Determining How Big of a Trailer that a Pickup can Tow  

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I do agree that a lot of the specifications that they put on vehicles, especially newer pickups, can be very confusing. Luckily there are a few things that I can point out to you that will help to clear things up.

When the term GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is used it is referring to the max amount of weight that a vehicle or trailer can weight. The other 2 terms that you will hear a lot when talking about trailer weight is Tongue Weight (TW) and Dry Weight. The TW of a trailer has to do with how much downward force the coupler is putting on a tow vehicle (see attached article) while the dry weight refers to how much the trailer weights with empty tanks and no cargo loaded in it.

From my experience with helping customers out I can tell you that if your trailer weighs 9,000 - 10,000 lbs with the cargo then you need to go with a larger truck than an F-150 as you will be pushing it to the limits. I recommend going with at least an F-250 so that you won't be putting as much strain on the vehicle itself.

To help you easily sort out the whole weight confusion here is what you need to do. If you look at the Safety Compliance Certification Label located on the driver side door jamb you can find the GCW (Gross Combined Weight) of the vehicle. The GCW is equivalent to the GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) plus the weight of your fully loaded trailer. To find your GVW you simply need to take the Vehicle Curb Weight (what the vehicle weighs empty) and add the weight of any cargo and passengers.

From what you have told me it looks like we can add 10,000 lbs for the loaded trailer, plus 500 lbs for your passengers. As long as 10,500 lbs plus the curb weight of your vehicle is under the GCW of the pickup you are looking at it can handle the weight.

With that being said, it is always best to have some cushion between those numbers. You do not want to max out the GCW of your pickup because it will constantly be straining. This is why I recommend going with at least an F-250 for your towing situation.

Be sure to check out the owner's manual for whatever pickup you end up going with for more detailed information regarding towing stipulations for that specific vehicle.

I have attached some helpful towing articles that you can check out for more towing information.

expert reply by: Jon G

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