How much weight can my vehicle tow?
The good news is it’s easy to determine your vehicle’s tow capacity. Typically, this information can be found within the sticker on your driver’s side door frame. The rating on the sticker should determine what kind of Towable RV you can safely tow. Remember, when deciding how heavy a Towable RV you will be to pull, always consider the RV’s Cargo Carrying Capacity (CCC). This is the maximum amount of weight from personal items that can be loaded into the RV, and it’s critical not to surpass it.
Attempting to tow more than your vehicle can handle could damage your vehicle and what you are towing and even threaten others on the road. When calculating the weight of your Towable RV, factor in an allowance for your gear, any added accessories, any liquids in tanks, and any cargo you’ve added, such as food, clothes, chairs, grills, games, tools, etc.
Explaining RV towing terms.
Here are some explanations of standard terms you may encounter while determining the towing capacity and weights of your vehicle and Towable RV:
Terms & Definitions
- Dry Weight/Shipped Weight – The weight of the RV as shipped from the manufacturer without any passengers, cargo, liquids, additional accessories, or dealer-installed options.
- Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) – The current combined weight of the RV (dry weight) plus passengers, cargo, and liquids.
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) – The maximum allowed weight of an Vehicle/RV, including passengers, cargo, fluids, etc..
- Cargo Weight – The total weight of all passengers, food, clothing, liquids, accessories, etc., that you might put into your RV.
- Tongue/Hitch Weight – The weight/pressure applied from the trailer tongue/coupler to the conventional/bumper hitch on your vehicle.
- Pin Weight—This is often referred to as the weight/pressure applied from the fifth wheel king pin to the hitch in your truck’s bed.
- Payload Capacity – For trucks, Payload is the total weight a truck can carry safely down the road. For most people, this translates to the weight of a load in a pickup’s cargo bed. But the payload is all-encompassing; it includes passengers, equipment, or any other items. Your Fifth Wheels Hitch Weight or Pin Weight plus the actual weight of the hitch plus any other accessories you have in the bed of the truck must not exceed the Payload Capacity amount. Confirm Payload Capacity with your vehicle’s manufacturer.
- Max Towing Capacity – The maximum weight limit that can safely be towed by your specific vehicle. This weight is calculated by adding the RV’s GVW with the weight of all passengers, cargo, and liquids in your tow vehic.
Tow Vehicle
This vehicle is used for towing/pulling a Towable RV such as a Travel Trailer or Fifth Wheel Trailer. It can be a Pickup Truck, SUV, or any other vehicle you will use to pull a Towable RV. Always check weight ratings yourself, and never assume your Tow Vehicle is right for the Towable RV you wish to pull.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
This is the maximum weight your tow vehicle can handle without difficulty. When choosing a Towable RV, consider its weight and gross vehicle weight rating.
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
Your tow vehicle’s gross combination weight rating includes everything inside it—passengers, accessories, cargo, and the vehicle’s weight. Every tow vehicle has its GCWR, and that total weight must not be exceeded, or you might face a big problem while on the road.
Not only is a heavy load challenging to control on the road, but several other components could also be at risk. For example, the braking systems on the Tow Vehicle and the Towable RV may overheat and fail, reducing or eliminating the possibility of safely slowing or stopping your vehicle and Towable RV. The tires may not be able to handle the extra load, potentially causing a blowout situation. The engine and transmission in the tow vehicle may overheat due to the added strain, causing a mechanical failure. Components within the tow vehicle or Towable RV’s suspension system could bend or break, causing you to lose control of the road. The truth is that various problems could result from overloading and exceeding the GCWR.
Hitch Weight
The Hitch weight of your tow vehicle must match the weight of the load on the hitch. If you overload the hitch, your vehicle or your Towable RV will sway on the road; this is where a Weight Distribution Hitch comes in.
A weight distribution hitch is designed to evenly distribute a trailer’s weight between the tow vehicle and the trailer itself. This prevents excessive load on the tow vehicle’s rear axle and improves handling, stability, and overall towing safety by ensuring the trailer’s tongue weight is balanced correctly across the axles of both vehicles.
Receiver Hitches
Receiver Hitches are divided into 5 classes based on their towing capacity and receiver tube size. The higher the class number, the higher the capacity and the larger the receiver tube.
Class 1: If you drive a car or crossover, you likely have a Class 1 hitch. Class 1 hitches have 1-1/4-inch receiver sizes, a GTW capacity of up to 2,000 lbs., and a TW capacity of up to 200 lbs.
Class 2: If you drive a minivan, have a car, or crossover on the bigger or more heavy-duty side, you will likely have a Class 2 hitch. Class 2 hitches have 1-1/4-inch receiver sizes and have a GTW capacity of up to 3,500 lbs. and a TW capacity of up to 350 lbs.
Class 3: If you drive a crossover, van, SUV, or truck, you will likely have a Class 3 hitch. Class 3 hitches have 2-inch receiver sizes and a GTW capacity of up to 8,000 lbs. and a TW capacity of up to 800 lbs. They also have a WD capacity of up to 12,000 lbs. and a WDTW capacity of up to 1,200 lbs.
Class 4: If you drive a larger truck or SUV, you likely have a Class 4 hitch. Class 4 hitches have 2-inch receiver sizes, a GTW capacity of up to 10,000 lbs., a TW capacity of up to 1,000 lbs., a WD capacity of up to 12,000 lbs., and a WDTW capacity of up to 1,200 lbs.
Class 5 – Xtra Duty: If you drive a heavy-duty or super-duty truck or SUV, you have a Class 5 – Xtra Duty hitch. Class 5 – Xtra Duty hitches have 2-inch receiver sizes, and have GTW capacities of 16,000 to 17,000 lbs. and TW capacities of 2,400 to 2,550 lbs. They also have a WD capacity of 17,000 lbs. and WDTW capacities of 2,400 to 2,550 lbs.
Class 5—Commercial Duty: If you have a Dually or chassis cab truck, you have a Class 5—Commercial Duty hitch. Class 5—Commercial Duty hitches have 2-1/2-inch receiver sizes, GTW capacities of 18,000 to 20,000 lbs., and TW capacities of 2,700 lbs. They also have WD capacities of 18,000 to 20,000 lbs. and a WDTW capacity of 2,700 lbs.
Tongue Weight
Tongue weight is the downward pressure exerted by the tongue of a travel trailer.
When the tongue weight of your tow vehicle is exceeded, you’ll experience difficulties when making turns or sharp bends because the rear tires, brakes, frame, and drivetrain are impacted. The maximum tongue weight for a trailer with an attached hitch ball is about 10- 15% of the gross trailer weight.
Axle Weight
The axle weight of a travel trailer is the maximum amount of weight that can be placed on each of its axles. This weight includes the trailer’s weight and any cargo it’s carrying. For example, a trailer that has two 3,500 lb axles has an axle rating of 7,000 pounds.
Payload Capacity
The payload capacity of your tow vehicle is the maximum weight it can carry. It is always less than the tow capacity. Adhering to the payload capacity is one of the important factors in whether your towing experience is smooth or dangerous.
Hitching up correctly
Before you tow, you must learn the proper technique for hitching and unhitching a Towable RV. This will vary depending on your Towable RV and your type of hitch. Failing to learn how to do this correctly will result in damage to your car, truck, or Towable RV and possible injury to you, your passengers, or other drivers on the road.
Hitching is different for travel trailers and fifth wheels. Travel trailers connect to a vehicle via a hitch ball on the rear of the vehicle and the tongue on the front of the Towable RV. However, on fifth wheels, a truck will have a large hitch plate installed in the bed. The fifth wheel has a kingpin box at the front and connects by locking into the hitch plate, similar to how semi-trailer trucks are attached.
Check your visibility
Once your Towable RV and vehicle are safely hitched and connected, visibility of the road and your Towable RV is crucial. Ensure all your side mirrors are well-adjusted and working correctly, as this will help you have a clearer view of the entire road while driving. Rear Observation Systems with Marker Light Cameras can be a great addition not only for backing into tight spaces but also pulling your trailer down the highway. Furrion is a brand we trust.
Check your brakes
Ensure the trailer brakes are in good working order and can assist the towing vehicle when stopping or slowing, especially on hills. Always purchase a quality brake controller if you are pulling a trailer. Never skimp on braking accessories! If your tow vehicle is a Motorhome and towing a car, you can add a Brake Buddy or something similar to assist in accurate braking