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Old 11-27-2012, 04:10 PM   #1
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Help me with the math please?

Ok, I’m not understanding this at all. I am trying to determine how much I can tow and the math just isn’t working out.

I have a 2011, Texas Edition, Toyota Tundra, 4.6L, double cab, 2wd, with the factory tow package. The sticker on the door jamb says:
Front axle weight = 3900lbs, Rear axle = 4000lbs, GVWR = 6700lbs. That leaves 1200lbs for cargo, fuel, people and tongue weight. I get that.

The Manual shows a GCWR of 14000lbs. 14000 – 6700 = 7300lbs. So why does the manual show a towing capacity of 8200lbs?

Am I screwing up the math? Is there something I’m missing? It’s the difference between buying the trailer we want and having to keep looking.
HELP!!!!!!
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Old 11-27-2012, 04:18 PM   #2
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My tundra says the same thing. I have the tow package and the TRD package. I don't know if the TRD boosts the towing. It also has the 4:10 gears but mine can tow 8200
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Old 11-27-2012, 04:33 PM   #3
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The maximum your truck can weigh with cargo, passengers, and trailer tongue weight is 6700 lbs. You cannot load both of your axles to their maximum rated weight equaling 7900 lbs.....that is 1200 lbs. over the listed GVWR of your truck. If you max out the back axle at 4000 lbs., then you can only put 2700 lbs. on the front axle, or visa versa....the 6700 lb. GVWR should never be exceeded.

The 14,000 lb. GCWR minus the 8200 lb. trailer towing capacity is 5800 lbs. That is probably close to your unloaded truck weight, plus the driver. You get the choice of pulling a 8200 lb. trailer and leave your family and cargo behind, or load up your truck to the maximum of 6700 lbs. and pull a trailer that has 7300 lbs. on the axles....the hitch weight of the trailer is already figured into the 6700 lb. GVWR.

Thoroughly confused now ??

On many 1/2 ton trucks, the trailer towing capacity is very misleading. If the trucks are pulling the maximum trailer, then very little else can be loaded into the truck before exceeding the GCWR.

You best bet would be to load up your expected passengers and cargo for camping trip, and head to a scale to see what your Tundra weighs. Then figure from that what kinda hitch weight you can manage, and also what would how much trailer you can pull before reaching the GCWR. Do a little "fudge factoring" for unexpected loads. Many people don't like to exceed 80% of their rated maximum trailer weight.
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Old 11-27-2012, 05:11 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtnguy
The maximum your truck can weigh with cargo, passengers, and trailer tongue weight is 6700 lbs. You cannot load both of your axles to their maximum rated weight equaling 7900 lbs.....that is 1200 lbs. over the listed GVWR of your truck. If you max out the back axle at 4000 lbs., then you can only put 2700 lbs. on the front axle, or visa versa....the 6700 lb. GVWR should never be exceeded.

The 14,000 lb. GCWR minus the 8200 lb. trailer towing capacity is 5800 lbs. That is probably close to your unloaded truck weight, plus the driver. You get the choice of pulling a 8200 lb. trailer and leave your family and cargo behind, or load up your truck to the maximum of 6700 lbs. and pull a trailer that has 7300 lbs. on the axles....the hitch weight of the trailer is already figured into the 6700 lb. GVWR.

Thoroughly confused now ??

On many 1/2 ton trucks, the trailer towing capacity is very misleading. If the trucks are pulling the maximum trailer, then very little else can be loaded into the truck before exceeding the GCWR.

You best bet would be to load up your expected passengers and cargo for camping trip, and head to a scale to see what your Tundra weighs. Then figure from that what kinda hitch weight you can manage, and also what would how much trailer you can pull before reaching the GCWR. Do a little "fudge factoring" for unexpected loads. Many people don't like to exceed 80% of their rated maximum trailer weight.
Every thing mtnguy said plus don't forget to add the actual weight of your weight distribution hitch and make sure your fuel tank is full.

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Old 11-27-2012, 06:35 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Doc and Tam View Post
Ok, I’m not understanding this at all. I am trying to determine how much I can tow and the math just isn’t working out.

I have a 2011, Texas Edition, Toyota Tundra, 4.6L, double cab, 2wd, with the factory tow package. The sticker on the door jamb says:
Front axle weight = 3900lbs, Rear axle = 4000lbs, GVWR = 6700lbs. That leaves 1200lbs for cargo, fuel, people and tongue weight. I get that.

The Manual shows a GCWR of 14000lbs. 14000 – 6700 = 7300lbs. So why does the manual show a towing capacity of 8200lbs?

Am I screwing up the math? Is there something I’m missing? It’s the difference between buying the trailer we want and having to keep looking.
HELP!!!!!!

Doc,

I am thinking you need help with the math and some definitions could help.

Each component in your truck and your camper have individual "max" ratings. The GVWR (the maximum the vehicle - truck or camper - can weigh) is the LOWEST maximum of the vehicle's components.

So, even though your front axle can carry 3900 pounds without damage and the rear axle can carry 4000 pounds without damage (7900 pounds between them), there is a component that is maxed out at 6700 pounds (normally the truck's - or camper's - frame).

When talking about COMBINED weight, that number is the maximum TOTAL weight (truck plus camper) that the truck's DRIVE TRAIN can PULL and STOP.

It is not "max truck" plus "max camper". If one (truck or camper) weighs "this"; then you subtract that number from the combined maximum weight to find out the max the other can weigh.

So, say your truck loaded for camping (without the camper attached) weighs in at 6000 pounds, the MOST the camper can weigh is 14,000 minus 6000 pounds (or 8,000 pounds).

However there is another number missing from your calculations and that is the calculation for tongue weight. As you may know for proper balance and handling, for a travel trailer, the tongue as a percent of total camper weight must fall between 10 and 15% (12.5% optimum). As such, an 8,000 pound camper properly loaded would have a tongue weight equal to 12.5% of 8000 pounds or 1000 pounds.

Adding the tongue load of 1000 pounds to the 6000 pound truck would overload it (7000 pounds), even though the other numbers are "good."
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Old 11-27-2012, 08:24 PM   #6
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Don't know about the OP but I'm confused why it is listed as 7300 lbs in one area but 8200lbs elsewhere. If the answer is in the examples stated above then I will need to toss in the towel.
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Old 11-27-2012, 08:58 PM   #7
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Don't know about the OP but I'm confused why it is listed as 7300 lbs in one area but 8200lbs elsewhere. If the answer is in the examples stated above then I will need to toss in the towel.
T,

It is because the towing capacity (the 8200 pound number) is rated for an empty truck (full gas and a 150 pound driver).

The 7300 pound number is what is left over for the camper (plus the tongue weight) if the truck is maxed out at its separate maximum gross weight.

Lets use the 8000 pound (actual weight) for the theoretical camper.

At 12.5% tongue to gross load, the truck would be carrying 1000 pounds of the camper's weight.

That means the camper's wheels will be carrying 7,000 pounds and if the truck was maxed out at 6700 pounds (including the tongue load), the truck "unhitched" would weigh 6700 - 1000 or 5700 pounds (loaded for camping).

You can quickly see that the "combination" would then weigh 6700 + 7000 or 13,700 pounds. Less than its maximum.

This is why weighing the TRUCK loaded as you will be towing is critical BEFORE you "go shopping." If you know what the truck will weigh "unhitched" you just subtract that number from the Maximum Gross Combined weight and you will get the MAXIMUM the camper can weigh LOADED.
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Old 11-28-2012, 03:50 AM   #8
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Thanks herk that makes sense... Just needed the terms explained....
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Old 11-28-2012, 08:32 AM   #9
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I wouldn't worry about it too much. If a properly equipped Tundra could tow the 292,000 pound space shuttle down a street in LA, it should be OK with any camper you hook up behind it!

Anyone seen the commercial yet? Did you see the axle housing deflect when it started rolling forward? Holy cow, I'm pretty sure they had to put that truck in the dumpster after that little show! I'm sure my Dodge could pull 146 tons rolling forward, but I wouldn't want it to. Crazy!
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Old 11-28-2012, 08:55 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Taranwanderer View Post
I wouldn't worry about it too much. If a properly equipped Tundra could tow the 292,000 pound space shuttle down a street in LA, it should be OK with any camper you hook up behind it!

Anyone seen the commercial yet? Did you see the axle housing deflect when it started rolling forward? Holy cow, I'm pretty sure they had to put that truck in the dumpster after that little show! I'm sure my Dodge could pull 146 tons rolling forward, but I wouldn't want it to. Crazy!
Might be a little tough to stop from highway speed I am thinking. Like that old Urban Legend about the guy who bolted a rocket motor to the bed of his pickup truck and lit it off on a straight road. When the road curved he could not turn or slow down.
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Old 11-28-2012, 09:20 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by Taranwanderer View Post
I wouldn't worry about it too much. If a properly equipped Tundra could tow the 292,000 pound space shuttle down a street in LA, it should be OK with any camper you hook up behind it!

Anyone seen the commercial yet? Did you see the axle housing deflect when it started rolling forward? Holy cow, I'm pretty sure they had to put that truck in the dumpster after that little show! I'm sure my Dodge could pull 146 tons rolling forward, but I wouldn't want it to. Crazy!
I don't think the Tundra did anything special. Look at this:
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Old 11-28-2012, 10:35 AM   #12
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Sure sure..... But as you see, they didn't use a NEW Chevy...
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Old 11-28-2012, 10:47 AM   #13
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Sure sure..... But as you see, they didn't use a NEW Chevy...
True
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Old 11-28-2012, 05:06 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Taranwanderer View Post
I wouldn't worry about it too much. If a properly equipped Tundra could tow the 292,000 pound space shuttle down a street in LA, it should be OK with any camper you hook up behind it!

Anyone seen the commercial yet? Did you see the axle housing deflect when it started rolling forward? Holy cow, I'm pretty sure they had to put that truck in the dumpster after that little show! I'm sure my Dodge could pull 146 tons rolling forward, but I wouldn't want it to. Crazy!

But you need to consider the speed they were towing the space shuttle at. When I saw it on the news there were guys walking among the sides of the Tundra.
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Old 11-28-2012, 05:23 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
Might be a little tough to stop from highway speed I am thinking. Like that old Urban Legend about the guy who bolted a rocket motor to the bed of his pickup truck and lit it off on a straight road. When the road curved he could not turn or slow down.
its not an urban legend - you really need to come to an OMI Rally!!
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