Tow Ratings?

LS1POWERED · 02-08-2004, 12:30 PM

When a vehicle has a tow rating of 9500lbs is that with the truck box empty? or is that with a load?

**CaliforniaTitan** · 02-08-2004, 12:36 PM

The 9500 number is an actual tow number but keep in mind this is with the full Class IV setup. It is also recommended to not exceed 80% of that number for safety.

The bed wieght can be up to the 1500 (Cant remember the actual number off the top of my head) and still tow that.

IF your thinking 5th wheel though, you have to take that toungue wieght off of your bed capacity and off the 9500 number.

Hope thats clear as mud...LOL

Chris

LS1POWERED · 02-08-2004, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaTitan

The 9500 number is an actual tow number but keep in mind this is with the full Class IV setup. It is also recommended to not exceed 80% of that number for safety.

The bed wieght can be up to the 1500 (Cant remember the actual number off the top of my head) and still tow that.

IF your thinking 5th wheel though, you have to take that toungue wieght off of your bed capacity and off the 9500 number.

Hope thats clear as mud...LOL

Chris

Yup that helps alot. I was just not sure how you could get the 9500 tow rating. The only thing i will be towing is a pair of jet ski's!

**CaliforniaTitan** · 02-08-2004, 01:53 PM

LOL well we had some Q's to ask about all this ourselves initially.

Our plan is a 24' or so Travel Trailer @7000 or so AND a couple of desert toys in the bed.

We also looked into the 'play trailers' but decided against them as there isn't a whole lot of 'living space' in those for anything more than a night or two. We want to be able to go for a week and such.

Also, I should add, if your going with less than 5000 pds, you can get away with a Class III which is a lil cheaper setup as well.

Chris

Thopper · 08-03-2009, 05:05 PM

Why is the XE rated at 6500 lbs and the SE 7400lbs? What is the difference between the two. (Both go to 9400 with the big tow)

orionS14 · 08-03-2009, 06:00 PM

^^^ Most likely, tires.

- Brian

mjw357 · 08-04-2009, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaTitan

The bed wieght can be up to the 1500 (Cant remember the actual number off the top of my head) and still tow that.

No, when towing, you have to deduct the tongue weight of the trailer from the payload before you can determine how much you can load in the rest of the truck (bed payload, passengers etc.)

**Quartz** · 08-04-2009, 06:17 AM

From my owners manual: The towing capacity values are calculated assuming a base vehicle with driver and any options required to achieve the rating. Additional passengers,
cargo and/or optional equipment will add weight to the vehicle and reduce your vehicles maximum towing capacity.

**loufish** · 08-04-2009, 06:44 AM

Guy's it's a numbers game...Here's how it plays for my 04' 2wd KC:

GVWR: 6400 lbs - Max the truck alone can weigh with whatever load ytou have.
Tow Rating: 9500 lbs - Max weight of trailer
CGVW: 14,600 lbs - Max the truck and trailer combined can weigh.
Axle ratings, Rear: 3800 lbs - Max weigh allowable for the rear axle to carry.

If you have a 9500 lb trailer, you first subtract that weight from your CGVW of 14,600 and you have 5100 lbs left, this means your truck with driver and gas can't weigh more then 5100 lbs. You can now see pulling that trailer doesn't leave enough rating to take any passengers or luggage...
The Titan empty weighs around 4800-5000 lbs.

Let's try another:
You new dream trailer weighs 8000 lbs wet ready to tow, subtract that from your CGVW and we now have 6600 lbs the truck can weigh, which is now over the GVW rating, so we are now looking pretty good...Now for the truck:

Take 12% of the 8000 lbs for tongue weight, add that to our trucks empty weight of 4800 lbs, we now have a truck that weighs about 5800 lbs, add anouther 100 lbs for just the hitch, we're up to about 5900 lbs. Our trucks max weigh is 6400 lbs, so we now have about 500 lbs of load capacity left over for driver, passenger, fuel, luggage, etc...

In case #2, we have 500 lbs left over after hooking up our dream trailer. For a average couple you would be right at the max, but if you have several kids, a dog and 100 lbs of firewood, you're "Overweight"...

PLEASE do NOT do the above math based on the manufactures "Dry Weight"....
First off those weights don't include options like awnings, of batteries or propane....
Second, who tows an empty trailer? Don't you load food & clothes in them, carry propane for cooking....

The safest way to figure out your tow capacity is to use the trailers GVWR. Although they may be a few trailers that will weigh much less loaded the the GVWR, most will get closer if not right at it...

mxracer450 · 09-02-2009, 12:25 AM

Just wanted to throw this out there to get some oppinions... The GCVW for my truck and trailer with toys ready to go is 14000# so that is the max. The tongue weight is about 1100# I can mess with the load moving it back to lighten the tongue but is 100# over tongue weight something that I should be very concerned about? Truck has airbags, WD hitch, anti sway, and trailer brakes. I have towed it without problems but am worried about the tongue weight.

black08 · 09-08-2009, 05:30 PM

heres an idea, dont tow big loads with a half ton pickup, even the big bad titan is still not an hd, i towed a 30ft trailer around town and ont the highway. that trailer pulled my titan all over and the place. it wieghed around 4800 dry and it had 10 2x12s 10 ft lomg, [probably another 1000lbs], well below the 9500lbs limit[yes it has the max utility packacge] brakes could barely stop it. just cause a spring deosnt brake doesnt mean its ok. the engines up to towing 8, 9k no problem, but the 3.37:1 ratio, brakes and suspention arent.dont take my word for it, tow ur big trailer w ur titan, and then w ur buddys chevy 2500 thats where the titans weakspot shows up, cause empty itll beat most chevys w the 6.o liter. not a real towing monster though

LJRome · 09-08-2009, 08:20 PM

black08, I am afraid I have to disagree with you here. For the trailer you towed, first of all, you should have had electric brakes. If you did, they were not adjusted correctly. At any rate, I am not saying that it is a good idea to tow at maximum capacity but I see no problem with 8k or 9k. I tow a 32' fifth wheel travel trailer and have no trouble whatsoever. I traded in my Chevy 2500 on the Titan and I actually feel that the Titan does a better job. I can get up to speed much faster than the Chevy ever dreamed of and I find the Titan does not want to downshift as much as my Chevy did. If the Titan is properly equiped, it will handle larger loads. For my load, I installed airbags and an electric brake controller and the truck handles the load just fine. My stopping distance is excellent and the truck has the power and ability to tow the load just fine.

Shane06fl · 09-09-2009, 06:23 PM

What it comes down too is the max gvwr of any truck. If you stick two 300lb humans in the front seats then you just reduced your tow rating by 600lbs. Loufish spelled it out text book style. That 9500lbs is only for a 2wd extra cab SE or LE. The 4wd KC and 4wd CC have a lower tow rating.

Shane06fl · 09-09-2009, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by black08

heres an idea, dont tow big loads with a half ton pickup, even the big bad titan is still not an hd, i towed a 30ft trailer around town and ont the highway. that trailer pulled my titan all over and the place. it wieghed around 4800 dry and it had 10 2x12s 10 ft lomg, [probably another 1000lbs], well below the 9500lbs limit[yes it has the max utility packacge] brakes could barely stop it. just cause a spring deosnt brake doesnt mean its ok. the engines up to towing 8, 9k no problem, but the 3.37:1 ratio, brakes and suspention arent.dont take my word for it, tow ur big trailer w ur titan, and then w ur buddys chevy 2500 thats where the titans weakspot shows up, cause empty itll beat most chevys w the 6.o liter. not a real towing monster though

5800lbs with no brake controler?? I bet a 2500chevy would struggle stopping that too with no trailer brakes.
There is no reason why that 5800lb trailer was throwing your truck around unless
1. low tire pressure
2. you are way off by the weight
3. towing too fast and not allwoing the proper stopping distance
4. improperly loaded trailer

5800lbs with a properly set up trailer is no struggle for a Titan. I tow way more than that and so do alot of people here on this site. I have towed the same load with 3/4 and 1 ton trucks and the Titan can hold it's hold own just fine.

**loufish** · 09-10-2009, 07:20 AM

Quote:

heres an idea, dont tow big loads with a half ton pickup, even the big bad titan is still not an hd, i towed a 30ft trailer around town and ont the highway. that trailer pulled my titan all over and the place. it wieghed around 4800 dry and it had 10 2x12s 10 ft lomg, [probably another 1000lbs], well below the 9500lbs limit[yes it has the max utility packacge] brakes could barely stop it. just cause a spring deosnt brake doesnt mean its ok. the engines up to towing 8, 9k no problem, but the 3.37:1 ratio, brakes and suspention arent.dont take my word for it, tow ur big trailer w ur titan, and then w ur buddys chevy 2500 thats where the titans weakspot shows up, cause empty itll beat most chevys w the 6.o liter. not a real towing monster though

You didn't say what type of trailer it was, but if it's a utility trailer, did you have enough weight on the tongue?

A 5500-5800 lb trailer should be no issue for the Titan, but the trailer would still need brakes...

But I do agree that anything more then about 8000 lbs would be time to step up to 3/4 ton...