max capacity tow buffer
10+ years ago when my family first started towing the rule of thumb was leave 15% off of your vehicles maximum tow capacity as a safety buffer to prevent overloading and overtaxing your tow vehicle. ...
Forum Discussion
SpeakEasy wrote:bluepost wrote:
If you're vehicle is SAE J2807 certified, I say your good to the max. If it's not, especially on smaller tow vehicles like and SUV or 1/2 ton towing at max weights would really be tough.
A Sequoia was "10,000" lbs before J2807 certification and 7400 after. No changes were made to the vehicle.
Where can I find information like that about my vehicle? I'd be really interested in knowing if theres a before-after change.
Thanks,
-Speak
Sometimes it is listed in the small print at the bottom of the specs page. On the Dodge Chart:
https://www.ramtrucks.com/assets/towing_guide/pdf/2016_ram_1500_towing_charts.pdf
it says it right in the title...SAE J2807 Compliant.
Now Toyota was the only manufacturer I know that added the certification to the current lineup of vehicles at the time. Everyone else phased them in with new design. For example the new aluminum F150 is the first to be certified, but their slightly modified Expedition is not.
As far as new designs GM has not certified its new Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon line to my knowledge.
Honda has certified its new Pilot. So it is hit or miss.
What vehicle do you have?
Here is a link to a good summary article:
http://www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard/
And one more talking about who is certified and who is not:
http://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/features/no-go-for-standardized-tow-ratings.html
