What type of trailer can i tow

While camper shopping I had one salesman tell me that my Silverado could tow 8, lbs. My truck could actually tow considerably less—6, pounds—because it had suspension code z It may seem overwhelming and daunting to figure out all of the different options and find the camper your vehicle can tow. It took me months of looking to find a used truck in my price range with the options needed to safely tow our camper.

Patience is essential. The safety of my family was first on my mind. The knowledge of how much it costs to replace an engine or transmission made the task of finding the right vehicle worth the effort.

In the end, I over bought when it comes to towing. Most SUVs and trucks have multiple engine and axle configurations. Both affect the max payload and the towing limits capacity. Sometimes the difference is several thousand pounds. In advertisements, auto makers will list the highest towing capacity that a particular vehicle can tow.

However that value may not reflect all configurations of the vehicle. For example, Ford advertises the F can tow up to 13, lbs. But that is for a regular cab, long bed 2-wheel drive, 3.

The same truck without the tow package is limited to 5, pounds. Big difference. Others decide years after buying the truck or SUV that it would be nice to take the family camping. The question then becomes: what camper can my vehicle tow? So you decided you want to buy a trailer camper. On some vehicles this may give a very simple and straight forward answer. For others, the manual can be vague. If so, the manual will have a chart showing the combinations and how much each will tow.

Read these charts carefully. Many times towing charts will only apply if the vehicle has the trailer tow package. The charts will also include lots of foot notes. Some charts will be sorted by combined gross weight or the gross vehicle weight as a determining factor as well as wheel base, engine, and axle ratio. The towing capacity of a base vehicle versus one that is properly equipped can be several thousand pounds. Knowing how your vehicle is equipped is the only way to know how much it can tow.

There are several options to look for when purchasing a tow vehicle. These options are usually listed as:. Some vehicles will have multiple tow package options. For example, an HD or Max towing package could include things like a larger gas tank, HD rims, upgraded axels, and trailer brake controllers.

The larger gas tanks are very convenient, especially on a road trip. Constantly pulling over to fill up your gas tank when you are hauling a camper is inconvenient. Some gas station are a tight squeeze to get in and out of. The extra room in the gas tank gives you more peace of mind. You can get where you are going and make better choices about where to pull over.

Axle ratios impact how the vehicle tows. Taller gears like 3. This limits down shifting when going up hills. Taller gears also improve acceleration for merging onto highways. These gears are not as fuel efficient. Short gears like the 3. You may have to run in a lower gear when going down the highway to stay in the trucks power band.

The transmission may also hunt for gears more because the truck is at a lower RPM. But they might have options that increase the towing capabilities.

If you already own the vehicle or looking to buy a used one it can be a little trickier. First, look at the back. Next, you want to look at the sill plate. It is usually silver and may list things like tire pressure, color codes, interior codes and the manufacture date.

It also lists things like the front axle weight, rear axle weight and the gross vehicle weight. Others will list the combined gross vehicle weight. On my Ford F it lists the towing capacities by cab, engine rear axle and combined weight. But the plate does not list the combined weight on the plate in door jam. It does list the axle code: the one piece of the equation that tells me what size camper my truck can pull.

On my Silverado there were build codes in the glove compartment. All I had to do was look up the suspension and tow package build codes online and I was able to verify my vehicles capacities. It would be best practice to verify what is included in each suspension package for your year and model vehicle.

These numbers may vary from year to year or model to model. The other way and this might be the easier way to confirm vehicle options is to look at the window sticker. You did save the window sticker right? You can look it up here using the VIN. These versions of the window sticker will list out options but may not list standard equipment. Be cautious of dealer advertisements. Many will list tow package in the description but it may just have the hitch receiver and not the full tow package.

The truck only had a hitch receiver on the back which would limit the towing to 5, pounds. Very few ads listed the rear end and the size of the gas tank—both options that make for better towing. I used the website to confirm the trucks equipment before going to the dealer. Remember, these only list options and the tow package may be standard equipment. Look online for the sales brochure this will tell you what came with the trim level you have.

Then use the information from the window sticker, the build codes, door jamb information and sales brochure to confirm which options the car has. The same chart will likely be in the towing guide as well. Give yourself a buffer on the max tow weight. If your truck can tow 5, pounds your trailer should not exceed 4, pounds. This keeps you safe in case you encounter any wind or weather that requires a little extra power. There are also other factors besides the weight that limit how big of a camper your car can tow.

Elevation can also be a factor. This is the maximum combined weight that your car or truck can handle for safe operation. Compact and subcompact cars are best towed behind an RV rather than being the tow vehicle, although a handful are up to the task of hauling up to 2, pounds with the proper towing package. If your compact car is rated for towing, then look for a trailer with its own electrical braking system to spare the wear and tear on the vehicle.

Consider lightweight teardrops, micro-campers, or the smallest, lightest utility trailers. In general, a mid-size car and some family minivans or smaller SUVs may have the capacity to tow up to 3, pounds, or a small, lightweight camper, pop-up trailer, very small boat on a trailer or a utility trailer.

Small to mid-sized pick-ups and some sturdier SUVs, depending on the make and model, may have the capacity to tow a bumper-pulled family camper, boat trailer or small toy hauler. All-wheel drive and 4-wheel drive vehicles will have a greater towing capacity than comparable 2-wheel Drive vehicle. Horsepower keeps it moving and how fast you can move. Many larger travel trailers , fifth wheels , and toy haulers can have a gross vehicle weight of more than 12, pounds fully loaded and require a heavier duty truck that is equipped for towing.

Stock or Model. Tow Rating Guide Select your tow vehicle below and we'll show you the RVs within your towing capacity. Towing your next RV safely down the road will depend on having the right tow vehicle and RV combination. Towing Results Are Empty.