Wait on the Weight: Deciphering Towing Weights

Before buying an RV or a vehicle to tow the RV it is important to know some of the terms and restrictions associated with the weight of the unit. When you purchase a pick-up truck or SUV you will need to find out it’s towing capacity, meaning how much weight that the automobile can safely and securely tow. Once you have determined how much your vehicle can tow you then need to determine the weight of the trailer you are wanting to purchase. Here’s where it can get tricky. All too often people make the mistake of looking at the UVW or Unloaded Vehicle Weight. This is the weight of an RV before anything is placed in the unit. Sometimes people will refer to this as the shipping weight or the dry weight. The CCC or Cargo Carrying Capacity is the total weight of material that can be placed in an RV. This usually falls between 800 and 1200 lbs depending on the type of RV.

But the weight that I feel is the most important when it comes to staying safe and within your towing guidelines is the GVWR or Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This is the total weight of the vehicle and all materials placed in the vehicle. This includes everything from all of your clothing, your groceries, and toiletries. But what people often overlook is that this also includes your freshwater, LP gas, black water, and gray water weight. So when determining how much your vehicle can tow you need to take into consideration everything that adds weight to your RV in order to stay safe and steady on the road.