To further this thread, (hijack is such an ugly word) Definitely get your hands on an owner's manual of any truck you decide to go with. For instance when I got my Tundra it read 10,000 lbs towable and there's this little tiny asterisks that stated "properly equipped"
For the Tundra at least, several factors determine the actual towable weight, such as engine, 2wd or 4wd, and bed type (long or short.) The least expensive Tundra can only tow 6,400! The highest is 10,300. I only read the manual thoroughly enough just yesterday and realized mine maxes out at 9,400 AND I need a weight distribution hitch as all tundras require it after a 5,000 gross trailer weight. (I'll go and return the 10,000 lb ball I bought a week ago
)
The stickers inside the door as mentioned before gives some important info. Mine states GVWR is 7200 lbs. My truck's unladen weight is 5,530 (as per the title) So that gives me a difference of 1670 lbs that I can load into the truck (correct me if I'm wrong) However, on the tire and loading information sticker it says the combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 1,240 lbs. So there's a 430 lb difference. It's unclear if the weight is added in for gas weight (I have a 38 lb tank at approx 7lbs per gallon yielding 266 lbs in fuel) So does that mean 164 lbs are lost somewhere in extra equipment somewhere, did it not account for gas, or is that purely a restriction of the tires?
It's confusing because on the other sticker sticker it says the tire rating is 4,000 lbs for the front axle and 4,150 for the rear. So my max weight on the tires is 8,150 lbs great.
If my max towable weight is 9,400 pounds towable how much of that weight is transferred to the vehicle? Just tongue weight and only to the rear axle? Could I exceed my 4,150 rear axle tire rating by loading the tongue weight to the max?
If the 1,240 max weight of passengers and cargo is divided evenly over the two axles that means my max tongue weight can only be 620 lbs? So only 6,200 lb total trailer weight?
But then I have to figure my fat ass, a case of beer, and 3lbs of beef jerky...
I don't get it.
So many little rules and things to consider when choosing and utilizing a truck to tow with. To think I was being picky about the color...