Axles are rated by the number wheel studs, for instance 5 bolt rims are 3500 lb axles, if you have a pair your GVW is 7,000 lbs.
My car trailer has a pair of 3500 lb axles both with brakes, electric winch, empty it weighs 1100 lbs so I'm good for a 5900 lb payload, some larger vehciles put me over the legal weght.
I've never put a scale under the tongue jack to know how much weight is being transferred onto the truck hitch, any weight added to the hitch would transalate to axle weight on the truck thus lowering the total payload that the truck is licensed for.
A heavy tongue could put the truck overweight on a government scale, this is where pulling a wagon has its advantages but a ***** to back up.
Improper placement of axles under the frame and lenght of towing tongue will make or break a trailers performance, a nicely engineered trailer you'll never know its behind you and will be a treat to back up into tight spots.
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