Trying to figure out what trailers I can tow

afidel wrote:


It's very unlikely that the actual vehicle you go to buy will actually have that maximum payload as every option added to the vehicle over the base takes away from it. You'll need to look at the yellow sticker in the driver's side door jamb to see what the actual capacity of the truck as it came from the factory is actually able to hold.

Correct!

To add to afidel's comments, the "base" model of that truck is the absolute bare minimum cab and bed size and trim level with zero options and assuming no driver/passengers/fuel/cargo.

Each option you add adds weight to the overall vehicle, the added weight reduces the leftover available cargo.

The yellow sticker which typically is found around the drivers side door will give you the exact amount of available cargo you have.

The yellow sticker number takes the weight of the vehicle as it left the factory with all factory installed options with the factory tires and that is subtracted from the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) which is the maximum allowable weight the vehicle can be loaded.

There is some controversy with what that number includes but should include a full tank of fuel and at least 150 lbs for the driver. Some say 150lbs are also included for passenger. This weight is treated as cargo and is already subtracted from the available cargo.

So, it looks like this..

GVWR - Empty weight from factory - Full full tank - Driver - passenger = Yellow sticker cargo rating.

Now that you have the cargo weight from the yellow sticker you can now calculate the absolute max trailer you can tow..

For best stability trailer tongue weights (IE TW) should range from 10%-15% of the trailer weight, the higher TW you have the more stable the trailer will tow. Some folks like to use 12% to maximize just how heavy of a trailer they can tow, I like to be on the conservative side and use 15% assuming I will be loading for that weight.

Example, you have 1,000 lbs available cargo on the yellow sticker..

At 10% TW 1,000/.1 = 10,000 lbs
At 15% TW 1,000/.15= 6,666 lbs

Keeping in mind, that is the max GVWR of the trailer you can tow with your truck using only the yellow sticker number.

Add in more passengers and gear to the truck and you will have to reduce the available cargo which reduces your GVWR of the trailer you can tow..