[terry and jo]

Whatever you do, do NOT go by the vehicle manufacturer's "tow rating" for a truck. With any truck in mind (current one or purchasing a new one), get a dealer to look at the data plate at the door of the vehicle to see how it is equipped. (That includes rear axle ration.) That data will let the dealer tell you just what that vehicle's GCVW (Gross Combined Vehicular Weight) is.


With that weight, if you are looking at using your present truck, then load it up with fuel, passengers and pets likely to be along, and any other gear planned on being carried in the truck. Then, go get it weighed to see what your "working" weight is. Add that "working" weight to the RV's GVWR (Gross Vehicular Weight Rating) and see if that total is less than the truck's GCVW. Also, be sure and look at what the pin weight would be on the trailer and add that to your truck's rear axle weight to see whether the trailer would overload the axle.


Lots of cases where folks have been told, "yeah, your truck will pull that." However, other handling characteristics need to be considered. Can your truck stop all that weight in an emergency? I know of a couple that traded up on trucks after blowing through a red light because of weight and wet roads. Fortunately, they didn't have an accident.