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Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1,500 lbs (680 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 must be subtracted
from the maximum trailer weight.
You can ask your dealer/retailer for trailering
information or advice.
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 Your Vehicle on page 4-22
for more information about your vehicle’s maximum
load capacity.
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