Getting Confused on what can I tow
I have a Chevy Tahoe and I absolutely love it. I enter its VIN number on the camping world website and it reports back that my 2007 Tahoe LT has a tow limit of 8200 pounds. I have scoured all of t...
Forum Discussion
Depending how it's outfitted, a Tahoe can be an OK tow vehicle but it's not the ultimate by any means.
Assuming you looked up the correct truck when getting the rating, it's not "inflated" but it's not the only consideration:
- GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the number you want to look for on the trailer. This is the maximum weight when loaded and most people are close to this.
- UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight) is theoretically the weight when it rolls off the factor floor. No water, no propane, no battery, nothing in it...unless you plan to camp that way, it's not very relevant for determining what you can tow.
- In addition to the tow rating, you need to check the trucks Payload. This is how much the truck can carry directly on it's wheels. It includes anything in the truck or bolted on after market (such as running boards). There is a yellow sticker on the door jam that gives you the payload. The trick is the hitch weight counts against payload. A trailer should have approximately 12-15% on the hitch. Too light and there is a tendency to develop sway. That means for an 8000lb (loaded weight) trailer you are looking at north of 1000lb on the hitch. Add in a family of 4 weighing in at say 500lb plus another 300lb of stuff in the back of the truck...do you have 1800lb of payload? Often the payload runs out before you reach the tow rating.
Then you have the practical aspect. It may be rated to tow it but it may be a miserable pig doing it. Gas engines typically make HP by cranking up the RPM. Within reason, a properly maintained engine will be fine doing 4000 RPM climbing a hill. You'll make it to the top but it can get annoying if you are frequently in the mountains. A bigger engine can allow you to keep the RPM more sedate and/or allow you to maintain a higher speed on steep grades.
Assuming you looked up the correct truck when getting the rating, it's not "inflated" but it's not the only consideration:
- GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the number you want to look for on the trailer. This is the maximum weight when loaded and most people are close to this.
- UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight) is theoretically the weight when it rolls off the factor floor. No water, no propane, no battery, nothing in it...unless you plan to camp that way, it's not very relevant for determining what you can tow.
- In addition to the tow rating, you need to check the trucks Payload. This is how much the truck can carry directly on it's wheels. It includes anything in the truck or bolted on after market (such as running boards). There is a yellow sticker on the door jam that gives you the payload. The trick is the hitch weight counts against payload. A trailer should have approximately 12-15% on the hitch. Too light and there is a tendency to develop sway. That means for an 8000lb (loaded weight) trailer you are looking at north of 1000lb on the hitch. Add in a family of 4 weighing in at say 500lb plus another 300lb of stuff in the back of the truck...do you have 1800lb of payload? Often the payload runs out before you reach the tow rating.
Then you have the practical aspect. It may be rated to tow it but it may be a miserable pig doing it. Gas engines typically make HP by cranking up the RPM. Within reason, a properly maintained engine will be fine doing 4000 RPM climbing a hill. You'll make it to the top but it can get annoying if you are frequently in the mountains. A bigger engine can allow you to keep the RPM more sedate and/or allow you to maintain a higher speed on steep grades.
