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How Much Can My Truck Tow?

2021 Chevrolet Silverado HD towing bales of hay

How much can my truck tow? This is a common question we get from Milwaukee drivers. There are various things to consider when calculating your truck’s capability, such as payload vs. towing capacity. Learn more about calculating how much your truck can tow with the experts at Badger Truck & Auto Group below.


Payload vs. Towing Capacity

When calculating how much your truck can tow, the payload vs. towing capacity is one of the most important things to consider. Payload is defined as maximum wait your truck car haul in the bed plus its curb weight. When calculating towing capacity, you are measuring how much your truck is able to tow after curb wait and maximum cargo is taken into consideration. Let’s check out a few important things that determine payload and towing capacity:

  • GVWR: GVWR, or gross vehicle weight rating is important when calculating towing capacity. You can easily figure this out by checking the sticker in the driver’s side door, or in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. In short GVWR is how much the truck can carry inside.
  • Curb Weight: When calculating, how much can my truck tow, curb weight is important to factor into the equation. Curb weight is how much your truck weighs without any cargo, or empty. One simple trick to determining how much additional weight your truck can carry is to subtract the curb weight from the gross vehicle weight.
  • GCVWR: Although similar to GVWR, GCWR stands for gross combined vehicle weight rating. It measures the total amount of weight that your powertrain is capable of moving—vehicle, cargo, and towing weight included.

Calculating Your Truck’s Towing Capacity

Although the manufacturer estimates your truck’s overall towing capacity, it is more accurate to calculate it yourself due to knowing how much both you and your truck weigh. You need to consider the GCWR; however, you’ll also need to account for the passengers inside the vehicle. The calculation for your overall towing capacity is GCWR – curb weight = maximum towing capacity. You should also consider how many passengers and cargo that you have in your vehicle and make an estimate of how much they weigh. 


Learn More About Towing Capacity at Badger Truck & Auto Group

Now that you know how to determine how much your truck can tow, stop by Badger Truck & Auto Group to learn more about payload vs. towing capacity. Consult our experts near Chicago to get a more accurate estimate of your overall towing capacity, and for additional service tips and tricks to keep your truck running longer. If you live near Madison or Waukesha and have any questions, feel free to contact us anytime!

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