Tow rating.

If I'm not over axle weights, tire weights, hitch ratings, or anything else I wouldn't have a problem going right up to or even over the tow rating.
I'm honestly not sure what the rating is on my work trucks. They've never failed to pull any equipment I put behind them.

You don't mention payload. Load nine people and stuff in your TV and that number will cancel long before "tow rating" is reached.

Depends how far, what the load is and what I have available and how bad it needs towed.
If possible I like to stay within the tow rating, but I've been in construction all my life, so stupid loads don't really phase me much.

The biggest equalizer is frontal area and how big a sail the load is. I'll tow a flatbed trailer with street plates or eco blocks on it all day well over the tow rating (with good trailer brakes), but would cringe at having to pull right at or over the rating with an enclosed trailer for a long distance.

And again, if you have experience towing already, you can probably feel comfortable reaching the posted limit. If you are a beginner or first time towing person, you would feel better at 80%.

Really depends on the truck and trailer. I can tell you towing my 2500 at its GVWR with an 11K 5th wheel feels a hell of a lot more stable than towing my old 1/2 ton at its GVWR with a 7K TT. I agree with axle weights and tire ratings being the most important.

KD4UPL wrote:
If I'm not over axle weights, tire weights, hitch ratings, or anything else I wouldn't have a problem going right up to or even over the tow rating.
I'm honestly not sure what the rating is on my work trucks. They've never failed to pull any equipment I put behind them.

Same here.
There are some who have a mythical 80% figure they use but that's simply self imposed and frankly, groundless.

I tow just below my limits (2016 Nissan Titan XD diesel/Grand Design 313RLTS TT):

18,840 lbs (GCWR is 19,450)
10,400 lbs trailer (GVWR is 10,995)
8,760 lbs truck (GVWR is 8,800)
4,060 lbs STEER AXLE (GAWR is 4,900)
4,680 lbs DRIVE AXLE (GAWR is 4,900)
1,160 lbs TONGUE WEIGHT (CLASS IV is 1231) w/WDS

Driver experience is the most important factor of all.

I will tow up to the limits of my TV as that is what the factory has certified it for. I know full well that they are conservative in their ratings to avoid lawsuits.

You should be able to tow right up to the limit, BUT, you will probably meet or exceed your tv max payload or gawr long before you reach the tow limit. I have been getting a little frustrated the last few days researching my next tv. Many trucks are advertised to haul huge loads, but the payload is low, so it would be exceeded very quickly with tongue weight, fuel, passengers, etc. Looked at a Silverado 2500 Duramax today and payload was only 2260#. Advertised to pull a 13,000# load!

I've stalled a few rigs below the tow ratings, Even stall one at gvwr on a STEEP grade. One thing to remember, is new ratings only give you to around a 12% grade. I've had to go up grades in the low 30% range, 15-20 is not uncommon. So if you only have a 12% start ability.......you may find yourself stalling out with the new ratings!
as such, I have never trusted the ratings, today, yesterday, nor tomorrow!
I've pulled a trailer that weighed a rigs GCWR, never had an issue. Yet that 89 R3500 dually with 410's, auto trans stalled out in the 12-13K range on 20% grades. Blew up auto transmissions every 30K like clockwork! Did the same with my 88 K3500 too! Meanwhile my 81 with a 292 I6 and a muncie 4 sp would go up hills at 12K, come down and hook up to stalled out 1 tons, and pull that 12K up the hill! It had a gcwr of 100 lbs LESS than its GVWR!
My 96 K3500 with one of the junquie 6.5TDs, had no issues pulling a 12K trailer around, never stalled out. Its gcwr with the NV4500 manual trans was 12500. The auto version 14500. But stalled out on 20% grades at 12K lbs. My manual version was going up the 20% grades at 20K total lbs.
Gearing in axles, transmissions, and correct powering of you setup will get you places, GCWR means squat! Other than a warranty rating.
I was actually surprised I only stalled out my 05 dmax once. And it was at around 20K lbs on a mid 20% grade......about where I figure it would frankly! The 6.5 I figured it would stall out on a 30% grade at 20K lbs. On a freeway grade, the dmax and its 300hp left behind the 185hp 6.5 tho. 2-5% freeway grades is where HP is king. SLOW steep grades in 1st gear is where torque multiplication via tranny, axel and tire diam times torque wins. The highest multiplier usually wins and gets up the grade.
I'll pull up to around 2x grawr, to maybe 2.25. I then find above this the trailer wags the truck too much.
Just my 02 or 03 or ...........