This is a term that is not often talked about, but important not to overlook. on the tongue or there is a major risk for an accident to occur. Remember: If your vehicle is rated to tow 8,500 lbs., but your hitch is only rated to tow 400 lbs., there can’t be anything over 400 lbs.

Just because a vehicle manufacturer advertises a high towing number (or GVWR), this does not take into account the capacity of the vehicle hitch or the tongue weight the vehicle is capable of carrying.

This is a common mistake that is made and can result in unsafe scenarios on the road. and your trailer weighs 6,500 lbs., this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe to tow. Towing Terms to Keep in Mind Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) Just because a vehicle could pull a weight doesn’t mean that it would carry it well-or safely. The same concept applies for your vehicle and trailer. You pick up the suitcase, and the handle snaps! Why? It’s easy to pull, but difficult to carry. You load your suitcase full of all of your possessions, packing it to the brim. You purchased a suitcase made of the strongest material that the world has to offer. Nine times out of ten, that’s all a customer knows to look at, and of course, the vehicle salesperson assures shoppers that, “Yes, our vehicle can pull that weight!” just to make a sale. Often, vehicle manufacturers will advertise an absurdly high towing number to attract buyers.

Trailer weight distribution calculator