Towing Numbers

TomG2 wrote:
OP asked, "Can someone give me all the pertinent numbers and definitions when trying to see what range of trailers I can tow?"

The single most important number is your checkbook balance. Just kidding. If you want to boil it down to one number, that number would be the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of the tow vehicle. That's is what the manufacturer says is the maximum weight for the tow vehicle, ready to go camping, including fuel, passengers, stuff, and hitch or trailer tongue weight. It is fairly easy to be over this number, so real weights are required to verify that you are not overloaded. Do NOT believe the salesman, or people on here, when it comes to what you can tow/haul. Check it out yourself.

is this per folks on here? or the LEO that pulls you over? or?!?!?!?!?

A rig with a 11400 gvwr may have less ability than a rig with an 8600 gvwr! Example, my 05 dually crew can has 4100 lbs of payload, the 2000 c2500 3800 lbs. Put 6 150 lb people in the dually, I have left 3200 lbs for hitch wt etc. The C250 with 3 150 lb people, had 3350 lbs of payload for hitch wt ec. The lower gvwr rig has more ability in some cases than the higher gvwr rig!

I can put my family of 6 into a typical crew can 1500, and I am at max gvwr, so my tow ability is nothing!

There is no number per say that is the MOST important. Reality is, one has to use all to make sure what works for me, will work for you.

Oh, what is legal per the cveo/LEO, is not legal per the pundits on this forum. My dually is good to 32K gvwr per the local CVEO, but the pundits on here, 11400 ont he door sticker. Or as some leo's will give me, 14K as I have on my paid for license. Meanwhile the c2500 would be good to 20K gvwr, pundits on here 8600 lbs, or the leo would give me 8000 lbs, as that is what my paid for gvw is on my registration!

My best way to figure max tow rating, is gvwr less the loaded wt of the rig gives max payload for hw. Take this number, divide by the hw % one needs, you then have the max trailer you can tow. If you have 1000 lbs for hw, you have a max trailer of 10K at 10%, if 20% is needed, your max trailer is 5000 lbs. Tow ratings etc be danged.

Marty