How is Towing Capacity Determined
If you have recently purchased a truck or SUV, then we encourage you to become educated on how towing capacity is determined. If you start blindly towing your camper, boat, or trailer, you can badly damage your vehicle’s engine, the equipment you are hauling, or you may even put you and your family/friends in harm’s way. Whether you bought your truck or SUV from Mankato Motors or not, we are always here to answer any questions you may have about the towing capacity of your specific model. We take great pride in making a difference in the lives of our customers day in and day out, and we promise to put our best forward.
Research is Key
If you intend on towing, it is important to research towing capacity prior to your truck or SUV purchase. Typically, mentioning this to your salesperson can help determine if the vehicle you have in mind is enough for your desired lifestyle. One thing to keep in mind is to always go higher. If you think you will be okay with a 5,000 pound towing capability, find a vehicle that can tow at least 7,500 pounds just in case of unforeseen weight or circumstances.
The Calculation
Learning how towing capacity is determined is not too difficult. The first thing you want to do is locate the vehicle manual, which will include a chart of gross weights that your truck or SUV can handle. While there are a lot of acronyms to learn (GAW, GAWR, etc.) the most important are the Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) and the Gross Combination Weight (GCW). The GCWR tells you the maximum weight your vehicle can sustain including the total weight of the vehicle, luggage, passengers, and trailer weight. If you cannot find this number in your truck or SUV manual, please do your research or speak to our automotive experts at Mankato Motors. The GCW is the Gross Combination Weight. This number should never exceed the GCWR. If it does, you could be damaging your engine, suspension, brakes, and transmission.
Changes in Tow
Vehicle towing capacity can change with every new model year. It is important to educate yourself on what these capacities are before your purchase. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to visit our website, or come visit us at the store at 1815 Madison Avenue in Mankato. We look forward to hearing from you. Happy towing!