Calculator 03 / Towing & Payload

Towing & Payload Calculator

Check remaining payload and towing capacity against your vehicle's ratings, or get a recommended trailer tongue/pin weight.

GVWR (lbs)

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating — on your door jamb sticker.

Curb weight (lbs)

Passengers + cargo already loaded (lbs)

GCWR (lbs, optional — for towing capacity)

Gross Combined Weight Rating. Leave blank to see payload only.

How this calculator works

Payload capacity: Total payload = GVWR − Curb weight Remaining = Total payload − Current load Towing capacity: Max trailer weight = GCWR − Curb weight − Current load (only shown if GCWR is provided) Tongue/pin weight: Recommended weight = Gross trailer weight × 10–15% (conventional) or × 15–25% (gooseneck/5th-wheel)

Payload capacity is everything added to the vehicle itself — passengers, cargo, and (for a bumper-pull setup) tongue weight all count against it, which is why overloaded tow vehicles are a common problem even when the trailer itself is within its own rating. Tongue/pin weight percentages are standard trailering guidelines: too little and the trailer can sway at speed; too much and it overloads the tow vehicle's rear axle and hitch.

Why is GCWR different from just adding GVWR + trailer weight?

GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) is the manufacturer's tested limit for the tow vehicle and trailer combined — it accounts for how the drivetrain, brakes, and frame perform under combined load, and is often lower than simply adding the two individual ratings together.

My tongue weight calculation seems high — what if I'm over?

Redistribution hitches can shift some tongue weight back onto the trailer's own axles, and repositioning cargo within the trailer (more weight over the axles, less far forward or back) can bring tongue weight into range without changing the trailer's total weight.

Estimates only. Always confirm your specific vehicle's GVWR, GCWR, and hitch ratings from the manufacturer — ratings vary by trim, axle, and hitch configuration.