Tow Vehicle Capacity

If you already have the vehicle that you plan to tow10,000 pounds was stamped into the hitch receiver
with, you need to find a trailer that is within theon the back of the truck. The 10,000 pounds
weight range of your vehicle. This was a commonstamped in the receiver is what the receiver itself is
problem I ran into during my days as an RV Salesrated for. It has absolutely nothing to do with the
Manager. Customers would come in to purchase atow rating for the truck. My customer bought the
travel trailer only to find out that their tow vehicle didtruck and brought it to us to have the brake control
not have a very good tow rating. It can beand wiring done. I looked the truck up in my book
extremely frustrating to go out and find the perfectand it was rated to tow 5,400 pounds. The camper
travel trailer or fifth wheel and then be told that youweighed 6,000 pounds. I could write a book about
can't tow it. On the other hand it can be worse ifstories like this, but our goal is to prevent this from
you go to a less reputable RV dealer and the saleshappening to you.
person tells you that you can tow it! This happensThere are many things to consider before you buy a
every day, and this is why you need to be armedtow vehicle. How often do you plan to tow? Where
with the right information before you buy.do you plan to tow? Is this vehicle going to be used
It is not my intention to upset any RV dealers, but ifstrictly for towing, or will you be using it for
you go to a dealership and they don't ask you foreveryday driving too? Are you interested in a
information about the tow vehicle it would be wisepop-up, travel trailer or fifth wheel? How much does
to go elsewhere. The first question my salespeoplethe camper you want weigh? Once you have
were required to ask was if you already had a towanswered these questions you can start looking for
vehicle. If so, they would look in our towing book andthat perfect tow vehicle.
identify the tow capacity for your particular vehicle.The manufacturer determines a vehicles tow rating.
Then we would inform you of your options. We lostIt is the maximum amount of weight that the vehicle
many sales because the customer could not safelycan safely tow. The manufacturer takes many
pull the camper they wanted, but we did not allowfactors into consideration when determining a tow
them to jeopardize themselves or their family.rating. They look at the vehicles engine size,
If you don't already have the tow vehicle, it's a goodtransmission, axle ratio, chassis, suspension, brakes,
idea to find the camper you want first and then buytires, cooling capacity and many other things. Now
a vehicle that is capable of safely towing it. I willthis may all sound complicated, but the bottom line is
caution you again, be careful if you listen to thehow much can the vehicle safely tow. Do not
salesperson at the auto dealership. They are onlyassume that just because you're buying a truck it
interested in selling you a vehicle, and a largecan tow a lot of weight. Most manufacturers offer
percentage of salespeople do not understand vehiclevehicles with tow packages. A tow package
tow ratings. Call a reputable RV dealer and ask themupgrades the vehicles suspension, brakes, tires, and
to check the vehicles tow rating before you buy it.cooling system. They also add items like engine and
I once had a customer that found the camper theytransmission oil coolers to protect the vehicles major
wanted and went to purchase a new truck. Thecomponents when you are towing.
salesperson told him the truck could tow 10,000Happy Camping,
pounds. He went on to show my customer whereCopyright 2006 by Mark J.