What Size Camper Can I Tow?

Knowing what your vehicle’s RV towing capacity is and if your car can tow a trailer before buying it saves you both money and effort. As a general rule, a fully-loaded camper should stay below your vehicle’s maximum tow rating by VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).

Finding how big of a camper or trailer you can tow is easy when you know your vehicle’s towing capacity and camper weight. In this camper towing guide, we will help you find the towing capacity of your vehicle and which vehicles can easily tow a standard hybrid camper.

Calculating towing capacity is important for safely pulling a camper or any type of RV. Here’s the formula for it:

Towing Capacity = GCWR – (Curb Weigh + Payload)

Example:

If you are driving a Ford F-150 with a GCWR of 14,000 lbs, a curb weight of 4,500 lbs, and a payload weight of 15,000 lbs, do you know what and how much your pickup truck can tow?

For the same weight mentioned in the example, your truck’s towing capacity would be 8000 lbs. This is more than enough to tow a hybrid camper that weighs around 5000 lbs, such as Forest River Rockwood Roo 233S.

Simple Ways to Find Your Vehicle’s Towing Capacity

If you don’t know about the towing capacity of your vehicle, you can find it by entering the VIN on the official website of the vehicle manufacturer. Another easy way of finding it is the door sticker on your vehicle.

What is Payload Capacity and How to Find It?

Your vehicle’s payload capacity refers to how much weight it can carry. This includes everything that’s inside your car or truck, from passenger weight to fuel, cargo, food, luggage, etc.

The payload capacity of your vehicle is mentioned in the manual, and if you look at the driver’s side door, it is also written there on a sticker. Or you can use the following formula to find it:

Max Payload Capacity = GVWR – Curb Weight

Where GVWR is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or the total weight your vehicle is allowed to carry when it is fully loaded.

Curb weight is the weight of your vehicle with a full tank but no passengers or cargo.

Example

For a GMC Sierra 1500 with 7000 lbs GVWR and 4800 lbs curb weight, its payload capacity would be around 2200 lbs. This is enough to accommodate passengers and essential gear comfortably before hitching a lightweight hybrid camper to it.

Towing Capacity Chart By Vehicle Type

Have a look at the chart below to determine how much and what type of hybrid camper you can tow with the vehicle you own. You can also use a towing calculator available online.

Both GMC and Ford offer free VIN lookup for towing capacity of any vehicle using its VIN number. All you need to do is enter your VIN to find the exact towing capacity based on your vehicle specifications.

Also check what is 5th wheel RV.

Conclusion

How much towing capacity you need depends on the size and type of camper you are planning to tow. Use a truck or trailer weight calculator or the towing capacity chart we shared to be sure that the camper you are towing is within your vehicle’s safe limit. As a general rule, your vehicle’s towing capacity should be at least 20% more than the loaded trailer you are towing with it.

FAQ’s

How to check towing capacity by VIN?

You can find the towing capacity of your vehicle by using the VIN sticker on the driver’s door, owner’s manual, the manufacturer’s website, or online VIN decoders.

Both GMC and Ford offer free VIN lookup for towing capacity of any vehicle using its VIN number. All you need to do is enter your VIN to find the exact towing capacity based on your vehicle specifications.

Bottom Line

How much towing capacity you need depends on the size and type of camper you are planning to tow. Once you know your towing capacity, use a truck or trailer weight calculator to be sure that your camper is within your vehicle’s safe limit. As a general rule, your vehicle’s towing capacity should be at least 20% more than the loaded trailer you are towing with it.