UVW and GVWR and Tow Vehicles

What's the GCWR and GVW of the tow vehicle? "Max tow" is a theoretical number. GCWR - actual GVW = actual tow capacity (assuming other limits aren't busted first).

All you are going to get with this kind of question is you'll be fine or you'll be overweight and don't do it answers..

But where does that get you?

It's your rig, your tow vehicle, your towing experience, your towing expectations..

If I have never towed before, I would not do it..

If you have towed before and know what you are doing, and actually don't load anything... Ha, ha, only loading #1000 with a toy hauler with a #10.5K GVWR.. Yeah, right.. Anyway, in the end, it's your choice.. Not ours..:)

Good luck!

Mitch

saffikeagan wrote:
Senario:

5,500lb UVW Toy Hauler.
1,000lb cargo/water/etc max ever pulled usually averaging more in the 500lb range (self-propelled toy-type hauler only)
10,500lb GVWR on the TH

Would I be fine with a vehicle that has a max tow of 8000? (assuming that the 1,000lbs is NEVER exceeded).

you left out payload capacity of the tow vehicle and tongue weight of the trailer.

just give us the facts. what kind of trailer and vehicle are you talking about?

I will never understand the concept of having "just enough" tow vehicle.

At least he is asking. No need to border on being rude in answering. What I am not sure of is:

UVW of 5,500 for the toy hauler

GVWR of 10,500 for the toy hauler. Thats a 5,000 lb cargo weight capacity. I can't say I have ever seen this on a trailer, but I don't have a toy hauler.

Toy haulers usually have a very heavy tongue weight so as when loaded in the rear with the toys it counter balances that. Still need the 10-15 % on the tongue so a trip to the scales when laoded is the only way to find that out.

I really don't understand the numbers he posted.

Great point/answer from MitchF150, totally agree with him! However, if looking for OPINIONS, as to will it work, you need more disclosure, exact tow vehicle and trailer. Most any half ton truck, or SUV can pull 8K, but some will not carry the load safely.

Jerry

saffikeagan wrote:
5,500lb UVW Toy Hauler.
1,000lb cargo/water/etc max ever pulled usually averaging more in the 500lb range (self-propelled toy-type hauler only)
10,500lb GVWR on the TH

Would I be fine with a vehicle that has a max tow of 8000? (assuming that the 1,000lbs is NEVER exceeded).

bikendan wrote:
you left out payload capacity of the tow vehicle and tongue weight of the trailer.

This is the key issue - you need to establish the vehicle's real world payload capacity and whether whatever is remaining after accounting for the weight of everyone and everything in truck to account for the amount of trailer tongue weight you expect the truck to also handle, anticipating that that tongue weight will be in the 13% to 15% range of gross trailer weight once it's loaded and ready to camp. Ignore this most important issue and you could well be towing well beyond the capability of your truck, regardless of what it's so-called "tow rating" may be.

A TH with 10,500 GVWR, loaded to only 6500 lb, is going to have a really heavy tongue, because THs are designed to be able to haul large loads behind the axles, which lighten the tongue.

drsteve wrote:
A TH with 10,500 GVWR, loaded to only 6500 lb, is going to have a really heavy tongue, because THs are designed to be able to haul large loads behind the axles, which lighten the tongue.

Regardless of whatever trailer this may be the key is to establish it's average gross tongue weight as loaded & ready to camp, then determine from that whether the tow vehicle in question has sufficient payload capacity to handle whatever that average gross tongue weight may be while also accounting for the weight of everyone & everything also loaded into the vehicle. Until the OP addresses this issue he'll never know the answer to his question nor can anyone here answer his question one way or the other.