This is exactly how every instructional video should look. No BS music, tacky jokes or presenter acting like a clown. Everything straight to the point! Always makes me wanna laugh when people brag how much they can tow with their half tons
Great video! I am currently shopping for truck and trailer, so this video was made for me! I don’t mind the commercials when the video has content of this quality. Thank you for your time making this!
At almost 80 years old I've done something all my life you might laugh at. Whatever the towing capacity was for my vehicle, I dropped it by 50% LOL if my truck was supposed to max out at 14000 lb I knew it would tow 7000 lbs comfortably. Operative word... comfortably. Always had way more truck than I actually needed. Better safe than sorry. Never had a problem LOL great stuff thanks for posting
I am not an engineer and don't connect with a lot of calculations but I'm smart enough to know my limits and to engage with folks like him who does the research. I do my due diligence when needed and I absolutely appreciate people like him who will help keep me out of trouble. Great Job Big Rock!
Awesome Job, I knew there was more to the advertised weights and limits, however you gave all of yhe points to focus on! great video thank you so much for the time you spent on this extremely helpful information!
@@filup7419 Didn't realize we were into a word contest. But he damn sure knows his stuff about weight distribution. And trying to save everyone some heartaches.
You have No Idea how much this helped me! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the info! I’m a 60 yr old lady who has been bamboozled by dealers trying to push their vehicles. You have saved my life literally!!! I can’t thank you enough!!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
This is the best educational video I’ve seen on towing! Everyone towing a trailer should watch this. Thank you for your time and research in putting this together. Very well done!
This should be mandatory watching for anyone walking into a trailer dealership. I drove TT all over the US for 27 years. And can't count the Trailer camper disasters I've seen.. Happen and come upon. This guy is a wealth of knowledge and will save You alot of Headache.. Great Stuff!
The tongue weight is the real mystery if you do not have a GOOD tongue snake. Having good weight distribution in both tow vehicle and trailer is also very important. Great video!
Without making a two hour long video, you did an EXCELLENT job of explaining the entire tow capability situation. Best video I have seen on the subject. You might consider videos on specific items like tires, and how passenger tires on trucks (common on "half tons") have thinner, weaker sidewalls that prevent the truck from controlling trailer sway, close looks at tire sidewalls to see how to find the actual weight capacity of the tire (not just load range), and how light truck tires do a better job when towing. Anyhow, good video.
Absolutely one of if not the best video ive seen on towing thank you. I belong to several FB groups of the paticular trailer i have and im shocked how many people on there have tow vehicles too small or ask, “ can i get by”, how little respect people have for towing. I share this and other videos over and over.
I would add "do not guess at these weights". Find a CAT scale and weigh each axle with the trailer full of water and all of your gear and passengers in both the trailer and the tow vehicle and WDH if used. Then unhook your trailer and weigh again. With a little addition and subtraction, you can determine exact axle weights, tongue weight, GVW, GCVW, trailer weight, and payload. You can then compare these accurate numbers with those maxes allowed. I added a metal case to hold my generator to the rear of my camper and my tongue weight went from 15% to 12%. This actually made my payload legal and placed my tongue weight near the optimum %. I also am not anywhere near my 10,000 GVW rating of the trailer. I wouldn't have known this had I not weighed everything.
From personal experience (explained further down), This type of video is a must for anyone thinking about buying a truck or evaluating their current truck when considering what they plan to tow with it. You touched on most every point and were truthful about most dealerships and their lack or care or understanding of your set up or intended set up; many simply want the sale! Before I purchased my 31 ft., 7300 lbs. Toy Hauler (1100 lb. tongue “hitch” weight), I thought my truck 1/2 ton was alright and with its GVWR and GCWR. Well, I towed it from the dealership (350 miles) where I got the great deal and felt uneasy the whole way home. It felt okay overall but the squat was excessive and the main issue. I have “The Equalizer” WDHitch system so that was the thing that greatly helped. I realized that for any real travelling safety, I had to upgrade suspension or upgrade truck. I upgraded suspension (RAM 1500 coils with 1300 lbs. payload capacity), two grades stiffer but that didn’t solve it, it did a little but not enough in my opinion. In the end, I now own a 3/4 ton Chevy with a payload capacity of 3300 lbs. and lots of room regarding GCWR, etc., and all the stability with a more robust frame and axle and brake capacity that one could ask for and peace of mind. I like the newer camera technology and more that helps a lot, even with my LT level truck.
So i just used your spreadsheet and I am sitting nicely...without those calculations I would have been scratching my head and worrying Im overloaded...now I have peace of mind - thank you so much!
Fantastic video, 17 idiots dislike it ? Very valuable info for staying safe towing a trailer. I towed a 23 foot Airstream with my Tacoma Truck, even though I was 1000 pounds under the factory max limit the trailer was a load. My late wife and I travelled all over the western US and I always had to be careful about the weight from the water, black/grey tanks when travelling. Hopefully people will learn from your video because it could save their lives...
Best video on RV towing I've seen to date. Very no-nonsense and informative for a newbie like myself. I have a 2019 Ford Ranger XLT tow package with a max payload of 1428, GVWR 6050 max, GCWR 12500 max, and Hitch Max Tongue of 750. The wife and me are just looking now for small teardrop RVs for extended weekend camping and mountain biking in California and did not give a thought about being able to tow a 2500 to 3500 small teardrop. Your vid was a serious wakeup call... especially that first terrible RV wreck.... Jesus... imagine a family with kids in that truck. Please be safe people ! Thank you so much for your towing safety spreadsheet... so handy and easy to use ! FYI - I googled VIN DECODER and was able to get EVERY bit of info on my Ranger including all the spring capacities, tire capacities, etc... they have VIN DECODERS for just about every make and model.
I am so glad I came across this video literally a couple of hours before going to the RV dealership. I will get my ducks in a row first with all the suggestions then go. Thank you!
Took me a little while to get here... but it was well worth the extra clicks and time ...this is exactly what I needed to learn!! Gold info, so, Thank you, sir!!!
Thank you so much very.. informative a large boon to my attempt to demystify all the jargon and Marketing/Lies. The Excel Spreadsheet by itself is worth its weight in gold. Thanks So much! Not sure what you do for work but you should consider getting a hold of Consumer Report or a similar type of origination .. mainly because of your exhaustive researching skills and ability to see how all the zillions of variables fit together. This is a public service to be sure all of your the Freeware knowledge you have passed on is keeping us all safe. Thanks again!! Stay safe, Take care, have fun!
This is the most comprehensive and educational video about towing I've ever seen. Well done. I shudder to think about the time we almost rolled off a lot with a unit that was within "towing capacity" but far exceeded our payload by about 400lbs. Luckily I took a look at the numbers before hand. More people need to watch this and be realistic with what they can actually tow.
@@BigRockMoto I've towed for decades, some pretty heavy stuff (my 1936 F20 tractor, antique engines, cars on flatbeds through the hills of PA, etc.) and I STILL appreciated this video and feel I learned from it. It was more like a classroom, it wasn't preachy, and I loved the fact it wasn't loaded up with self-promotion and shrill distracting music. This was one of the most professional YT videos I've seen. You put the glitzy look at me videos to shame.
I cannot thank you enough for this video. Thank you! Took me 10 hours online last night and I didn't even manage to figure everything out as well as you taught it in 20 minutes!
Dealerships must cringe when you show up with that kind of knowledge. If I were you I would make a small book with all this info you layed out in the video and sell it. This information is priceless.
Great video! I also see inadequate tow vehicles pulling trailers all the time. In your calculation you forgot to add the weight of your Equal-izer WD hitch. It probably weighs 50+ lbs.
That is incredibly useful information for me! My wife and I (both seniors) live in a semi-rural area that is at risk of evacuation each fire season. We have 3 dogs and a cat and wondered what we would do or where we would go in the case of evacuation. A travel trailer looked like a good option to have at the ready. We have no interest in travel or camping with this trailer. The thing is, we know absolutely nothing about these things. We have a 1999 Ford F150 with about 250,000 km as our second vehicle and thought this might be used for towing a suitable trailer. With the information you've provided, I think we will able to focus on the size of trailer that we could tow. I had no idea that there was so much to consider about towing a trailer! But I guess when you start with knowing absolutely nothing about a subject, there will be surprises. Many thanks for posting such useful information. And if you or any of your viewers might have helpful additional things that we should consider, we would welcome the advice. Cheers.
I totally agree with everything you said in this video. Unfortunately, many rv owners simply overdo it with the size of rv they purchase and the amount of items they want to bring along. It's always better to remain below all limits or capacities than go overboard. Your safety and the safety of others on the road is what matters here. As informative as this video is, I am really surprised that you made no mention of "VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WHILE HAULING AN RV / TRAILER".
I'm considering purchasing my first travel trailer and figuring out how much I can truly tow safely was very confusing until I watched your video. Thank you for the clear explanation and advice! Now I feel like I can make some informed decisions!
Very informative video. One extra tidbit that I read also helped us was wheelbase concerns. I found this online it may help your readers - “As a general rule of thumb, the first 110 inches of wheelbase allow for a 20-foot trailer. For each additional four inches of wheelbase length, you get one foot more in trailer length.” Safe travels!
Never heard this rule of thumb before but I like it. I am getting a truck with 141 in wheelbase which means 27.5 foot trailer which is what I was shopping for. Good to get some verification. Thanks!
Just got my first truck, and was confused with all the conflicting information about towing out there. This video was fantastic, and gave me exactly the information I need to make better towin decisions!
Great video, tons of great information here. My only critique is that GCWR isn’t always GVWR + max tow rating. For this reason your formula for tow capacity using GCWR-GVWR accounts for hitch weight as represented in the GVWR/Payload as well as any unused cargo capacity. The weight that presents itself at the hitch with downward force, while certainly playing a role in Payload and GVWR for the truck, is really weight that is associated with and derived directly from the trailer being towed and it’s respective GVWR. Your formula counts it twice, once on the GVWR for the truck and then again in the resulting GVWR tow capacity. For those of us that tow small trailers with hitch weight figures ranging from 300-500 lbs., that represents lost cargo capacity in your spreadsheet. When put on a scale to measure GCWR, the hitch weight associated to the truck’s payload and GVWR will always be weighed as part of the trailer just as it would be if the trailer were to be weighed separately. The only reason to account for it on the truck is to measure the downward force the weight places onto the axles and suspension of the truck. GCWR on the other hand accounts for how much weight your tow vehicle is rated to safely pull and stop. That’s a 12.5% loss in GCWR cargo capacity without reason.
Yup. You crushed that. The reason GCWR-GVWR is not equal to max towing is that the three ratings have different basis. GCWR and GCWR are actually both determined by what your braking and suspension systems can handle under dynamic load in extremis. Max towing is based on what your frame and powers train can handle.
I always appreciated your motorcycle reviews, and now that I picked up a heavy duty truck I am looking at trailers. Thanks again for the straightforward and informative details one needs to consider when towing.
Late to the party, but this is literally the best presentation of towing and all the factors, calculations and a spreadsheet tool to solve the questions. Best tool to date, GREAT job!
Seriously can't tell you how valuable this info is. My head was spinning trying to figure it all out. This spreadsheet clarified it all for me and I found that my 2500 Suburban can tow a fair amount of weight. Large payload capacity helps.
My dad sold RV's and he was a very honest man. People would come in a try to buy a trailer or 5th wheel that was to much for their tow vehicle and he would not sell it to them. His rule for towing was 75% of what ever the max tow rating was for that vehicle. He knew if he sold someone a trailer or 5th wheel they could not handle, they would be unhappy and never buy another RV from him. Lets just say he had a lot of return customers who once they started to like RVing, they always wanted something a little bigger.
I used the same percentage, maybe even a bit more modest of figures. However, there were other essential weight ratings that I didn’t consider. Thumbs up to your dad..
OutSTANDING video. Clear, concise information.......and factual. Anyone considering towing an RV......before buying the TT or TV..........MUST watch this video.
This is a real thing. If you listen to all of the tow police across the internet, you need a 350-650 for everything out there. Problem is, people like the government purchase and overload trucks and SUVs with all sorts of extra items on them all day every day. things like police vehicles would often go over payload based on the amount of stuff and weight of people they add. Armored vehicles blow it out of the water and just throw on some stiffer suspension components. It's not that it's the best way to do it, but there is also going overboard in staying under so far that you can't use your platform for anything but towing tires behind it.
Great video and explanation. One thing a lot of folks forget about are Tow Vehicle (TV) modifications. If you have added roll bars, roof racks, heavy bull bar or front and rear metal off road bumpers you're affecting (negatively) your payload capacity. Make sure you take your TV to a scale (driver in Vehicle only, full tank of gas, and the hitch you'll tow with installed), find the difference between the sticker curb weight and your actual scale weight. Subtract that from the payload capacity to have a more accurate value. If you're pushing your payload capacity but not accounting for all these heavy customizations, you're probably over payload capacity and don't even know it.
Thank you for sharing all this information. This is exactly what we need to know! I’m trying to convince my husband to buy or at least rent a camper but there’s so much to learn about towing. It’s all so complicated, it makes my head hurt!
AMAZING VIDEO! I've been diving down a never ending circle of this topic. I was told I could buy a mew F-150 and just tow a 10, 000 lbs trailer. I kept digging info and yours is by far the best. I now know I need at least a 250 and then still confirm the numbers.
I agree with you totally on your towing information. You are correct that most people just look at their vehicle tow rating and think, yeah I can pull that much of a trailer without knowing that " Payload " capacity pretty much determines what you actually can tow safely.
Thanks for making and posting this comprehensive video and spreadsheet. It's really great to have such a detailed overview related to the issues of safe towing in one place.
Being a ASE tech for 30 years and trying to explain too people how to find the right truck and trailer for them , this is that best exspamle of how its done. I don't think I good have done it any better. Thank you. I use your video to show those what I'm trying to explain to them.
great video....... a lot to absorb into my pea size brain....... but priceless and EXTREMELY important!!!’ thank you for taking the time to make and share this!!!!
Thank you so much for this information and the way it's presented. I had a dealer trying to convince me that my F150 would be fine pulling an almost 10,000 pound dry weight camper. I walked out mid sentence. I am new to all of this but I knew he was lying just to get me to buy. I am still learning how all of this works and what's best for me. I'll have to watch this video a few more times to fully understand it but it's great info, thanks again!
Thank you for explaining to us about the capability things. You are right. We cannot trust RV dealers and even manufactures, such as so called "half ton camper".
Thank you for making this video! This is the best explanation on how to determine the weights on towing. I've been looking at trailers. Fist time tower, and I've been so confused. Every dealer I've been to has said, "Just stay under your GVWR, and you'll be fine.
Regular guy sharing more real world realities, regarding safe RVing Spot On, calculate, calculate, calculate, great awareness shared here, totally appreciated 💯
New truck owner and new to towing. Watched this before getting started - very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to provide detail and clear explanation in a short amount of time.
Just came across your channel. This video is absolutely excellent. As a retired Service Manager who witnessed the consequences of totaled vehicles, failed transmissions, brakes and engines due to over weight rigs. This video should be mandatory for all owners and sales people. Most trucks are overloaded that I see and any failures are not covered under warranty.
I really appreciate your tutorial on some of the factors involved with towing. I thought I'd add a little bit to the conversation of other things often not considered as well. One thought that comes to mind is to shift the weight, where possible, to inside the trailer if it's safe to do so. Doing so mathematically increases your overall capacity. The other is math-related. If you take your payload capacity of the truck, then subtract the weight of the occupants, and the cargo in the truck, the number given, to see your approximate more realistic trailer capacity is to take that final number, and divide it by 0.15.. Now, from what I've seen advertised, RV dealers use 10% instead of 15% for the tongue weight, but it's just a quick way to see where your real life numbers end up. Me, I don't have a truck yet.. Weighing my options. Class C vs class A vs truck & trailer. Considering my options for a truck heavily. Do appreciate your lessons for the day..
It's always the cargo capacity that limits towing. I was reading about people who had purchased the new Sierra with the 6.2L V8 and large tow ratings, but yet, they too also had around 1500 lbs of weight capacity.
I just bought that same Reese WD and sway control hitch. So good to hear this guy say that this was his prefered type of hitch that he likes to use. I have way more than what i need and am glad i have it
Great video! My question always revolves around specifically adjusting your trailer tongue weight percentage between that acceptable 10 to 15% range, and the fact that numerous dual axle trailers can have a huge cargo capacity range. IF you have accurate scales to measure with , then you should be able to adjust the total cargo load, and the cargo load distribution in your trailer so that tongue weight comes out say 12% instead of 15%. You should be well within safe towing parameters while helping with the common payload limit issue. For a loaded trailer weight of 6000#, tongue weight goes from 900 to 720# in going from 15 down to 12%. This approach definitely assumes you are making accurate weight measurements instead of just assuming your running at gross trailer weight, loading everything “up front”, and plugging in the 15% tongue weight number
I have an Aluma car hauler, all aluminum tilt bed. I contacted the company to get some specifics and talked to one of their engineers. They said they recommend 10-12% tongue weight, no more. They also said to not use a WDH with their all aluminum trailer and went into some deep engineering explanation, but it made sense in the end. Adjust the car forward or rearward to control tongue weight, the balance of their trailer, the distance the axles are from the coupler and other factors, it tows just fine. Anyway, I'd contacted them because I kept reading about the 10-15% tongue weight and thought that's a lot on this type of trailer. For a travel trailer, how HIGH your load is inside that trailer matters. The higher it is, the more trouble you'll have in braking because of the load shift being so high above the axles. Keep your trailer load LOW inside that trailer. And over the axles as much as possible.
My wife and I are in the market for a travel trailer. This was the most informative video I have found so far, and I have looked at a lot. Great video and advice. This has helped me understand all of the factors that should go into making the right decision when we finally purchase a travel trailer. 👍👍👍👍👍
Well done Ian I wish so many more people could grasp this info and take heed to it. Would like to add that age and condition of equipment are also limiting factors, especially on tires. Just because a tire has sufficient tread doesn’t automatically mean they are good to go. If more than 7 or so years old they should be replaced. Thanks for the well thought out and thorough video!
Thx! I'm new to all this, have only towed from purchase to storage a little retro fiberglass 13ft. I've studied a lot, 🤓 but you've added factors that I've not come across. Thx so much for keeping us safe!
Payload is the EXACT reason why we moved from a max tow F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost to a Ram 2500 with a 6.4L Hemi. The towing difference is NIGHT AND DAY!
I'm in the same process only to a F350. Way overkill, but I was on the border on carrying capacity / load and want the extra margin. The F150 had plenty of power and way under towing weight capacity though... better to be save than sorry.
Just bought a camper and I'm shopping for the right car to tow it properly. I must say, this is the best video I found in regards to this topic, after watching several ones. Good work! Very clear and precise. Thank you so much!
WELL DONE! I have been struggling with how much my tow vehicle can pull and if I made a huge mistake buying the TT I bought. I feel so much more educated and somewhat enlightened now. I believe I have a much better grasp on trailer weights and formulas. I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!
Wondering if your vehicle can tow a certain trailer? Comment below and we can help you out. First, DOWNLOAD and use the calculator spreadsheet I provided above in the description: drive.google.com/file/d/1gSozUH7LuwsObkaZnY2ek0j-93N4OWtc/view?usp=sharing. Second, we can give you advice. Happy towing!
I need help. 2005 Tacoma V6 2WD prerunner SR5 GVWR 5350 and I the electric brakes. Am looking for an RV can you help me figure out what GVWR RV I need? Thank you
Hi I have been trying to figure this out the how is the tongue weight is calculated for instance my toy hauler has a tongue weight of 1500 a UVW weight of 8700 and a GVW of 12000lb so which number did they calculated the tongue weight from?
One guy at a dealership told me the tongue weight was calculated off the UVW but that doesn't add up but if I do the math it came out to be 12% of my GVW is this right?
Really enjoyed this video. The calculator is perfect for keeping people out of trouble. We were at a dealership and they were trying to sell us something and bragged that he had sold several of them to people with Chevy Colorado's and that it was not problem. I ran the numbers and found that it was within 25 pounds of MAX. I was not comfortable with having to weigh every item every time to make sure I was not over loaded. I like safety factor. For a one time tow no problem. But for day in and day out on vacation NOPE. Thank you ! Great job!
Good information. I would like to re-emphasize one point and add another. First, my setup was one in which I would exceed my rear axle weight BEFORE I exceeded my payload capacity so all those numbers need to add up. Second, if you truly want to be sure you setup is within all the limits you need to go to a weigh station and weigh the setup. I did this by loading my setup with what I felt was the most I would take on any trip (that includes the tow vehicle and trailer) and weigh the truck first and then weigh the truck and trailer hooked up. Then you will have a true picture of what you are towing.
This is a very good video. Thanks for getting this info out. I have a F250 with 2852 payload. I tow a Lance 2465 with a max weight of 8000 lb. I think I'm good looking at my numbers. Do have Timbrens or sumo springs on the back?
I don't know what year your F250 is but assuming everything you listed and your trailer is filled to its max cargo weight, and your trailer is transferring the standard-guideline 15% load to the truck's hitch, you still have 1600lbs of payload capacity left.
This is about the best presentation one can get for such a complicated subject! Quick and to the so many points to check on towing. I wish I had more hands, so I could give you four thumbs up! Another thing to consider with all these weights is the vehicle's factory WARRANTY, if you are still within its terms. I worked for an auto manufacturer very closely with their warranty department and you would crap yourself at some of the photos technicians sent in of 1/2 ton trucks bent all to hell from being overloaded. Big "nope" there on warranty repairing your FRAME that's cracked and bent down past the rear axle!
Most people don't realize when they buy that decked out fully loaded fancy SUV or pickup that their towing capacity is significantly reduced....everything you add to a vehicle reduces its payload/towing capacity. If a truck is rated to tow 10,000lbs, its the bare bones basic 2 wheel drive model with a certain engine/transmission and axle combination....its not the same model truck in 4 wheel drive configuration with every option under the sun installed in it or on it...your towing/payload capacity is also significantly reduced after you add a lift kit, larger size tires, etc.
I thought I had done enough research about this before purchasing my truck. I was wrong. Fortunately, I got lucky. I have no need for a trailer bigger than around 25 feet (my family is small, even a ~28ft trailer would be overkill for us) and my truck can do that just fine. But if I had been looking in the 30ft+ range or at 5th wheels I would have been sorely disappointed. Excellent video sir.
You deserve the thumbs up. Thank you for using science and facts to help individuals learn more about safe and proper towing practices. Keep up the good work!
I don’t know about RV travel trailer, but a lot of at least older work trailers have hydraulic brakes. They only brake as the tire vehicle slows down. It is possible they had a vehicle with a tow package. If they did not understand about brake controllers it may not have been installed.
Thank you for this video - this should be required viewing for new RVers. Your video helped me convince my wife to upgrade our tow vehicle (thank you for that!). We currently have a 22.5' TT 4900lbs GVWR, tongue weight 530. Our prior tow vehicle was a Lexus GX 460 equipped with a WDH (6500lb tow, 1315lb payload) which actually did a pretty good job towing. I never felt the "white knuckle" driving experience despite driving up and down steep mountain passes, 40-60mph winds in the Mojave desert, etc. With that said, your video turned my wife towards my position - and now we have a Chevy Silverado 1500 6.2l V8 with a max tow package (11900 lb tow, 1856lb payload). We're hoping to eventually get a slightly bigger TT (max 25-28', GVWR 7600lbs or so) so we decided to go for overkill now so that we'd still be able to comfortably tow if we do upgrade. It was clear after watching this video (and others) that a standard 1/2 ton wouldn't cut it if we got a trailer that size. Thanks again.
I'm buying a small toy hauler to avoid the problems you are having. Throw all your camping stuff/Toys in the toy hauler and have plenty of capacity for the truck left over.
You are very correct on all matrix. Very well done, I have a half ton truck and tow a smaller toy hauler. I’ve found having the ramp and back storage can be your be friend for taking load off the truck. My last toy hauler had 1000 lb of tongue weight empty but with an empty weight of only 4400lb. ( manufacturer claimed 700lb of tongue weight empty. Needless to say I bought a tongue weight scale when buying my current trailer) I ended up carrying 200lb of water jugs, a 150lb generator and kept all the bags in the back of the trailer. Freshwater tank was right over the axle so this didn’t move the center of gravity. We also kept cargo in the bed to a minimum and the garage space made this easy. We did a trip to the Grand Canyon and drove 4000 miles total. Managed to do the trip with the trailer at 5500lb and 700 lb of tongue weight. There’s a lot of ways to do this safely but you need to do the homework to make sure you actually are and a lot of people miss that. Great job on the video. This probably has and will be an eye opener for a lot of people
THANK YOU!!! I've been searching so much; google and YT videos. This is the only video that makes sense and the excel sheet is the bomb. My husband and I are trying to match a truck to a travel trailer. We are buying both (truck and trailer) its kind of hard with a budget since all google says is to get F250 or bigger (which we know they ain't cheap) Now we feel way more confident to make a decision. Thank you again for taking time to make this video.
at last a factual and concise video about a very important subject by a guy not doing it not to see himself, push an agenda or hype a product. Being a newbie and making myself nuts trying to make sense of so many numbers you certainly make it much more understandable. I had come to the conclusion that the majority of people must be towing way overloaded, then convinced myself that I have no clue and the masses must be right. Almost had convinced myself that I could haul a 30 footer with a Smartcar as long as it had airbags and WD hitch ! I have since, thanks to this video and one or two others, decided that the F350 is likely a better choice after all Thank you, those around me when I am on the road will be safer because of your video. Some of you reading this may be one of them safer ones one day
13:55 "There's a couple of reasons why you do not want to go over your payload capacity, even if you think your vehicle can handle it. Number 1 is liability..." Here we go again. It never ceases to amaze me how many people think that if you exceed the little numbers pasted on the inside door of your truck that suddenly you are open to lawsuits. Allow me to let you in on a little secret. You can be sued for any reason, or even for no reason at all. If you have a dog, your neighbor can sue you for emotional distress if your dog barks (Thompson v Norton, 2005). If you run a dry cleaner and lose a customer's pants, that customer can sue you for $67,000,000 (Pearson v. Chung, 2005). Those cases have 2 things in common. First, both were founded on what I believe to be are bogus claims. Second, in both cases the defendants were out a significant sum of money in order to defend those cases. That's also the reality with the claim about you will be found liable for exceeding the numbers stamped on your truck. You can be sued, true, but you can also be sued even while having no trailer at all. Just because the trailer is below the numbers on the truck doesn't mean that a lawsuit would simply disappear. You can still be sued even if you have a trailer completely in specs with the manufacturer of the truck, or even if you had no trailer, even if you have no hitch, as a matter in fact you could be on a bicycle, or walking, you can still be sued. So maybe the host of this video is trying to claim that you will find yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit with merit. That now you'll have to write out a check to the lawyer on the other side that's looking to empty your bank account. His (or her) arguement would be that you violated what law? Because that's the thing about lawsuits, is that they generally based on someone violating some law, and those laws are typically written down somewhere. Laws are usually found in 4 different areas. 1) Statute - these can be federal or state. 2) Court rulings 3) City ordnances 4) Constitution. Can anyone show me the statute (federal or state), the court ruling, the city ordnance, or the constitutional amendment that declares that if you exceed the numbers on the truck, that you are violating the law. Allow me to demonstrate with a few basic laws that exemplify some of the floors, the minimum requirements of a driver and his rig when out on the public highway. 1) (first example) Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49 (Transportation), Subtitle B (Other Regulations Relating to Transportation, Chapter III (Federal Motor Vehicle Administration) Subchapter B (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations), Part 393 (Part and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation), Subpart G (Miscellaneous Parts and Accessories), Section 75 (Tires), part of it reads - No motor vehicle shall be operated on any tire that (1) has body ply or belt material exposed through the tread or sidewall (2) has any tread or sidewall seperation (3) is flat or has an audible leak (4) has a cut to the extent that the ply or belt material is exposed... ...(g) No motor vehicle shall be operated with tires that carry a weight greater than that marked on the sidewall of the tire... 2) (second example) Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49 (Transportation), Subtitle B (Other Regulations Relating to Transportation, Chapter III (Federal Motor Vehicle Administration) Subchapter B (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations), Part 393 (Part and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation), Subpart C (Brakes), Section 52 (Brake Performance) - Upon application of its service brakes, a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles must under any condition of loading in which it is found on a public highway, be capable of (1) Developing a braking force at least equal to the percentage of its gross weight specified in the table in paragraph d (2) Decelerating to a stop from 20 miles per hour at not less than the rate specified in table d... (table d has a list of braking distances, the ones that stick out the most is that passenger cars must be able to decelerate at a rate of 21 feet per second, combination vehicles must be able to decelerate at a rate of at least 14 feet per second) As you can see, there are laws, that anyone can read, anyone can access, anyone can reference, and these laws clearly state the minimum requirements, the floor, that a vehicle must meet for public road use, such as braking power, such as weight on the tires. I have search for years, not figuratively, but literally, years, of a statute, a court ruling, a city ordnance, or a constitutional amendment stating that if I exceed the number on the side of my truck, that there is a law that I would be violating. I have asked others who claim that I am violating the law by exceeding the manufacturer's GVWR or GCWR that I am violating the law, to show me that law, and for years not one has shown or referenced the law that I am supposedly violating. Some have referenced an article from TruckTrend in which a couple of lawyers stated that towing overloaded is a case for negligence. What they've all failed to do was to reference the law that says so, even the lawyers in that article failed to reference the law that says so. If what they claim is true, then it must of happened at least once, which means that there is a court ruling somewhere saying that a person was at fault for the sole reason of being overloaded. None of them have reference any case, not even one, saying so. While I do take into consideration lawyer opinions, what I want is a court ruling, because lawyer opinions are always accurate. Remember Pearson v. Chung, 2005? A lawyer claimed, in good faith, that he believed that $67,000,000 was fair compensation for the loss of pants. Just because a lawyer makes a claim doesn't mean that it's indisputable. If you think that a lawyer's opinion is indisputable, please visit a court. When the gavel strikes, and a ruling is made, one lawyer shakes his clients hand while the other lawyer starts adding up numbers trying to figure out how much he'll charge for filing an appeal. So please, someone, anyone, reference one law, be it a statute, a court ruling, a city ordnance, or a constitutional amendment stating that towing over the numbers on the truck are unlawful. Or reference a case in which someone was found at fault for being overloaded, and only for being overloaded. That means that the person was in an accident, and that the person's vehicle met the minimum standards (acceptable exterior lighting, acceptable tires, sufficient braking performance, acceptable vehicle equipment, etc...) that the operator followed all the rules of the road (obeyed traffic signals, maintained lane of travel, not distracted, not impaired, maintained speed limit, maintained appropriate travel distance behind lead vehicle, is appropriately licensed, etc...) and that the ONLY thing that the person did was exceed the GVWR and/or GCWR (not GAWR or tire load rating). If anyone can show me one case, it would really make my day because I've been looking for that one case for years and I have never found it, and no one has ever pointed it out to me, not even a lawyer or any TH-camr saying that it exists.
I have been pounding the pavement hard trying to find and purchase a vehicle to tow a food trailer, and ALMOST purchased a vehicle that I did not need! Thanks to this video's education I was able to save my money, because just as Ian indicated, the salesperson was not knowledgeable and only wanted to move the vehicle off the lot! I have watched a couple of videos to have better knowledge of GVWR, Tow Caps, and Payloads, and this video was the most educational and least confusing. Ian really does a good job of iterating what is important to know and what doesn't matter. When looking for the proper vehicle to tow my trailer, I've been looking at the wrong information all along! Now I know what to look for and how to calculate staying within the GCWR and most importantly, payloads!
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This is exactly how every instructional video should look. No BS music, tacky jokes or presenter acting like a clown. Everything straight to the point!
Always makes me wanna laugh when people brag how much they can tow with their half tons
thanks
My comment was going to mirror yours. Well said.
@@mchocolate2301 exactly, me as well.
straight to the point.....AFTER all the damn commercials
Great video! I am currently shopping for truck and trailer, so this video was made for me! I don’t mind the commercials when the video has content of this quality. Thank you for your time making this!
At almost 80 years old I've done something all my life you might laugh at. Whatever the towing capacity was for my vehicle, I dropped it by 50% LOL if my truck was supposed to max out at 14000 lb I knew it would tow 7000 lbs comfortably. Operative word... comfortably. Always had way more truck than I actually needed. Better safe than sorry. Never had a problem LOL great stuff thanks for posting
Great rule!
My simple rule is never tow more than your vehicles weight. My Tundra weighs 6,300 lbs my Arctic Fox weighs 4,200 lbs empty.
@@donaldindividual-1 Arctic Fox... You must be a wise man. LOL thanks for responding.
@@donaldindividual-1 that's what he just said tho 🤣
I did the same as you its because whare old school we do it right our not at all
I am not an engineer and don't connect with a lot of calculations but I'm smart enough to know my limits and to engage with folks like him who does the research. I do my due diligence when needed and I absolutely appreciate people like him who will help keep me out of trouble. Great Job Big Rock!
If he did his research, he would know the difference between "jamb" and "jam" (2:10).
Awesome Job, I knew there was more to the advertised weights and limits, however you gave all of yhe points to focus on! great video thank you so much for the time you spent on this extremely helpful information!
Absolutely amazing thanks for sharing your story
I'm an engineer, and I'm an absolute moron.
@@filup7419 Didn't realize we were into a word contest. But he damn sure knows his stuff about weight distribution. And trying to save everyone some heartaches.
You have No Idea how much this helped me! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the info! I’m a 60 yr old lady who has been bamboozled by dealers trying to push their vehicles. You have saved my life literally!!! I can’t thank you enough!!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
You are so welcome!
One of the best explanations I've ever watched. I never realized how complicated this all is.
This is the best educational video I’ve seen on towing! Everyone towing a trailer should watch this. Thank you for your time and research in putting this together. Very well done!
This should be mandatory watching for anyone walking into a trailer dealership. I drove TT all over the US for 27 years. And can't count the Trailer camper disasters I've seen.. Happen and come upon. This guy is a wealth of knowledge and will save You alot of Headache.. Great Stuff!
The tongue weight is the real mystery if you do not have a GOOD tongue snake. Having good weight distribution in both tow vehicle and trailer is also very important. Great video!
One of the most thorough, comprehensive, informative and straight forward informational video of this type I have ever seen. Thank you!
Wow thanks I appreciate that
Totally agree.
What Hank said!
Without making a two hour long video, you did an EXCELLENT job of explaining the entire tow capability situation. Best video I have seen on the subject. You might consider videos on specific items like tires, and how passenger tires on trucks (common on "half tons") have thinner, weaker sidewalls that prevent the truck from controlling trailer sway, close looks at tire sidewalls to see how to find the actual weight capacity of the tire (not just load range), and how light truck tires do a better job when towing. Anyhow, good video.
Good point
Absolutely one of if not the best video ive seen on towing thank you. I belong to several FB groups of the paticular trailer i have and im shocked how many people on there have tow vehicles too small or ask, “ can i get by”, how little respect people have for towing. I share this and other videos over and over.
I would add "do not guess at these weights". Find a CAT scale and weigh each axle with the trailer full of water and all of your gear and passengers in both the trailer and the tow vehicle and WDH if used. Then unhook your trailer and weigh again. With a little addition and subtraction, you can determine exact axle weights, tongue weight, GVW, GCVW, trailer weight, and payload. You can then compare these accurate numbers with those maxes allowed. I added a metal case to hold my generator to the rear of my camper and my tongue weight went from 15% to 12%. This actually made my payload legal and placed my tongue weight near the optimum %. I also am not anywhere near my 10,000 GVW rating of the trailer. I wouldn't have known this had I not weighed everything.
From personal experience (explained further down), This type of video is a must for anyone thinking about buying a truck or evaluating their current truck when considering what they plan to tow with it. You touched on most every point and were truthful about most dealerships and their lack or care or understanding of your set up or intended set up; many simply want the sale! Before I purchased my 31 ft., 7300 lbs. Toy Hauler (1100 lb. tongue “hitch” weight), I thought my truck 1/2 ton was alright and with its GVWR and GCWR. Well, I towed it from the dealership (350 miles) where I got the great deal and felt uneasy the whole way home. It felt okay overall but the squat was excessive and the main issue. I have “The Equalizer” WDHitch system so that was the thing that greatly helped. I realized that for any real travelling safety, I had to upgrade suspension or upgrade truck. I upgraded suspension (RAM 1500 coils with 1300 lbs. payload capacity), two grades stiffer but that didn’t solve it, it did a little but not enough in my opinion. In the end, I now own a 3/4 ton Chevy with a payload capacity of 3300 lbs. and lots of room regarding GCWR, etc., and all the stability with a more robust frame and axle and brake capacity that one could ask for and peace of mind. I like the newer camera technology and more that helps a lot, even with my LT level truck.
Great story thank you
So i just used your spreadsheet and I am sitting nicely...without those calculations I would have been scratching my head and worrying Im overloaded...now I have peace of mind - thank you so much!
I don't normally watch instructional videos twice, but when I do, it's this one. Thank you for the knowledge dump, sir.
Fantastic video, 17 idiots dislike it ? Very valuable info for staying safe towing a trailer. I towed a 23 foot Airstream with my Tacoma Truck, even though I was 1000 pounds under the factory max limit the trailer was a load. My late wife and I travelled all over the western US and I always had to be careful about the weight from the water, black/grey tanks when travelling. Hopefully people will learn from your video because it could save their lives...
This was so informative and not boring. We watch it regularly every time we consider buying a trailer.
Best video on RV towing I've seen to date. Very no-nonsense and informative for a newbie like myself. I have a 2019 Ford Ranger XLT tow package with a max payload of 1428, GVWR 6050 max, GCWR 12500 max, and Hitch Max Tongue of 750. The wife and me are just looking now for small teardrop RVs for extended weekend camping and mountain biking in California and did not give a thought about being able to tow a 2500 to 3500 small teardrop. Your vid was a serious wakeup call... especially that first terrible RV wreck.... Jesus... imagine a family with kids in that truck. Please be safe people ! Thank you so much for your towing safety spreadsheet... so handy and easy to use ! FYI - I googled VIN DECODER and was able to get EVERY bit of info on my Ranger including all the spring capacities, tire capacities, etc... they have VIN DECODERS for just about every make and model.
Thabks for the note and for sharing the info
I am so glad I came across this video literally a couple of hours before going to the RV dealership. I will get my ducks in a row first with all the suggestions then go. Thank you!
Great
Took me a little while to get here... but it was well worth the extra clicks and time ...this is exactly what I needed to learn!! Gold info, so, Thank you, sir!!!
Thank you so much very.. informative a large boon to my attempt to demystify all the jargon and Marketing/Lies. The Excel Spreadsheet by itself is worth its weight in gold. Thanks So much! Not sure what you do for work but you should consider getting a hold of Consumer Report or a similar type of origination .. mainly because of your exhaustive researching skills and ability to see how all the zillions of variables fit together. This is a public service to be sure all of your the Freeware knowledge you have passed on is keeping us all safe. Thanks again!! Stay safe, Take care, have fun!
This is the most comprehensive and educational video about towing I've ever seen. Well done. I shudder to think about the time we almost rolled off a lot with a unit that was within "towing capacity" but far exceeded our payload by about 400lbs. Luckily I took a look at the numbers before hand. More people need to watch this and be realistic with what they can actually tow.
thanks!
Was this video helpful? You're damn right it was helpful!
Great
@@BigRockMoto I've towed for decades, some pretty heavy stuff (my 1936 F20 tractor, antique engines, cars on flatbeds through the hills of PA, etc.) and I STILL appreciated this video and feel I learned from it. It was more like a classroom, it wasn't preachy, and I loved the fact it wasn't loaded up with self-promotion and shrill distracting music. This was one of the most professional YT videos I've seen. You put the glitzy look at me videos to shame.
I cannot thank you enough for this video. Thank you! Took me 10 hours online last night and I didn't even manage to figure everything out as well as you taught it in 20 minutes!
You're welcome!
exactly
Dealerships must cringe when you show up with that kind of knowledge. If I were you I would make a small book with all this info you layed out in the video and sell it. This information is priceless.
I'd rather give it away for free. I believe in karma.
Great video! I also see inadequate tow vehicles pulling trailers all the time.
In your calculation you forgot to add the weight of your Equal-izer WD hitch.
It probably weighs 50+ lbs.
Great point thank you
That is incredibly useful information for me! My wife and I (both seniors) live in a semi-rural area that is at risk of evacuation each fire season. We have 3 dogs and a cat and wondered what we would do or where we would go in the case of evacuation.
A travel trailer looked like a good option to have at the ready. We have no interest in travel or camping with this trailer. The thing is, we know absolutely nothing about these things.
We have a 1999 Ford F150 with about 250,000 km as our second vehicle and thought this might be used for towing a suitable trailer. With the information you've provided, I think we will able to focus on the size of trailer that we could tow.
I had no idea that there was so much to consider about towing a trailer! But I guess when you start with knowing absolutely nothing about a subject, there will be surprises.
Many thanks for posting such useful information. And if you or any of your viewers might have helpful additional things that we should consider, we would welcome the advice.
Cheers.
We've been doing this for years. It has served us well!
I’ve watched several videos trying to learn tow capacity, and this video is hands-down the best explained and most comprehensive. Great video, sir!
great info and very detailed. didn't realize there were so many factors. I'll be a smarter RVer now. Thanks for your work!
This is the best videos on this topic on the internet, hands down. Great teaching video.
thanks
I totally agree with everything you said in this video. Unfortunately, many rv owners simply overdo it with the size of rv they purchase and the amount of items they want to bring along. It's always better to remain below all limits or capacities than go overboard. Your safety and the safety of others on the road is what matters here. As informative as this video is, I am really surprised that you made no mention of "VEHICLE STOPPING DISTANCE WHILE HAULING AN RV / TRAILER".
Videos like this should be mandatory viewing for people planning to tow!
Agreed!
A good rule for towing is "just because you can, doesn't mean you should."
And remember, Salesmen are NOT YOUR FRIENDS!
A great video, thank you!✌️
I'm considering purchasing my first travel trailer and figuring out how much I can truly tow safely was very confusing until I watched your video. Thank you for the clear explanation and advice! Now I feel like I can make some informed decisions!
Very informative video. One extra tidbit that I read also helped us was wheelbase concerns. I found this online it may help your readers -
“As a general rule of thumb, the first 110 inches of wheelbase allow for a 20-foot trailer. For each additional four inches of wheelbase length, you get one foot more in trailer length.”
Safe travels!
Never heard this rule of thumb before but I like it. I am getting a truck with 141 in wheelbase which means 27.5 foot trailer which is what I was shopping for. Good to get some verification. Thanks!
Just got my first truck, and was confused with all the conflicting information about towing out there. This video was fantastic, and gave me exactly the information I need to make better towin decisions!
Great video, tons of great information here. My only critique is that GCWR isn’t always GVWR + max tow rating. For this reason your formula for tow capacity using GCWR-GVWR accounts for hitch weight as represented in the GVWR/Payload as well as any unused cargo capacity. The weight that presents itself at the hitch with downward force, while certainly playing a role in Payload and GVWR for the truck, is really weight that is associated with and derived directly from the trailer being towed and it’s respective GVWR. Your formula counts it twice, once on the GVWR for the truck and then again in the resulting GVWR tow capacity. For those of us that tow small trailers with hitch weight figures ranging from 300-500 lbs., that represents lost cargo capacity in your spreadsheet. When put on a scale to measure GCWR, the hitch weight associated to the truck’s payload and GVWR will always be weighed as part of the trailer just as it would be if the trailer were to be weighed separately. The only reason to account for it on the truck is to measure the downward force the weight places onto the axles and suspension of the truck. GCWR on the other hand accounts for how much weight your tow vehicle is rated to safely pull and stop. That’s a 12.5% loss in GCWR cargo capacity without reason.
Yup. You crushed that. The reason GCWR-GVWR is not equal to max towing is that the three ratings have different basis. GCWR and GCWR are actually both determined by what your braking and suspension systems can handle under dynamic load in extremis. Max towing is based on what your frame and powers train can handle.
I always appreciated your motorcycle reviews, and now that I picked up a heavy duty truck I am looking at trailers. Thanks again for the straightforward and informative details one needs to consider when towing.
I was going mad searching for a concise and informative video on this subject, until I found this one. Many thanks, well done.
Thanks
Late to the party, but this is literally the best presentation of towing and all the factors, calculations and a spreadsheet tool to solve the questions. Best tool to date, GREAT job!
Thank you. I am so frustrated with RV dealers telling me I will be fine towing trailers clearly beyond its capabilities
The rv dealers ive met so far have explained buying the tow trailers first then buy a truck capable of pulling it
Seriously can't tell you how valuable this info is. My head was spinning trying to figure it all out. This spreadsheet clarified it all for me and I found that my 2500 Suburban can tow a fair amount of weight. Large payload capacity helps.
My dad sold RV's and he was a very honest man. People would come in a try to buy a trailer or 5th wheel that was to much for their tow vehicle and he would not sell it to them. His rule for towing was 75% of what ever the max tow rating was for that vehicle. He knew if he sold someone a trailer or 5th wheel they could not handle, they would be unhappy and never buy another RV from him. Lets just say he had a lot of return customers who once they started to like RVing, they always wanted something a little bigger.
Great story
I used the same percentage, maybe even a bit more modest of figures. However, there were other essential weight ratings that I didn’t consider. Thumbs up to your dad..
He was doing them a big favor. Traveling at "Max Weight" is not fun.
OutSTANDING video. Clear, concise information.......and factual. Anyone considering towing an RV......before buying the TT or TV..........MUST watch this video.
thanks
Buys F350 Heavy Duty, by end of calculations…”I can tow a bicycle!”
This is a real thing. If you listen to all of the tow police across the internet, you need a 350-650 for everything out there. Problem is, people like the government purchase and overload trucks and SUVs with all sorts of extra items on them all day every day. things like police vehicles would often go over payload based on the amount of stuff and weight of people they add. Armored vehicles blow it out of the water and just throw on some stiffer suspension components.
It's not that it's the best way to do it, but there is also going overboard in staying under so far that you can't use your platform for anything but towing tires behind it.
Great video and explanation. One thing a lot of folks forget about are Tow Vehicle (TV) modifications. If you have added roll bars, roof racks, heavy bull bar or front and rear metal off road bumpers you're affecting (negatively) your payload capacity. Make sure you take your TV to a scale (driver in Vehicle only, full tank of gas, and the hitch you'll tow with installed), find the difference between the sticker curb weight and your actual scale weight. Subtract that from the payload capacity to have a more accurate value. If you're pushing your payload capacity but not accounting for all these heavy customizations, you're probably over payload capacity and don't even know it.
Thank you for sharing all this information. This is exactly what we need to know! I’m trying to convince my husband to buy or at least rent a camper but there’s so much to learn about towing. It’s all so complicated, it makes my head hurt!
AMAZING VIDEO! I've been diving down a never ending circle of this topic. I was told I could buy a mew F-150 and just tow a 10, 000 lbs trailer. I kept digging info and yours is by far the best. I now know I need at least a 250 and then still confirm the numbers.
Cleared up all the questions focused on safety Thank You
Thanks
I agree with you totally on your towing information. You are correct that most people just look at their vehicle tow rating and think, yeah I can pull that much of a trailer without knowing that " Payload " capacity pretty much determines what you actually can tow safely.
Thanks for making and posting this comprehensive video and spreadsheet. It's really great to have such a detailed overview related to the issues of safe towing in one place.
No problem
Being a ASE tech for 30 years and trying to explain too people how to find the right truck and trailer for them , this is that best exspamle of how its done. I don't think I good have done it any better. Thank you. I use your video to show those what I'm trying to explain to them.
great video....... a lot to absorb into my pea size brain....... but priceless and EXTREMELY important!!!’ thank you for taking the time to make and share this!!!!
Thank you so much for this information and the way it's presented. I had a dealer trying to convince me that my F150 would be fine pulling an almost 10,000 pound dry weight camper. I walked out mid sentence. I am new to all of this but I knew he was lying just to get me to buy. I am still learning how all of this works and what's best for me. I'll have to watch this video a few more times to fully understand it but it's great info, thanks again!
Thank you for explaining to us about the capability things. You are right. We cannot trust RV dealers and even manufactures, such as so called "half ton camper".
Thank you for making this video! This is the best explanation on how to determine the weights on towing. I've been looking at trailers. Fist time tower, and I've been so confused. Every dealer I've been to has said, "Just stay under your GVWR, and you'll be fine.
Trailer sway... Found out the hard way, but I learned through that experience. Never happened to me again 😂😂😂
Always put as much weight as close as possible to the axle of the truck 🛻
Regular guy sharing more real world realities, regarding safe RVing Spot On, calculate, calculate, calculate, great awareness shared here, totally appreciated 💯
This is exactly the information I need! Thank you so much.
New truck owner and new to towing. Watched this before getting started - very helpful. Thanks for taking the time to provide detail and clear explanation in a short amount of time.
This is the best video I've seen with this subject. Thank you captain !
Engage!
Just came across your channel. This video is absolutely excellent. As a retired Service Manager who witnessed the consequences of totaled vehicles, failed transmissions, brakes and engines due to over weight rigs. This video should be mandatory for all owners and sales people. Most trucks are overloaded that I see and any failures are not covered under warranty.
Every newbie should watch this video before considering their first travel trailer. Great job!
This is the best explanation of all of the critical ratings in determining your truck's towing capability. Thank you sir.
I really appreciate your tutorial on some of the factors involved with towing.
I thought I'd add a little bit to the conversation of other things often not considered as well.
One thought that comes to mind is to shift the weight, where possible, to inside the trailer if it's safe to do so. Doing so mathematically increases your overall capacity. The other is math-related. If you take your payload capacity of the truck, then subtract the weight of the occupants, and the cargo in the truck, the number given, to see your approximate more realistic trailer capacity is to take that final number, and divide it by 0.15.. Now, from what I've seen advertised, RV dealers use 10% instead of 15% for the tongue weight, but it's just a quick way to see where your real life numbers end up.
Me, I don't have a truck yet.. Weighing my options. Class C vs class A vs truck & trailer. Considering my options for a truck heavily. Do appreciate your lessons for the day..
This is why everyone goes on a diet 2 weeks before
we go camping. Thanks for Great video.
Haha
It's always the cargo capacity that limits towing. I was reading about people who had purchased the new Sierra with the 6.2L V8 and large tow ratings, but yet, they too also had around 1500 lbs of weight capacity.
100% right
I just bought that same Reese WD and sway control hitch. So good to hear this guy say that this was his prefered type of hitch that he likes to use. I have way more than what i need and am glad i have it
Great video! My question always revolves around specifically adjusting your trailer tongue weight percentage between that acceptable 10 to 15% range, and the fact that numerous dual axle trailers can have a huge cargo capacity range. IF you have accurate scales to measure with , then you should be able to adjust the total cargo load, and the cargo load distribution in your trailer so that tongue weight comes out say 12% instead of 15%. You should be well within safe towing parameters while helping with the common payload limit issue. For a loaded trailer weight of 6000#, tongue weight goes from 900 to 720# in going from 15 down to 12%. This approach definitely assumes you are making accurate weight measurements instead of just assuming your running at gross trailer weight, loading everything “up front”, and plugging in the 15% tongue weight number
I have an Aluma car hauler, all aluminum tilt bed. I contacted the company to get some specifics and talked to one of their engineers. They said they recommend 10-12% tongue weight, no more. They also said to not use a WDH with their all aluminum trailer and went into some deep engineering explanation, but it made sense in the end. Adjust the car forward or rearward to control tongue weight, the balance of their trailer, the distance the axles are from the coupler and other factors, it tows just fine. Anyway, I'd contacted them because I kept reading about the 10-15% tongue weight and thought that's a lot on this type of trailer.
For a travel trailer, how HIGH your load is inside that trailer matters. The higher it is, the more trouble you'll have in braking because of the load shift being so high above the axles. Keep your trailer load LOW inside that trailer. And over the axles as much as possible.
My wife and I are in the market for a travel trailer. This was the most informative video I have found so far, and I have looked at a lot. Great video and advice. This has helped me understand all of the factors that should go into making the right decision when we finally purchase a travel trailer. 👍👍👍👍👍
Well done Ian I wish so many more people could grasp this info and take heed to it. Would like to add that age and condition of equipment are also limiting factors, especially on tires. Just because a tire has sufficient tread doesn’t automatically mean they are good to go. If more than 7 or so years old they should be replaced. Thanks for the well thought out and thorough video!
Thanks Lynn and good point about tires.
Thx! I'm new to all this, have only towed from purchase to storage a little retro fiberglass 13ft. I've studied a lot, 🤓 but you've added factors that I've not come across. Thx so much for keeping us safe!
Payload is the EXACT reason why we moved from a max tow F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost to a Ram 2500 with a 6.4L Hemi. The towing difference is NIGHT AND DAY!
I'm in the same process only to a F350. Way overkill, but I was on the border on carrying capacity / load and want the extra margin. The F150 had plenty of power and way under towing weight capacity though... better to be save than sorry.
Just bought a camper and I'm shopping for the right car to tow it properly. I must say, this is the best video I found in regards to this topic, after watching several ones. Good work! Very clear and precise. Thank you so much!
good stuff. I promise I won't go over my Payload capacity!
WELL DONE! I have been struggling with how much my tow vehicle can pull and if I made a huge mistake buying the TT I bought. I feel so much more educated and somewhat enlightened now. I believe I have a much better grasp on trailer weights and formulas. I CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH!!!
Wondering if your vehicle can tow a certain trailer? Comment below and we can help you out. First, DOWNLOAD and use the calculator spreadsheet I provided above in the description: drive.google.com/file/d/1gSozUH7LuwsObkaZnY2ek0j-93N4OWtc/view?usp=sharing. Second, we can give you advice. Happy towing!
you need to give permission to use it -- only viewable disregard -- fixed it
I need help. 2005 Tacoma V6 2WD prerunner SR5 GVWR 5350 and I the electric brakes. Am looking for an RV can you help me figure out what GVWR RV I need? Thank you
Hi I have been trying to figure this out the how is the tongue weight is calculated for instance my toy hauler has a tongue weight of 1500 a UVW weight of 8700 and a GVW of 12000lb so which number did they calculated the tongue weight from?
One guy at a dealership told me the tongue weight was calculated off the UVW but that doesn't add up but if I do the math it came out to be 12% of my GVW is this right?
Nothing in spreadsheet.
Really enjoyed this video. The calculator is perfect for keeping people out of trouble. We were at a dealership and they were trying to sell us something and bragged that he had sold several of them to people with Chevy Colorado's and that it was not problem. I ran the numbers and found that it was within 25 pounds of MAX. I was not comfortable with having to weigh every item every time to make sure I was not over loaded. I like safety factor. For a one time tow no problem. But for day in and day out on vacation NOPE. Thank you ! Great job!
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Cell C55 on the spreadsheet is set at 5,500 LB by default. Is that an error? Shouldn't it be pulling the data entered on C25?
@@dsinsocal Agree. I had the same question.
Good information. I would like to re-emphasize one point and add another. First, my setup was one in which I would exceed my rear axle weight BEFORE I exceeded my payload capacity so all those numbers need to add up. Second, if you truly want to be sure you setup is within all the limits you need to go to a weigh station and weigh the setup. I did this by loading my setup with what I felt was the most I would take on any trip (that includes the tow vehicle and trailer) and weigh the truck first and then weigh the truck and trailer hooked up. Then you will have a true picture of what you are towing.
This is a very good video. Thanks for getting this info out. I have a F250 with 2852 payload. I tow a Lance 2465 with a max weight of 8000 lb. I think I'm good looking at my numbers. Do have Timbrens or sumo springs on the back?
I don't know what year your F250 is but assuming everything you listed and your trailer is filled to its max cargo weight, and your trailer is transferring the standard-guideline 15% load to the truck's hitch, you still have 1600lbs of payload capacity left.
This is about the best presentation one can get for such a complicated subject! Quick and to the so many points to check on towing. I wish I had more hands, so I could give you four thumbs up!
Another thing to consider with all these weights is the vehicle's factory WARRANTY, if you are still within its terms. I worked for an auto manufacturer very closely with their warranty department and you would crap yourself at some of the photos technicians sent in of 1/2 ton trucks bent all to hell from being overloaded. Big "nope" there on warranty repairing your FRAME that's cracked and bent down past the rear axle!
thanks for the nice words
Most people don't realize when they buy that decked out fully loaded fancy SUV or pickup that their towing capacity is significantly reduced....everything you add to a vehicle reduces its payload/towing capacity. If a truck is rated to tow 10,000lbs, its the bare bones basic 2 wheel drive model with a certain engine/transmission and axle combination....its not the same model truck in 4 wheel drive configuration with every option under the sun installed in it or on it...your towing/payload capacity is also significantly reduced after you add a lift kit, larger size tires, etc.
100% right
Mine is not barebones.
I thought I had done enough research about this before purchasing my truck. I was wrong.
Fortunately, I got lucky. I have no need for a trailer bigger than around 25 feet (my family is small, even a ~28ft trailer would be overkill for us) and my truck can do that just fine.
But if I had been looking in the 30ft+ range or at 5th wheels I would have been sorely disappointed. Excellent video sir.
Very informative and helpful video. Thanks!
There are large number of videos on this subject this is the best of the best . Thanks .
You deserve the thumbs up. Thank you for using science and facts to help individuals learn more about safe and proper towing practices. Keep up the good work!
Thank you sir! Great information and very useful!
No worries
Wow! This is one of the best videos I have ever seen covering towing basics related to GVWR, tow capacity, payload, etc. Great job!
thanks
In both of the crashes, it looks like neither of them slowed down as the trailer started to sway.
I think the advice is to apply trailer brakes only in these situations
@@BigRockMoto i thought trailer brakes were mandatory apparently not to them
I don’t know about RV travel trailer, but a lot of at least older work trailers have hydraulic brakes. They only brake as the tire vehicle slows down. It is possible they had a vehicle with a tow package. If they did not understand about brake controllers it may not have been installed.
@@davidj1436 looked like they were rear heavy causing an imbalance in weight distribution
Thank you for this video - this should be required viewing for new RVers. Your video helped me convince my wife to upgrade our tow vehicle (thank you for that!). We currently have a 22.5' TT 4900lbs GVWR, tongue weight 530. Our prior tow vehicle was a Lexus GX 460 equipped with a WDH (6500lb tow, 1315lb payload) which actually did a pretty good job towing. I never felt the "white knuckle" driving experience despite driving up and down steep mountain passes, 40-60mph winds in the Mojave desert, etc. With that said, your video turned my wife towards my position - and now we have a Chevy Silverado 1500 6.2l V8 with a max tow package (11900 lb tow, 1856lb payload). We're hoping to eventually get a slightly bigger TT (max 25-28', GVWR 7600lbs or so) so we decided to go for overkill now so that we'd still be able to comfortably tow if we do upgrade. It was clear after watching this video (and others) that a standard 1/2 ton wouldn't cut it if we got a trailer that size. Thanks again.
Nice truck and thanks for sharing!
I'm buying a small toy hauler to avoid the problems you are having. Throw all your camping stuff/Toys in the toy hauler and have plenty of capacity for the truck left over.
You are very correct on all matrix. Very well done, I have a half ton truck and tow a smaller toy hauler. I’ve found having the ramp and back storage can be your be friend for taking load off the truck.
My last toy hauler had 1000 lb of tongue weight empty but with an empty weight of only 4400lb. ( manufacturer claimed 700lb of tongue weight empty. Needless to say I bought a tongue weight scale when buying my current trailer)
I ended up carrying 200lb of water jugs, a 150lb generator and kept all the bags in the back of the trailer. Freshwater tank was right over the axle so this didn’t move the center of gravity. We also kept cargo in the bed to a minimum and the garage space made this easy.
We did a trip to the Grand Canyon and drove 4000 miles total. Managed to do the trip with the trailer at 5500lb and 700 lb of tongue weight.
There’s a lot of ways to do this safely but you need to do the homework to make sure you actually are and a lot of people miss that.
Great job on the video. This probably has and will be an eye opener for a lot of people
There's pulling and there's stopping and controlling what you tow.
And then there is safety engineering!
THANK YOU!!! I've been searching so much; google and YT videos. This is the only video that makes sense and the excel sheet is the bomb. My husband and I are trying to match a truck to a travel trailer. We are buying both (truck and trailer) its kind of hard with a budget since all google says is to get F250 or bigger (which we know they ain't cheap) Now we feel way more confident to make a decision. Thank you again for taking time to make this video.
Awesome video! Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Safe travels.
at last a factual and concise video about a very important subject by a guy not doing it not to see himself, push an agenda or hype a product. Being a newbie and making myself nuts trying to make sense of so many numbers you certainly make it much more understandable. I had come to the conclusion that the majority of people must be towing way overloaded, then convinced myself that I have no clue and the masses must be right. Almost had convinced myself that I could haul a 30 footer with a Smartcar as long as it had airbags and WD hitch ! I have since, thanks to this video and one or two others, decided that the F350 is likely a better choice after all Thank you, those around me when I am on the road will be safer because of your video. Some of you reading this may be one of them safer ones one day
Thank you
13:55 "There's a couple of reasons why you do not want to go over your payload capacity, even if you think your vehicle can handle it. Number 1 is liability..." Here we go again. It never ceases to amaze me how many people think that if you exceed the little numbers pasted on the inside door of your truck that suddenly you are open to lawsuits. Allow me to let you in on a little secret. You can be sued for any reason, or even for no reason at all. If you have a dog, your neighbor can sue you for emotional distress if your dog barks (Thompson v Norton, 2005). If you run a dry cleaner and lose a customer's pants, that customer can sue you for $67,000,000 (Pearson v. Chung, 2005). Those cases have 2 things in common. First, both were founded on what I believe to be are bogus claims. Second, in both cases the defendants were out a significant sum of money in order to defend those cases. That's also the reality with the claim about you will be found liable for exceeding the numbers stamped on your truck. You can be sued, true, but you can also be sued even while having no trailer at all. Just because the trailer is below the numbers on the truck doesn't mean that a lawsuit would simply disappear. You can still be sued even if you have a trailer completely in specs with the manufacturer of the truck, or even if you had no trailer, even if you have no hitch, as a matter in fact you could be on a bicycle, or walking, you can still be sued.
So maybe the host of this video is trying to claim that you will find yourself on the wrong end of a lawsuit with merit. That now you'll have to write out a check to the lawyer on the other side that's looking to empty your bank account. His (or her) arguement would be that you violated what law? Because that's the thing about lawsuits, is that they generally based on someone violating some law, and those laws are typically written down somewhere. Laws are usually found in 4 different areas. 1) Statute - these can be federal or state. 2) Court rulings 3) City ordnances 4) Constitution. Can anyone show me the statute (federal or state), the court ruling, the city ordnance, or the constitutional amendment that declares that if you exceed the numbers on the truck, that you are violating the law. Allow me to demonstrate with a few basic laws that exemplify some of the floors, the minimum requirements of a driver and his rig when out on the public highway.
1) (first example) Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49 (Transportation), Subtitle B (Other Regulations Relating to Transportation, Chapter III (Federal Motor Vehicle Administration) Subchapter B (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations), Part 393 (Part and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation), Subpart G (Miscellaneous Parts and Accessories), Section 75 (Tires), part of it reads - No motor vehicle shall be operated on any tire that (1) has body ply or belt material exposed through the tread or sidewall (2) has any tread or sidewall seperation (3) is flat or has an audible leak (4) has a cut to the extent that the ply or belt material is exposed... ...(g) No motor vehicle shall be operated with tires that carry a weight greater than that marked on the sidewall of the tire...
2) (second example) Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, Title 49 (Transportation), Subtitle B (Other Regulations Relating to Transportation, Chapter III (Federal Motor Vehicle Administration) Subchapter B (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations), Part 393 (Part and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation), Subpart C (Brakes), Section 52 (Brake Performance) - Upon application of its service brakes, a motor vehicle or combination of motor vehicles must under any condition of loading in which it is found on a public highway, be capable of (1) Developing a braking force at least equal to the percentage of its gross weight specified in the table in paragraph d (2) Decelerating to a stop from 20 miles per hour at not less than the rate specified in table d... (table d has a list of braking distances, the ones that stick out the most is that passenger cars must be able to decelerate at a rate of 21 feet per second, combination vehicles must be able to decelerate at a rate of at least 14 feet per second)
As you can see, there are laws, that anyone can read, anyone can access, anyone can reference, and these laws clearly state the minimum requirements, the floor, that a vehicle must meet for public road use, such as braking power, such as weight on the tires. I have search for years, not figuratively, but literally, years, of a statute, a court ruling, a city ordnance, or a constitutional amendment stating that if I exceed the number on the side of my truck, that there is a law that I would be violating. I have asked others who claim that I am violating the law by exceeding the manufacturer's GVWR or GCWR that I am violating the law, to show me that law, and for years not one has shown or referenced the law that I am supposedly violating.
Some have referenced an article from TruckTrend in which a couple of lawyers stated that towing overloaded is a case for negligence. What they've all failed to do was to reference the law that says so, even the lawyers in that article failed to reference the law that says so. If what they claim is true, then it must of happened at least once, which means that there is a court ruling somewhere saying that a person was at fault for the sole reason of being overloaded. None of them have reference any case, not even one, saying so. While I do take into consideration lawyer opinions, what I want is a court ruling, because lawyer opinions are always accurate. Remember Pearson v. Chung, 2005? A lawyer claimed, in good faith, that he believed that $67,000,000 was fair compensation for the loss of pants. Just because a lawyer makes a claim doesn't mean that it's indisputable. If you think that a lawyer's opinion is indisputable, please visit a court. When the gavel strikes, and a ruling is made, one lawyer shakes his clients hand while the other lawyer starts adding up numbers trying to figure out how much he'll charge for filing an appeal.
So please, someone, anyone, reference one law, be it a statute, a court ruling, a city ordnance, or a constitutional amendment stating that towing over the numbers on the truck are unlawful. Or reference a case in which someone was found at fault for being overloaded, and only for being overloaded. That means that the person was in an accident, and that the person's vehicle met the minimum standards (acceptable exterior lighting, acceptable tires, sufficient braking performance, acceptable vehicle equipment, etc...) that the operator followed all the rules of the road (obeyed traffic signals, maintained lane of travel, not distracted, not impaired, maintained speed limit, maintained appropriate travel distance behind lead vehicle, is appropriately licensed, etc...) and that the ONLY thing that the person did was exceed the GVWR and/or GCWR (not GAWR or tire load rating). If anyone can show me one case, it would really make my day because I've been looking for that one case for years and I have never found it, and no one has ever pointed it out to me, not even a lawyer or any TH-camr saying that it exists.
I have been pounding the pavement hard trying to find and purchase a vehicle to tow a food trailer, and ALMOST purchased a vehicle that I did not need! Thanks to this video's education I was able to save my money, because just as Ian indicated, the salesperson was not knowledgeable and only wanted to move the vehicle off the lot! I have watched a couple of videos to have better knowledge of GVWR, Tow Caps, and Payloads, and this video was the most educational and least confusing. Ian really does a good job of iterating what is important to know and what doesn't matter. When looking for the proper vehicle to tow my trailer, I've been looking at the wrong information all along! Now I know what to look for and how to calculate staying within the GCWR and most importantly, payloads!