Trailer weight vs Towing Capacity

[stige]

I am looking into getting a 32' travel trailer; dry weight 6500 lbs.  My SUV's towing capacity is 8500 lbs. Is that cutting it too close to tow it safely?

[Chad Heiser]

Do not look at the dry weight of the trailer.  More than likely, the trailer weighs more than that as it sits before anything is put in it.  Manufacturers come up with a generic dry weight for each model before any accessories are added (typically).  You need to use the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of any trailer you are considering.  Compare that number to your vehicles tow rating.

Even better, load your tow vehicle up like you will travel in it, take it to a scale and weigh it.  Subtract that number from the Gross Combined Vehicle Weight Rating (GCVWR) of your tow vehicle to get its actual towing capacity.  It may be less than the actual rating because of options added and stuff in it.

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Chad Heiser

[Kirk W]

Welcome to the Escapee forums. As Chad said, the dry weight of the trailer really doesn't tell you much as you simply can't use an empty trailer. If you put things like food, clothing, water, and your usual personal items you will add anywhere from 300# to 800# per person going with you. To determine the safe towing capacity of your SUV, visit this website and use the easy calculator. 

[TXiceman]

The 8500# for the SUV is the maximum and that is based on a base model SUV and one skinny driver usually.  You will need to deduct from the 8500# additional cargo and passengers as well as the weight of the hitch.

The dry or brochure weight of the trailer does not include options or dealer add ons.  The 6500# can easily be 500 to 1000# heavier with added items like microwave, batteries, awning, full propane bottles, etc.

As Kirk noted, 300# plus per person for clothes, food and other supplies like lawn chairs, charcoal, fresh water.  Remember that water weighs 8.33 #/gallon.  So 40 gallons of water will add 333#.

There are a number of online weight calculators to determine if you are within your vehicles weight capacity.

Ken

 

[trailertraveler]

Another factor to consider is the relationship between the wheelbase of the SUV and the length of the trailer. This article gives an explanation and some guidelines. A trailer with a rear slide (usually containing a bed) can provide more interior room without an increase in trailer length.

[fpmtngal]

There’s more to towing a travel trailer than towing weight rating.

I’ve towed the same small trailer over 50,000 miles with 3 different tow vehicles, using the same hitch for over 4 years.  Having a marginal TV for a trailer is very tiring and can be a real issue under certain conditions (for instance, high cross-winds).  My first TV was an SUV, under all of the weight limits but was marginal for the trailer - it was tiring to drive in the wind.  

Some thoughts to consider - a 32’ trailer is a lot longer than the tow vehicle.  It’s going to be a big sail behind the SUV that will catch the wind and that the SUV will have to control when driving in cross-winds.

It may also be that you run out of cargo capacity a lot quicker than towing weight (look at the sticker on your SUV’s door - it is vehicle dependent based on options) before you end up running out of towing weight.  I have a small trailer but a lot of “toys” that go with RVing - I managed to run out of cargo capacity with a 1/2 ton truck when the trailer was about half the max tow weight rating for the truck, and the combined rig was something like 400 lbs under the GCWR of the truck.  Sure, the truck towed my little trailer very well, but I got tired of constantly managing weights (do I take the grill or the portable solar panel - I didn’t have the cargo capacity to take both).

[podwerkz]

16 hours ago, stige said:

I am looking into getting a 32' travel trailer; dry weight 6500 lbs.  My SUV's towing capacity is 8500 lbs. Is that cutting it too close to tow it safely?

Yes.

[noteven]

Then there is “noteven’s law of realistic tow capacity”:

The smaller and lighter the tow vehicle is,  the more towards 50% of advertised tow rating the trailer should be.