Newbie Tow Capacity Question

[BURevisfan]

Hello All,

Looking into getting a travel trailer but not completely understanding the weight ratings and how they compare to the tow vehicle's capacity.

I've got a 2015 Silverado 1500 double cab 4x4 with the V6... everything I read seems to point to 7200 lbs tow capacity.

So where I get confused is when it comes to looking at the travel trailer ratings. I'm trying to find the balance between looking at the UVW and the GVWR of the trailer.

I've had dealerships say that for the type of camping we plan on doing (established sites/resorts with water/sewer available) that by the time I take cargo weight off I should be looking around 6000 - 6200 lbs.

Where the variances come in is when I look at one trailer that has (for example only) a UVW are around 6000 lbs and a GVWR around 7100 lbs. But then another trailer will have a UVW around 5500 lbs and a GVWR at 7500.

I'm just not sure if I should be strictly going by the GVWR of the trailer, or if it's feasible to use the UVW even if the GVWR is over 7200 with the knowledge that I would still be limited in cargo to the difference between the UVW and 7200 lbs.

thanks in advance

[nickthehunter]

Tyler0215 wrote:
First off, are you sure the towing capacity of your 2015 PU is 7200? Seems high with a V6

This type of thing is pretty easy to verify. In the time it took you to pose the question, you could have had the answer directly from the manufacturer. Page 50 Clicky

[Grit_dog]

aftermath wrote:
All the limits are important but...I think towing capacity is the least important of them all. My Tundra has a tow capacity of something like 9500 lbs. Really? I tow my trailer down the road that weighs 6500 and I am near my limit for payload capacity. Pay very close attention to payload, axle limits and GVWR when you have a half ton. You will run up against one of these far before you go over the Towing Capacity number.

Depends how comfortable you are driving with a trailer, the type of trailer and load and where you're towing it. Spent alot of windshield miles in the same truck as the OP has, but with a 5.3 tugging well over 10klbs up n over the Cascades without a care in the world. (And dozens more half tons that probably had lower tow ratings than that truck, all over the Western US.)

But for an inexperienced driver, staying within the published ratings may be the most comfortable and safe experience.

[Grit_dog]

Tyler0215 wrote:
First off, are you sure the towing capacity of your 2015 PU is 7200? Seems high with a V6

It is. V6 with 3.42 gears is anywhere from 7000 to 7600 lbs tow capacity and double cab 4x4 is 7200lbs per the towing guide.
Not unreasonable since the same exact truck with a 5.3 is rated near 10klbs.

[Tyler0215]

First off, are you sure the towing capacity of your 2015 PU is 7200? Seems high with a V6

[Boomerweps]

Simplest method to look at trailers towable by your truck is to use the trailer’s GVWR (unless it’s a toy hauler not hauling the toys). If looking at the trailer’s factory delivered weight listed, try not to go over 75% of your truck’s tow rating.

[Gdetrailer]

aftermath wrote:
All the limits are important but...I think towing capacity is the least important of them all. My Tundra has a tow capacity of something like 9500 lbs. Really? I tow my trailer down the road that weighs 6500 and I am near my limit for payload capacity. Pay very close attention to payload, axle limits and GVWR when you have a half ton. You will run up against one of these far before you go over the Towing Capacity number.

Advertised brochure "Tow Capacities" are often over stated and typically will have asterisks after Tow Capacity..

Those asterisks are pointing to the foot notes in fine print at the bottom of the brochure which often state the max tow capacity is for the BASE model REGULAR CAB with SHORT BED of said vehicle with the LOWEST TRIM.

The base vehicle configuration weighs the least (lowest curb weight) and allows for more "cargo" or "payload" of said vehicle.

The Curb weight is subtracted from the GVWR and the result is available cargo weight or payload..

Full 4 door cab, plus longest bed plus top trim level will weigh more, that extra weight means less available cargo or payload is available.

This is why folks tend to run out of available cargo or payload weight before they ever get close to the "tows up to" weight.

But, folks tend to ignore the foot notes and use the max advertised brochure "tows up to" marketing numbers..

[Grit_dog]

Took all of 1.5 pages to get this rolling downhill rapidly....
OP, despite what I said, if you want to stay largely/completely within what the mfg "recommends" (this is the "safe, conservative" approach), just find YOUR truck's rated payload (on the door sticker) and your truck's tow rating (from a GM tow guide, easy to find online, find your model, config, engine and gears).
Use these as a guideline, accounting for some passenger/stuff eating some payload and be done with it.

Or get a 6klb gvw trailer and don't worry about anything other than going slow uphill in the mountains.

[aftermath]

All the limits are important but...I think towing capacity is the least important of them all. My Tundra has a tow capacity of something like 9500 lbs. Really? I tow my trailer down the road that weighs 6500 and I am near my limit for payload capacity. Pay very close attention to payload, axle limits and GVWR when you have a half ton. You will run up against one of these far before you go over the Towing Capacity number.

[MitchF150]

I've got a 2015 Silverado 1500 double cab 4x4 with the V6... everything I read seems to point to 7200 lbs tow capacity.

That sounds more like the trucks GVWR? Is that what you are seeing on the door jamb stickers? There should be a yellow sticker with a weight amount that states how much you can actually load into the truck.

Regardless, I would say towing a full size TT with a non turbo V-6 engine is not going to be much fun if you get something that is anywhere close to it's "max towing rating"...

If you do, then make sure you are comfortable with flooring the gas pedal often and pulling some pretty high rpms to keep it rolling with that kind of load.

Only you'll know what your comfort level is when towing, so if you can try some lighter loads first, just to get a feel for your truck, that might help??

Good luck! Mitch

[valhalla360]

Thermoguy wrote:
What is your trucks payload capacity - tow capacity means nothing. Payload (how much you can carry) is the only thing that matters.

No!!! Both are important.

They measure different things.
- Tow rating is mostly about pulling and braking ability.
- Payload factors into how much hitch weight you can handle. If you load up the truck and there is only 400lb of payload left...you are limited to a 400lb hitch weight...which means around 3000-3500lb trailer.

As others have suggested, best to assume the trailers GVWR until proven otherwise. Then assume 15% hitch weight. This will be a bit conservative but you are unlikely to find out after the purchase, that you messed up.

So if you have a 7200lb tow rating, figure around 1000lb hitch weight. A family of 4 can easily weigh in at 600lb. Add in bikes, firewood, cooler, etc in the truck bed and you can easily be looking at 2000lb loaded in the truck (don't forget brush guards, running boards and other bolt on accessories which count against payload)...1/2 ton truck payloads range from around 950lb up to 2500lb. At the upper end, your payload may be fine with a 7200lb trailer. At the lower end, expect a white knuckle ride as you will be grossly overloaded.

There is a yellow sticker on the door jam that lists the payload. If you have the truck already, swing by a truck stop and weigh the truck with the family and gear in the truck and you can determine how much of the payload is already used up and what's left available to cover hitch weight.

PS: there are also individual axle weight limits that you should also stay within.

[wanderingaimles]

Unloaded weight is absolutely empty, no propane tanks, no batteries, and nothing in the water/sewage tanks. Even without loading for a trip, you will go up by 200-300 pounds just mounting batteries, and propane.
Fully loaded, or gvwr is the max the springs, axles, tires, etc can safely handle according to the factory.
Some manufacturers will go with the lightest frames, springs, etc to build the unit cheaper, hence lower GVWR. on some trailers compared to other similar sized units.
Tank sizes also have a major influence on weights, water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, if the trailer has larger tanks, then it has to have heavier duty components to carry that weight.
Keep the gvwr under your trucks maximum towing capacity, preferably by 10% or so. Also with a half ton truck, as stated above, watch the tongue weight, you want 10-15% of the trailer total weight to be on the tongue for proper control and handling, ensure the trucks cargo capacity can handle that weight plus the people, toys, or whatever else you will be putting in the truck.
From a quick check, it looks like your cargo cap is right around 1950 lbs, so for a 6000 lb trailer you should have 720-900 lbs on the tongue, leaving about 1000 for people and stuff.
Happy motorin

[klutchdust]

nickthehunter wrote:
You should read up and complete, fact based, unbiased information; without all the sideshow chatter.
Clicky

Exactly. Some on here would approve of this:

[nickthehunter]

You should read up and complete, fact based, unbiased information; without all the sideshow chatter.
Clicky

[Thermoguy]

What is your trucks payload capacity - tow capacity means nothing. Payload (how much you can carry) is the only thing that matters. This is written on a label in your trucks door jamb. Then, look at pin weight of the trailer - this is 10-15% of the trailers total weight. Don't look at empty weight, look at full weight. Include water, sewer, etc. you don't want to get caught with full tanks and not able or uncomfortable to tow it. I tow mine all the time with full water, then back home with full sewer, trying to find a place to dump on the way home, sometimes its right near home. If you limit yourself to places with full hookups, you will be staying home because its difficult to get reservations.

Your trailer weight should be camp ready, full of gear, lawn chairs, dishes, clothes, etc. The GVWR is the weight of the trailer full, per the manufacturer. Reading this site, most are over that weight once they put stuff in it. Don't forget, your payload includes anything in the truck or bed of the truck like bikes, camp fire wood, etc. Easy to fill it up, so start low then you don't have to worry about what you add later.

[Gdetrailer]

UVW is the unladen weight or the empty weight (AKA "Curb weight") as it comes from factory.

GVWR is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating which is the max allowable weight of the trailer.

UVW is always less than the GVWR.

The difference between GVWR and UVW is your available cargo weight of the trailer.

It usually is a safer bet to use the GVWR weight when selecting a trailer knowing you most likely will not exceed the GVWR when loaded (absolutely no one takes a RV camping unloaded).

There are some trailers which may have a very high available cargo rating and using GVWR may exclude you from buying and using those trailers.. But, be very aware, brochure published UVW can be misleading and often those weights may not reflect Propane and battery weight or anything installed at the dealer.

If you use the UVW you will have to account for any added options and your personal gear that you put into the trailer and that stuff adds up very quickly.. Water, food, pots, pans, bedding, clothing, electronics are all things you will need to figure out to stay withing your tow ratings..

However some vehicle tow rating are bogus and often you will hit the tow vehicles available cargo ratings before hitting the max tow rating..

Best to find out what your vehicle has for available cargo weight before committing to any trailer. Your trailer tongue weight actually counts as "cargo" of your tow vehicle..