Towing Capacity Calculator

Inputs

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Gross Vehicle Weight Rating from the driver-door sticker: the most the loaded TRUCK may weigh (including tongue weight).
lb
Gross Combined Weight Rating from the owner's manual / tow guide: the most truck + trailer may weigh together.
lb
Your vehicle as it sits with full fuel and no people/cargo — a CAT scale ticket beats the brochure number.
lb
Everyone and everything riding in the tow vehicle (people, tools, bed cargo, hitch hardware).
lb
Actual loaded trailer weight (trailer + everything on it), not the empty rating.
lb
Tongue weight as a percent of loaded trailer weight. ~10-15% is the conventional-trailer stability band.
%
The manufacturer's max-trailer rating for your exact configuration, if known. Enter 0 to skip. When lower than the GCWR math, the rating governs (axles, cooling, frame, hitch).
lb

Results

Default result
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Max trailer weight(W_max)
9,900lb
Pass

Within the GCWR arithmetic for this loaded truck.

GCWR − loaded truck, capped by the published tow rating when entered.

Also computed

Payload left after tongue(P − TW)Out of tol.−60lb

Tongue weight exceeds the remaining payload: the truck is over GVWR before the trailer even moves. This is the most common towing overload — the trailer can be within the tow rating while the PAYLOAD is blown.

Tongue weight counts against PAYLOAD — this is the number that goes negative first on half-tons.

Available payload(P)900lb

GVWR − curb − occupants/cargo.

Tongue weight(TW)Pass960lb

Towing margin(ΔW)1,900lb

Combined weight(W_comb)14,100lb

GCWR utilization(u)0.881

Method notes 4 notes
  • No vehicle database here by design: GVWR and curb come from YOUR door sticker and a scale ticket, GCWR and the tow rating from the owner's manual / tow guide for your exact configuration. Published ratings (SAE J2807 based) can sit well below the GCWR arithmetic — when entered, the rating governs.
  • Axle ratings (GAWR), hitch/receiver class, and weight-distribution requirements are separate hard limits not modeled here — check all of them.
  • The classic half-ton trap: payload runs out before towing capacity. Tongue weight, passengers and bed cargo all spend the same GVWR budget.
  • A CAT scale ticket of the loaded rig (steer/drive/trailer axles) is the only number that settles arguments.

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