Towing Capacity Is BS! The REAL Limits You Can’t Afford To Ignore

We recently completed extensive research on, and ultimately purchased, a brand new RV and a pickup truck to tow it. Throughout the process, we noticed some dangerously misleading and/or incomplete information about weight. For starters, pickup truck manufacturers love to promote Towing Capacity in their marketing, even though only a TINY fraction of VERY specifically equipped trucks will come anywhere close to the numbers they hype.

Even worse, towing capacity is only one piece of a complex puzzle of weight & balance limits that tow vehicles and trailers need to follow. There’s also payload, gross vehicle & axle weight ratings for both the truck and trailer, gross combined weight rating, and maximum tongue weight. You also need to balance the load so that 10% to 15% of the trailer’s gross weight is carried on the hitch.

Overweight and/or out-of-balance RVs are a serious safety hazard, so it’s essential to understand the multiple weight limits on both your camper and your tow vehicle. We know this sounds complicated — and it can be. But in today’s post and the embedded video, we’ll demystify the process by sharing details about our own rig, explaining how we know it’s appropriately sized and balanced.

We’ll show you how to obtain the necessary weights and how to verify that all of your rig’s weights are within limits. We’ve even designed a FREE Trailer Towing & Weight Calculator (embedded below) to analyze all your weights for you, and provide alerts if any of them are exceeded.

Is Towing Capacity the Most Important Number for RV Weight?

Our new camper — an Outdoors RV Creekside 19MKS Titanium Series — is a solid, well-built, 4-season rig with a maximum loaded weight limit of 8,250 lbs. Since our new pickup truck has a towing capacity of 12,900 lbs, it’s plenty capable of towing our trailer, right? Not so fast!

It’s easy to buy a trailer that’s too big for your truck to handle, without even realizing it. Truck manufacturers make things worse by promoting the maximum towing capacity that a particular model of truck is capable of. However, since only a very specific combination of trim and options can achieve those numbers, the vast majority of them are nowhere near as capable as the advertising claims (take our GMC Sierra 1500 as an example: GMC touts the model’s 13,200 lb maximum towing capacity, but more than half of the engine/drivetrain/cab/bed combinations can’t even tow 9,500 lbs. That’s a BIG difference!).

Another common issue is that when you’re shopping for an RV, dealers might tell you that a particular trailer is “half-ton towable,” but many half-ton trucks simply don’t have enough capacity. Most truck and RV dealers are far more interested in selling you a vehicle than helping you calculate towing requirements (which they aren’t likely qualified to do anyway).

Keep in mind that while we’re talking a lot about “trucks” here, the same guidelines and weight restrictions apply to any tow vehicle, whether it’s a pickup truck, an SUV, or even a passenger car. We’re using “truck” as an overall reference to “tow vehicle” because we’re using our own experience as an example. Plus, our weight and towing calculator works for all tow vehicles.

We had to opt for a full-size pickup truck because we were buying a trailer that can weigh over 8,000 pounds, and there are very few other vehicles that can safely tow that much weight. But having gone part-time after more than 20 years of full-timing, we now live in a building with a very tight parking garage, so we didn’t want a larger truck than absolutely necessary.

And while it should go without saying that the receiver, hitch, ball, and all related components have to be rated to handle the load being towed, we’re mentioning it to be clear. If you’re pulling a 10,000 lb trailer, everything needs to be rated to haul at least that much weight.

Let’s take a closer look at towing capacity, payload, and gross vehicle, combined, and axle weight ratings, as well as tongue weight and load balancing. We’ll explain why they’re so important for providing a safe, comfortable towing experience and avoiding the dreaded trailer sway.

Note: Many of the values you need to know are printed right on the driver’s door sill plate in the truck, or on the manufacturer’s information plate or other placards in both the truck and the trailer.

New Video! Everything Summarized In Visual Format

This is such an important topic that we’ve created a detailed new video summarizing everything you need to know about tow vehicle and trailer weight limits. If you’re more comfortable watching, rather than reading, this is for you.

Not only do we cover all the important points, but we also demonstrate our new Towing & Weight Calculator tool.

Definitions — Weight, Towing, and Balance

The following are definitions of specific terms we’ll be using, which you’ll need to know to ensure your entire rig isn’t overweight in any regard. Most are straightforward weight limits, but we also need to be aware of our trailer’s weight balance, and what percentage of its weight is carried on the hitch vs its axle(s). Even if a rig’s maximum gross, combined, tongue, or axle weights aren’t exceeded, carrying too high or low a percentage of the trailer’s weight on the hitch ball can lead to poor handling or the incredibly dangerous trailer sway.

You’ll also need to be alert for numbers that can easily trip you up. For example, we mentioned that our truck’s towing capacity is 12,900 lbs. But our actual towing capacity is only 12,000 lbs! We’ll explain why below (it’s also included in our video above), and help you avoid these kinds of traps when setting up your own rig.

Towing Capacity

Towing capacity refers to the maximum amount of weight a vehicle is rated to pull behind it, including the trailer itself and all its contents. It’s based on several factors, but is set by the truck manufacturer. Along with many other weight limits, towing capacity is printed on a placard in the driver’s door jamb/sill.

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is a vehicle’s maximum allowable weight, including the driver, passengers, fuel, and all gear on board. Both tow vehicles and trailers have a GVWR, neither of which should be exceeded. It’s essential to remember that a towing vehicle’s gross weight must include the weight of any trailer tongue that’s pressing downward on the hitch ball.

Our truck’s GVWR is 7,300 lbs, which again has to include the weight of the trailer’s tongue. This means our truck should weigh no more than 7,300 lbs with our fully loaded camper attached, as well as passengers, gear, full fuel, and any other items we might bring along on a camping trip (see “Payload/Cargo” below).

Our trailer has a GVWR of 8,250 lbs. With a cargo carrying capacity of 1,431 lbs, it may seem like we have plenty of room for any gear we want to bring with us. However, like all RVers, we still need to pay close attention to this limit and set our cargo priorities according to our needs and camping style.

For instance, because we boondock so much, we’ve chosen to allocate a considerable percentage of our camper’s cargo capacity to a large solar & lithium battery system (1,500W and 810Ah, respectively), as well as the ability to carry a full tank (78 gallons) of fresh water. You’ll need to set your cargo priorities as well.

Gross Combined Weight Rating

Listed for the tow vehicle only, Gross Combined Weight Rating is the maximum allowable weight of the truck AND the trailer combined, fully loaded, including driver and passengers, and everything in both vehicles. Our truck’s GCWR is 19,000 lbs, again as listed on the placard in the driver’s door sill/jamb (as are most or all of these limits/capacities).

Payload/Cargo Capacity

Payload capacity is the maximum weight the truck can carry in it, including the weight of the driver, passenger(s), cargo/gear in the truck’s cab and bed, and again — the tongue weight of any connected trailer. While “Payload Capacity” is generally used for rating trucks, “Cargo Capacity” is primarily used for trailers. But for all intents and purposes, “payload” and “cargo” are interchangeable terms: they both refer to anything added to a vehicle’s empty weight (also known as “curb” or “tare” weight).

Tongue/Hitch/Pin Weight

Tongue weight is the downward force the trailer’s coupler puts onto the towing vehicle’s hitch ball. It’s also known as “hitch weight” or referred to as “pin weight” on a 5th wheel. Again, this needs to be factored into your towing vehicle’s payload (if we keep repeating ourselves on this point, it’s because we consistently see people neglecting to mention it when discussing payload capacity).

When you add tongue weight to everything else you’re carrying in the truck’s cab and bed, the total of all that weight can’t exceed the rated payload capacity of your truck. Our truck’s maximum tongue weight is rated at 1,290 lbs. However, just as with the towing capacity above, it’s easy to get tripped up by the details, as our actual tongue weight limit is 1,200 pounds. We’ll explain why shortly.

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)

Gross Axle Weight Rating is the maximum weight a given axle is rated to safely carry, and yet another limit to avoid exceeding. Every axle on both the towing vehicle and the trailer should have a posted GAWR.

For example, our truck’s front GAWR limits it to carrying no more than 3,800 lbs, and the rear axle is rated at 4,150 lbs. Each of our trailer axles is rated at 4,000 lbs. In the case of dual-axle trailers, like ours, many scales weigh them both together, so our trailer can carry up to 8,000 lbs on the two axles combined.

How to Weigh a Tow Vehicle and Trailer

Knowing the definitions and weights we’ve noted above isn’t enough to keep your rig safe to tow — you have to actually weigh it. We’ve seen people suggest weighing themselves and all their gear (and family members!) on a bathroom scale, adding the estimated weight of water in their fresh tank, and then adding it all to the posted curb weight of their truck or camper to obtain the gross vehicle weight.

We’ve even seen it stated that adding the posted tongue weight listed on the trailer’s placard is the tongue weight number to be added as part of the truck’s payload. Not only is the listed tongue weight on the placard highly unlikely to be your trailer’s actual tongue weight (it’s just to identify the minimum 10% of the trailer’s GVWR that SHOULD be on the tongue), but we’d like to politely call all of this guess-timating of weights exactly what it is — sorely insufficient.

The weight and location of people, gear, fuel, water, supplies, and optional equipment such as batteries and solar panels can vary considerably, making every rig unique. Knowing the approximate weight of each item and trying to add it all up is a recipe for disaster —or at the very least, mistakes. And when it comes to balance, it’s impossible to know what percentage of a trailer’s weight is being carried by the axle(s) and the tongue without actually weighing your rig.

Again, we can’t stress this enough — the ONLY way to accurately determine the actual weights and balance of your tow vehicle and trailer is to weigh them.

To show how to properly weigh a truck-and-trailer combination, we’ll share how we weighed ours, what the resulting numbers are, and how we use them. Then we’ll share a tool with you that we designed ourselves to make the process of assembling and calculating all your weights much easier. It’s available for free, and you can use it to confirm that your own rig isn’t overloaded.

There are several different ways to weigh an RV, both for weight & balance, and tire inflation purposes. While individual wheel or “position” weights are the most detailed (and needed for proper tire inflation), they’re less readily available. Since we’re focusing on the weight & balance side of things today, we’ll be using CAT scales. Not only are they great for obtaining all the weights we need for this purpose, but they’re also some of the most widely available, found at truck stops just about everywhere.

If you’re looking for details about tire inflation, you’ll want to check out our post on RV Tire Pressure.

Fully Load Your Trailer and Tow Vehicle

Start by fully loading both your truck and trailer with everything you typically carry. This should include full tanks of fuel and propane, all passengers (including pets), all of your usual gear, food, and supplies, as well as a full tank of fresh water. Your black and grey tanks should be empty.

Important: Balance can be just as important as total weight, so be sure to load your rig in the same way you typically do. If you usually carry a portable generator, a spare propane tank, a can of gas, and a pair of eBikes in the bed of your truck, be sure to load it all up before heading to the scale. Bring all the people and pets who usually travel with you along for the ride as well. Your rig should be loaded as closely as possible to the way it would be when you head out on a camping trip.

Be aware that, depending on the size and configuration of the scale, properly weighing your rig usually requires hitching and unhitching the trailer. You’ll also need to calculate the numbers you get, but as we noted above, we’ve designed a tool to do the math for you. You get the proper weights/numbers, and our tool will do the rest.

First Set of Weights — Tow Vehicle & Trailer Connected

As mentioned above, CAT scales are widely available at truck stops, so we’ll use those in our example. There’s plenty of information available on how to use the CAT scale app (which makes it super easy to get your weights, without having to go inside for a printout), so we’ll focus on which weights you need to take and what you need to do with those numbers once you have them.

PRO TIP: If the scales in your area are relatively far from your home, try to top up your fuel tank just before you arrive at the scale to ensure you get an accurate maximum weight reading. This configuration (full fuel, food, freshwater, propane, etc.) is what we drive out into the boonies, and it’s the most our rig ever weighs. Your situation is probably similar.

Drive onto the scale, and stop with your truck’s front axle on the first weighing pad, the rear axle on the second pad, and the trailer’s axle (or axles) on the third pad. If you have a weight distribution hitch, release the pressure on the spring bars, but leave them in place. This keeps the weight of the bars in their normal position, but disables their weight-distributing effect.

With the driver and all passengers in the truck, get your first three weights — the front & rear axles of the truck, and the axle(s) on the trailer. If you have a dual axle trailer, like we do, CAT scales will weigh them both together.

Second Set of Weights — Tow Vehicle Only

After getting your first set of weights… if you use a weight distribution hitch, remove the spring bars and stow them in your trailer. Then drive off the scale to an area in the parking lot where you can disconnect the trailer and leave it safely parked for a short time.

With everyone still on board, drive the truck back onto the scale, stopping with the front tires on the front weighing pad and the rear tires on the second pad. This time you’ll be getting a re-weigh (which CAT discounts, since it’s for the same vehicle in the same location on the same day). You’ll also be getting only two weights instead of three, since you left the trailer behind.

You’ll now have a total of five weights from your two trips across the scale — three from the first weighing and two from the second weighing.

Third Set Of Weights — Optional, For Weight Distribution

If you use a weight distribution hitch, as we do, we suggest making a third trip across the scale. This information will allow you to see the effects of your weight distribution system, which reduces weight on the truck’s rear axle, shifting it onto both the truck’s front axle and the trailer’s axle(s).

Reconnect your trailer to your truck, install and tension the weight distribution bars, and then drive back onto the scale in the same position as your first weighing. This time, the three weights you get will allow you to see the effect of your weight distribution system.

This third pass is optional, but since you’re going to fully reconnect your trailer to drive home anyway, and CAT should still give you a discount for another reweigh, we recommend obtaining this information while it’s readily available. After all, you went to all the trouble to fully load your rig, and drag your kids and pets to the truck stop for “family day,” so now’s a great time!

Other Places to Weigh Your Rig

As we mentioned, there are other ways to obtain weights, including roadside scales in Oregon, where they’re left on 24/7 and available for free public use. You can also utilize a professional weighing service, such as the Escapees SmartWeigh program or the RV Safety Education Foundation. These options provide individual wheel, or “position” weights, which are important numbers for determining proper tire inflation. That’s especially important for motorhomes, but towables should ideally get position weights as well.

So, even if you’re just weighing your truck and trailer on a CAT scale to confirm that you’re not exceeding any of their posted weight limits (and that your rig is properly balanced), you’ll still want to get position weights at some point. Until you do, the standard recommendation is to set your tire pressures to the maximum rating stamped into the tire sidewall.

Tire pressure is such an important topic that we wrote an eBook all about it — “How To Inflate RV Tires Correctly.” You can access it for free simply by subscribing to our newsletter.

Calculate Your Numbers

Now that you have all these numbers, some calculations need to be made. Fortunately, you’ll have the benefit of the weight and towing calculator we designed to do all the math for you. Continue reading for instructions, then find the tool embedded further down the page.

Here’s how it works:

First, you’ll enter all of the maximum allowable weight limits from your placards. Start with your truck and enter the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, the Gross Combined Weight Rating, and the Gross Axle Weight Ratings for both front and rear axles. For the trailer, you’ll enter the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating (if you have a single-axle trailer, you’ll enter the GAWR for the one axle… but if you have a dual-axle trailer, like we do, you’ll enter the total weight limit for the two axles combined).

Next, enter the towing and tongue weight limits. For both of these, be sure to look at the maximum ratings for both the truck itself and the hitch, and enter the lower number for each field.

We mentioned earlier that our truck has a 12,900 lb towing capacity and a 1,290 lb maximum tongue weight. But our limits are actually 12,000 and 1,200, respectively. Here’s the reason why — our hitch has lower limits for both of those numbers, making them the limit (a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so the lower numbers are what matter).

Now that you’ve entered all of your weight limits, you’ll go to the next page of the calculator to enter your actual weights. If you don’t use a weight distribution hitch, or you do but you opted not to take that third trip over the scales, you’ll only have five weights. If you have a weight distribution hitch, and chose to get that third set of weights, you’ll have eight weights to enter. Not to worry – we designed the tool to work correctly in both situations.

Enter your weights in the order in which you got them:

1. The truck’s front axle weight with the trailer attached
2. The truck’s rear axle weight with the trailer attached
3. The weight of the trailer’s axle (or axles, if you have a dual-axle trailer)
4. The truck’s front axle weight, without the trailer attached
5. The truck’s rear axle weight, without the trailer attached

If you don’t use a weight distribution hitch (or if you have one but opted not to drive onto the scale a third time with the spring bars engaged), check the “No/Not Applicable” button.

If you do have a weight distribution hitch, and chose to get the third set of weights with the spring bars in place, click the “Yes” button. Now enter those last three weights for the front and rear truck axles, and the axle/axles on the trailer.

6. The truck’s front axle weight with the trailer attached and WD engaged
7. The truck’s rear axle weight with the trailer attached and WD engaged
8. The weight of the trailer’s axle(s) with WD engaged

Click “Next” to see the results.

The tool automatically compares all of your weight limits to your actual weights, and also calculates weights you didn’t even get. For example, you didn’t weigh your trailer by itself. But since you weighed your entire rig and then weighed the truck alone, the calculator subtracts the truck’s weight from the total combined weight to provide the trailer’s gross weight.

We also didn’t weigh the trailer’s tongue. However, since our tool calculates the gross weight of the trailer and also knows the weight on the trailer’s axle(s), it subtracts to provide us with the tongue weight.

Review the Results

The tool confirms that each weight is within limits by displaying a green check mark and text, as well as a thumbs up. 👍 If any weight ratings are exceeded, you’ll be warned clearly with prominent RED CAPITAL LETTERS AND A RED X.

Our towing capacity, which is limited to 12,000 lbs by our hitch, has plenty of excess capability. Since we’re only towing 8,150 lbs, we could pull a trailer that weighed 3,850 lbs more than ours without exceeding that limit.

REMEMBER… towing capacity isn’t the limit you’re most likely to exceed, and not the primary reason that so many tow vehicles are overloaded. This is why we call “BS” when we hear so much emphasis placed on towing capacity.

Payload is usually a more difficult limit to stay within, which we can see reflected in our truck’s gross vehicle weight (which is curb/empty weight + payload). Our truck’s GVWR is 7,300 lbs, and it weighs 7,200 lbs fully loaded (with trailer attached), leaving us with just 100 lbs to spare.

However, as we noted earlier, we opt to travel with minimal extra gear, utilizing our available payload/cargo capacity to enhance boondocking capabilities with items such as solar panels, batteries, an inverter, and a full tank of fresh water, all of which contribute to the trailer’s gross weight. And, of course, the added tongue weight from all of that gear reduces our truck’s available payload.

Every RVer needs to make the same calculations and decisions that we’ve made. An avid kayaker or motorcycle rider who prefers to stay at full hookups might decide to forego an off-grid solar/battery system altogether. We’ve made choices that work for us, and you need to do the same. Of course, the “Jaws” option is also available: “We’re gonna need a bigger truck!”

If we didn’t care about boondocking or lived in the suburbs (instead of a building with a very tight parking garage), we could have opted for a larger truck with a higher payload capacity. Alternatively, we could have chosen to do without such a large battery and solar bank (or none at all), and/or travel with minimal fresh water on board. That would leave us plenty of room for other gear, but again, every RVer needs to make the same choices based on their RVing needs and interests.

However, as you can see in the video, when we review our results, all of our weights are within limits, as each one is flagged with a green check mark and a thumbs up. In our case, we don’t have much extra weight capacity available, but we load our rig with that in mind, and we stay within limits across the board.

We can also see that our trailer’s tongue weight falls within the recommended range of 10-15%. If you opted to take that third trip to the scale as we did, the tool even shows the effect weight distribution has, increasing the weight on the truck’s front axle and the trailer axle(s), while reducing weight on the truck’s rear axle. Again, if each weight is in spec, you’ll get a green check and a thumbs up.

What Happens When You’re Over A Weight Limit?

What happens if one or more of your weights are over the limit? We used our calculator to simulate adding a 350-pound motorcycle to the bed of our truck and saw what that would do to our numbers. Since most of that weight would be positioned directly over the rear axle, we added it there to obtain an approximate idea of its effect on our results.

What we found is that an extra 350 lbs over our rear axle would cause us to exceed our truck’s GVWR by 250 lbs., and it would also overload the truck’s rear axle. Since we designed the tool to automatically warn you about any overweight condition by showing a red warning message as an alert that you’ve exceeded a particular weight limit, that’s precisely what happened in our simulation.

Let’s consider another scenario: Suppose instead of adding weight to the truck, we were to move some of our heavier gear from the rear of the trailer to the front of the trailer. This wouldn’t change the camper’s weight, but it would instead shift the weight, making the axles lighter and the tongue heavier.

We simulated moving gear from the rear to the front by reducing the trailer’s axle weight by 300 lbs, and increasing the truck’s rear axle weight by 300 lbs, since this is where most of that weight would end up (again, this is just a simulation). This caused our truck’s GVWR to be overweight by 200 lbs, while also overloading its rear axle. So, even with the trailer weighing the exact same amount, just moving cargo around can cause it to be overweight…. AND out of balance.

In our example, our calculator warned us that moving that 300 lbs further forward would put us outside the safe target range of 10-15% of the trailer’s weight on the tongue. Shifting weight to the rear of the trailer can have the opposite effect, pushing it below that range, and putting us at greater risk for trailer sway.

Why is Payload Often an Issue When Buying a Truck?

Payload can be easy to exceed, and our truck’s 1,602 lb payload capacity is certainly the limiting factor for us. But another reason it can be an issue is that every truck is unique, and the number is only known (and displayed on the door sill placard) once the truck has been manufactured. For this reason, custom-ordering (like we did) becomes a bigger challenge, because neither the dealer nor the manufacturer can tell you what your payload will be, even if you know exactly which options you plan to order.

Now, if you already own a truck, then you have the numbers available to determine how much trailer it can handle. Also, if you’re buying used or off a dealer’s lot, you can see the numbers you need on the door sill plate. But the situation we noted above, using our own truck as an example, is a reminder of how important it is to be as thorough as possible when researching trucks to tow a specific trailer. Even if you have a smaller, lighter trailer, you can easily exceed your weight limits if you don’t pay attention to the details.

We ordered a 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT, crew cab, short bed, 4-wheel drive, with the Duramax Diesel engine, Max Trailering Package, and a 3.73 rear axle. But ordering our truck without knowing what the payload would be required us to make some estimates. We did check the optional box for increasing our GVWR to 7,300 to get every available extra pound we could, but we still didn’t know exactly what the payload capacity would be until the truck showed up at the dealer.

There certainly are ways to configure a half-ton truck with a payload capacity that exceeds our 1,602 lbs. However, every time you change one factor (for example cab configuration, engine, bed length, trim level, 2-wheel vs 4-wheel drive), you’re also likely to change the curb weight as well as the resulting payload capacity. Some options, such as a more robust suspension package, might increase a truck’s payload capacity. But most options only add weight, reducing the amount you can carry.

We prioritized the things that were most important to us: solar panels, lithium batteries, an inverter, and a full tank of fresh water, all of which enable our favorite way to RV — boondocking in remote areas for extended periods. We knew our weights would be close, but we also recognized that we travel lighter now that we’re part-timers, so everything worked out great.

We also really wanted the Duramax diesel engine, which provides an impressive 15 mpg when towing and an amazing 30 mpg when not (our Honda CR-V, which weighed half as much, only managed 25 mpg). The fact that we couldn’t get that engine in any other brand was an additional incentive to go with GMC.

All our numbers are within spec, and our truck tows like a champ, with the trailer solid as a rock behind us. If we wanted to travel with kayaks, a motorcycle, or other heavy gear, we still have plenty of space in the back of our truck, but we don’t have the available weight-carrying capacity. We’re OK with that, but if someone wanted a solar & battery system like ours, AND was also an avid off-road enthusiast, adding an ATV/UTV or a couple of dirt bikes to the gear list would likely require a 3/4-ton truck (or at least a different model 1/2-ton with a higher payload capacity).

The Dangers of Trailer Sway

Trailer sway, the side-to-side fishtailing that’s been shown in so many YouTube videos, can be incredibly dangerous. Sway can be caused by a number of factors, such as poor weather or road conditions, wind gusts, overloading, or improper weight distribution in the trailer.

The more weight there is on the tongue, the worse the truck’s payload and handling problems can be. This can result in reduced steering control and braking authority due to the lower weight on the truck’s front axle (as the rear of the truck squats from the weight of cargo and the trailer’s tongue, the front of the truck is lifted up, reducing the effectiveness of the front tires when steering and/or braking). However, moving too much weight to the rear of the trailer can make trailer sway even more likely.

Besides helping to improve the balance and stability of the trailer, weight distribution hitches (including ours) often include sway control. You may need a weight distribution hitch for a number of reasons. For example, it may be required by your truck’s manufacturer under certain conditions, including if your trailer is above a certain weight. This information can usually be found in your owner’s manual.

A weight distribution hitch is also cheap insurance if any of your weights are close to the limit, or if your rig sags at the hitch. Weight distribution not only reduces or eliminates sag, but it also makes the entire rig more balanced and level, providing a safer, more stable ride and better visibility over the hood.

IMPORTANT: Using a weight distribution hitch, or installing optional springs or air bags on your truck, does not increase payload capacity. They merely help either redistribute the weight that’s there, or increase the lifting capacity of the suspension to reduce sag. But, either way, they don’t allow you to carry any more weight than your truck is rated for.

Sway control, which many weight distribution hitches include, also helps resist the effects of wind gusts and other factors that can push your rig around (though, again, it’s not a substitute for staying within limits and properly balancing the weight of your trailer).

We use a Camco EAZ-Lift TR3. We love how well it works, how easy it is to connect and disconnect, and how quiet it is around the campground. Be sure to order one that meets or exceeds your tongue weight, since it’s available in several different capacities.

How to Deal with an Overweight Trailer

If your trailer is too heavy, traveling without filling up your fresh water tank is an easy way to reduce its overall weight, since water weighs over 8 lbs per gallon. Since we prefer to spend extended periods in remote locations, that’s not a great option for us. Instead, we choose to go light on other gear, which is another way to reduce weight.

If necessary (i.e. no amount of weight reduction can get your camper within limits for your towing vehicle), you’ll almost certainly need a more capable truck. Had our trailer weighed another 500 lbs, we’d be measuring every inch of our parking garage to figure out if we could squeeze a 3/4-ton truck into it. While not all 2500s have a high enough cargo capacity for any trailer, they’re more readily available with considerably higher payload and towing capacities than our Sierra 1500.

Again, some half-ton trucks can tow a trailer that weighs as much as ours does (we’re a great example). But not just any 1500 can do the job. Our experience with buying a very solidly built camper and loading it up with a big solar and battery bank leads us to suggest that a 3/4-ton truck just makes things a little easier, even if it’s not absolutely required.

If possible, we recommend choosing a trailer before buying a truck. That way, you’ll have a better idea of how much towing capacity and payload you need. Just remember to always keep the payload part of that equation in mind when you’re shopping.

Also, weights can change over time, by adding, removing, or shifting gear around. Installing new equipment of any measurable weight, or significantly shuffling the contents of your trailer around, generally requires reweighing.

To keep a close eye on your tongue weight (which is particularly important if you’re near your truck’s payload/GVWR limit), or if you have a tendency to move gear around or modify your rig a lot, there are special scales you can buy for that purpose. There’s even a hitch designed to weigh the tongue whenever you connect the trailer.

It’s possible that you’ve been towing with one or more of your rig’s weights over the rated maximum for years without knowing it, and you’ve never had a problem. But if you have an accident and it’s determined that exceeding weight limits was a factor, you could be legally liable, or your insurance company could deny coverage, especially in the event of a civil lawsuit, or if there’s a fatality or serious injury.

Our recommendation for pairing a tow vehicle and trailer can be summed up pretty easily:

If you already own a vehicle that you want to use for towing, find a trailer with a GVWR that it can easily handle from both a towing capacity AND a payload standpoint. If you have your eye on a specific trailer, be sure to check the towing and payload capacities of any tow vehicle you own, or are considering. Make sure it can handle the trailer by assuming that the trailer will be loaded to its maximum weight (the GVWR) and that 15% of that weight will be on the tongue. Do the math!

We also recommend paying close attention to your tires. Both tow vehicles and travel trailers should come from the manufacturer with tires that are specifically rated to handle their GAWR. But a used vehicle may have had its tires replaced by the previous owner, and they may be underrated for the rig. Not only is it important to have tires rated to handle the weight of your rig, but they also need to be inflated correctly.

Again, our eBook that covers everything you need to know to safely determine the correct tire pressures for your RV is available for free to subscribers of our daily newsletter.

TOWING & WEIGHT CALCULATOR

After gathering your tow vehicle & trailer weight ratings, and having your whole rig weighed as described above, enter those numbers and the tool will do the math for you. Scroll through the results to check all parameters. GREEN text indicates a weight is within limits. Overweight or out-of-balance results will include RED text as a safety alert!

Once you have your results, we can even email you a PDF report for your records. Here’s an example of what you’ll receive (click the image to view a larger version):

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