jlfought wrote:
And is there a formula to figure this out better? The one site had us checking our max cargo and occupant weights which we couldn't find the specs on in older Burbs( 2002/2003) that we were looking at. Then we had to multiply and subtract different #'s and that would tell us how much we could tow with our current vehicle. It came out to like 2,000lbs of TT so I feel it wasn't right. Thanks everyone!
Weights can be very confusing, so it's good you are trying to figure it out now. That said, if you were looking at what you could pull with your 1/2 ton Suburban, it is quite possible that the 2,000 pound limit was more accurate than you think.
There are many weights that come into play, but the two primary considerations, to start with, are your GCVWR and GVRW.
You can look at the GCVWR is the total amount of weight your vehicle and handle. This is where the typical 'tow rating' comes from. To stay within the GCVWR, you add up the weight of the empty vehicle (with full fluids), all of the gear you will put in the tow vehicle, all of the passengers in the tow vehicle, the weight of the trailer, and the weight of all of the gear in the trailer. The only way to get this, accurately, is on the scales. Your best 'estimate' of this number, however, comes from the 'tow rating' of the vehicle. The most common tow rating includes the empty vehicle with full fluids and a single driver (150 pounds or so). Thus, to estimate how much weight you can pull, you take the tow rating of of the vehicle, subtract the weight of the family and gear in the truck, and the result what's left for the trailer.
The GVWR, on the other hand, is how much your tow vehicle can CARRY. This is very different than the other rating. This is where payload comes from. The payload is eaten up by everything the truck has to carry (including the driver). There is a little sticker on the door panel of the truck that lists a fairly accurate payload for that vehicle. For a 3/4 ton 'burb, it's likely to be in the 2,000-2,100 pound range. From that number, you subtract the weight of the passengers (including driver), the weight of all gear you will put in the truck, and the weight of the hitch (75 pounds or so). What is left is what is available for the tongue weight of the trailer.
This is where it gets a little more confusing. The TW of the trailer is likely to run 12-13% of the loaded trailer weight (including gear and fluids), so you have to work backwards from there. If you have, for example, 1,000 pounds remaining for hitch weight, you divide that 1,000 by the tongue weight (say .125) to get the loaded trailer weight allowable of 8,000 pounds.
In your case, payload is likely to be the biggest issue. Using your current 'burb as an example, lets say your family weighs 750 pounds (if they don't yet, they will soon). You add in the snacks, games, electronics, gear, etc... that you will carry in the truck, and you've eaten up another 150 pounds or more. Then you consider a WD hitch, and you see that you've already used nearly 1,000 pounds of payload. Your Suburban probably has a payload rating of 1,400 to 1,500 pounds, which mean you only have 450, or so, left for the hitch. This would allow room a 3,600 pound trailer. So, as you can see, that 2,000 pound result may not be as far off as it seemed (if it was based on your current set-up).
As I mentioned, there are other numbers that can come into play, and there are some grey areas (such as the effect of the WD hitch on the payload), but these two numbers can give you a general sense of where you stand. Good luck in your learning, and congrats on searching BEFORE you jumped!
