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Enjoy Trouble Free Towing (Part-I)
Trouble free towing, free towing, free towing capacity
You are the proud owner of 4WD SUV or 4*4 pickup truck and want to use it
for towing. You have gone through all the documentation of your vehicle
to know about its towing capability and still you are confused. This is
because all vehicle manufacturers adopt different methods to calculate a
vehicle’s towing capacity. Here are some basic tips to help you in enjoying
a trouble free towing
trip.
Know your Towing Needs
Necessity is the mother of invention. You should be clear about your necessities/needs
of towing before purchasing a new towing vehicle. You may be towing light
weight trailers, small boats or transporting horses. You have to select
your towing vehicle accordingly. You may get some Tow
Vehicle Guides to fine tune your choices.
Towing Terminology: You should be familiar with the basic
terms associated with towing. Here are explained some of these:
Tow Rating is the figure supplied by the manufacturer and
tells about the maximum trailer weight for which a tow vehicle is capable
of towing.
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) is the weight of a
vehicle and its trailer including passengers, its fuel and luggage.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the maximum weight
of the vehicle plus the weight of its passengers, its fuel and cargo.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is the weight, an axle
can carry. The weight of axle is also included.
Axle Weight is the weight of axle of individual tow vehicle
or a trailer. Trailer’s tongue weight is not included in it
.
Cargo Weight is the weight of cargo including base curb
weight of the vehicle.
Base Curb Weight includes the weight of empty vehicle with
full fuel tank and its standard accessories.
Tonnage Weight is the maximum weight that is to be born
by the trailer hitch while towing.
Tow Weight includes the gross combined weight rating and
tonnage weight. This is the maximum weight which a towing vehicle can pull
with its trailer loaded.
Tongue Weight is the downward force that is applied on
to the hitch of the tow vehicle by the tongue of the trailer. It may be
about 9 to 15% of the gross trailer weight.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight is the weight of fully loaded
trailer that a towing truck can pull.
To clear any doubt about the weight of load, you should go to public scales
in your area and get your loaded vehicle weighed. These were the main terms
associated with towing business. You should be familiar with all of them
before making any decision about your proposed towing vehicle. Do not rely
solely on the salesperson’s recommendation. His main goal is to sell his
vehicle. He may misguide you. Chances are that he himself may not be much
familiar with the towing specifications. So do your homework to understand
all aspects before spending your hard earned money on tow
vehicle.
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