Trying to understand payload

[GalWithDawgs]

I have a travel trailer already but I want to buy a tow vehicle so before I go out and buy I want to understand thoroughly. I am starting with payload. I am looking at a 2007 Tundra 5.7L VV8 4 door 4 x 4 double cab. They claim the payload is 1,580. Am I to assume that from that 1,580 I must subtract the hitch weight of 720, my weight of 150, my dogs of 120, a full tank of gas, the receiver and ball, my ax, lipstick and anything else I might put in the truck? Am I right in this line of thinking? Am I missing something obvious that I should subtract?

Thank you for your help.

[GalWithDawgs]

jimw606 wrote:
I took my truck to our local landfill( it's close) and they weighed it for free.
No printout.

Well, I haven't purchased the truck yet so that will be tough. However, you did give me a great idea. I bet Pioneer Gravel in Springs would weigh it when I go for a test drive. Imagine the sales person's surprise when we go there! So, lets say I get lucky and the pay load is 1580. That still seems close. I got rid of the awning on the trailer so I am a wee bit lighter there. I also got rid of that dumb heavy box in the storage. Heavy and useless it was. So if I can keep the payload at 1580 would the rest of the truck work for me?

[jimw606]

I took my truck to our local landfill( it's close) and they weighed it for free.
No printout.

[GalWithDawgs]

I think I am just a little dizzy thinking here. I don't tow the trailer often or far. When I do tow it, it goes twenty miles this way and maybe a 100 that way. Goes only a few times a year. I don't want to give up on the Tundra because I could really use it as a nice second vehicle in snow country. I got stuck in my all-wheel the other day and thought how nice a 4 x 4 truck would be.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Are you giving up on the Tundra?

I for one think it may well tow your trailer, depending on its real weights. Tongue weight needn't be as high as 15%- ten percent of trailer total is probably more typical.

[GalWithDawgs]

Boy-oh-boy. That payload is some important stuff, isn't it? I wonder if the Nissan Titan has a higher payload.

Well. A half-ton just isn't going to work out. All I can afford is a used truck and I just don't know if I can bring myself to buy a 3/4 ton used American made truck. Please don't jump on me. I've read the Consumer Reports and they just don't seem to have the reliability that Toyotas and Nissans do. At $16to $20K all I can get is probably someone's truck with 100,000+ miles on it. I'm uneasy with that.

[Huntindog]

Here's a rule of thumb:
The trailer and TW will always end up being more than what is claimed, AND the truck will always end up having less available payload than what is claimed.
1/2 tons usually have a problem in the payload area.

At least you are finding this stuff out before buying the truck. A few extra bucks now can set you up nicely

[lanerd]

You got the right idea. However, be aware that the posted payload rating for your truck (1580 lbs) may not be all that accurate as the dealer may have installed some options or maybe even you have.

Your best bet is go down to your local scale and weigh your truck with a full tank of gas and without you in it. Then subtract that amount from your truck's GVWR and that's what you will have for an "actual" payload figure.

Then EVERYTHING you put in or on it...will reduce that figure by that amount. When we had our Tundra and a 26' TT, we weighed everything on a bath room scale...even the tongue weight....to make sure we were within limits. I gotta admit, there were times when we were several hundred pounds over the payload, but the truck handle it pretty good. We did, however, eventually installed a supercharger on the engine for another 100 hp or so. Made a big difference on the hills/mountains.

Ron

[TomG2]

Gal;

Your thinking is absolutely correct. There are a few assumptions in there, but the fact is, you are probably going to be over the payload capacity of that Tundra. Most would say that a few pounds over is not a big deal, me included. However, I don't like being ten or twenty percent over what Toyota specifies. More truck or less trailer would be my advice. The biggest assumption is that hitch weight of only 718 pounds. Your trailer could weigh over 7,000 pounds when loaded with a tongue weight close to 1,000 pounds. Need to verify all weights involved, except the lipstick.

[GalWithDawgs]

camp-n-family wrote:
You are correct except for the gas. Payload will usually include full fluids. You could load the truck up with everything you plan to take, fill the tank etc and go to a scale. Subtract the scale weight from your GVWR (should be 7200lbs for that year Tundra) and you'll have the exact weight for payload left over.

Be careful with hitch weight numbers too. Make sure you don't use "dry" or brochure weights as they are for an unloaded trailer and don't include options, propane, batteries etc which all increase the tongue weight. If you can't get an actual hitch weight when loaded then you should estimate the trailers weight and take 12-15% of that for tongue weight. Some people will also use 12-15% of the trailers GVWR for their calculations. That way if you're ok at max, you'll be ok at any trailer weight under that.

Oh my Gawd! My dry weight on my trailer is 5,628 and I called StarCraft and they told me the hitch weight was 718. Are you saying that if I add 1,000 pounds inside the trailer that some of that 1,000 (12-15% of it) must also go on as hitch weight? Because if that is what you are saying then I would have to subtract 130 pounds more from the payload? Lets see...1580 (claimed payload) -150 (me)-120 (dogs)-130-718 (tongue weight). That leaves 462 and I don't even know what the receiver and ball weigh or what else I might put in the truck. I am kind of light on travel but still.

[camp-n-family]

It also includes 150 lbs for driver

No it doesn't. The tow rating includes 150lbs for the driver, payload does not account anything for the driver.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Lantley wrote:

camp-n-family wrote:
You are correct except for the gas. Payload will usually include full fluids.

It also includes 150 lbs for driver

Also:

The lipstick need only be counted if you're not wearing it. :B

[Lantley]

camp-n-family wrote:
You are correct except for the gas. Payload will usually include full fluids.

It also includes 150 lbs for driver

[camp-n-family]

You are correct except for the gas. Payload will usually include full fluids. You could load the truck up with everything you plan to take, fill the tank etc and go to a scale. Subtract the scale weight from your GVWR (should be 7200lbs for that year Tundra) and you'll have the exact weight for payload left over.

Be careful with hitch weight numbers too. Make sure you don't use "dry" or brochure weights as they are for an unloaded trailer and don't include options, propane, batteries etc which all increase the tongue weight. If you can't get an actual hitch weight when loaded then you should estimate the trailers weight and take 12-15% of that for tongue weight. Some people will also use 12-15% of the trailers GVWR for their calculations. That way if you're ok at max, you'll be ok at any trailer weight under that.