GCWR, payload, GAWR—so many terms and so much confusion. There has been an enormous amount of discussion and debate on what a truck can actually tow. In Part 1, I discussed the frustration from misinformation on towing capacity and axle ratio, and the journey in finding the facts. Here is what I found and what you need to know regarding proper towing limits.
Payload and GAWR
According to my owner’s manual, my truck with the 3.42 axle ratio and 5.3L engine had a maximum towing capacity of 9,200 lbs.
However, you cannot calculate towing capacity without factoring in Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR), payload capacity, and Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). I took the truck and trailer to the local CAT Scale. I weighed the truck connected to the trailer first, then pulled off and unhooked to weigh just the truck. Then I placed the front wheels of the truck on the first scale, the drive or back wheels on the second pad, and the trailer on the third.
The weight sticker on the door jamb shows the following weights, and the measurements at the CAT Scale are shown as well.
Hitched to trailer
| Axle | GAWR | Actual AWR |
| Front | 5,000 lbs. | 3,300 lbs. |
| Rear | 7,050 lbs. | 3,240 lbs. |
Trailer weight – 4,340 lbs.
Combined weight, truck and trailer – 10,880 lbs.
Unhitched truck
Front – 3,400 lbs.
Rear – 2,580 lbs.
Hitch weight or payload from trailer – 660 lbs.
According to these numbers, my GCWR is 15,000 lbs. and I am only at 10,880. My rear GAWR is 7,050 lbs. and I am at 3,240 lbs. My front GAWR is 5,000 lbs., and I am at 3,300 lbs. So I can safely tow this vehicle and much more.
Some additional precautions
My truck did not come with the optional trailer towing package, even though it has a trailer towing button on the end of the shift lever.
This just changes the rpm shift points of the transmission. It is confusing to owners as the truck does not have an auxiliary brake controller, wider mirrors, larger brakes, or additional transmission cooling like a true towing package would. You will definitely need to add an aftermarket brake controller. Just because the little trailer illustration lights up on the dash doesn’t mean you can tow anything.
Another issue I found was the rear suspension was not designed for towing even a smaller trailer like this. I initially brought the unit down from Minnesota with a traditional hitch. It bounced all the way through the 200-mile trip and had horrible sway. We installed a Blue Ox “Sway Pro”, which is a weight distribution and sway control hitch, and it made a world of difference.
Further education, certification, and a discount!
As originally stated by the founder of RVSEF, John Anderson, there is a difference between towing legally and towing safely. And you can find a ton (that would be 2,000 lbs. for the younger readers) of posts stating that you can the tow weight listed in tow guides regardless of the other weight classifications. You will find posts of people that tow way over the limits as they think the recommendations are overly cautious. An example is the owner I had in a recent seminar that tows his 10,000-lb. boat from Maine to Florida every year with only a 5,000-lb. hitch!
I think we have all stretched the limits of several things in our lives believing it won’t happen to us—I am guilty of that, as well. The purpose of this newsletter and my articles is to help provide information on safe practices that will make your RV experience more enjoyable. We rely on the certification from national codes such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Tire and Rim Association, and others.
The RV Safety & Education Foundation (RVSEF) has developed a comprehensive Truck and Trailer Matching Course that helps clear up the confusion of the weight ratings and proper towing capacities. The course is available on their website here.
They are offering all RVtravel.com readers a 50% discount on this accredited course by entering this promo code: RVTTOW24 at the above website.
You might also enjoy this from Dave
Trail of Confusion: Navigating the crossroads of trailer safety chain hookup
There have been several discussions on proper connection of trailer safety chains. A recent article regarding the connection of the safety chains to a hitch that broke off prompted several comments worth addressing.
Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
Read more from Dave here.
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Thank you for the follow up on your vehicle towing / carrying capabilities. Good, reliable information means better safety for all ..
You’ve got an exceptional trailer if it has a maximum tow capacity of 9200lbs. Lol
Yup, caught that too !
Thanks for the catch Bob! I made the change. My “spill chick” did not catch that!
Sorry, Dave and everyone else. That didn’t even register when I proofed the post, even though it was very obvious.😳 Have a good evening/night. 😀 –Diane
Diane.
“Spill Chick” was a spoof on my Spell Check feature, not Diane’s proofing which is always spot on and very much appreciated! Thanks for all you do Diane!!!
Yep, I know that you weren’t referring to me, Dave. But thanks. I just felt bad that this “Spill Chick” missed something so obvious! And you’re welcome. As soon as I catch up with the 200+ comments that have come in so far this morning, I’ll be proofing your post for tomorrow (among other projects). Thanks for the post, and for all of your hard work and excellent information! Have a great day! 😀 –Diane