How Much Can I Tow? - Towing & Payload Capacity Explained- MUST WATCH IF TOWING!
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- Опубликовано: 27 мар 2020
- Timbren SES on Amazon: amzn.to/3arc8TQ
Have you ever wondered if you are overweight while towing your camper? Ever wonder how much your SUV or truck can tow? Are you looking to buy a new camper and are wondering if you can safely tow it down the road? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you have to watch this video!
In this video I breakdown how to figure out your curb weight, GVWR, and GCWR. I also talk about what those numbers are and why they are important to know. This is the responsibility of every person towing a trailer or hauling a camper on the road, you must know your numbers and be under the legal weight of your vehicle! Thanks for watching and let me know if you have any questions!
DISCLAIMER: This video and description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. This helps support the channel and allows me to continue to make videos like this. Thank you for the support! 
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When it comes to towing, my number one concern is not how much weight can i pull, but how much weight can I stop.
Good point, thanks for watching!
If your trailer has brakes it should stop itself, if you know what i mean.
Completely agree with you. My brother use to brag about his f150s towing capacity until a loaded dump trailer pushed him down a hill because he didn’t adjust the brakes. He now has an f350 like me.
Exactly. I loved Air brakes on my tractor trailer. Adjusted properly, they were solid and reliable (just had to be careful in below freezing Temps n chock wheels when stop for long mandatory breaks.
Thank u as long as u have trailer brakes ur good
Nicholas Cage is very knowledgeable when is come to towing. Who would of thought... :)
Lol, I still don't see the resemblance although there must be one since you're one of several people that have commented about it! Thanks for watching!
you are mistaken........that's Aaron Rodgers...........
I'm pretty sure this is Ryan Reynolds. DeadPool camping
More like Ethan Hawk
Lol he do look like Nickolas cage, as well as Aron rogers 🤣 y'all funny
THANK YOU for saying “Just because you can tow it doesn’t mean you should “. I just recently saw a tundra towing a 37’ fifth wheel, I had a 2017 Silverado 3500 single rear wheel and found we were 800lbs overloaded. We went and got a 2020 Silverado 3500 dually, to not only ensure I was safe for my family but safe for everyone else around me on the road. It infuriates me when I see Tundras and Titans towing things I wouldn’t tow with a 2500HD. GREAT VIDEO, Thank you for bringing this to us.
You're welcome Paul! That is insane that a Tundra was pulling a 37' 5th wheel! I love Tundra's and I even considered buying one. But their payload capacity is too low, especially for a big rig like that. You made a respectable decision! It sounds like you have a much better setup. Thanks for the comment and watching!
I always say, it’s better to over-truck your trailer than it is to over-trailer your truck. This is a perfect example of this. You have left yourself a lot of room in the weight department which makes for a much more enjoyable camping experience. You did a great job with the video as well.
Well put! I like that saying and it makes a ton of sense. Thanks for the compliment and watching!
I had a F150 to pull my 28”Rv, as I saw lots videos like yours, I sold it and got a GMC 2500 HD. My safety and the others around matters a lot. Safety is more important for me than fuel economy.Thanks for you very well done video.
Thanks! Good for you! That is a much better setup and like you said, a lot safer. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for putting this out for all to see the truth of what they are doing to their family and everyone else on the road. When I lived in Caryville TN it was a sport to see how long we could go between crashed campers on the southbound I-75 between Caryville and Oak Ridge TN. Please remember folks, its not a contest as to who can pull the most. At some point you have to keep it all under control on grades as well as emergency stopping.
You're welcome Jason! Well said man! Some people don't realize those weight ratings are to keep yourself and everyone else on the road SAFE! Thanks for watching and the comment!
Hisenberg is that you
You talking about going down jellico
Great video. I must say I learned something from your video ( thought I wouldn't to be honest) and I've been trailering boats and cargo trailers for 20 plus years and now I am towing a 30' RV Travel Trailer. I never knew you had to subtract the payload capacity from the tow rating. Thanks.
Thank you! Yeah, that was new to me as well! Thanks for watching!
God bless you for taking the time from your schedule to educate people on what to look for as far as tow capacity, pay load etc. Great stuff!!
Thank you for the kind works and for watching!
This is very good advice and it's critically important for safety. It doesn't matter how your truck can tow, it matters how much your truck can STOP in an emergency situation.
Thank you! I agree with you 100%. Thanks for watching!
Great information I learned a lot and now I know what to look for when I am buying a camper. I was thinking about buying a camper that weighed 6,000 lbs. but after your video I can only haul 4,600lbs which is 80 percent. Thank you for the video
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching and enjoy your new camper!
Truck driver/ RVer. Glad to see people paying attention to the numbers that matter 👍
Heck yeah! Thanks for the comment and watching!
I have to say I respect your channel and appreciate your gems. Living here in NYC this channel open my eyes a lot. Peace and Love...
Thanks! Thanks for binging my videos!
Throw some airbags on that Dakota and maybe a chrome exhaust tip and he’s good to go! 😂
In the harley shop that I use to work in the quote was, "Chrome dont get you home, but Shiney may get you hiney."
Lol! Thanks for watching!
Thanx for this video, my wife has an unrealistic idea of how my 150 can tow or how much I can put in the 6'5" bed for landscaping, and her desire for a camper.. This brought reality to to her misconception
@@p.t.benzinger2179 lol, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for watching
YEE YEE
That dakota driver is insane! What the heck! Great video man, I'm looking at campers and this vid answered every question I had👍
Agreed! Glad you could find the video helpful, thanks for watching!
Your video should be required viewing for anybody buying or selling an RV. Great job
Thank you! I appreciate the feedback! Honest RV dealers/sales people usually give some good information, but unfortunately there are the guys out there just looking to make a buck and don't think of the safety risks involved in not setting people up properly.
I agree!!!! Hell....I'd go as far as saying Dealers need to watch it as well. They are all idiots!
Lol, the ones selling don't care. If something catastrophic happens, they don't assume any liability, yet you can be sure they promise the world to get a sale.... Then they sell more after. Ugh.
@@ColoradoCamperman same with motorcycles. Sadly, the new inexperienced owners pay a high price.
@@birdlady2725 Yeah, that is sad and unfortunate! You definitely have to do plenty of your own research prior to buying a large item like that.
I appreciate a breakdown of what the advertised numbers mean versus an actual use-case scenario. The context is incredibly important
Glad the breakdown could be helpful! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Cat Scales centers are a great way to double check your tow setup especially if you have a consistent setup. There are lots of videos about using this service.
Also, I towed with a 1500 at 80% of max and 2500 with 80% of max and the 2500 hands down behaves way better on the road. Thanks for doing this video I learned something.
Thanks for the comment and watching! Yeah, Cat Scales are really nice. I was intimidated going to a scale at first, but I've always had a great experience. Totally true with what you said on the difference between 1500 and 2500, very noticeable difference!
Very informative and lots of food for thought! I was leaning toward a Tacoma with 6’ bed for hauling yard waste, some light house remodeling debris once in a while. I hadn’t given thought of towing. We don’t currently own a trailer camper…wouldn’t mind one as an empty nester…I need to rethink my truck strategy now….
Glad the video was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thanks so much! This is a gift to those like me shopping for Travel Trailers. You demystified the numbers and provided a reality check as well.
Glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!
This really helped understand the weight ratings better. Thanks for the video.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
This is an excellent, clear, informative video.
Thank you! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Easiest to comprehend and figure out your gcwr on a video I’ve seen so far. Thx!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Ohh you right ,he was good and clear
Thanks for the video!
After watching many videos, yours explains it the best so far!
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Just started camping and was considered about the towing and cargo numbers. You gave a great explanation, simple so easy to understand. Thanks
Glad the video could be helpful! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thank you for posting this video, really love it. For everyone's sake home that Dakota breaks down soon, and the owner is smart enough to get a cummins after that.
You're welcome, thanks for watching Jon!
However, that Dakota is probably more reliable daily driver vehicle that the newer Cummins out there😁🤙.
Let’s be honest, dude couldn’t swing the 1500 no way he’s affording a Cummins
@@j.l.salayao8055 o.O
Really useful video, and exactly the info I've been looking into. I have a 4-door wrangler I love, and am having it regeared for better low-end torque (live in New Mexico). There are only two travel trailers that are in contention (SafariCondo) and Casita. We're new to this, so don't want to experiment with a $50K SafariCondo trailer, so it's probably the Casita. Just me, my wife, and my dog. There's so much to explore in the West, and we want to do it in short trips. Thanks again
You're welcome! Glad you found some useful info out of the video. Those Casita's are pretty sweet! I hope you find one that works out for you! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Yup ...Great video and information !! Thanks and have fun out there !
Thank you my friend!
This was AMAZING thank you ! I learned my dream truck is 1000 under the 80% rating I guess I’ll keep looking ! Thanks for the info
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Right on brother! You are so right that towing only 68% of your capacity gives you piece of mind. I’m in about the same boat. My tow capacity on my half ton is 8,800 lbs and my camper fully loaded is about 4,900 lbs. So I’m only about 56%. Makes me feel pretty good going down the road!
Thank you! It really is good piece of mind to be a well under the tow capacity of the truck. If we were like 90%, I'd feel like I'm beating the heck out of my truck every time we would go camping, lol. 56% is great, good for you man! That is a good cushion to have.
Colorado Camperman LOL, so I did some more digging. My capacity actually is only 7800 pounds, not 8800 which puts me at like 63 percent,so still good there. However, I dug out my cat scale printouts and dug into the GVWR, GAWR and GCWR. All of my numbers are well with the great range except for my rear axel. I have a half ton Ram 5.7 Hemi with the 3.21. My rear axel rating is 3990, and the CAT scale with trailer hooked up reads a hair over 5,000 on my rear axel. Only a little over 2,000 pounds rides on my trailer axels. But when you step back and look at my rig, it is perfectly level and rides great. I have a quality weight distribution system but now I’m thinking it is working TOO well. I’m a little perplexed.
@@cslay06 That's good you're still well under your tow capacity. I'm surprised to hear about your rear axle being over though. What do you carry in the rear of your truck? Sounds like you should be more then good with your setup, and it rides level too?!? That would perplex me as well.
@@ColoradoCamperman Yeah, I'm not TOO worried about it, but I'm a guy that takes the best care of my equipment as I can and it bothers me a little bit. That weight was with nothing in the back of the truck. I should try a weigh without the weight distribution bars hooked up, I'm sure I'll get very different results. I remember measuring my tongue weight 2 years ago, and I was just over 10% of the trailer weight, so I was happy with that, so it's gotta be the weight distribution that is shifting serious weight up into the frame of the truck. This isn't a bad thing, but I'm surprised how MUCH weight it's actually redistributing. Oh well, not gonna worry about it. Thanks for the reply, Brian. I hope you and the fam can get out on some private property soon and start camping. I've been out twice already boondocking and will probably go again next weekend : ) Thanks for the reply and the conversation!
"I can tow my 5th wheel with my Dodge Dakota and I don't even know it's back there". Famous final words as the next Darwin Award winner gets ready kick his bucket.
Lol!! Thanks for the laugh and watching!
Hahaha 😂
I googled "5th wheel trailers for half ton trucks" out of curiosity (I know almost all of them are too heavy). Very first article tried to tell me that there's DOZENS of 5th wheels that work with half tons. PLENTY OF OPTIONS lol yeah right.
Wow! You did a fantastic job! I now know what all those numbers mean. Thank you very much!
Thanks Deborah! I'm glad the video was helpful. Thanks for watching!
Good video on an important topic - thanks for taking the time to make it
Thank you! I appreciate you watching and commenting!
I've got a 454 in an S-10. I can tow anything.
Rabble Rabble Rabble
Lol, at first I didn't see the rabble rabble rabble. Good ole South Park! Thanks for watching!
Tow yes, stop...not so much.😂
Til your 'anything' runs you and s10 over going down a steep grade lol!
To those who missed it. It was a joke.
Good to know we agree 100%
Awesome, thanks for watching!
That’s awesome! There was an old guy by me that would haul 8 round hay bales on a Gooseneck trailer with a Chevy s10 pickup. His pickup looked like a low rider. It was hilarious to watch him drive by everyday!
Lol, that's hilarious! Thanks for watching!
Great video, wish I had seen it sooner. I had recently bought a camper and asked the salesman (i know never ask a salesman if you want an honest answer) if my truck would be ok pulling the camper I was buying. "yeah your are fine" he says! towing capacity I was fine and load capacity I was fine. Of course that was until you filled the propane tanks, put batteries on the trailer, put your camper accessories in the pass through, maybe put some water in the water tank, through some stuff in the bed of the truck...etc and now your over your load capacity (double the load capacity of the Tundra I had). Now have a GMC 2500 HD.
Thank you! I wish salesmen wouldn't do that. Glad you have a truck that is better for your setup. Thanks for watching!
Wow! A video on RUclips that actually was full of useful information and wasn't trying to sell me something. This is the greatest informational video I have seen in years. Thank you!
Here's a question for you: What class of truck would you recommend to tow a Tent Trailer weighing in at 2500 to 3500 pounds? I don't want to spend too much on a truck if I don't have to!
Thanks for the kind words Ryan! We had a Toyota 4Runner that pulled out pop-up camper very nicely. It had a max tow capacity of 5,000lbs so it was plenty capable. I think our trailer only weighed around 2,000lbs. Pop-up/tent trailers tow very easy. You don't get hardly any wind/air drag since they have such a low profile. A vehicle that had a tow capacity of 5-6,000lbs, would be adequate enough for a 2,500-3,500lb trailer.
IMO, you can't go wrong on getting too much tow vehicle. So if you find a similarly priced tow vehicle with a higher tow capacity, you may want to consider going that route. That way if you upgrade to a heavier trailer down the road, you don't have to upgrade your tow vehicle again. That will also give you a larger cushion in your tow capacity and your towing experience will likely be better. I hope that helps! Thanks for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman Thanks! Do you think a Silverado 1500 with a V6 and 7900 towing capacity would be enough for a travel trailer around 4,000 lbs? I'm trying to decide between a pop up trailer or a lightweight travel trailer.
@@pwrof3 Is that the dry weight or the gross weight of the trailer? If that is the gross weight, it looks like you have plenty of room in your towing capacity. A pop-up trailer will naturally tow much easier because of wind drag. So even if you the pop-up and TT weighed the same, the pop-up would be much easier to tow.
A couple of notes about 1/2 ton towing(also applies to SUVs). Your stock tires are probably not gonna cut it. 8 ply tires will dramatically improve side to side sway. Get the best weight distributing hitch you can afford. Hensley arrows, Reese dual cams. They make all the difference. Don't drive 70mph when towing with a 1/2 ton. Like others have stated, it's the stopping ability that matters. There is definitely a difference between trying to stop at 55-60 vs 70 when towing with a 1/2 ton. And get a good brake controller. I'm a fan of Prodigy, but there are other good brands. The last thing you want in an emergency is a brake controller that won't give enough power to your trailer brakes.
Well said, thanks for sharing those tips! Thanks for watching!
Great Straight Forward Advice.... As a recreational tow driver with moderate experience with a 1/2 ton Suburban, 5200 lb Camper, Family & Gear I'll add, A.) Air-Up your oem tires before a trip. B.) Get to know your Brake Controler, so you can "Tune It" on-the-fly to better match road & weather conditions. and C.) Towing any kind of real weight is not a race... Feel Out your tow vehicle and trailer, Together they behave unlike any other. Each combination has its own personality. Find your Rigs speed, braking, wind resistance and abrupt steering input stability/recovery Sweet Spots and stay within them.... it's not about driving your car/truck somewhere, it's about Transporting a Heavy Load to its destination.
Excellent video. Best and most user friendly explanation I've seen yet. Awesome job. I need to subscribe. I'm sure you got other great videos. Thanks.
Thank you for the compliment and watching Manny!
I'm a nubie starting my research. This was a greatly informative video for me. The explanation was great and easy to grasp!!
Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!
I also like the 75 - 80% for cargo weight in trailer.
Good tip, thanks for the comment and watching!
If they are required by OSHA in the ratings of the trucks. Most manufacturers I think can only state 75% of the failure rate.
Great video and warning. Down here in Pueblo I went by when the police had someone pulled over who was pulling a fifth wheel with a early 90s s-10
Thank you! Lol, good! That is probably worse then what this guy was doing. I tried calling the state troopers but *CSP was not working. I tried a few other numbers and no luck, I don't know what the deal was there. You used to be able to call *CSP and report drivers. They must have stopped doing that because they were probably getting hammered with calls. Thanks for watching and the comment Keith!
Colorado Camperman, I think you could call 911 in that situation. Tell them right up front, “I’m not sure if this warrants 911, but it could very shortly.” And go on to explain. I think a responding officer would agree with your call. Nobody wants to be the tattle-tail, but I’d rather that, than hear a news story about someone killed by the guy.
Good video, I’ve been towing for years, lowboy etc. your video and numbers are right on. I’m in Carbondale and have run the mountains for 30 years.
Thanks Keith! I appreciate your comment and you watching!
Thank you for truly breaking down and helping me understand cargo and towing capacity.
You're welcome! Glad the video was helpful. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Suspension and brakes are generally maxed out well before the motor. It's the whoa not the go that's the problem
I agree 100%, thanks for watching!
I move an 11000 camper with my Tacoma in the campground wow never on the road 5 to 10 mph I had a hard time stopping
It’s all about physics. A full size pickup is nothing if the RV breaks traction. 4 to 6 small patches of rubber is all that keeps you in control.
and that's the thing most people don't understand. you little truck could probably yank 10k down the road at a decent speed but you're going to have some trouble slowing down.
Good explanation. I have a 2018 2500 nearly identical to yours. The numbers are the same. I didn't see where Chevy's tow capacity numbers included the payload of your truck. Right now we are only towing a hybrid very similar to what you used to have, but in the future want to upgrade to a fifth wheel. Some of these ratings I swear are meant to confuse you so you don't know for sure what is legal and what isn't. If I did the math correctly, and some of that depends on the pin weight of the fifth wheel, I think I max out around 11,300 GVWR on the fifth wheel. Great video.
Thank you! I agree, it is super confusing! So the curb weight on my truck is around 7,058lbs with a full tank of gas (no gear or passengers, just the truck & gas). GCWR is 21,100lbs. In the trailering guide, it states 13,900lbs is the towing capacity. So, if you add 7,058lbs+13,900lbs = 20,958lbs (that's where they get the 21,100lbs). As you can see, they add payload and hitch towing in the 13,900lbs.
The payload I have available is 9,900GVWR-7,058curb weight = 2,842lbs payload. If you put aside passengers & gear (say 600lbs) that would give you 2,242lbs left for a 5th wheel hitch and the pin weight. If I maxed out my payload I should have 11,200lbs left (21,100 GCWR -9,900 GVWR).
Hopefully that makes sense and I didn't confuse you more, lol! Thanks for watching!
Brilliant walk-through, Brian!! Thanks for sharing!! best regards from Norway!
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thanks for your honesty.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Thank you for this. I believe that there are "heavier duty" 1500 series truck, just like the one GMC used to make. We bought the GMC Sierra 1500 with the NHT package, and it lists at 7600 GVWR, with a maximum of 11700lbs of towing capacity. Indeed, we try to leave 15% of the capacity intact, so we can tow safely, and where ever we want to go (hills, mountains, rockies, etc...). Great calculation will lead to safer trailering indeed! Be safe all! Thanks again :-)
You're welcome! That seems like a pretty decent GVWR, a lot of 1500 trucks seem to sit around 7,000lbs so that's great you're 10% higher then them. Good call on leaving the 15%, I really think that is a safe way to go. Thanks for watching!
We also just bought a new beefier GMC 1500 with good solid numbers just for our ultra lite which is in fact basically a bit lighter is about what it boils down to but there is comfort in the numbers now!
I have an f150 with a 7700 gvwr. Sterling 10.25” rear end with the HD transmission. 7 lug
@@Upliftyourbrothers That's cool I did not know that those trucks existed. Thanks for watching
@@darlene6670 That's sweet I had no idea there were trucks like that. Thanks for watching.
...and for your next video, "child locks". Very informative info I once lost a trailer on the hwy, wrong ball size. Good thing I had strong safety chains on. 👍
Good tip! Thanks for watching!
Great Video! Very helpful and informative!
Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the info!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Great video, I like to know where you found the info about your max towing and needing to subtract the payload, to get the real max towing number?
Thanks! Just Google "2019 Chevy trailering guide." There's a PDF guide with all the info you need. I don't know how many years that guide goes back. Thanks for watching!
Need to know the weight ratings
Of the steer axle drive axle and trailer axles
Now fuel truck top off the water tanks include the black water tank.
Add the propane.
Now go weight the truck at a cat scale. Subtract the axle ratings of every axle set with the empty weight of the cat scale. That is what you can haul. On each axle set up to the Gross Combined Weight Rating of your set up.
Get the heaviest rated tires you can find. E rated is my minimum for truck tires. If possible run the same size tire all around. On the same wheel if possible. If not have a spare tire for each type tire/wheel. And a hydraulic bottle jack. Impact wrench and torque wrench. To be able to change the tire on the side of the road. Should also have a set of safety triangles like a semi is required to carry and an ABC fire extinguisher. In the truck. When loaded go back to the same cat scale and weigh again. This is your gross weight. Keep it with your vehicle registration and insurance card. Keep a copy of your trailer registration and insurance card for the trailer with it as well. It looks more professional when you do.
Thanks for the excellent information and comment Jerry! That is the perfect way to do things!
Thanks for making this video, hopefully it will save someone life. God bless.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Great advice and video. You are right you gotta know the weights yourself don’t depend on a truck or RV salesman to shoot you straight into. They’re gonna tell you what you want to hear to sell you a rig. Also I might add your trucks towing capacity will also depend on gear ratio and which transmission is installed on your particular truck.
Thanks Kevin! Good point, I should have talked about that. I may have to do a part 2 where I talked about that and axle weight rating as well. Thanks for the comment and watching!
It is also very important to check your tire rating. If you have stock tires, you might want an upgrade
Very good point! Thanks for the comment and watching!
A lot of good info! I have a Ram 1500, and we're looking into trailers. Says it can pull 7600 lbs, but as I am looking around I realize that doesn't necessarily mean I should get 7600 GVWR. Looking for a lighter option.
Good thinking! A little cushion is the safe way to go. Thanks for watching!
So helpful! Thank you!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
I needed this 😭
Thanks for watching!
You should mention the weight numbers on the camper are always much less than the camper actually weighs and often don’t include things such as batteries, propane, awning, etc. Also, a tongue weight scale is essential. I’ve seen travel trailers have double the tongue weight they claim, particularly due to what I previously stated combined with whatever and where you load your cargo. For example, a front kitchen will be loaded with food and pans. Front bedroom can add up quickly. Depending on where the water tanks are can drastically affect this number.
Good points Mike! Thanks for the comment and watching!
Thanks for great video. Also really critical that folks keep an eye on weight carrying vs weight distributing ratings. Example being F150 - through model year 2020 in ANY configuration, including max towing package that will have alleged capacity of 13,200lbs, the absolute max for a weight carrying two is still only 5,000lbs! Even a 2016 F350 dually diesel has a maximum weight carrying towing capacity of only 8,500lbs. For Ford, there was a big bump from 2017 model year for Super Duty but F150 remains 5,000.
You're welcome, thanks for watching! When you say weight carrying, do you mean payload capacity?
@@ColoradoCamperman I think he's talking about a Weight Distribution Hitch. I don't like how chevy's (other's might do the same) have that v-5 hitch without ALL THE INFORMATION on them. The max hitch weight on you're hitch is with a weight distribution hitch. You're max hitch weight would be around 1/2 that without.
Ford lists weight carrying at 500/5000 because the bumper itself is rated at that, and is the limit they set per SAE J2807 for unloaded steering. GM is 700/7000. WDH ratings are where the real numbers are. Again, they are all set to SAE J2807 specs and they have to have 33% of all vehicles sold be capable of those ratings, for all manufacturers that use the J2807 standards, which by now they all should be. Those are all set at 10% tongue weight and 15 % pin weight, and are meant for flat bed cargo trailers, car carriers, etc that tow easy with little sway at 10% TW, but anyone who has towed a travel trailer at 10% TW will know, thats not a good idea. IOW take the tow numbers with a grain of salt because you won't ever be able to actually tow that much trailer with the majority of trucks sold.
Very well done explanation of the critical numbers. Thanks
You're welcome Ted! Thanks for watching!
Hi colorado camperman! This video is very useful for me. I was looking at small camper trailers for my acura rdx suv. I was able to lookup the gvwr, gawr and did some basic math with the torque my 6 cyl 3.5 liter vehicle produces and figure out that all I can haul safely is a micro pop up. Apparently my vehicle is a sport suv that's designed for speed and highway performance, and not hauling heavy loads . So thank you. Time for a second car that can actually haul a decent sized camper.
Hello! I am glad that the video was helpful to you! Hopefully your Acura will tow the micro popup well for you. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Great video. I've seen a lot of 1/2 ton towables on the road with a truck full of passengers and gear in the back pulling a 30 foot trailer. Please don't go anywhere near the mountains.
Yeah, those people need to watch this video! We need less of these overloaded folks on the road. Thanks for watching!
Tongue weight
on the trailer is when it's empty, you have to scale it after you get all your gear and stuff in it to get your true tongue weight.
Thanks for the heads up on that and for watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman No problem, people forget this and suddenly discover what they thought their tongue weight was is actually significantly higher after loading everything up.
Nice Job! That was really good!
And i see that you are still replying to comments too? Awesome!
I'll be sharing this video for sure.
Yeah, that Dakota was a little overloaded.
I try and help people on social media but most of the time they've already made a bad decision and just want someone to agree with them.
I will share your video with them!
Thanks
Thank you for the comment and sharing! I always appreciate people coming on here and being positive. 👍
Excellent review and educational experience to share. Very well presented and highly appreciated 👏 👍 👌
Thanks for the compliments and watching!
The fellow towing that fifth wheel with his Dakota was also dragging the connecting wires on the pavement. Doesn't even look to have been a harness there, just a couple of wires dangling and scraping pavement so the trailer likely had no lights. That being said I doubt a judge would give that fellow a life sentence unless prior records, even with a death.
Lol, I noticed that too! Yeah, I mis-spoke about the life sentence. Thanks for watching!
2:23 the guy with the bicycle camper 😂
Lol, I want to see what that thing looks like inside! Thanks for watching!
17 hours to find this video! Best explanation of how to find these numbers and what they mean!
Glad you found the video and that it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Hi Brian what's going on man thank you for Doing this video you are a great person to show the pay load for a vehicle any time you put a camper or a pull trailer or 5th wheel its gotta be a 1 Ton Full size 4 door crew cab 1 ton 4x4
Hey David, thanks for the comment! I like to practice what I preach, lol! While driving my truck is not the easiest, I love the benefits of a crew cab and a long bed. And of course 4x4! Things are going well here, I can't wait to get out camping! We're going to need a retreat to the mountains after all this corona craziness. How have you been?
Actually a single cab 2wd will have a greater cargo carrying capacity, greater tow capacity and thus greater GVWR for same year make and model. People often choose the 4 door 4wd and not realize they are giving up a bit in carrying capacity as the truck is significantly heavier and not any stronger.
Very good explanation! My 2006 Tundra has the tow package which is good with the tow/haul mode, trans cooler, larger brakes etc. but it still only has a tow rating of 7300 Lbs with a 1350 Lb CCC. I'm looking at a Winnebago Micro Minnie trailer that has a dry weight of 3660 lbs, max weight 5000 Lbs, hitch weight 380 lbs, 2-3000 axles. I will max out on gear at aprox 800 lbs for a loaded weight aprox 4500 Lbs. This will be aprox 70% of my truck's tow rate. My problem will be my CCC. I want to add a topper at 200Lbs, hitch weight of 400 Lbs, this will give me aprox 750 Lbs left over for my Golden, myself, extra water and extra gas. I figure I will be at about 100 Lbs less than my CCC which is closer than I like but doable. I will use a equalizer WDH/anti sway. I am going to add air bags also. I intend to take the WDH bars off as soon as I get off the highway and use the bags to level out with.
At 30% less than tow max, my tow package, able to get the hitch to 12-15% of trailer weight, early in life 20 years plus semi driver and heavy equip op before I went through the Sheriff's Training Academy at 40. I think I'm sitting good as long as I stay to a smaller light weight trailer.
Thanks Richard! It sounds like you really have your numbers down and are good with that setup. Those Winnebago Micro MInnie's are pretty sweet! I really like those trailers. Anything that size sounds like it will be perfect. It's crazy how once you run the numbers, everything adds up quickly! Thanks for the comment and watching!
@@ColoradoCamperman I love those smaller trailers :)
Question about your "max weight 5000 Lbs, hitch weight 380 lbs". I'm thinking that the hitch weight with your Minnie loaded to 5000# would be more in the 500#-750# range based on the 10%-15% guidelines, right? That would add another couple hundred pounds to your CCC. You might want to check this with a hitch scale.
@@barrynash1126 You're on target with the hitch weight. These RV manufacturers are relentless with false numbers for their hitch weights that they advertise.
Correction, airbags also help with safety in the form of load leveling and sway control.
True. Thanks for watching.
Awesome video man thanks for the info!
Thank you! You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Thank you. Great info. I was wondering how to figure out how much I can tow with my SUV. 🙏
Glad it was helpful. Thank you for watching!
That dodge dakota was definitely overloaded! LOL
Lol, yes it was! I wish I could have gotten some better footage, it was ridiculous!
Anytime you see a pick up and or SUV towing a boat or trailer and the front of the truck/suv is pointed up and rear looks like it is sitting on the ground....GET AWAY from that vehicle as it is an accident waiting to happen. If it hits a bump the truck can loose all contact with the road and wreak. You don't even have to be going fast.
I agree 💯! Thanks for watching Greg!
Most of the newer F250 superduties will squat like that unless the owner installs airbags. My 99 superduty sits level when loaded like that.
Very nice presentation. I tow lots and see countless people struggling while towing. Unaware of the risk they are taking . I have a 3/4 ton diesel. It tows everything I need with ease where a half ton would be maxed out.
Thanks Lloyd! Thanks for watching too!
Great video, thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
Alright the dude whos towing his trailer with bicycle is frekin hilarious hahaha
Agreed! I would love to see that little camper in person! Thanks for watching!
Re: The camper/bicycle picture. I think I've seen that picture before. I'm pretty sure that's in southeast Asia. H's not towing the camper, it's attached like a truck camper.
Yep here it is www.wired.com/2009/08/camper-bike-a-home-on-three-wheels/
And Here: www.kevincyr.net/index.php?/project/camper-bike/
So proud to be Dodge Dakota owner after seeing that,a Tacoma couldn't even handle that 5th wheel
Lol, I did see a old Tacoma pulling a 30'+ bumper pull camper once. He was doing about 45-50mph and struggling bad. He too was at least double his payload and towing capacity. Thanks for watching!
@@mkaestn I know what you're talking about, I just saw a Tundra towing a pretty big 5th wheel the other day! Thanks for watching!
An excellent video Brian, I learned so much !! At the end of the year I'm thinking of selling my converted box truck; and buying a pickup and 5th wheel. Now I have all the info I need thanks Brian .👍🇺🇸😎
Thank you! You have a converted box truck?!? Either I forgot about that or we haven't talked about it?!? Glad the info could help!
@@ColoradoCamperman yes I do . I don't have any pictures or videos on my RUclips channel. I have no way to " upload or download or whatever " . I'm an analoge man living in a digital world !!! 🏕️🇺🇸👍😎
Awesome video! So thorough and easy to follow!
Thanks for the comment and watching!
Since I'm bad with math, this is why I bought a dually, for my 2301 8000 pounds boat ,stops great too i don't need a lawsuit, or prison time be smart people
Lol, that is one way to do it! Thanks for watching!
According to the CAT scale my 30' travel trailer weights 7,014 lbs loaded and ready to go. The hitch weight is 850 lbs. My problem was I refuse to drive two vehicles to every (any) camping trip with our family of 6.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a SUV with a payload more than 1,700 lbs????
The trailer weight and family exceeds almost every SUV payload rating. The only vehicle I know of that did not require me to drive with child in a front bench, was the heavy duty Suburban. And they stopped making those in 2019.
I agree with you, the extra capacity does make the road trip more enjoyable.
Wow, good for you in knowing all your numbers and keeping the family safe. Hopefully you figure something out. Thanks for watching!
Very helpful. Thank you for your time mformation.
You're welcome, thanks for watching!
How can I simply not like your nicely put and thoroughly executed video?
Lol, well thank you! I appreciate the comment and you watching!
We have the same sort of idiots over here in Australia as well. Quite frankly, their total lack of common sense and disregard for safety astounds me. But, you can't fix stupid.
Well said James! Thanks for watching and stopping by from Australia!
Great video and info. People should be required to have a special endorsement on their dl to pull a trailer at all and understanding of these numbers should be required for that endorsement. You put it very accurately when you said they put their own life in danger (which they have a right to) and other people's lives in danger (they do not have the right to). Other motorists have the right to be safe from these idiots, but the overbearing big brother government for some reason refuses to step in where actually needed.
Well put Chadrick! I agree with you 100%! Thanks for watching!
Everyone in government outside of the IRS doesn’t want to do math
@@ChickenSoupMusic Lol, that is true!
I usually frown upon more regulation but that's a pretty good idea
Good video 👍
I own this same truck, if you wanna help quiet the ride a little more, get a set of inner fender liners for the rear, they help deaden road noise and look good aswell.. i used my GM rewards for a nice discount also..
Thanks man! Good choice! Thanks for the tip and watching!
Sometimes people are just unaware. When we bought our last travel trailer, i got the impression the sales person thought we limiting our choices by only looking at trailers around 3000 lbs. Since we already had experience towing with our first trailer, i didnt want to have the new trailer to heavy. We have a 1st gen v6 tacoma which has a tow capacity of 5-6000 lbs. Our last truck was also a 4 cylinder tacoma with only a 3500 lb tow capacity with a 2400 lb trailer. So i aways want my truck heavier than the trailer we tow and to be with the manufactures specifications. Thanks for the video.
It sounds like you guys are properly setup! How does the Tacoma tow for you guys? Our 4Runner did a great job with our hybrid camper. I agree that sometimes people are just unaware - I think most newbies to the RV industry fall into that category. Of course there are the bad apples out there that don't care about the numbers or have any interest in understanding them.
That's a great point and something I probably should have mentioned - the weight of your tow vehicle. Our tow vehicle has always weighed more then our camper and we have never had issues. I'll probably do another video down the road which talks about sizing your tow vehicle to your camper, I'll be sure to mention it in that video! Thanks for the tip!
@@ColoradoCamperman they both were able to tow out trailer, however, as the driver, the 4 cylinder was not the best driving experience. Thats why we bought the v6 which doesnt struggle. They are both 1st gen tacomas. The 4 cylinder was a 2000 xtracab with a 5 speed manual mated to a 3.73:1 rear differential. The v6 is a 2003 double cab with a 3 speed automatic + overdrive mated to a 4.10:1 rear differential. (i dont use overdrive when towing). The 4 cylinder gets 12-14 mpg towing and 25 - 28 mpg not towing. v6 gets 10 - 12 mpg towing and 19 - 21 mpg not towing. The two trucks are designed for different purposes. the 2000 is a sr5 basic truck and the 2003 is a trd offroad with big tires and a factory lift. I know a full size truck would get same or better mpg towing, however, i like the older toy trucks so i just have to keep the trailers smaller and lighter. Sorry for the long winded response, i really enjoy trucks and campers. Have a good one
I have had dealers try to sell me a heavier camper trailer because they thought my truck was capable of towing the weight. Buyers be aware. It could cost your lives.
I've heard that story often! Good for you for not giving in. Thanks for watching!
Yes, we've had a million 'opinion's' on how much weight we can haul! Still trying to figure it out so we can buy a darn camper at some point?!
I looked at a huge Grand Design 5th wheel to kill some time, while my wife was at the hair salon across the street. The 1st thing the sales guy told me was "looks like you have the truck to pull it", he had no idea nor did he care that my 3500 SRW lacked the towing capacity to safely tow that huge 5thwheel. Sales guys are in the business of selling not setting up a tow package, I ALWAYS tell anyone who asks to STOP and research the towing capacity necessary for whatever RV purchase they intend to make AND THEN discuss a purchase based upon one's due diligence, knowledge of the RV. So many people put the cart before the horse during an RV purchase.
Finaly some one that knows wat he is talking about
Thanks for watching Martin!
I came back and watched this again. Well done, and I am cycling through for thorough understanding. I am looking at the RV life. I may need to change up my vehicle first!!!!!!
Glad the video was helpful! Have fun figuring out your setup. Thanks for the comment and watching!
Great video good job. Thanks JOHN
Thanks for the comment and watching John!
I have a CDL. Pisses me off seeing stuff like that. Those guys are never pulled over or into weigh stations.
I bet it does, you actually had to work and go through training to get a CDL. Clowns like this dude didn't do crap and are putting tons of people in danger by driving overloaded. Thanks for watching Daniel!
I also am a truck driver and I have seen so many wrecks caused by people thinking their pickup can do more than it can I could never remember them all
And the big emphasis is..."don't listen to the salesman!"
Agreed! Some of them are great and they will set you up properly. Others are just concerned about their commission and pushing you to buying an RV.
Totally agree about camper salesmen, maybe about 1/2 know what they are talking about and maybe only about 1/4 of salesmen can even hook up a camper. Another scary thing is there is no test or anything people buy a 30 plus foot camper, and the camper store send them on their way.
I sold and helped installed trailer hitches of all makes for 17 years and I found the majority of the dealers salesmen do not know anything about towing and they will tell the customer any thing to sell the truck. Many times they would call to schedule us to install trailer wiring on a truck and I would tell to walk to the back of the truck and they would see it already had the wiring there as it was included by the factory. The smart salesmen would call and tell me the year make model of the truck and what the customer wanted and I would then tell them what needed to be done to make it happen or that is was not possible for that vehicle. My favorite was a customer brought in a Ford Explorer Sport Trac ( the Explorer with small pickup bed ) and wanted the largest trailer hitch we could put on the vehicle. I asked him what did he plan to tow and he said he had a four horse trailer he was going to tow. Told him he did not have enough truck to tow that kind of load and he said they dealer told him it could handle the load with no problem. He would not listen to me so I sold him and installed the heaviest duty hitch available for the vehicle and took his money. A month later he was back in with a Ford F350 Super Duty that he has us set up to tow the horse trailer.
Hey brother thanks for the video. I was planning on buying a camping trailer. I just got a new Tahoe so this is good to know.
You're welcome! Congrats on your new purchase! Selecting and buying a new camper is a lot of fun. Enjoy the process! Thanks for watching!
Good information. Thanks!
You're welcome, thanks for watching!