GUIDES

Tow rating is how much your rig can pull behind it. Payload is how much it can carry: people, cargo in the bed, and the weight the trailer pushes down on the hitch. Most "it wouldn't tow it" stories are really payload stories. The truck could pull the trailer fine, but the hitch weight plus a full cab put it over what the suspension and tires are rated for.

A conventional trailer should put roughly 10–15% of its weight on the hitch. TowVerdict uses 12%. That means an 8,000 lb trailer adds about 960 lb to your payload, before you, your passengers, or anything in the bed. Too little tongue weight causes sway. Too much overloads the rear axle.

The yellow and white label on the driver's door jamb lists the payload for your exact vehicle as built, usually as "the combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed X lb." That number beats any website, including this one. Take away your passengers and gear, and what's left is what the hitch and bed can use.

The Gross Combined Weight Rating is the most the truck, everything in it, and the loaded trailer can weigh together. It's in your owner's manual or the manufacturer's towing guide. You can be under your tow rating and still over GCWR if the truck itself is heavily loaded.

Heavier trailers need their own brakes. Many states require them above a set trailer weight, and the threshold varies, so check your state's rules. Electric trailer brakes need an in-cab brake controller. Some trucks have one built in with the tow package.

The same model can tow thousands of pounds more or less depending on engine, axle ratio, cab, and packages. When we don't know your exact build, we show the lowest rating that could apply. If we're too careful, you double-check. If we guessed high, someone could get hurt.

Ready to check yours? Settle it in the tool or browse tow ratings by vehicle.