What Can I Tow With My Car: Method First, Then the Numbers

If you want a straight answer on what can i tow with my car, 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 what can i tow with my car

For what can i tow with my car, the point is this: Start with three numbers and keep the smallest: the vehicle tow rating, the tow-bar rating and the trailer ATM (aggregate trailer mass, the maximum loaded weight the trailer is rated for). The worked example on this page uses a vehicle rating of 11,000 lbs, a tow-bar rating of 4,000 lbs and a trailer ATM of 8,000 lbs, so the capacity is 4,000 lbs — whichever of the three is lowest. Treat those as example figures: your own numbers come from the owner's manual, the tow-bar plate and the trailer plate. The rule is strict because each rating protects something different — the vehicle's drivetrain, brakes and cooling; the tow bar and its fixings; the trailer's running gear — and the combination is only as strong as its weakest part.

The tow rating alone is not the whole answer. GVWR caps the loaded vehicle, GCWR caps the vehicle and trailer together, and payload — GVWR minus kerb weight — caps what the vehicle itself may carry, including the tongue weight pressing down on the hitch. A heavy trailer therefore eats into the passengers and cargo you can carry, and a combination can be inside the tow rating yet still overloaded on GCWR or payload. Every limit has to pass at once, and the numbers for your exact vehicle are in the owner's manual and on the door-jamb sticker.

what can i tow with my car: Where to find your ratings

Start with the owner's manual: it lists the tow rating by engine, axle ratio and configuration, and it states the GVWR and GCWR. Then check the door-jamb sticker on the driver's door, which gives the GVWR and the payload for your exact vehicle as built — this is the number that matters, because options fitted at the factory change it. The tow bar itself has a rating plate, usually stamped on the bar or on a label near the receiver, and the trailer has a compliance plate showing its ATM and its tare (empty) weight. If the manual and the sticker disagree, use the lower figure and ask a dealer to confirm for your VIN. Never take a rating from a forum, a sales listing or a figure quoted for a different year or engine: ratings change with engine, axle ratio, cab, bed length and tow package, and the only numbers that count are the ones for your vehicle.

what can i tow with my car: Worked example: the three ratings and the payload check

Take a 4,500 lbs loaded trailer as the example. The vehicle's tow rating is 11,000 lbs, the tow-bar rating is 4,000 lbs and the trailer ATM is 8,000 lbs. The towing capacity is the lowest of the three: 4,000 lbs. The trailer's tongue weight at 10 to 15 percent is 450 to 675 lbs, and the middle of that range — about 562 lbs — is a good target. With an example payload of 2,000 lbs, the tongue weight leaves 1,438 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.

what can i tow with my car: 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 what can i tow with my car.

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 what can i tow with my car

Check What to compare Passes when
Tow rating Trailer weight vs lowest of vehicle, tow-bar and trailer ATM ratings Trailer weight 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 what can i tow with my car

  • For what can i tow with my car, the point is this: 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.
  • Driving at solo speeds while towing. Speed limits for towing are lower in most places, and stopping distances and sway risk both grow sharply with speed, so the right speed while towing is well below the solo limit. That is the point this page works through for what can i tow with my car.
  • 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. That is the point this page works through for what can i tow with my car.
  • Forgetting that tongue weight counts against payload. The hitch load is carried by the tow vehicle, so it reduces the passengers and cargo you can carry by exactly that amount. That is the point this page works through for what can i tow with my car.

what can i tow with my car: Related calculations

On this page, what can i tow with my car is the case in point: For the next step, these pages apply the same method to a closely related question — or hand the arithmetic to the calculator.

Putting your figure to work for what can i tow with my car

On this page, what can i tow with my car is the case in point: The check only helps if you run it on your own numbers every time the load changes. Weigh the trailer as it will travel, take the three ratings from your manual and plates, work out the tongue weight and check payload and GCWR. Keep the four answers with the trailer's paperwork — lowest rating, tongue-weight range, payload left over, GCWR headroom — and redo them when anything changes: a full tank, another passenger, a different trailer. Loads change, so the answer changes, and the habit of re-checking is what keeps the combination legal and stable.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need trailer brakes?

That depends on the trailer's weight and local rules: heavier trailers generally require their own brakes, and the threshold varies by country and by state. Check the trailer's ATM, the tow vehicle's manual and the local regulations. A trailer with brakes stops shorter and puts less load on the tow vehicle's brakes, which is why the braking requirement exists. That is the point this page works through for what can i tow with my car.

Can I exceed my towing capacity?

For what can i tow with my car, the point is this: 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.

How do I work out my towing capacity?

Take the lowest of three ratings: your vehicle's tow rating, your tow-bar rating and the trailer's ATM. Then check the tongue weight is 10 to 15 percent of the trailer weight, and check the combination against GVWR, GCWR and payload. All four checks have to pass. The ratings come from your owner's manual, the door-jamb sticker, the tow-bar plate and the trailer plate — not from a figure quoted for a different vehicle.

Do I need a special licence to tow?

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. That is the point this page works through for what can i tow with my car.

How much trailer can I tow?

It depends on the lowest of your vehicle's tow rating, your tow-bar rating and the trailer's ATM, capped by GVWR, GCWR and payload. In this page's worked example the lowest rating is 4,000 lbs. Substitute your own three ratings and run the same check — the answer is specific to your vehicle and your trailer, not a general figure.