I have yet to pull a travel trailer, and am just now in the market. My question is this: I currently have a Ford Edge with a Class II tow pkg (3500# tow capacity). Can I comfortably pull 3500# with that vehicle? 2 adults, no kids or dogs, ability to pack light, but am looking at a 2800# UVW GEO Pro. Is it reasonable to think I can load less than 700# of "stuff"? And do I need to include gear in my vehicle in the weight of that "stuff". I am considering putting on a Class III tow pkg, to increase tongue wt.
How much can I comfortably tow
- Thread starter LJMatts
- Start date
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
A good rule of thumb is to keep the gross trailer weight to 80%-90% of the maximum the tow vehicle is rated for. That leaves you some capacity for every and any thing carried in the tow vehicle. Forget the trailer UVW - it just sucks you into wishful thinking that will eventually bite you in the butt. Assume the trailer will very likely weigh close to its GVWR max. If it doesn't on the first trip, it will by the 3rd or 4th.
You didn't mention the year or other info about the Edge and relying on the hitch rating alone is risky. Not all Edges will be the same and Edges can be 1500 lbs, 2000 lbs or 3500 lbs (based on a 2014 model year). If your hitch receiver is factory installed, you probably have the Trailer Tow package and the 3500 lb rating, but if dealer or aftermarket installed, probably not. You can get the Ford Towing Guide for your year and configuration at https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Personally, I'd try to stay in the 2800 lb range for the max loaded trailer weight. 3000 tops.
You didn't mention the year or other info about the Edge and relying on the hitch rating alone is risky. Not all Edges will be the same and Edges can be 1500 lbs, 2000 lbs or 3500 lbs (based on a 2014 model year). If your hitch receiver is factory installed, you probably have the Trailer Tow package and the 3500 lb rating, but if dealer or aftermarket installed, probably not. You can get the Ford Towing Guide for your year and configuration at https://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Personally, I'd try to stay in the 2800 lb range for the max loaded trailer weight. 3000 tops.
Rob&Deryl
Well-known member
Check the yellow bordered sticker on the drivers door post. It will tell you the load capacity of the vehicle. That is more often the limiting than towing capacity.
That number has to include 10% of your trailer GVWR, any people other than a lightweight driver, luggage, tools or whatever.
Let us know the number on the sticker. It is unique to your specific vehicle.
That number has to include 10% of your trailer GVWR, any people other than a lightweight driver, luggage, tools or whatever.
Let us know the number on the sticker. It is unique to your specific vehicle.
Lynx0849,
Thanks for your response. I am so new to this, that the lingo is still confusing to me...
My "combined weight of occupants and cargo shouldn't exceed 950lbs" (says my sticker). Is that what you are asking about? If so, and I follow your info below:
*10% of my trailer's GVWR (390lbs) (2829 UVW + 1061 CCC)
*weight of my passenger (160lbs)
*weight of any other cargo in my vehicle (200lbs?)
----------
= 750lbs
Is that what you mean? If so, I am well within the limit, but it doesn't tell me anything about how much I can "tow".
So, my vehicle sticker has a GVWR of 5620. What exactly does this mean? And Ford tells me I have a towing capacity of 3500.
For what it's worth, I am now in the market for a larger vehicle, and before I purchase, I want to make sure that I fully understand that it will be able to COMFORTABLY tow the travel trailer. I would actually like a bigger trailer (GVWR of 4745), so am looking at something with a V-6 that is rated to tow at least 6,200lbs. Is that reasonable?
I really appreciate having this forum and folks like you with lots of experience willing to help out a newbie here!
Thanks much,
LJ
Thanks for your response. I am so new to this, that the lingo is still confusing to me...
My "combined weight of occupants and cargo shouldn't exceed 950lbs" (says my sticker). Is that what you are asking about? If so, and I follow your info below:
*10% of my trailer's GVWR (390lbs) (2829 UVW + 1061 CCC)
*weight of my passenger (160lbs)
*weight of any other cargo in my vehicle (200lbs?)
----------
= 750lbs
Is that what you mean? If so, I am well within the limit, but it doesn't tell me anything about how much I can "tow".
So, my vehicle sticker has a GVWR of 5620. What exactly does this mean? And Ford tells me I have a towing capacity of 3500.
For what it's worth, I am now in the market for a larger vehicle, and before I purchase, I want to make sure that I fully understand that it will be able to COMFORTABLY tow the travel trailer. I would actually like a bigger trailer (GVWR of 4745), so am looking at something with a V-6 that is rated to tow at least 6,200lbs. Is that reasonable?
I really appreciate having this forum and folks like you with lots of experience willing to help out a newbie here!
Thanks much,
LJ
Rob&Deryl
Well-known member
Your GVWR or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the maximum weight the manufacturer says the the vehicle can weigh safely. This includes thanking in to consideration the tire capacities, axle weight capacities, other suspension bits etc. the GVWR minus the current actual weight is the load capacity.
Your calculations are correct if you weigh 150lbs dressed.
What you can ?tow? is what the drivetrain can move without something getting over stressed or broken. Also, adding the towed weight to your TV (tow vehicle) gets you the CGVW or Combined Gross Vehicle Wright and you need to be able to stop and control it.
When they talk about towing capacity, they are thinking of something like a flatbed trailer with steel plates. No appreciable wind resistance and not really susceptible to cross winds.
With RVs, you have a big frontal area and the force on it goes up exponentially with speed. That puts a big load on the drivetrain as you go faster. Somewhere above 55 mph is where the load Really climbs. Also, an rv trailer has a huge sidewall which will put large forces on the TV with wind gusts. With a smaller TV, a longish trailer will move the rig all over the place, potentially off the road or into oncoming traffic.
Most vehicle manufacturers have some tables in their towing guides (check the web site) that talk about derating the tow capacity based on frontal area of the trailer. It is quite enlightening.
The above is why some folk (me included) say no one ever complains of having too much truck.
Think about the next trailer, not just the one you are planning on right now. Most folks learn lots about what they want in an rv in the first couple of seasons and most want a larger rig. Replacing your truck every time you upgrade the trailer is very expensive. Buy once, cry once. Get a truck for the next rv and you will have capacities to make your driving much more comfortable and safer.
Your calculations are correct if you weigh 150lbs dressed.
What you can ?tow? is what the drivetrain can move without something getting over stressed or broken. Also, adding the towed weight to your TV (tow vehicle) gets you the CGVW or Combined Gross Vehicle Wright and you need to be able to stop and control it.
When they talk about towing capacity, they are thinking of something like a flatbed trailer with steel plates. No appreciable wind resistance and not really susceptible to cross winds.
With RVs, you have a big frontal area and the force on it goes up exponentially with speed. That puts a big load on the drivetrain as you go faster. Somewhere above 55 mph is where the load Really climbs. Also, an rv trailer has a huge sidewall which will put large forces on the TV with wind gusts. With a smaller TV, a longish trailer will move the rig all over the place, potentially off the road or into oncoming traffic.
Most vehicle manufacturers have some tables in their towing guides (check the web site) that talk about derating the tow capacity based on frontal area of the trailer. It is quite enlightening.
The above is why some folk (me included) say no one ever complains of having too much truck.
Think about the next trailer, not just the one you are planning on right now. Most folks learn lots about what they want in an rv in the first couple of seasons and most want a larger rig. Replacing your truck every time you upgrade the trailer is very expensive. Buy once, cry once. Get a truck for the next rv and you will have capacities to make your driving much more comfortable and safer.
My opinion, you are seriously overlooking what wind does with a travel trailer, and what hills (even moderate ones) do to the towing experience. I suggest that you rent something this size and try before you buy, because I do not think your Edge will come close to meeting your expectations. Ford, towing numbers, IMO, marketing trickery. "Can Tow", often refers to a relatively low profile trailer (steel on a flatbed) on relatively flat ground. I highly encourage you to rent something, or spend some time on a Edge Forum for more advise. I would not take the advise from a RV salesperson for sure. Good luck. Maybe a pop 2000# pop up would be a better first option?
Oldgator73
Well-known member
Our TT has a GVWR of 3800 lbs. When we first purchased it we towed with our Nissan Quest that has a tow rating of 3500 lbs. Not the best pairing. So I purchased a Nissan Frontier. With a tow rating of 6300 lbs. If we?re to purchase another TT I would keep the GVRW to around 5000 lbs which is 80% of my trucks tow rating.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I sense some confusion here on GVWR. There are two different GVWRs involved, the trailer and the tow vehicle. In each case the GVWR specifies the maximum safe weight of that vehicle. The trailer GVWR directly relates to towability, but the tow vehicle (the Edge) GVWR plays only indirectly.
The trailer tongue weight is the amount of weight the trailer places on the tow vehicle's suspension. That tongue weight becomes cargo as far as your Edge is concerned. For estimating purposes, assume the tongue weight will be 10% of the trailer GVWR. In actual use the tongue weight will be 10-12% of the actual trailer weight, but that can only be determined later on a scale. Use the 10% of GVWR estimate for now.
The tow vehicle GVWR doesn't play directly in a towing estimate, but it is the governing factor in determining how much cargo the vehicle can handle. You already know what that cargo capacity is - the 950 lbs shown on the Edge door placard. That 950 lbs represents the upper limit for everything carried in or on the Edge - passengers, gear, the trailer hitch itself plus the trailer tongue weight.
There are two weight factors that affect any type of towing: (1) The total trailer weight that must be pulled down the road and braked to a stop, and (2) the portion of the trailer weight that rests on the tow vehicle hitch (the "tongue weight"). For recreational trailers, there is a third factor, the wind resistance of the huge frontal area of most RVs. At 30-60 mph, that frontal area wind resistance acts like additional trailer weight. When Ford (or GM or Ram) gives a tow rating, it is a general one for all trailer types and not specific to RV trailers. Therefore, for an RV it is wise to keep the actual trailer weight below the tow vehicles max limit.
The trailer tongue weight is the amount of weight the trailer places on the tow vehicle's suspension. That tongue weight becomes cargo as far as your Edge is concerned. For estimating purposes, assume the tongue weight will be 10% of the trailer GVWR. In actual use the tongue weight will be 10-12% of the actual trailer weight, but that can only be determined later on a scale. Use the 10% of GVWR estimate for now.
The tow vehicle GVWR doesn't play directly in a towing estimate, but it is the governing factor in determining how much cargo the vehicle can handle. You already know what that cargo capacity is - the 950 lbs shown on the Edge door placard. That 950 lbs represents the upper limit for everything carried in or on the Edge - passengers, gear, the trailer hitch itself plus the trailer tongue weight.
There are two weight factors that affect any type of towing: (1) The total trailer weight that must be pulled down the road and braked to a stop, and (2) the portion of the trailer weight that rests on the tow vehicle hitch (the "tongue weight"). For recreational trailers, there is a third factor, the wind resistance of the huge frontal area of most RVs. At 30-60 mph, that frontal area wind resistance acts like additional trailer weight. When Ford (or GM or Ram) gives a tow rating, it is a general one for all trailer types and not specific to RV trailers. Therefore, for an RV it is wise to keep the actual trailer weight below the tow vehicles max limit.
Yes. If you shop for a trailer that has a GVWR that is no more than 80%-90% of the tow vehicles max tow rating it will probably be OK. However, you will want to do more exact arithmetic once you have narrowed your choices down. Use the "rule of thumb" estimates to sift through what is available on the market but don't commit to a purchase without doing a more careful analysis. The reason for that is there is a mixture of fixed and variable weights involved, so that the rule of thumb percentages get less & less accurate as trailer weight increases. Further, the wind resistance factor doesn't change much with trailer weight.
