How Much Can I Tow in My Truck or SUV?

How Much Can I Tow in My Truck or SUV?

Used trucks and SUVs are some of the most popular vehicles in the country, and many folks rely on them for tough jobs like towing trailers and hauling heavy loads. Yet while today’s machines can haul and pull more weight than ever, they still have their limits. Here’s how you discover those limits without damaging your vehicle to do it.

How Do I Know My Truck’s Towing Capacity?

The easiest way to discover a truck’s tow rating is to check the owner’s manual. If you’re buying a used ride without one, you can often find manuals online with the information you need. In addition, trucks and SUVs should have their GCVWRs on their door-jamb labels, and that number, the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating, is the main thing you need to know before you hitch up a trailer.

What Is a GCVWR for a Truck?

Set by the manufacturer, the GCVWR stands for Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating, and you can use it with some simple math to determine how much your truck or SUV can tow. Basically, you take the GCVWR and subtract the total weight of the truck itself (including passengers and payload) to calculate your maximum tow rating. For instance, if you’re truck has a GCVWR of 10,000 lbs., and it weight 5,000 lbs., and you and a passenger combine for 500 lbs., your truck’s towing maximum is 4,500 lbs. (10,000 - 5,000 - 500 = 4,500.)

Other factors to consider include the weight of the gasoline in your tank. Gas weighs about 6 lbs. per gallon and diesel weighs about 7 lbs. per gallon, so this can be a significant amount with a full tank. You also have to take into account the full weight of what you’re pulling, and not only the weight of the trailer. In other words, if you’re pulling a 1,000-lb. trailer carrying a 3,000-lb. boat, you need to be able to tow 4,000 lbs.

How Do I Find a Truck’s Payload?

Payload refers to how much weight a truck can carry by itself without using a trailer. The process to figure this out is very similar to the one used to determine tow ratings. However, instead of starting with the GCVWR, you begin with a truck’s GVWR – Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Like the GCVWR, the GVWR is set by the manufacturer and typically found on a truck’s door jamb and owner’s manual.

You get your payload by subtracting the weight of your truck –and everything in it, such as passengers, gas, etc. – from the GVWR. When we run the numbers on a sample truck with a GVWR of 7,000 lbs., a curb weight of 5,000 lbs., and 500 lbs. for gasoline/passenger weight, the result is a payload maximum of 1,500 lbs. (7,000 - 5,000 - 500 = 1,500.)

Now that you know more about towing, you can start shopping here, start selling here, and enjoy the whole HMSMC site from wherever you have an Internet connection.