Towing guides

The concepts behind the numbers — written plainly, sourced, and linked to the tools that use them.

• Payload vs towing capacity Why payload — not the tow rating — usually stops you first.
• What is GVWR? The one weight limit that ties payload together.
• GCWR explained The combined truck-plus-trailer limit, in plain terms.
• Tongue weight guide How to hit 10–15%, measure it, and fix it by loading.
• Hitch classes I–V What each receiver class can and can't pull.
• Weight-distribution hitches What they do, when you need one, how to set one up.
• SAE J2807 explained The test standard behind modern tow ratings.
• How to weigh your trailer Using a CAT scale to get real numbers.
• Are OEM tow ratings accurate? What the marketing max does and doesn't tell you.
• Can vs. should When a legal tow is still a bad tow — margin, wind, grades, braking.

Ready to run your numbers? Head to the calculators — or straight to the tow-match calculator. Shopping for a receiver? The hitch class section has a selector and a deep dive on each class I–V.