Towing Newbie - Confused by all the numbers

[brandomc]

Hey guys! I have a 2020 Limited Eco Deisel with the 3.21 gear ratio. The family is gearing up for a 780-mile journey to drop the kiddo off at college. We are planning to tow her car using a UHaul auto transport trailer. We are driving from Dallas, TX to Auburn, AL, with a stop halfway in Jackson, MS.

Truck:
GVWR = 7200
Payload = 1,245 on door jam sticker. Everything I found online says 1800. ???
GCWR = 13,900 found online
Passengers: 510
Cargo in Bed: 200

Trailer:
Empty Weight: 2210
Mazda CX-5: 3725
Cargo in CX-5: 150

When I plug these numbers into a towing calculator, I am pushing the limits. I've done around-town towing but not long-distance. I could shift heavier cargo to the CX-5 and lighten the truck bed.

ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE GREAT. Thank you!

 

[HSKR R/T]

Hey guys! I have a 2020 Limited Eco Deisel with the 3.21 gear ratio. The family is gearing up for a 780-mile journey to drop the kiddo off at college. We are planning to tow her car using a UHaul auto transport trailer. We are driving from Dallas, TX to Auburn, AL, with a stop halfway in Jackson, MS.

Truck:
GVWR = 7200
Payload = 1,245 on door jam sticker. Everything I found online says 1800. ???
GCWR = 13,900 found online
Passengers: 510
Cargo in Bed: 200

Trailer:
Empty Weight: 2210
Mazda CX-5: 3725
Cargo in CX-5: 150

When I plug these numbers into a towing calculator, I am pushing the limits. I've done around-town towing but not long-distance. I could shift heavier cargo to the CX-5 and lighten the truck bed.

ANY FEEDBACK WOULD BE GREAT. Thank you!

You will be fine. Just make sure your to gue weight isn't too high or too low. I would probably keep the heavier stuff in the CX-5 to help with the payload.

 

[CalvinC]

Welcome! First rule about towing with a half ton: forget about the tow rating.

Hear me out:

Especially if you are traveling with more than just yourself inside the vehicle, you'll always exceed the payload rating well before reaching the tow rating.

First rule about payload: forget about any numbers you found online and go by the yellow sticker on your truck.

So, here's the simple anecdotal view:
You'll be fine, lots of people have towed uhaul trailers all over this great country without ever so much as considering your questions. Asking shows you are well ahead of them. The Uhaul trailers are overbuilt and designed to carry weight pretty well balanced.
Load the Mazda engine first about as far forward as possible, and load any cargo you can into the Mazda, not the truck. Keep a keen sense for any wobble or sway when you are driving. If detected, a bit of braking can sometimes reign it in. If it doesn't, pull over and see if you can shift weight forward on the trailer and/or in the Mazda.


And here's the detailed numbers-obsessed view:
Here it's all about Payload; yours specifically @ 1,245. This is how much weight you can carry before anyone gets into the vehicle, or you put so much as a twikie in the glove box. Any and everything in or attached to the truck deducts from there.

Let's start our deductions with your trailer:

1. Combined weight of Uhaul + Mazda + cargo = 6,085 lbs
2. Add 10% unless you've taken this combo to a CAT scale, because the 2nd rule of towing is that it always weighs more than you think = 6,694 lbs.
3. Determine Tongue (hitch) weight; this is what will be deducted from your payload. TW is usually around 10%-12% for a bumper pull. 11% * 6,694 = 736 lbs.
4. Deduct tonue weight from payload: 1,245 - 736 = 509 lbs
5. You now have 509 lbs of capacity left for any people, cargo, and hitches in or on the truck. You'll have to take it from here to get your exact numbers, but if you can ensure that less weight than that will go into the truck, you will be compliant with the payload specs while towing.
6. You can see why its best to load any cargo you can in the trailer vs. in the truck; it only penalizes you 10-12% as much. But don't put any humans in the Mazda, unless they really, really annoy you.
7. If you are a little over payload, I'd say you're fine as long as its properly loaded as above & pay attention to sway as you drive. Better to have a "non-compliant" trailer driven safely than the invese, IMHO. Others may mention liability issues if you were to cause an accident. Not me though. Nope.

 

[brandomc]

Solid Write-Up: As for #6, the wife will definitely go in the Mazda. <<wink>> I was thinking of loading the Mazda with the heaviest cargo to reduce the truck's payload LBS.

 

[Ramroo]

^^^

Very good info, loading etc.

Just like he said, if the trailer starts to sway or wag like a dogs tail, pull over and shift weight
on the trailer toward the front. If you can’t shift it, put more weight on the front part of trailer.

Probably most trailering serious accidents happen because people don’t address the trailer wagging / loading issues. Can actually cause truck and trailer doing a 360, overturning, etc. Especially on wet roads.

Most don’t weight smaller trailers along with tongue weight because every load usually differs along with the hassle ( just ballpark the numbers to see if it can work, like above ). When towing heavy equipment, people towing trailer trailers, family, gear and adjusting weight distribution hitches should weigh to get to know exactly how you can load for future packing, loading and weight distribution.

It is readily apparent when when you have a trailer loaded improperly with not enough weight up front.

 

[Eighty]

To further clarify on the difference between your door sticker and the information found online: The online numbers are for a base model. Start adding options (like pano sunroof, ramboxes, even running boards), and that number is reduced. Your door sticker provides the VIN-specific payload capacity that is left over after accounting for vehicle options.
Keep in mind that if you have added anything else that wasn’t part of the factory order (such as a tonneau cover), then it should be deducted from your door sticker value.
For example, my truck has a door sticker payload capacity of 1107 lbs. but I added a tonneau cover and aftermarket folding steps. So my real payload capacity is now less than 1000 lbs.

 

[nc_beagle]

I towed a car on a uhaul trailer a few months ago for the first time. Barely knew it was back there. If you're like me, though, you'll wonder who that idiot riding your bumper is every time you glance in the rear view mirror.

 

[Brutal_HO]

Payload, meh.

Don't max out the Rear Axle Weight Rating (RAWR). Should be on the door sticker too. That would have to be adjusted if someone cheeped out on non OEM wheels rated lower.

Same as payload method though, you're unlikely to ever hit max tow with those gears.

 

[6of36]

^^^

Very good info, loading etc.

Just like he said, if the trailer starts to sway or wag like a dogs tail, pull over and shift weight
on the trailer toward the front. If you can’t shift it, put more weight on the front part of trailer.

Probably most trailering serious accidents happen because people don’t address the trailer wagging / loading issues. Can actually cause truck and trailer doing a 360, overturning, etc. Especially on wet roads.

Most don’t weight smaller trailers along with tongue weight because every load usually differs along with the hassle ( just ballpark the numbers to see if it can work, like above ). When towing heavy equipment, people towing trailer trailers, family, gear and adjusting weight distribution hitches should weigh to get to know exactly how you can load for future packing, loading and weight distribution.

It is readily apparent when when you have a trailer loaded improperly with not enough weight up front.

I've done that before, having something heavy, that wasn't expected, loaded on the back at the last minute. If it starts swaying the least little bit, stop immediately, and shift cargo! I have seen trucks hauling large campers flipped on the freeway, from improper loading.

 

[Ramroo]

I've done that before, having something heavy, that wasn't expected, loaded on the back at the last minute. If it starts swaying the least little bit, stop immediately, and shift cargo! I have seen trucks hauling large campers flipped on the freeway, from improper loading.

Friend of mine added a hitch to the back of his travel trailer and put a generator on it.
This shift in weight caused him, family, F350, and travel trailer to do a 180 on an expressway.