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Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
2,000 lbs (907 kg). But even
that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use
your rig. For example, speed,
altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your
vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all
important. It can also depend on
any special equipment that you have
on your vehicle, and the amount
of tongue weight the vehicle
can carry. See “Weight of the Trailer
Tongue” later in this section for
more information.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming only the driver is in the tow
vehicle and it has all the required
trailering equipment. The weight of
additional optional equipment,
passengers and cargo in the tow
vehicle must be subtracted form the
maximum trailer weight.
You can ask your dealer/retailer for
our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at our
Customer Assistance Offices.
See Customer Assistance Offices
on page 12-4 for more information.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total or gross
weight of your vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the
vehicle. If you have a lot of options,
equipment, passengers, or cargo
in your vehicle, it will reduce
the tongue weight your vehicle can
carry, which will also reduce the
trailer weight your vehicle can tow.
And if you tow a trailer, you
must add the tongue load to the
GVW because your vehicle will be
carrying that weight, too. See
Loading the Vehicle on page 8-30
for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
If you are using a weight-carrying
hitch, the trailer tongue (A)
should weigh 10 to 15 percent of
the total loaded trailer weight (B).
After you have loaded your trailer,
weigh the trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, you may be
able to get them right simply by
moving some items around in the
trailer.
Vehicle Service and Care 9-91