Towing Weights & Trailer Loading

Section 1 — The Numbers You Need to Know

• GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)the maximum allowable total weight of your loaded trailer: structure, cargo, water, everything. Stamped on the door sticker inside your trailer's entry door. You may not exceed it legally or safely. Record yours: _______
• GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)the maximum weight each axle is rated to carry. Also on the trailer door sticker. On tandem-axle trailers, uneven loading can push one axle over its GAWR even if total trailer weight is within GVWR. Record yours: _______
• UVW (Unloaded Vehicle Weight)the trailer's weight as it left the factory, no cargo or water added. The manufacturer's baseline — actual UVW after dealer-installed options is almost always higher. Record yours: _______
• CCC (Cargo Carrying Capacity)GVWR minus UVW. Every pound of cargo, water, food, gear, and personal items must fit within this number. On midsize trailers it is commonly only 1,000–1,500 lbs — a full 40-gallon fresh water tank alone consumes 332 lbs of it. Calculate yours: _______
• Tongue Weight target rangemust be 10–15% of your total loaded trailer weight (not GVWR — the actual weight when hitched). Too little causes sway; too much overloads the tow vehicle's rear axle and lightens the front wheels. Calculate your range after Section 5.
• GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)the maximum combined weight of the tow vehicle and loaded trailer together. Found in the tow vehicle's owner's manual — not the brochure, not the dealer's estimate. Record yours: _______
• Tow Vehicle Payloadhow much the tow vehicle can carry total: every passenger, cargo in the bed, and the tongue weight pressing down on the hitch. Found on the tow vehicle's door sticker. Full-size trucks commonly rate 1,500–2,000 lbs — two adults, two kids, gear behind the seat, and 700 lbs of tongue weight can fill that budget before anything goes in the bed. Record yours: _______

Section 2 — Where To Find Your Numbers

• Trailer door stickerGVWR, GAWR, CCC; photograph it and save it to your phone and a cloud folder; this sticker is your permanent reference and is not reproduced anywhere else in your documentation
• Tow vehicle door stickerGVWR and payload capacity; also photograph; the payload number is the one that matters most for daily use
• Tow vehicle owner's manualtowing capacity, GCWR, tongue weight limit; these are the binding numbers; a dealer's verbal estimate of what your truck can tow is not the same as what's in the manual
• Hitch receiver ratingstamped on the receiver tube or on the ball mount; commonly 3,500 or 5,000 lbs; has a tongue weight limit separate from the trailer weight limit; both numbers must exceed your actual tongue weight and trailer weight
• Hitch ball ratingstamped on the ball shank; must individually exceed your tongue weight; ball ratings and receiver ratings are separate limits, and both apply

Section 3 — The Tongue Weight Rule

• Calculate your tongue weight rangetotal loaded trailer weight × 10% = minimum; × 15% = maximum; write both numbers here and keep them
• Verify the tow vehicle's tongue weight limit (from owner's manual) is above your maximum calculated tongue weight
• Verify the hitch ball rating and receiver rating are both individually above your tongue weight

Section 4 — How to Load Your Trailer

• 60% of cargo weight forward of the axle, 40% behindthis is the loading rule with the largest single effect on tongue weight; shift cargo rearward and tongue weight drops; shift it forward and tongue weight rises
• Heaviest items low and forwardnear the axle centerline and as low in the compartment as possible; stacking weight high raises the trailer's center of gravity and worsens sway dynamics; placing it behind the axle reduces tongue weight
• Never overload one sideleft-right balance matters; an uneven load causes the trailer to track slightly off-center and puts unequal stress on the axle; if it's visibly leaning, redistribute before driving
• Fresh water adds weight fast1 gallon = 8.3 lbs; a full 40-gallon fresh water tank = 332 lbs; this single item can change your tongue weight range significantly depending on where the tank sits relative to the axle
• People and gear count everywhereevery passenger in the tow vehicle counts against tow vehicle payload; every bag and box inside the trailer counts against CCC; both are commonly overlooked until the scale reveals the problem
• Weigh loaded, not estimatedsee Section 5

Section 5 — How to Actually Weigh Your Setup

• Find the nearest CAT Scaledownload the CAT Scale app to locate truck stop scales by distance; cost is approximately $12 for the first weigh and $1.50 for a reweigh
• Drive the fully loaded rig onto the scaleeverything packed as it would be for departure: full food, gear, passengers, and whatever water you'll actually travel with
• Get the axle-by-axle breakdownthe CAT Scale receipt shows your front tow vehicle axle, rear tow vehicle axle, and trailer axle(s) separately; this is the data you need
• Compare rear axle weight to tow vehicle's rated rear GAWRif over, reduce tongue weight by shifting cargo rearward or removing cargo from the tow vehicle
• Compare trailer axle weight to trailer's GAWRif over, reduce cargo from the trailer; do not drive until this is within spec
• Calculate tongue weight from the scaletotal combo weight minus front axle minus rear axle minus trailer axle(s) equals tongue weight; confirm it falls in your 10–15% window

Section 6 — Common Overloading Mistakes