Towing Capacity and Travel Trailer weight.
Hello, I am thinking about purchasing a RV with an UVW of 4763 lbs. I currently have a Nissan Armada with a towing capacity of 6,500 pounds. I plan on living in the RV full-time. Some people are te...
Forum Discussion
We'll need a bit more information to give you useful answers. Do you know:
1) The GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of your particular Armada? It might be on a sticker on the driver's side door frame. The GVWRR (rear axle rating) would be good to know, too.
2) Next, you'll need to load up the Armada with people, pets, full fuel, hitch, and anything else you would have in the vehicle while traveling and head for the nearest CAT scale. You'll get separate front and rear weights as well as a total weight. Subtract that total from the GVWR on the sticker or documentation. That will be the weight you have left over for payload (tongue weight for the trailer).
3) Forget dry/UV weights for trailers - they're not very useful. Use the GVWR for the trailer and, for a tow-behind, calculate 12% of that for an estimated tongue weight. Is the result more or less that your calculated payload for the Armada above? If over, that's red flag #1.
4) Next, add the total weight for your loaded Armada and the GVWR for the trailer. Is the sum more or less than the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) for your tow vehicle and trailer combo. If it's over the rating, that's red flag #2.
I had a medical director once who's undergrad was math. His motto was, "In God we trust - all others bring data." Data translate to safety in terms of towing.
Rob
1) The GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) of your particular Armada? It might be on a sticker on the driver's side door frame. The GVWRR (rear axle rating) would be good to know, too.
2) Next, you'll need to load up the Armada with people, pets, full fuel, hitch, and anything else you would have in the vehicle while traveling and head for the nearest CAT scale. You'll get separate front and rear weights as well as a total weight. Subtract that total from the GVWR on the sticker or documentation. That will be the weight you have left over for payload (tongue weight for the trailer).
3) Forget dry/UV weights for trailers - they're not very useful. Use the GVWR for the trailer and, for a tow-behind, calculate 12% of that for an estimated tongue weight. Is the result more or less that your calculated payload for the Armada above? If over, that's red flag #1.
4) Next, add the total weight for your loaded Armada and the GVWR for the trailer. Is the sum more or less than the GCVWR (Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating) for your tow vehicle and trailer combo. If it's over the rating, that's red flag #2.
I had a medical director once who's undergrad was math. His motto was, "In God we trust - all others bring data." Data translate to safety in terms of towing.
Rob
