Towing Capacity Calculator
Enter the ratings from your own vehicle label and owner’s manual, what you carry and the trailer you plan to pull. You get an estimate from the ratings you enter: the heaviest trailer those numbers allow, which limit is lowest, and whether your planned trailer is within each one. It is not an official specification and never replaces the manufacturer’s tow rating.
Last updated November 4, 2026
Editable rule of thumb (10% to 15% is commonly cited for conventional trailers), not a standard.
Not an official vehicle specification. The manufacturer's published rating and the lowest rating in the system (vehicle, hitch, trailer, tires) govern; never exceed any rating. This does not replace the owner's manual, a certified scale or a qualified installer. Towing laws and equipment requirements vary by location.
Result
Estimate from the ratings you enter
Maximum trailer estimate = 7,500 lb
Lowest limit: Hitch rating.
Your planned 6,000 lb trailer is within every rating you entered.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Available payload | 1,200 lb |
| Tongue weight | 600 lb |
| Payload left after tongue | 600 lb |
| Combined weight (GCW) | 11,800 lb |
| Limit: Manufacturer max tow rating | 9,000 lb |
| Limit: GCWR minus loaded vehicle | 8,200 lb |
| Limit: Payload divided by tongue % | 12,000 lb |
| Limit: Hitch rating | 7,500 lb |
| Trailer vs manufacturer tow rating | OK, 3,000 lb to spare |
| Trailer vs hitch rating | OK, 1,500 lb to spare |
| Tongue weight vs payload | OK, 600 lb to spare |
| Combined weight (GCW) vs GCWR | OK, 2,200 lb to spare |
Show the work
Formula: max trailer = lowest of (tow rating, GCWR - loaded vehicle, payload / tongue %, hitch rating)
- Entered (lb): curb 5,200, GVWR 7,000, GCWR 14,000, occupants and cargo 600, trailer 6,000, tongue 10%. Manufacturer tow rating 9,000. Hitch rating 7,500.
- Payload: 7,000 - 5,200 - 600 = 1,200.
- Tongue weight: 6,000 x 10% = 600; payload left = 600.
- GCWR limit: 14,000 - (5,200 + 600) = 8,200. Payload limit: 1,200 / 10% = 12,000.
- Maximum trailer = lowest of 9,000, 8,200, 12,000, 7,500 = 7,500 (Hitch rating). GCW = 5,800 + 6,000 = 11,800 against GCWR 14,000.
Result: Maximum trailer estimate = 7,500 lb
How the towing estimate is calculated
max trailer = lowest of (tow rating, GCWR − loaded vehicle, payload ÷ tongue %, hitch rating)
Important
the manufacturer’s published rating and the lowest rating in the whole system (vehicle, hitch, trailer and tires) govern. Never exceed any rating. This page does not replace the owner’s manual, a certified scale or a qualified installer, and towing laws and equipment requirements vary by location.
Curb weight is the empty vehicle with fluids but without passengers or cargo. GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the most the vehicle may weigh when loaded. Payload is what is left for people, cargo and tongue weight: GVWR minus curb weight minus the occupants and cargo you already carry. GCWR (gross combined weight rating) is the most the vehicle and trailer may weigh together. GTW (gross trailer weight) is the trailer with its load. Tongue weight is the downward force the trailer puts on the hitch ball, and it counts against payload.
The calculator turns each rating into a trailer limit. The combined-weight limit is GCWR minus the loaded vehicle (curb weight plus occupants and cargo). The payload limit is available payload divided by the tongue percentage, because the tongue weight is that share of the trailer. If you enter a manufacturer tow rating or a hitch rating, those are limits too. The smallest limit is the maximum trailer estimate, and the page names which one binds.
The tongue percentage is an editable rule of thumb, not a standard. A range of about 10% to 15% is commonly cited for conventional trailers, but your trailer maker or a certified scale gives the real figure.
See how we calculate for the formulas, sources and review schedule behind every calculator.
Checking your planned trailer
Beyond the maximum, the calculator tests the trailer you plan to pull against each rating you entered. It compares trailer weight with the tow rating and hitch rating, tongue weight with available payload, and the combined weight of the loaded vehicle plus trailer (GCW) with GCWR. Each line shows OK with the margin left, or OVER with how far past the rating you are.
Do not tow a combination that is over any rating, even if other lines look fine.
Pounds, kilograms and optional ratings
Choose pounds or kilograms once and enter every weight in that unit. Switching converts values with 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg. Leave the tow rating or hitch rating blank, or enter 0, if you lack it; the estimate then uses only the limits it can calculate, so it may be higher than your real limit.
How to use the Towing Capacity Calculator
- Choose pounds or kilograms and enter curb weight, GVWR and GCWR from your vehicle label and owner’s manual.
- Enter the weight of occupants and cargo in the vehicle, and the tow rating and hitch rating if you have them.
- Enter the planned loaded trailer weight and the tongue weight percentage.
- Read the maximum trailer estimate, the lowest limit and the OK or OVER check for each rating, then compare with your manual.
Worked example
A truck has a 5,200 lb curb weight, 7,000 lb GVWR and 14,000 lb GCWR, carries 600 lb of people and cargo, and lists a 9,000 lb tow rating with a 7,500 lb hitch. Payload is 7,000 − 5,200 − 600 = 1,200 lb. At 10% tongue weight the payload limit is 1,200 ÷ 0.10 = 12,000 lb, and the GCWR limit is 14,000 − 5,800 = 8,200 lb. The lowest limit is the 7,500 lb hitch, so the estimate is 7,500 lb. A planned 6,000 lb trailer has 600 lb of tongue weight, 600 lb of payload left and an 11,800 lb combined weight, 2,200 lb under GCWR.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Available payload | 1,200 lb |
| Tongue weight at 10% | 600 lb |
| Tow rating limit | 9,000 lb |
| GCWR minus loaded vehicle | 8,200 lb |
| Payload limit | 12,000 lb |
| Hitch rating limit | 7,500 lb |
| Maximum trailer estimate | 7,500 lb (hitch) |
Frequently asked questions
Is this the official towing capacity of my vehicle?
No. It is an estimate from the ratings you enter. The manufacturer’s published rating and the lowest rating in the system govern, and you must not exceed any rating.
Where do I find GVWR, GCWR and curb weight?
GVWR is usually on the door-jamb label. Curb weight, GCWR and the tow rating are normally in the owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’s specification page for your exact build.
Why does payload limit how much I can tow?
Tongue weight presses down on the hitch and uses payload, along with passengers and cargo. A heavy load in the vehicle leaves less payload, so the safe trailer weight shrinks.
What tongue weight percentage should I use?
About 10% to 15% is commonly cited for conventional trailers, but it is only a rule of thumb. Use your trailer maker’s figure or weigh the tongue on a certified scale.
Are my numbers stored or sent anywhere?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing you enter is saved or uploaded.