Towing Capacity Chart: How the Lowest-of-Three Rule Works

If you want a straight answer on towing capacity chart, start with the method, not a single number. Towing capacity is the lowest of three ratings — the vehicle's tow rating, the tow-bar rating and the trailer's ATM — and it is capped again by GVWR, GCWR and payload. This page shows the method step by step, runs a worked example with clearly labelled example figures, and gives you tables you can use with your own ratings.

Never exceed your vehicle's GVWR, GCWR or payload. Check the owner's manual and the door-jamb sticker for the ratings that apply to your exact vehicle, and treat every figure on this page as a worked example unless it comes from your own vehicle's plates.

The method: the lowest of three ratings for towing capacity chart

Towing capacity is the lowest of three numbers: the vehicle's tow rating, the tow-bar rating and the trailer's ATM (aggregate trailer mass — the maximum the trailer itself is rated to weigh when loaded). If any one of them is lower than the others, that one is the limit. In this page's worked example the three ratings are 7,500 lbs for the vehicle, 7,500 lbs for the tow bar and 6,500 lbs for the trailer ATM, so the towing capacity is 6,500 lbs — the lowest of the three. Those are example figures, not ratings for any particular vehicle: substitute the three numbers from your own owner's manual, tow-bar plate and trailer plate and the same step gives your answer. The reason the rule exists is that each rating protects a different part of the combination — the vehicle's engine, transmission, brakes and cooling; the tow bar and its mounting; and the trailer's axles, tyres and brakes — and the weakest of the three decides what is safe to pull. That is the point this page works through for towing capacity chart.

That is only the first check. The second check is the weight the vehicle itself carries: GVWR is the maximum the loaded vehicle may weigh, GCWR is the maximum the vehicle and trailer together may weigh, and payload is the difference between the vehicle's kerb weight and its GVWR. Tongue weight counts against payload, so a heavy trailer reduces the passengers and cargo you can carry. If the combination is inside the tow rating but over GCWR or over payload, it is still overloaded. All three limits have to be satisfied at the same time, and the owner's manual and door-jamb sticker are where the numbers for your exact vehicle live.

Where to find your ratings for towing capacity chart

The owner's manual is the first source: it gives the tow rating for each engine, axle ratio and configuration, plus the GVWR and GCWR. The door-jamb sticker on the driver's door is the second — it shows the GVWR and payload for your vehicle as built, which is the figure that counts, because factory-fitted options change it. The tow bar carries its own rating plate near the receiver, and the trailer's compliance plate shows its ATM and its tare weight. Where the manual and the sticker disagree, take the lower number and have a dealer confirm it against your VIN. A rating quoted for a different year, engine or trim is not your rating, and neither is a number from a forum or a sales listing.

towing capacity chart: Worked example: the three ratings and the payload check

Take a 5,000 lbs loaded trailer as the example. The vehicle's tow rating is 7,500 lbs, the tow-bar rating is 7,500 lbs and the trailer ATM is 6,500 lbs. The towing capacity is the lowest of the three: 6,500 lbs. The trailer's tongue weight at 10 to 15 percent is 500 to 750 lbs, and the middle of that range — about 625 lbs — is a good target. With an example payload of 1,800 lbs, the tongue weight leaves 1,175 lbs for passengers and cargo. If the passengers and luggage weigh more than that, the combination is overloaded even though the trailer is inside the tow rating, and something has to come off — either the trailer load or the vehicle load. That is the whole check in one paragraph: lowest of three, then tongue weight, then payload, then GCWR. Do it with your own numbers before every trip, because the answer changes every time the load changes.

towing capacity chart: Tongue weight table

The tongue-weight range below is 10 to 15 percent of the loaded trailer weight, with 12.5 percent in the middle as a practical target. Find your trailer's loaded weight in the first column and read across. Weigh the trailer as it will travel — guessing the weight makes the whole table useless. That is the point this page works through for towing capacity chart.

Loaded trailer weight (lbs) 10% tongue weight 12.5% tongue weight 15% tongue weight
3,500 350 438 525
5,000 500 625 750
6,000 600 750 900
7,000 700 875 1,050
10,000 1,000 1,250 1,500

The four checks, in order for towing capacity chart

Check What to compare Passes when
Tow rating Trailer weight against the lowest of the three ratings Trailer is at or below the lowest rating
Tongue weight Tongue weight against 10–15% of trailer weight Percentage sits inside 10–15%
Payload Tongue weight plus passengers and cargo against payload Sum is at or below payload
GCWR Loaded vehicle plus loaded trailer against GCWR Combined weight is at or below GCWR

Common mistakes for towing capacity chart

  • For towing capacity chart, the point is this: Skipping the brake check on the trailer. A trailer's brakes need testing before every trip, not just at service time — a seized or disconnected trailer brake puts the whole stopping job on the tow vehicle.
  • Trusting a figure quoted for a different year, engine or configuration. Tow ratings change with engine, axle ratio, cab and tow package, so only the numbers for your exact vehicle count. That is the point this page works through for towing capacity chart.
  • For towing capacity chart, the point is this: Using the trailer's empty weight instead of its loaded weight. A trailer's tare weight is the empty figure; the loaded weight is what the ratings are tested against, and water, gas, luggage and equipment can add hundreds of pounds.
  • Taking towing capacity chart as the case in point: Ignoring the GCWR. A combination can be inside the tow rating and still over the GCWR once the vehicle is fully loaded with people and luggage.

Related calculations for towing capacity chart

On this page, towing capacity chart is the case in point: These pages continue from here: the same method on a neighbouring question, or the calculator that runs the arithmetic for you.

towing capacity chart: Putting your figure to work

For towing capacity chart, the point is this: Putting the figure to work means doing the check with your own numbers before every trip, not once when you buy the trailer. Weigh the loaded trailer, read the three ratings off your own manual and plates, work out the tongue weight, and check the payload and GCWR. Write the four numbers down and keep them with the trailer's documents: the lowest of the three ratings, the tongue-weight range, the remaining payload and the GCWR headroom. When the load changes — a full water tank, an extra passenger, a different trailer — redo the check, because the answer changes with the load. That habit is what keeps a towing combination inside its limits on the road, not just on paper.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a special licence to tow?

On this page, towing capacity chart is the case in point: It depends on where you are and how heavy the combination is. Licence categories limit the combined weight you may tow, and the rules differ by country. Check your licence entitlement before towing, not after you are stopped.

Can I exceed my towing capacity?

No. The tow rating is a maximum set by the manufacturer for the vehicle's engine, transmission, brakes and cooling, and exceeding it increases braking distances, overheats the transmission, reduces stability and can be illegal. It can also void warranty coverage and give an insurer a reason to refuse a claim. If the trailer is heavier than the lowest of the three ratings, you need a different vehicle, a different tow bar or a lighter load. That is the point this page works through for towing capacity chart.

Is it safe to tow at maximum capacity?

The rating is a maximum under the manufacturer's test conditions, not a target. Most experienced towers leave a margin — aiming to tow at 80 percent or less of the rated capacity as a rule of thumb — so that hills, wind and a fully loaded trailer do not push the combination to its limit. Always check GVWR, GCWR and payload as well as the tow rating.

What is trailer ATM?

For towing capacity chart, the point is this: ATM is the aggregate trailer mass: the maximum the trailer is allowed to weigh when fully loaded, set by the trailer manufacturer. It is on the trailer's compliance plate, and it is one of the three ratings in the lowest-of-three rule — your towing capacity can never exceed the trailer's ATM.

What is GVWR and what is GCWR?

GVWR is the maximum weight of the loaded vehicle on its own. GCWR is the maximum weight of the vehicle and the trailer together. Both have to be respected: the tow rating alone is not enough, because a fully loaded vehicle plus a heavy trailer can exceed the GCWR even when the trailer is inside the tow rating.