When I built my 23’ 1500 Sierra 3.0 with maxtow. I went with the crew cab and the longest bed 6’6”. On the GM website it showed me my max tow rating dropped from 13,200 to 11,700 lbs. 1795lbs max payload. When I picked up my truck that was exactly what the sticker says on the door. Works out about perfect for my 8000 pound when loaded enclosed car hauler.
Would you mind telling me what the slide-in camper weight sticker in your glovebox says? Some of these trucks say "no slide-in campers" where others give a max weight. Thanks.
As a former Ram 2500 diesel owner(they have notoriously low payload), what frustrates me is that many 3/4 tons are artificially capped at 10k GCWR for registration class. Has nothing to do with capability. I'm glad Ford and GM have finally started offering their 2500s with an 11k+ GVWR option.
I was under the impression that in some (most?) states in the US any vehicles registered above 10K GVWR are required to be register and insured as a Commerical Vehicle. Which will add to the cost of registration and insurance. I always throught that was the reasoning behind why a 3/4 ton truck was capped at 10K GVWR and if you needed above that then you just move up to a 1 ton truck. For that reason, I actually don't like that Ford and GM have raised the GVWR on their 3/4 ton trucks, I wish they still had them capped at 10,000 lbs. Doesn't there become certain road restrictions, ideling restrictions and Hours of Service that you have to obey, once you exceed the 10K GVWR law, especially if you are on a road trip and crossing through multiple state boarders?
My issue is it seems like most of the well equipped 1/2 ton trucks lack the payload to actually tow what they are rate for. This taken into account by the time you add a few passengers and factor in a 15% tongue weight. Great video Tim, very informative!
After years of frustration with this topic, best thing to do is just know your vehicles GVWR. Then you can hit a scale and know exactly how far under/over you are in terms of excess/exceeding payload you’re at.
My 2020 F150 lists a max trailer weight of 10,500lbs and about 1700lbs payload. It’s perfect for towing 6,000lbs (600 lbs tongue weight) with my family of four and camping gear (1100ish lbs of available payload) in the truck. If I’d bought the version with a smaller trailer weight rating, I’d probably be over payload capacity.
I dont mind manufacturers using clever marketing for their max tow ratings, and the fact it's sometimes only possible with just a driver. Lots of lighter optioned trucks also dont have as much of an issue there (Custom, Tradesman, XL etc). My F-150 XL isnt rated to the moon in terms of towing, but I can easily tow max weight (I believe ~9200lbs) while still having 700-1000lbs left for people and cargo. Do your homework and prioritize what you need your vehicle for.
Kudos to you for making this video. Reading through the comments on this video, and honestly every other truck towing video, i notice a very common and concerning occurence.... and that is that people are clearly mislead on the ratings of their trucks. Now, this happens to no thanks to the manufactures as they advertise... " TruckXXX, has a max tow rating of 20K, and payload up to 6k! The most of any truck out there!" Sure, thats true, but only if you get the truck the NO ONE gets.... the regular cab, long box and no 4-wheel drive and no extras. I hope that people watch and understand what you just said in this video, because it could save lives. I saw a few comments about the overloading thing can happen easily on 1/2 tons, as well as 3/4 tons, and there is 100% truth to that. You really have to watch. I have seen plenty of 3/4 tons towing where their back bumper is nearly scrapping the pavement, but "Thats ok! I have a 3/4 ton and it can do anything because it is not a half ton!!" Well... turns out that big diesel you have, has comparable payload to several half tons.
Did just that, resulting in a net difference of 1,060 lbs. Convinced me that the travel trailer we liked and that many said my truck could handle, was not do-able.
Good information, when I was shopping for a travel trailer, I was looking up weight stats of the camper, to make sure it was within the limits of my 2014 F150. The salesman assured me that tongue weight doesn’t matter, as I have a weight distribution hitch lol. I travel with five people with a combined passenger weight of around 800 lbs, plus luggage, bikes ect. My truck has a payload capacity of just under 1800 lbs. I ended up purchasing a camper with a gvwr of 8000 lbs, hitch weight was 600 lbs, (800 loaded). I put my truck on the scale loaded up with passengers and camper, and my truck was almost maxed out (truck gvwr is 7650), even though my camper’s gvwr is more the 3000 lbs below the maximum towing capacity of my truck. So you cannot rely on the sales people, and there’s a lot of bad information on the internet. Your video is very helpful for people who are planning on buying a trailer and/or truck to tow the trailer.
"The salesman assured me that tongue weight doesn’t matter, as I have a weight distribution hitch" Uh, that's a load of bull. Wow. I would have gone off on that salesman myself. Good thing I wasn't there!
For J2807 testing they use a set 400 pounds of ballast (two 150 pound passengers and 100 pounds for tools). Outside of that 400 pounds, the manufacture can use the entire rest of the payload for tongue weight.
To be safe maybe we should all not go over 70% of what the tow rating is? This conversation can go on forever, kind of like the one about towing with your propane turned on.
10:33 You said you don’t max tow half tons, because it doesn’t make sense because you’ll hit your payload. Makes sense. But that could be true for 3/4 ton trucks as well. F250, with 6.7l diesel, has a max towing capacity of nearly 20,000lbs (properly equipped) but the payload on most configurations of the diesel, are less than 2,000lbs. I am talking the 4x4 crew cab, that most people would opt for. 10% of 20,000 is 2,000. In that case, you would be over payload with just the tongue weight of the trailer. 🤔 There are several half tons that have more than 2,000lbs payload… my 2022 Nissan Titan XD is one of them.
keep in mind that there are some exceptions that might *increase* payload capacity as they are specced with higher GVWR. F150 Tremor's front Torsen adds 200lbs to payload capacity, Other examples include the MaxRecon package on wranglers and the Heavy Duty Payload Package on XL & XLT F150's. also sometimes there is a "sweet spot" and not just the most basic version. for example the Gladiator with highest payload is the Sport S with Max Towing Package, basically its the least specc'ed version thats optioned with the beefed up Dana axles. but again these are exceptions to the rule, so generally the base model almost always has the highest payload.
Man, you provided some good information here. Most people think that if you buy a 3/4 truck, you can pull and haul whatever you want. Thats not the case. I want to give an example here. I have a 2022 Nissan Titan Pro4x XD. I pull a 5th wheel camper with my titan, that is well within the payload and towing limits of the truck. My truck specs are: 2,200lbs payload (according to the sticker on my door frame) 11,200lbs towing 4.086 axle 400HP 412ft-lbs I am going to also use F250 as an example. (Yes, F250) If you get the crew cap 4x4, 6.2L v8, 3.73 axle with 6 3/4 ft box (what most people get) the specs are as follows: 2,584lbs payload max 12,500lbs towing 385HP 430ft-lbs If you opt for the same F250 above with the 4.30 axle the towing goes to 15,000lbs towing, payload remains unchanged. If you opt for the 7.3l v8, the payload remains unchanged, towing is 15,000 and if you go with diesel, the max towing goes to 20,000lbs (with specific add-ons), BUT the max payload is 1,784, and can drop as low as 1,333 (if you order the thing will all the bells and whistles.) The only F250 that breaks the 3,000lbs payload mark, is an F250 with a reg. cab with an 8' box. Its payload is 3,385lbs. It is amazing that the "cure all" for towing a trailer, according to some people, is to go with a 3/4 ton truck. My point is, when you compare my HD half ton, to the F250 in my first example, the differences in payload and towing, is less than impressive. The first F250 example is the one that the "Weekend Camping" family is going to get, and expect to pull their 42' toy hauler, that weighs 15,000+lbs. Technically, that truck will be considered way overloaded. Below is a link to the Ford towing specs, if you want to check this out for yourself. pictures.dealer.com/corningfordfd/c16d50bf0a0e09a730985ecee65d8cb8.pdf
At first, I did not even read your whole post... but then i came back later and read through it. My first thought was that you are crazy comparing Titan XD to F250. But according to the link you included, you are not wrong. If you read the fine print, Ford tells you exactly what configuration and build you need to get to accomplish those numbers MAX numbers they advertise. Your right, suddenly the difference between the Titan XD and F250 with the configuration that most guys get.... is not much different and indeed not too impressive. I too see that the "Big Bad A**" F250 with the 6.7l diesel has a towing capacity that will make you look twice, but the payload is quite honestly...embarrassing!! You are correct. Page 9 of your link shows that. The thing is, Ford is not the only one that showcases their towing and payload capacities like this. They are all guilty. They are not lying, but they are misleading consumers... whether intentional or unintentional. I looked at the F150 as well. Page 1 of that chart shows a very misleading capacities for that truck as well. The F150 has an impressive 13,000lbs towing, on the common configurations, but the actual payload is a far cry from the 3225lbs that the document states, as "Max Payload". (Which is only on regular cab, basic build) Now i may have to look deeper at the Titan XD! HAHA I sure do read a lot of comments where guys are surprised by the over all drive of the Titan XD, and handling while towing. The guys that have them, sure like them. Thank you for putting this into perspective with a side by side comparison. . Eye opening to say the least... Thank you to "Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk" for the video, and "Ridyn H" for this comment. My eyes have been opened!!!
My Tundra V8 says 1650 payload and I put 2 tons + of dirt in that bed every 6 months for work around my farm. Never had a problem. I’ve towed 11,000+ lbs multiple times of straw or hay and never had a problem. Tundra FTW!
A N D with GM trucks, as Tim pointed out a couple of weeks ago, you need to look inside the glove box with a flashlight for a hidden sticker if you are considering a slide-in camper. Despite your camper and total payload being under the Door Jamb Sticker Payload, most 1500 series trucks cannot have a slide-in camper. For years now, GM has been putting a sticker in their 1500 series 5.5 ft bed trucks (most of this series trucks sold) that prohibits a camper.
There really is no good reason why manufacturers shouldn't be able to tell you a payload rating when selecting options in the configuguator. They know what each package weighs and how options like Max Tow increase or decrease the base.
I just don't understand this whole issue of wanting to know the most accurate capacity possible. I mean, if 165 lbs is making or breaking you, then you're buying the wrong type of truck! Buy a bigger truck and be comfortable, or don't tow or haul at all! It's that simple.
Ride quality and usability mostly. People want a 1/2 ton for size and smoother ride and with the higher max towing numbers they want to use it like a 3/4 ton.
I have the max tow in an F-150 rated at 14000 pounds and a payload of 1,804 pounds. Yes, I could pull that much with one or two people in the truck. However, l wouldn't do it due to the physics of the half ton with that much weight behind it. A 3/4 ton or one ton gives you the extra weight to keep the truck planted on the ground. Big Truck Big RV does a great job on his channel talking about this issue. Especially one of the bigger RV trailer versus a flat bed trailer. There is a huge difference in how they tow with a half ton.
I get what every one is saying but this partly falls on the manufacturer, for continuing to increase tow ratings etc. all in the name of advertisement. Unfortunately we live in a world where Common sense is dead. You shouldn’t realistically haul a enclosed Trailer/RV with a weight of 10K or More with a 1/2 ton. There are just to many variables. Yet here we are…
@@jayray274 I agree with you. What makes it even more confusing, is (Ford for example) The F250 diesel crew cab 4x4, has a payload at around 2,200lbs (and just under 2k in some configurations) that same truck has a max tow of nearly 20,000lbs. In that case, you are now talking 3/4 ton, but the payload issue you have with said trailer on the half ton, would remain on the 3/4 ton. 🤔
To me this issue seems like 50/50 manufacturers not publicizing numbers and willful ignorance by many consumers who either do not care or actively rebel against the manufactures numbers. This is not difficult, every truck has its own number and EVERYTHING you put in that truck needs to be accounted for when doing the math. Helper springs do not matter, air bags do not matter, "I've towed this way for years" does not matter. Read the sticker, do the math, plan/pack/haul accordingly. Additionally to echo the statements of Kyle B below, with all the stuff they are putting in these trucks, its time to consider raising the licensed GVWR that are frequently the imaginary number limiting all of this because manufactures do not want to bother getting their frames re-tested.
Personal Opionion: Max Towing of any current 1/2 Ton truck should be limited to: 10,000 lbs. because once you begin to exceed that towed weight, you will likely run out of useable payload before you can reach the max tow rating of the truck. Most new 1/2 Ton trucks, once equipped with some options will rarely have a payload capacity of above 1,500 lbs.
All of this gave me such a headache and stress over the years we recently went with a Sierra 3500 w/ 6.6 Duramax. I'm so far under the capability of that truck its completely stress free. Our toyhauler has a max weight of 9,999lbs. So I can completely load that thing to the max with toys, full 100gal of water, full fuel station tank... put another ATV in the bed, load the truck with passengers and we're still well under max GCVWR (29700lbs) . Its nice
I tow a 10k fully loaded trailer a lot with my 13k max tow truck, and 1300 lbs is too much tongue weight for it. I use it for deliveries, so the trailer payload gets gradually reduced from the back to front, so the tongue weight increases as it's unloaded. I use a weigh safe ball mount so I know what the tongue weight is on the truck and I'll shift weight to the rear of the trailer if it gets too heavy in front. If I pulled more than 10k over long distances, I'd only do it with a weight distributing hitch.
This is exactly why we don’t get a Tacoma. I want one for a number of reasons, but 940-1000 lbs on the one I want is not nearly enough. Wife, me, and 3 dogs alone is like 600 lbs.
I believe Tim one time showed that the payload sticker on a minivan at a car show was considerably higher than a half ton truck from the same manufacturer. Large class suv's often show more payload capability than 1/2 ton trucks. It's surprising and somewhat misleading given the indestructible image manufacturer commercials show for 1/2 ton trucks on tv.
All to do with the intended market and use case. It does seem odd by manufacturers know pickup owners have a tendency to overdo things so they often limit aspects or build in additional buffers into their ratings so that if there is a failure it is blatantly obvious that the limits were far exceeded. They do this for tires too, P rated tires on pickups have to have their ratings cut by 10% when used for trucks and work vans.
Toyota specific question. I understand options will change payload but when one looks online at the Toyota spec page for the Tundra it states payload is around 1800+. But when one looks in the owner's manual, max payload on any tundra is 1350 -1600. Why the difference? According to the manual, no Tundra has a payload of 1800.
Is fuel and oil weights factored into payload? Is the payload based on a "dry" vehicle weight or is it based on a vehicle with full oil level and fuel?
Tim, do you know if when the manufacturers do the towing tests if they use a trailer brake controller to come up with their numbers or is it the truck brakes alone ? I have a 2022 sierra limited, my door sticker says I'm good for max 8800 lbs but my truck didn't come from the factory with a trailer brake controler and I can't help but feel like that would be sketchy AF if someone tried to tow that weight with a half ton and no trailer brakes. I only do light towing but even with about 3k lbs in tow I wouldn't want to have to stop in a hurry without the trailer brakes.
I believe a TBC would be used to achieve the ratings. Manufacturers often put small print for their ratings saying stuff like “when properly equipped” to cover things like that or WD hitches etc.
Ultimately we as consumers have to take responsibility and know what we are doing when using trucks and determining our specific limitations. I want to stress that first and foremost. With that being said I think these manufacturers in their endless wars for advertisement bragging rights are atleast somewhat to blame for these just ridiculous miscalculations that people make. Or assumptions would be a better word to use. It’s absolutely ludicrous to expect to be able to tow 13,000 pounds with any half ton truck. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. And yet they make them (few and far between however) and that’s the number you see in advertisements and so someone that is new to trucks and/or towing ends up getting into trouble. But again, ultimately we have to do our research and determine what actually works and not just assume that all half tons can tow 13,000.
I don't know why so many people obsess about exceeding the payload by a couple hundred pounds. It's not that big of a deal. Exceeding total towing weight is more of a problem because of being able to stop it. If you have any payload on a truck and drive through hard bumps, you are putting WAY more stress on a frame than having a few hundred more pounds on the truck on smooth roads. I guarantee that guy with the 3500 RAM broke in half did most of the damage driving on rough roads. Dynamic loads are what hurts frames.
Is a full tank of gas included in the GVWR? My F-150 has the factory 36 gal tank and the door sticker shows GVWR 7050 lbs. The fuel alone is around 288 lbs so it has to be accounted for in one of the weight ratings. Is it included in the GVWR or does it have to be added as part of the payload?.
Hey if my SUV tows 5,000 pounds and I’m interested in getting one of those RV things you pull with your car what would be the weight I should go for on my RV?
Depends on the what Tim talked about here. What you choose should obviously not exceed 5k GVWR but also you need to consider your payload, intended load and vehicle characteristics (along with geographic area sometimes).
I just spec'd out a crew cab standard box Chevrolet with the max tow package. ~13000lb towing capacity ~2400lb payload. That's 1100lb of payload before you start tapping into your 10% hitch weight goal. Yes, it's certainly a consideration, but I don't think it's a deal breaker in any way in regard to getting the full towing capacity. They give you quite a bit of wiggle room.
@Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk , it was from their build and price website. I just picked an RST with the 5.3. Max tow package. Under the summary page. I'm sure it varies from there, though.
Then it's false advertising. Plain and simple. I literally picked the configuration. It wasn't like it was some graph that gave you the best case scenario in that class of truck.
@@ned8936 Did you click on the disclosure indicator on the home page? It states: "Requires Silverado Regular Cab Standard Bed or Long Bed 2WD with 2.7L Turbo engine. For comparison purposes only. See the Owner’s Manual and the label on the vehicle door jamb for the carrying capacity of a specific vehicle."
Here is a section right out of the Chevy trailering manual - Maximum Trailer Weight Rating This rating is determined by subtracting the tow vehicle’s weight (curb weight) from the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). Base vehicle (curb) weight plus 150 lbs. each for the driver and a front passenger is used, so additional passengers, equipment and cargo weight reduce this rating. This rating can be found on the Trailering Information Label located on the doorframe for Silverado 1500, Silverado 1500 LTD, Silverado HD, Suburban and Tahoe. Does this mean that Chevy includes 300 lbs for curb weight for a driver and passenger?? Hoping someone can clarify.
Sure estimate the weight, but if towing you should weigh their vehicle and trailer "loaded for bear". Did that and got 12,140, under the 14,800lbs GCWR rating for my spec F150.
Nobody has explained to me why Chevy lists a max goose ball weight on their trucks that is WAY under the payload capacity. As far as I know, they are the only manufacturer currently doing this. My 22 3500HD has 4160# payload (plenty for my lightweight fifth wheel). But then the door sticker stops my max goose ball weight at 2460# (very close to what it actually is) .I only haul my spouse and a small cooler in the truck. My goose ball weight counts towards my payload ( which I know) but I can't use my excess payload towards my goose ball capacity. Doesn't make sense to me. I feel very cheated on payload because of this.
Eh, from Canada, lol. I agree manufacturers need to be held to account. In Canada when I build my Toyota Tundra hybrid I get a payload rating of over 1600 lbs, we really can’t add any options to these trucks here in Canada and when the trucks come they are well below the 1600 lbs, in fact the payload is 20% lower. This really is false advertising.
My 2022 GMC Denali has a 1300 lb payload... Really hard to tow anything real unless you are towing alone and with no gear. At 15% tongue weight, the 8800lb trailer already exceeds payload... without a hitch, gear, passenger, even a driver. Assuming you've got 600 lbs worth of people and gear and luggage and dog, you're maxing out at 4700 lbs of trailer weight, or a Miata on a steel trailer. Pathetic and extremely frustrating after spending a whole lot of money and not even getting close to the advertised specs.
@@atruckinlady Unlike most brands, Nissan doesn't seem to have a towing chart per se. You can find towing information here: www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/trucks/titan/specs/compare-specs.html#modelName=King%20Cab%C2%AE%20S|4x2,Crew%20Cab%20Platinum%20Reserve|4x4 Since the Titan XD hasn't changed a whole lot, the 2023 numbers should still apply. Depending on cab size and 2wd or 4wd, maximum towing looks like it is around 9,300 lbs.
The sticker on the truck is the payload, period. The sticker on my 2wd Tacoma is 1200 pounds. There is a supplemental sticker on my truck that says my payload on my truck has been reduced because of dealer installed options (installed running boards). Max tow ratings advertised by manufacturers are misleading as are max payload ratings. They should not be able to advertise these numbers.
Payload seems to be very different with different vehicles. I had a 2006 Honda Ridgeline EXL-Navi (top of the line) which I believe it had a payload of 1500 (cannot confirm since it has been written-off several months ago) and had a towing capacity of 5000. Now I look at the 2023 Sequoia Platinum and I find that it specifies the payload to be 1410 and towing capacity 9010. This is strange since the Ridgeline is unibody on frame while the Sequoia is fully boxed frame but has a lower rating. Can you explain? Like you indicated if you calculate 10-15% tongue weight it can come very close to payload. Sequoia: 9010 * 0.15 = 1351.5 which leaves 58.5 for the passengers and equipment - totally impossible. Ridgeline: 5000 * 0.15 = 750 which give you 750 of additional payload - totally doable. What gives here?
@@Pickuptrucktalk This is true, but you need a full-size pickup to haul more than 5000, which out trailer is just under fully loaded. You can tow more but you have less payload.
Curb weight has a lot to do with it. My 2014 (steel body) F150 with payload package has a payload capacity of just under 1800 lbs, with a gvwr of 7650 lbs. in 2015 when Ford switched to aluminum bodies, the curb weight dropped by about 700 lbs, while the gvwr stayed the same if equipped with payload package (7650 gvwr). Payload climbed to about 2500 lbs depending on on option’s. I know a couple of people that had 2015+ F150’s that had the 7650 gvwr, and those trucks bounced around like crazy on washboard surfaces, it seem’s that the 7650 gvwr became more rare on later model’s, due to harsh rides, where 7000 gvwr is more common, bringing the payload back down to around 1800 lbs, which seems to be a sweet spot for half tons.
It is annoying AF that you have no idea how options can impact a vehicle, unless you look at a similar speced vehicle. It can vary 1000lbs of payload. Even selecting a the wrong tires/rims options can cut the payload by a lot. Manufacturers make this as clear as dirt, then people drive their death traps down the road.
could a 2023 1500 with a standard bed, crewcab and max trailering handle a camper that weighs 8800-9000 lbs with two occupants? struggling with the mental math right now.... typically two occupants in the truck with firewood (1/4 full) in the bed.
Yes, but it depends on the payload. A 9000 trailer means a 900 pound tongue weight. So subtract 900 pounds from your payload capacity to get how much passengers and luggage you can add to your truck.
When I built my 23’ 1500 Sierra 3.0 with maxtow. I went with the crew cab and the longest bed 6’6”. On the GM website it showed me my max tow rating dropped from 13,200 to 11,700 lbs. 1795lbs max payload. When I picked up my truck that was exactly what the sticker says on the door. Works out about perfect for my 8000 pound when loaded enclosed car hauler.
Would you mind telling me what the slide-in camper weight sticker in your glovebox says? Some of these trucks say "no slide-in campers" where others give a max weight. Thanks.
As a former Ram 2500 diesel owner(they have notoriously low payload), what frustrates me is that many 3/4 tons are artificially capped at 10k GCWR for registration class. Has nothing to do with capability. I'm glad Ford and GM have finally started offering their 2500s with an 11k+ GVWR option.
I was under the impression that in some (most?) states in the US any vehicles registered above 10K GVWR are required to be register and insured as a Commerical Vehicle. Which will add to the cost of registration and insurance. I always throught that was the reasoning behind why a 3/4 ton truck was capped at 10K GVWR and if you needed above that then you just move up to a 1 ton truck. For that reason, I actually don't like that Ford and GM have raised the GVWR on their 3/4 ton trucks, I wish they still had them capped at 10,000 lbs. Doesn't there become certain road restrictions, ideling restrictions and Hours of Service that you have to obey, once you exceed the 10K GVWR law, especially if you are on a road trip and crossing through multiple state boarders?
My issue is it seems like most of the well equipped 1/2 ton trucks lack the payload to actually tow what they are rate for. This taken into account by the time you add a few passengers and factor in a 15% tongue weight. Great video Tim, very informative!
Exactly. If they made travel trailers with wheels in the front, I would be all set 😂
After years of frustration with this topic, best thing to do is just know your vehicles GVWR. Then you can hit a scale and know exactly how far under/over you are in terms of excess/exceeding payload you’re at.
My 2020 F150 lists a max trailer weight of 10,500lbs and about 1700lbs payload. It’s perfect for towing 6,000lbs (600 lbs tongue weight) with my family of four and camping gear (1100ish lbs of available payload) in the truck. If I’d bought the version with a smaller trailer weight rating, I’d probably be over payload capacity.
I dont mind manufacturers using clever marketing for their max tow ratings, and the fact it's sometimes only possible with just a driver. Lots of lighter optioned trucks also dont have as much of an issue there (Custom, Tradesman, XL etc). My F-150 XL isnt rated to the moon in terms of towing, but I can easily tow max weight (I believe ~9200lbs) while still having 700-1000lbs left for people and cargo. Do your homework and prioritize what you need your vehicle for.
Kudos to you for making this video. Reading through the comments on this video, and honestly every other truck towing video, i notice a very common and concerning occurence.... and that is that people are clearly mislead on the ratings of their trucks. Now, this happens to no thanks to the manufactures as they advertise...
" TruckXXX, has a max tow rating of 20K, and payload up to 6k! The most of any truck out there!" Sure, thats true, but only if you get the truck the NO ONE gets.... the regular cab, long box and no 4-wheel drive and no extras.
I hope that people watch and understand what you just said in this video, because it could save lives. I saw a few comments about the overloading thing can happen easily on 1/2 tons, as well as 3/4 tons, and there is 100% truth to that. You really have to watch. I have seen plenty of 3/4 tons towing where their back bumper is nearly scrapping the pavement, but "Thats ok! I have a 3/4 ton and it can do anything because it is not a half ton!!" Well... turns out that big diesel you have, has comparable payload to several half tons.
Take your fueled up truck to a CAT scale weigh station, subtract curb weight (including driver) from GVWR. That's your legal payload.
Did just that, resulting in a net difference of 1,060 lbs. Convinced me that the travel trailer we liked and that many said my truck could handle, was not do-able.
Good information, when I was shopping for a travel trailer, I was looking up weight stats of the camper, to make sure it was within the limits of my 2014 F150. The salesman assured me that tongue weight doesn’t matter, as I have a weight distribution hitch lol. I travel with five people with a combined passenger weight of around 800 lbs, plus luggage, bikes ect. My truck has a payload capacity of just under 1800 lbs. I ended up purchasing a camper with a gvwr of 8000 lbs, hitch weight was 600 lbs, (800 loaded). I put my truck on the scale loaded up with passengers and camper, and my truck was almost maxed out (truck gvwr is 7650), even though my camper’s gvwr is more the 3000 lbs below the maximum towing capacity of my truck. So you cannot rely on the sales people, and there’s a lot of bad information on the internet. Your video is very helpful for people who are planning on buying a trailer and/or truck to tow the trailer.
"The salesman assured me that tongue weight doesn’t matter, as I have a weight distribution hitch" Uh, that's a load of bull. Wow. I would have gone off on that salesman myself. Good thing I wasn't there!
The weight of your hitch will count against payload capacity as well. Might not be a big deal but some WDH’s can weigh nearly 100 lbs or more.
For J2807 testing they use a set 400 pounds of ballast (two 150 pound passengers and 100 pounds for tools). Outside of that 400 pounds, the manufacture can use the entire rest of the payload for tongue weight.
To be safe maybe we should all not go over 70% of what the tow rating is? This conversation can go on forever, kind of like the one about towing with your propane turned on.
10:33
You said you don’t max tow half tons, because it doesn’t make sense because you’ll hit your payload. Makes sense. But that could be true for 3/4 ton trucks as well.
F250, with 6.7l diesel, has a max towing capacity of nearly 20,000lbs (properly equipped) but the payload on most configurations of the diesel, are less than 2,000lbs. I am talking the 4x4 crew cab, that most people would opt for. 10% of 20,000 is 2,000.
In that case, you would be over payload with just the tongue weight of the trailer. 🤔 There are several half tons that have more than 2,000lbs payload… my 2022 Nissan Titan XD is one of them.
Good point.
keep in mind that there are some exceptions that might *increase* payload capacity as they are specced with higher GVWR.
F150 Tremor's front Torsen adds 200lbs to payload capacity, Other examples include the MaxRecon package on wranglers and the Heavy Duty Payload Package on XL & XLT F150's.
also sometimes there is a "sweet spot" and not just the most basic version. for example the Gladiator with highest payload is the Sport S with Max Towing Package, basically its the least specc'ed version thats optioned with the beefed up Dana axles.
but again these are exceptions to the rule, so generally the base model almost always has the highest payload.
Man, you provided some good information here. Most people think that if you buy a 3/4 truck, you can pull and haul whatever you want. Thats not the case. I want to give an example here.
I have a 2022 Nissan Titan Pro4x XD. I pull a 5th wheel camper with my titan, that is well within the payload and towing limits of the truck. My truck specs are:
2,200lbs payload (according to the sticker on my door frame)
11,200lbs towing
4.086 axle
400HP
412ft-lbs
I am going to also use F250 as an example. (Yes, F250) If you get the crew cap 4x4, 6.2L v8, 3.73 axle with 6 3/4 ft box (what most people get) the specs are as follows:
2,584lbs payload max
12,500lbs towing
385HP
430ft-lbs
If you opt for the same F250 above with the 4.30 axle the towing goes to 15,000lbs towing, payload remains unchanged. If you opt for the 7.3l v8, the payload remains unchanged, towing is 15,000 and if you go with diesel, the max towing goes to 20,000lbs (with specific add-ons), BUT the max payload is 1,784, and can drop as low as 1,333 (if you order the thing will all the bells and whistles.) The only F250 that breaks the 3,000lbs payload mark, is an F250 with a reg. cab with an 8' box. Its payload is 3,385lbs.
It is amazing that the "cure all" for towing a trailer, according to some people, is to go with a 3/4 ton truck. My point is, when you compare my HD half ton, to the F250 in my first example, the differences in payload and towing, is less than impressive. The first F250 example is the one that the "Weekend Camping" family is going to get, and expect to pull their 42' toy hauler, that weighs 15,000+lbs. Technically, that truck will be considered way overloaded.
Below is a link to the Ford towing specs, if you want to check this out for yourself.
pictures.dealer.com/corningfordfd/c16d50bf0a0e09a730985ecee65d8cb8.pdf
Thank you for taking time to write out this comment. Helpful for sure.
At first, I did not even read your whole post... but then i came back later and read through it. My first thought was that you are crazy comparing Titan XD to F250. But according to the link you included, you are not wrong. If you read the fine print, Ford tells you exactly what configuration and build you need to get to accomplish those numbers MAX numbers they advertise. Your right, suddenly the difference between the Titan XD and F250 with the configuration that most guys get.... is not much different and indeed not too impressive. I too see that the "Big Bad A**" F250 with the 6.7l diesel has a towing capacity that will make you look twice, but the payload is quite honestly...embarrassing!! You are correct. Page 9 of your link shows that. The thing is, Ford is not the only one that showcases their towing and payload capacities like this. They are all guilty. They are not lying, but they are misleading consumers... whether intentional or unintentional.
I looked at the F150 as well. Page 1 of that chart shows a very misleading capacities for that truck as well. The F150 has an impressive 13,000lbs towing, on the common configurations, but the actual payload is a far cry from the 3225lbs that the document states, as "Max Payload". (Which is only on regular cab, basic build)
Now i may have to look deeper at the Titan XD! HAHA I sure do read a lot of comments where guys are surprised by the over all drive of the Titan XD, and handling while towing. The guys that have them, sure like them.
Thank you for putting this into perspective with a side by side comparison. . Eye opening to say the least...
Thank you to "Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk" for the video, and "Ridyn H" for this comment. My eyes have been opened!!!
My Tundra V8 says 1650 payload and I put 2 tons + of dirt in that bed every 6 months for work around my farm. Never had a problem.
I’ve towed 11,000+ lbs multiple times of straw or hay and never had a problem.
Tundra FTW!
A N D with GM trucks, as Tim pointed out a couple of weeks ago, you need to look inside the glove box with a flashlight for a hidden sticker if you are considering a slide-in camper. Despite your camper and total payload being under the Door Jamb Sticker Payload, most 1500 series trucks cannot have a slide-in camper. For years now, GM has been putting a sticker in their 1500 series 5.5 ft bed trucks (most of this series trucks sold) that prohibits a camper.
I agree. The exact specs should be on the build and price summary
There really is no good reason why manufacturers shouldn't be able to tell you a payload rating when selecting options in the configuguator. They know what each package weighs and how options like Max Tow increase or decrease the base.
exactly
I just don't understand this whole issue of wanting to know the most accurate capacity possible. I mean, if 165 lbs is making or breaking you, then you're buying the wrong type of truck! Buy a bigger truck and be comfortable, or don't tow or haul at all! It's that simple.
Ride quality and usability mostly. People want a 1/2 ton for size and smoother ride and with the higher max towing numbers they want to use it like a 3/4 ton.
@@Pickuptrucktalk Oh, I understand what people want. I don't understand why anyone would sacrifice towing/hauling confidence and safety for it.
I have the max tow in an F-150 rated at 14000 pounds and a payload of 1,804 pounds. Yes, I could pull that much with one or two people in the truck. However, l wouldn't do it due to the physics of the half ton with that much weight behind it. A 3/4 ton or one ton gives you the extra weight to keep the truck planted on the ground.
Big Truck Big RV does a great job on his channel talking about this issue. Especially one of the bigger RV trailer versus a flat bed trailer. There is a huge difference in how they tow with a half ton.
I get what every one is saying but this partly falls on the manufacturer, for continuing to increase tow ratings etc. all in the name of advertisement. Unfortunately we live in a world where Common sense is dead. You shouldn’t realistically haul a enclosed Trailer/RV with a weight of 10K or More with a 1/2 ton. There are just to many variables. Yet here we are…
@@jayray274 I agree with you. What makes it even more confusing, is (Ford for example) The F250 diesel crew cab 4x4, has a payload at around 2,200lbs (and just under 2k in some configurations) that same truck has a max tow of nearly 20,000lbs. In that case, you are now talking 3/4 ton, but the payload issue you have with said trailer on the half ton, would remain on the 3/4 ton. 🤔
My 2001 dodge ram diesel 2500 4x4 automatic transmission a few upgrades to tow it is great vehicle 👍
You’re really putting out content these days!
Passenger weights is around 190 lbs for planes and boats.that is a fact.cars are different as you stated. Good 👍
To me this issue seems like 50/50 manufacturers not publicizing numbers and willful ignorance by many consumers who either do not care or actively rebel against the manufactures numbers.
This is not difficult, every truck has its own number and EVERYTHING you put in that truck needs to be accounted for when doing the math. Helper springs do not matter, air bags do not matter, "I've towed this way for years" does not matter. Read the sticker, do the math, plan/pack/haul accordingly.
Additionally to echo the statements of Kyle B below, with all the stuff they are putting in these trucks, its time to consider raising the licensed GVWR that are frequently the imaginary number limiting all of this because manufactures do not want to bother getting their frames re-tested.
Personal Opionion: Max Towing of any current 1/2 Ton truck should be limited to: 10,000 lbs. because once you begin to exceed that towed weight, you will likely run out of useable payload before you can reach the max tow rating of the truck. Most new 1/2 Ton trucks, once equipped with some options will rarely have a payload capacity of above 1,500 lbs.
All of this gave me such a headache and stress over the years we recently went with a Sierra 3500 w/ 6.6 Duramax. I'm so far under the capability of that truck its completely stress free. Our toyhauler has a max weight of 9,999lbs. So I can completely load that thing to the max with toys, full 100gal of water, full fuel station tank... put another ATV in the bed, load the truck with passengers and we're still well under max GCVWR (29700lbs) . Its nice
I tow a 10k fully loaded trailer a lot with my 13k max tow truck, and 1300 lbs is too much tongue weight for it. I use it for deliveries, so the trailer payload gets gradually reduced from the back to front, so the tongue weight increases as it's unloaded. I use a weigh safe ball mount so I know what the tongue weight is on the truck and I'll shift weight to the rear of the trailer if it gets too heavy in front. If I pulled more than 10k over long distances, I'd only do it with a weight distributing hitch.
This is exactly why we don’t get a Tacoma. I want one for a number of reasons, but 940-1000 lbs on the one I want is not nearly enough. Wife, me, and 3 dogs alone is like 600 lbs.
I believe Tim one time showed that the payload sticker on a minivan at a car show was considerably higher than a half ton truck from the same manufacturer. Large class suv's often show more payload capability than 1/2 ton trucks. It's surprising and somewhat misleading given the indestructible image manufacturer commercials show for 1/2 ton trucks on tv.
All to do with the intended market and use case. It does seem odd by manufacturers know pickup owners have a tendency to overdo things so they often limit aspects or build in additional buffers into their ratings so that if there is a failure it is blatantly obvious that the limits were far exceeded. They do this for tires too, P rated tires on pickups have to have their ratings cut by 10% when used for trucks and work vans.
Thank you so much
Payload is the combined weight of cargo and passengers that your vehicle is carrying.
My Tacoma door sticker says 920lbs of payload. Which is trash and my previous 1500 was only 1,300 lbs.
So Tim what does a Maverick hybrid towing capacity?
Toyota specific question. I understand options will change payload but when one looks online at the Toyota spec page for the Tundra it states payload is around 1800+. But when one looks in the owner's manual, max payload on any tundra is 1350 -1600. Why the difference? According to the manual, no Tundra has a payload of 1800.
Is fuel and oil weights factored into payload? Is the payload based on a "dry" vehicle weight or is it based on a vehicle with full oil level and fuel?
Tim, do you know if when the manufacturers do the towing tests if they use a trailer brake controller to come up with their numbers or is it the truck brakes alone ? I have a 2022 sierra limited, my door sticker says I'm good for max 8800 lbs but my truck didn't come from the factory with a trailer brake controler and I can't help but feel like that would be sketchy AF if someone tried to tow that weight with a half ton and no trailer brakes. I only do light towing but even with about 3k lbs in tow I wouldn't want to have to stop in a hurry without the trailer brakes.
I believe a TBC would be used to achieve the ratings. Manufacturers often put small print for their ratings saying stuff like “when properly equipped” to cover things like that or WD hitches etc.
You don't have a full floating axle in half tons your wheel can fly right off if axle fails. Hd trucks won't fling your tire if axle fails
Isnt payload just a way of saying "dont go over GVWR" (nor exceed GAWRs)?
Yes another way to look at it.
Ultimately we as consumers have to take responsibility and know what we are doing when using trucks and determining our specific limitations. I want to stress that first and foremost. With that being said I think these manufacturers in their endless wars for advertisement bragging rights are atleast somewhat to blame for these just ridiculous miscalculations that people make. Or assumptions would be a better word to use.
It’s absolutely ludicrous to expect to be able to tow 13,000 pounds with any half ton truck. It’s a disaster waiting to happen. And yet they make them (few and far between however) and that’s the number you see in advertisements and so someone that is new to trucks and/or towing ends up getting into trouble.
But again, ultimately we have to do our research and determine what actually works and not just assume that all half tons can tow 13,000.
Question do you have the unveiling of the two thousand seven silverado nobody style video
I don't know why so many people obsess about exceeding the payload by a couple hundred pounds. It's not that big of a deal. Exceeding total towing weight is more of a problem because of being able to stop it. If you have any payload on a truck and drive through hard bumps, you are putting WAY more stress on a frame than having a few hundred more pounds on the truck on smooth roads. I guarantee that guy with the 3500 RAM broke in half did most of the damage driving on rough roads. Dynamic loads are what hurts frames.
I am pretty safe with a long wheelbase 5500, with max tow.
Is a full tank of gas included in the GVWR? My F-150 has the factory 36 gal tank and the door sticker shows GVWR 7050 lbs. The fuel alone is around 288 lbs so it has to be accounted for in one of the weight ratings. Is it included in the GVWR or does it have to be added as part of the payload?.
They figure the numbers with a full tank of fuel.
Very good!!!
Nailed it!!!
Hey if my SUV tows 5,000 pounds and I’m interested in getting one of those RV things you pull with your car what would be the weight I should go for on my RV?
Depends on the what Tim talked about here. What you choose should obviously not exceed 5k GVWR but also you need to consider your payload, intended load and vehicle characteristics (along with geographic area sometimes).
I just spec'd out a crew cab standard box Chevrolet with the max tow package. ~13000lb towing capacity ~2400lb payload. That's 1100lb of payload before you start tapping into your 10% hitch weight goal. Yes, it's certainly a consideration, but I don't think it's a deal breaker in any way in regard to getting the full towing capacity. They give you quite a bit of wiggle room.
2400 lbs of payload? Is that the advertised maximum or a real number?
@Pickup Truck Plus SUV Talk , it was from their build and price website. I just picked an RST with the 5.3. Max tow package. Under the summary page. I'm sure it varies from there, though.
@@ned8936 yeah that’s not accurate at all.
Then it's false advertising. Plain and simple. I literally picked the configuration. It wasn't like it was some graph that gave you the best case scenario in that class of truck.
@@ned8936 Did you click on the disclosure indicator on the home page? It states:
"Requires Silverado Regular Cab Standard Bed or Long Bed 2WD with 2.7L Turbo engine. For comparison purposes only. See the Owner’s Manual and the label on the vehicle door jamb for the carrying capacity of a specific vehicle."
Here is a section right out of the Chevy trailering manual - Maximum Trailer Weight Rating This rating is determined by subtracting the tow vehicle’s weight (curb weight) from the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR). Base vehicle (curb) weight plus 150 lbs. each for the driver and a front passenger
is used, so additional passengers, equipment and cargo weight reduce this rating. This rating can be found on the Trailering Information Label located on the doorframe for Silverado 1500, Silverado 1500 LTD, Silverado HD, Suburban and Tahoe.
Does this mean that Chevy includes 300 lbs for curb weight for a driver and passenger?? Hoping someone can clarify.
What page?
7
Sure estimate the weight, but if towing you should weigh their vehicle and trailer "loaded for bear". Did that and got 12,140, under the 14,800lbs GCWR rating for my spec F150.
Nobody has explained to me why Chevy lists a max goose ball weight on their trucks that is WAY under the payload capacity. As far as I know, they are the only manufacturer currently doing this. My 22 3500HD has 4160# payload (plenty for my lightweight fifth wheel). But then the door sticker stops my max goose ball weight at 2460# (very close to what it actually is) .I only haul my spouse and a small cooler in the truck. My goose ball weight counts towards my payload ( which I know) but I can't use my excess payload towards my goose ball capacity. Doesn't make sense to me. I feel very cheated on payload because of this.
That’s a heck of an observation. I have yet to dig that deep into this item. I really need to get a goose neck trailer to discuss these topics.
Great info
One trip to WalMart will disprove the 165# number.
Eh, from Canada, lol. I agree manufacturers need to be held to account. In Canada when I build my Toyota Tundra hybrid I get a payload rating of over 1600 lbs, we really can’t add any options to these trucks here in Canada and when the trucks come they are well below the 1600 lbs, in fact the payload is 20% lower. This really is false advertising.
My 2022 GMC Denali has a 1300 lb payload... Really hard to tow anything real unless you are towing alone and with no gear. At 15% tongue weight, the 8800lb trailer already exceeds payload... without a hitch, gear, passenger, even a driver. Assuming you've got 600 lbs worth of people and gear and luggage and dog, you're maxing out at 4700 lbs of trailer weight, or a Miata on a steel trailer. Pathetic and extremely frustrating after spending a whole lot of money and not even getting close to the advertised specs.
What’s the information for a 2018 Nissan Titan XD S? All that’s on the door is gvwr and payload
You want to know the max towing information?
@@Pickuptrucktalk yes please
@@atruckinlady Unlike most brands, Nissan doesn't seem to have a towing chart per se. You can find towing information here: www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/trucks/titan/specs/compare-specs.html#modelName=King%20Cab%C2%AE%20S|4x2,Crew%20Cab%20Platinum%20Reserve|4x4
Since the Titan XD hasn't changed a whole lot, the 2023 numbers should still apply. Depending on cab size and 2wd or 4wd, maximum towing looks like it is around 9,300 lbs.
My 2022 Titan XD Pro4X has a max tow of 11,100 lbs, and payload of 2,200lbs. (Indicated by the door sticker)
@@ridynh7923 nice….mine doesn’t show tow capacity unfortunately
The sticker on the truck is the payload, period. The sticker on my 2wd Tacoma is 1200 pounds. There is a supplemental sticker on my truck that says my payload on my truck has been reduced because of dealer installed options (installed running boards). Max tow ratings advertised by manufacturers are misleading as are max payload ratings. They should not be able to advertise these numbers.
Payload seems to be very different with different vehicles. I had a 2006 Honda Ridgeline EXL-Navi (top of the line) which I believe it had a payload of 1500 (cannot confirm since it has been written-off several months ago) and had a towing capacity of 5000. Now I look at the 2023 Sequoia Platinum and I find that it specifies the payload to be 1410 and towing capacity 9010. This is strange since the Ridgeline is unibody on frame while the Sequoia is fully boxed frame but has a lower rating. Can you explain? Like you indicated if you calculate 10-15% tongue weight it can come very close to payload. Sequoia: 9010 * 0.15 = 1351.5 which leaves 58.5 for the passengers and equipment - totally impossible. Ridgeline: 5000 * 0.15 = 750 which give you 750 of additional payload - totally doable. What gives here?
Curb weight. The Sequoia weighs more which translates into lower payload than one would assume.
@@Pickuptrucktalk This is true, but you need a full-size pickup to haul more than 5000, which out trailer is just under fully loaded. You can tow more but you have less payload.
Curb weight has a lot to do with it. My 2014 (steel body) F150 with payload package has a payload capacity of just under 1800 lbs, with a gvwr of 7650 lbs. in 2015 when Ford switched to aluminum bodies, the curb weight dropped by about 700 lbs, while the gvwr stayed the same if equipped with payload package (7650 gvwr). Payload climbed to about 2500 lbs depending on on option’s. I know a couple of people that had 2015+ F150’s that had the 7650 gvwr, and those trucks bounced around like crazy on washboard surfaces, it seem’s that the 7650 gvwr became more rare on later model’s, due to harsh rides, where 7000 gvwr is more common, bringing the payload back down to around 1800 lbs, which seems to be a sweet spot for half tons.
It is annoying AF that you have no idea how options can impact a vehicle, unless you look at a similar speced vehicle. It can vary 1000lbs of payload. Even selecting a the wrong tires/rims options can cut the payload by a lot. Manufacturers make this as clear as dirt, then people drive their death traps down the road.
If your number drags on the ground it’s too heavy.
If your bumper drags on the ground it’s too heavy.
This is another reason why I hate max tow half tons. It's practically impossible.
Ram 1500 limited payload are like 1200 pounds. They are pointless trucks for towing.
could a 2023 1500 with a standard bed, crewcab and max trailering handle a camper that weighs 8800-9000 lbs with two occupants? struggling with the mental math right now.... typically two occupants in the truck with firewood (1/4 full) in the bed.
What are the pertinent weights for all those things?
Yes, but it depends on the payload. A 9000 trailer means a 900 pound tongue weight. So subtract 900 pounds from your payload capacity to get how much passengers and luggage you can add to your truck.
In the USA we tow what we want until va star troopers catch you.
This why fifth wheels should not be towed by 1/2 ton trucks.
Chevy Silverado can hall 18000 pounds if you have the balls.
Maybe a 2500.