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Don't Overload Your Trailer Hitches: Understanding Towing Capacity

by JeremyDuane

I think many of us with vehicles seriously overestimate or
underestimate what we could tow with it. You might look at a
boat, utility trailer, or travel trailer and ask yourself "I
wonder if my car could handle that?"

Now where would you go for that kind of information? Most people
would go straight to the owner's manual of their car. The problem
is, the information in that manual will be so watered down and
generic that you can't really trust it.

It's going to say something like this: "towing capacities are
calculated under the assumption of a standard equipped vehicle,
normal driver, and trailers. Any other equipment or passengers
will reduce the amount of weight your vehicle can handle."

Huh? So how on earth can you evaluate your real towing capacity?
The first thing you have to understand the vehicle manufacturer
is using a completely stripped down version of the car or truck
to beef up the towing rating. Makes sense right?

They're trying to sell cars, and if you're a family with a tent
trailer, seeing a super high towing rating on that little station
wagon could be the factor that gets you to buy. That's why you
need to bring a skeptical eye to that owner's manual.

The last thing you want is to load up your trailer with a few
quads or motorcycles, head up to the mountains, and then have
your transmission go out because you trusted the manufacturer's
published towing capacity. That could be a very expensive
getaway.

Here are some terms you want to be familiar with in evaluating
your actual towing capacity:

Unloaded Vehicle Weight (UVW)
You know all those times you're headed down the interstate near
the border of the state you're entering or leaving? One of the
best ways to find out your unloaded vehicle weight is to stop at
one of them, pay the $5 or $10 fee, and have them weigh your car
or truck.

If you do stop at one of those weigh stations, try to have your
gas tank as full as possible to make the measurement more
accurate.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
This is the maximum weight your tow vehicle can be without
wrecking your car, truck, or suv. There are a few places you
might find this number - it might be under the hood in the engine
compartment, or on a sticker in a door frame, or maybe even in
the owner's manual. It's important to know this number because
the foundation for safe towing is not attempting to pull
something that is just too heavy for your car.

The bottom line when towing is not to overdo it. When you buy a
vehicle, if you know it's going to be used for towing, be
realistic about the capacity of the car or truck you're buying.

The lightweight family sedan you're buying is probably not
intended to pull a 20 foot boat, or a large travel trailer. If
you know you're going to be doing lots of traveling, camping,
RVing, and other recreation, be honest about what type of tow
vehicle you're going to need.

I would recommend buying a solid 8 cylinder engine with a
transmission calibrated for heavy duty jobs. I would rather
overkill on the vehicle than risk doing thousands of dollars in
damage to my car or my trailer. Not to mention the people I'm
sharing the road with.

Jeremy teaches people about installing a<a
href="http://www.trailerhitchuniverse.com"> trailer hitch</a> and
also advises them on the right way to set up <a
href="http://trailerhitchuniverse.com">trailer hitch covers</a>.

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