Hitch Weight

Yes Trailer Life publishes an annual guide that can be found here:

Towing Guide

Read their introductory article which will tell you what all those terms mean.

BK

First, check your door sticker. That will tell you how much payload is available. 2nd, check the sticker on your hitch. That is how much hitch weight that it can hold. If you don't yet have one, put your vehicle information in eTrailer.com and see what their hitches are rated for.

All vehicles have a gross combination weight rating (GCWR), meaning what the max. weight the tow vehicle(TV) can manage. What it weighs completely and able to travel down the road safely with camper and tv fully loaded. Different suvs have different ratings. you should first decided on what size(weight) rv you will want to get and then look at TVs. The ratings are normally listed on the door post of the drivers door, or with a little research at the manufactures web site or post your considerations on the forum to see what other members have to say. Good luck, keep us posted

Keep in mind, much of the info you will see on the internet, will be advertised weights, and you will see a lot of "when propperly equipped". That is due to manufacturers building many different trim / option levels, with different curb weights, and different tow capacities. When shopping for a tow vehicle, you need to check each one for it's individual capacities. Due to weight, a two wheel drive will have higher payload and tow capacity, than a four wheel drive. A front wheel drive is less desireable as a tow vehicle.

Example:

Ford builds F150's with payloads anywhere between 750 and 3200 lbs. Some are rated to pull 11,000 lbs and some are rated to pull only 5,000 lbs.


If the SUV is model year 2006 or newer, there should be a loading sticker on drivers door post. It will show a max occupant / cargo carrying capacity (payload). That carrying capacity is total weight allowed for anything and everybody put in or on the vehicle.

From that payload number, subtract the weight of all occupants and any planned cargo to be in (or on) the vehicle. What is left, is available payload for trailer weight. If the trailer requires a weight distributing hitch, you will also need to subtract for it's weight, about 80 - 100 lbs. You can then divide your remaining payload number by .13, to get a loaded trailer weight that puts that SUV at, or near it's max weight.

Example:

If you have 400 lbs available payload, divide 400 by .13, to get 3076 lbs loaded trailer.

The vehicle's hitch will also have a weight rating stamped on the hitch.

Check your owner's manual for you specific SUV. All are different, But your guide should have the info in it.

The owners manual will list a GCWR for your specific cab/trim/axle ratio and engine.

On the drivers door jamb, you will find the GVWR and rear axle GAWR. If you do not know what these terms mean, check the manufacturers towing guide.

Now get the truck weighed with full passenger load, cargo and full fuel.

GCWR - loaded truck = maximum loaded trailer weight (not dry weight)

GVWR - loaded truck = maximum loaded trailer pin or hitch weight.

Forget the dry weight and brochure weights on the trailers. You can easily be 500 to 1000# over the dry weight. Any item listed as an option is not included in the dry weight. things like the A/C, microwave, TV, batteries, propane, awning, etc.

To estimate a hitch weight on a trailer, use 12% of the trailers GVWR as a good estimate.

The trucks tow ratings are maximums from the manufacturer are a maximum and are rated on a stripped base model truck with no cargo, no hitch, no options or accessories and only a 150# driver on board. So you cannot use these unless you are a small guy that travel alone in a stripped down base model truck.

Ken