets read rather than whether the scale itself works.
The B&W digital tongue weight scale reads out on an LED display instead of a dial. This review covers what B&W actually publishes for it, the one thing a digital scale has that a hydraulic one does not, and when the hydraulic alternative is the better buy.
On this page
- What is the B&W digital scale, and what does B&W actually publish for it?
- How does the digital scale compare against the hydraulic Sherline models it competes with?
- What does B&W actually publish for the digital scale?
- What is the drawback of a digital tongue weight scale?
- What are the alternatives if you would rather not rely on a battery?
- What should you check before buying a tongue weight scale?
What is the B&W digital scale, and what does B&W actually publish for it?
B&W builds this scale around a battery-powered digital display rather than a hydraulic gauge, on a wide steel base that adjusts in height from 19.5 to 27 inches to match different trailer tongue heights. B&W publishes up to 4,000 lb of weight capacity in this listing, and the scale ships in a hard storage case with a limited lifetime warranty, made in America.
How does the digital scale compare against the hydraulic Sherline models it competes with?
All of these measure the same thing: the downward force the trailer coupler puts on the tow vehicle. What actually separates them is capacity, whether the readout needs a battery, and how many gauges are on the scale body.
| Published rating | B&W Digital Tongue Weight Scale | Sherline LM 1000 Trailer Tongue Weight Scale, 1,000 lb | Sherline LM 2000 Trailer Tongue Weight Scale, 2,000 lb | Sherline Hydraulic Tongue Weight Scale Combo with 2,000 lb and 5,000 lb Gauges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.00 | $189.90 | $189.90 | $229.95 |
| Maximum load per tire | not published | 1,000 lb | 2,000 lb | 5,000 lb |
Every figure here is the manufacturer's own published rating. A blank is a figure the maker does not publish, and we leave it blank rather than estimating it. The rating stamped on the part you actually receive is what governs.
What does B&W actually publish for the digital scale?
B&W publishes up to 4,000 lb of weight capacity on a height-adjustable base with a battery-powered digital readout.
Published standard A published, traceable figure: a standards body, a federal regulation or a manufacturer specification states it.
| Published spec | B&W digital scale |
|---|---|
| Readout | Digital, battery-powered LED |
| Weight capacity | Up to 4,000 lb |
| Base height range | 19.5 to 27 in |
| Storage | Hard case included |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime, made in America |
Weight capacity is the figure published in the B&W listing for this model.
What is the drawback of a digital tongue weight scale?
The B&W digital scale has a battery, and a hydraulic scale such as the Sherline LM 1000 or the LM 2000 has nothing to go flat. A scale that only gets used once or twice a year is exactly the kind of tool where a dead battery shows up at the worst possible moment, on the one weekend a year it is actually needed. That is a real tradeoff against the parallax-free readout the digital display buys: less to go wrong mechanically on the hydraulic side, one more thing to check before a trip on the digital side.
What are the alternatives if you would rather not rely on a battery?
A reader who wants a scale with nothing to charge or replace should buy the Sherline LM 2000, hydraulic and rated to 2,000 lb, which covers most travel trailers with headroom to spare. A trailer with a genuinely heavy tongue weight needs the Sherline LM 5000 or the Sherline hydraulic 5,000 lb gauge instead. A reader who wants to weigh both a light trailer and a heavy one on the same body without losing gauge resolution should compare the Sherline hydraulic combo, which carries a 2,000 lb gauge and a 5,000 lb gauge on one scale.
What should you check before buying a tongue weight scale?
Confirm the published capacity actually covers the expected tongue weight with room to spare, using the tongue weight calculator and the tongue weight percentage chart to estimate a starting figure before weighing. Follow the at-home measuring guide for the actual procedure, and check tongue weight for a 7,000 lb trailer as a worked example of the range a mid size travel trailer should land in.
How we chose
We did not test this hardware in person and we never claim to. Picks are researched from manufacturer specification sheets, published towing standards, and the recurring themes in verified owner reviews. Every pick is matched to a real gross trailer weight rating, a real tongue or pin weight rating, a real receiver size or a real load index rather than to a price bracket, and it is placed in the tier where its published capability actually belongs. We rejected the unbranded flood that dominates the search results in several of these categories, because a weight distribution hitch, a brake controller, a trailer tire and a set of safety chains are all parts whose failure puts a loose trailer on a public road. Where a figure is towing convention rather than a published standard we label it that way, and where a manufacturer does not publish a figure we leave it out instead of estimating it.
Sources
- B&W published specifications for the digital tongue weight scale
- Sherline published specifications for the LM 1000, LM 2000, LM 5000, hydraulic 5,000 lb gauge and hydraulic combo scales
Frequently asked questions
What weight capacity does the B&W digital tongue weight scale publish?
B&W publishes up to 4,000 lb of capacity in this listing. That comfortably covers the tongue weight of nearly every conventional travel trailer, which typically runs 10 to 15 percent of a loaded trailer weight in the low thousands of pounds.
Does the B&W digital scale need batteries?
Yes. It reads out on a battery-powered LED display rather than a hydraulic dial. That removes the parallax error of reading a dial gauge on the ground, but it also means a dead battery can leave the scale unusable on the day it is needed.
What is the difference between the B&W digital scale and a Sherline hydraulic scale?
The B&W scale reads digitally on a battery-powered display, while Sherline scales use a hydraulic dial gauge with nothing electronic to fail. Sherline models also come in several fixed capacities, from 1,000 to 5,000 lb, rather than one scale covering up to 4,000 lb.
What height range does the B&W digital scale adjust to?
B&W publishes a base height range of 19.5 to 27 inches, which is adjusted to match the height of the trailer coupler being weighed. Confirm the coupler height falls inside that range before assuming any scale will sit correctly under a specific trailer.
Why does tongue weight matter more than most other towing numbers?
Tongue weight decides whether a trailer sways, because a tail-heavy load lengthens the pendulum effect hinged at the ball while reducing the weight holding it steady. The conventional target is 10 to 15 percent of loaded trailer weight, and almost nobody has actually weighed their own figure.
Should I buy a digital or a hydraulic tongue weight scale?
Either one measures tongue weight accurately. A digital scale such as the B&W model removes the parallax error of reading a dial by eye, while a hydraulic Sherline scale has no battery to go flat. The right choice depends on which tradeoff matters more for how often the scale gets used.
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Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published standards, manufacturer towing guides and product specifications, and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Figures described as a rule of thumb are towing convention rather than published standards, and they are labelled that way wherever they appear. Nothing here overrides your own ratings. Work your payload sum before your tow rating, because payload is the limit that actually binds on most half ton trucks and nearly every SUV. Load a conventional trailer to 10 to 15 percent tongue weight and a fifth wheel to 15 to 25 percent pin weight, and never lighter: a tail heavy trailer is what starts sway. Weigh the rig loaded rather than trusting a brochure dry weight. A weight distribution hitch and a set of air bags both restore ride height and control, and neither one raises a single rating. Trailer brakes are required by state law above a threshold that varies by state, and a breakaway battery that has quietly gone flat is the normal condition of most trailers on the road.