Towing a TT

[JoMoLite]

What is the optimum % of the tow vehicle maximum limit in towing a TT.I have read percentage of 80% to 50%. I am buying a new truck and I want a reasonable amount of towing excess capability. Thanks.

[drsteve]

kltk1 wrote:
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but, I was under the impression GCWR is inclusive of payload capacity.

No. GCWR is a maximum total that you should not exceed, but all other weight ratings must also be observed. With a TT, the most important consideration is the tongue weight, which counts against the truck's payload capacity.

You will exceed the payload capacity long before you get to the GCWR.

Is that 600 lb tongue weight from the brochure or an actual weight?

[drsteve]

Terryallan wrote:
It's really true. The engineers really did do their job. And you have to know. The tow capacities are pretty conservative. The ratings are more for warranty than anything else, as in. The weights are what the company warranties the truck to tow with out hurting it. IF it would hurt it. they would lower the weights,. Because they don't want to fix it free.

Serious question: how will they know? If I bring my truck in because the trans is slipping, the dealer has no way of knowing if my TT is over the factory limits or even if I was towing when the problem occurred.

[mkirsch]

GCWR is gross COMBINED weight rating. That's truck, everything and everyone in the truck, the tongue weight, the WD hitch weight, the trailer, and everything and everyone in the trailer.

When you're talking actual weights, drop the R.

For the truck, everything and everyone in the truck, the tongue weight, and the weight of the WD hitch, that goes against the GVW of the truck.

[kltk1]

Thank you for the response. Everything is accounted for in the weights I provided. The truck was weighed with a full tank of gas and me inside. Came in at 5500lbs. I lowered it to 5050 lbs but added my weight back in the occupants weight of 600lbs.

[S1njin]

kltk1 wrote:


Ok, help me understand, payload capacity is 1610lbs. Vehicle occupants are accounted for at 600lbs, as noted above. Tongue weight of the trailer, at 600lbs, is accounted for as well which comes out of your payload not necessarily added as trailer weight. I've only used 1200 of the 1600lbs of available payload. The only thing I haven't accounted for is the WD hitch but can't imagine we're talking more than another 100lbs but I could be wrong on that. Wouldn't GCWR be calculated using the tow vehicle weight loaded (fully fueled with passengers and luggage) as well as the trailer weight loaded (Water, Propane, luggage, etc)? In the end, isn't GCWR the weight of everything loaded? The tow vehicle, trailer, tongue weight and WD hitch weight? The way I'm understanding it, the "payload" is wrapped up in the GCWR. IF this isn't correct, please help me understand.

Did you put a Tonneau cover on it? Bed liner or bed mat? Anything else? All that also takes away from your yellow sticker cargo weight. Just food for thought.

[blt2ski]

DinTulsa wrote:

tragusa3 wrote:
I'm sure you can tow fine up to the rating. However, the less the percentage, the better the experience. I like to have lots of cushion and tend to draw the line at 60% (which is where I currently am). BTW, I'm at my rear axle rating with this rule.

If you're at your rear axle rating you must be way over your payload, How is that possible at 60%?

By having a cab full of 6 people. Or if in construction, as I am, a cubic yard of say rock at 3000 lbs, add in small trailer..... Putting firewood, bikes etc in bed along with he from trailer. Or if pulling a 5w, many times the 25% the vs 10% do a TT, will over load an RA before reaching 50-60% of tow rating.
I realize some examples were not RV related, but it is not hard to be at graw and only be at 60% or LESS max trailer capacity per manufacture.

Marty

[tragusa3]

I'm on the road now, but will try to remember to look up the actual scale numbers when I get home.

At the time I hit the scale, we were loaded for a 2 month trip. The bed had various items in it (maybe 300 pounds). I was about about 150 pounds over axle and payload.

I suspect I've remedied that now, as I've created more storage on the trailer and less in the truck bed.

[DinTulsa]

tragusa3 wrote:
I'm sure you can tow fine up to the rating. However, the less the percentage, the better the experience. I like to have lots of cushion and tend to draw the line at 60% (which is where I currently am). BTW, I'm at my rear axle rating with this rule.

If you're at your rear axle rating you must be way over your payload, How is that possible at 60%?

[tragusa3]

I'm sure you can tow fine up to the rating. However, the less the percentage, the better the experience. I like to have lots of cushion and tend to draw the line at 60% (which is where I currently am). BTW, I'm at my rear axle rating with this rule.

[kltk1]

bikendan wrote:

kltk1 wrote:
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but, I was under the impression GCWR is inclusive of payload capacity.

GCWR is the max amount your tow vehicle/trailer combo can weigh.

The yellow sticker on the driver's door has the tow vehicle's payload capacity specific to how it's equipped.
It states the max weight of occupants and cargo, which the WDH weight has to included in.

It's a necessary number to determine how much is left for tongue weight after the weight of occupants and cargo are subtracted.

Ok, help me understand, payload capacity is 1610lbs. Vehicle occupants are accounted for at 600lbs, as noted above. Tongue weight of the trailer, at 600lbs, is accounted for as well which comes out of your payload not necessarily added as trailer weight. I've only used 1200 of the 1600lbs of available payload. The only thing I haven't accounted for is the WD hitch but can't imagine we're talking more than another 100lbs but I could be wrong on that. Wouldn't GCWR be calculated using the tow vehicle weight loaded (fully fueled with passengers and luggage) as well as the trailer weight loaded (Water, Propane, luggage, etc)? In the end, isn't GCWR the weight of everything loaded? The tow vehicle, trailer, tongue weight and WD hitch weight? The way I'm understanding it, the "payload" is wrapped up in the GCWR. IF this isn't correct, please help me understand.

[time2roll]

JoMoLite wrote:
What is the optimum % of the tow vehicle maximum limit in towing a TT.I have read percentage of 80% to 50%. I am buying a new truck and I want a reasonable amount of towing excess capability. Thanks.

I recommend keeping the trailer GVWR withing the true tow rating.
Even then do not expect to load the TV to the gills with coolers and firewood.

[bikendan]

kltk1 wrote:
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but, I was under the impression GCWR is inclusive of payload capacity.

GCWR is the max amount your tow vehicle/trailer combo can weigh.

The yellow sticker on the driver's door has the tow vehicle's payload capacity specific to how it's equipped.
It states the max weight of occupants and cargo, which the WDH weight has to included in.

It's a necessary number to determine how much is left for tongue weight after the weight of occupants and cargo are subtracted.

[kltk1]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but, I was under the impression GCWR is inclusive of payload capacity.

[bikendan]

kltk1 wrote:
Hi, folks, I realize I'm late to this party, but I'm new to towing a travel trailer and want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly. I'm considering a travel trailer and my 2016 Ram 1500 with Pentastar V6 has a towing capacity of 7400lbs, however, GCWR is rated at 12,900lbs. I'm looking at a TT that's 5,000lbs (Rockwood Mini Lite 2509S). While I'm well within the truck towing capacity, it seems I'm well over the 80-85% mark I see referenced throughout the thread on GCWR with GCW being more important than towing capacity. And does a weight distribution hitch change anything in my scenario? Below is how I've broken it down.

TV = 5050
Occupents = 600
TT = 5015
TT Cargo = 500
TT Tongue Weight = 600

11765lbs total weight

12900-11765 =1135lbs buffer
91.2% of trucks rated GCWR = Unpleasant towing experience?

You failed to post the more important number, the truck's payload capacity.
You'll never get near the towing capacity because your truck will run out of payload WAY before the 7400lbs.