Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

• When it comes to towing, you need to know your car's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). The GVWR is the total amount your car can weigh if it were placed on a scale with you, your passengers, a a full tank of gas, all your stuff, and most importantly, the tongue weight of your trailer. If you don't account for your passengers or your gear, you may find yourself hundreds of pounds over the weight limit.
  
  

Towing Capacity

• Your vehicle's towing capacity has to do with how powerful your engine is. There is a test manufacturers perform to establish how much of a load your car can pull up a steep incline without damage to the power train. Your car will list information on the specifications section of the owner’s manual. Your vehicle specifications will also tell you how much your trailer can weigh before the trailer will need to have its own brakes. Remember that the combined weight of the trailer and its load must be less than the vehicle's towing capacity.
  
  

Tongue Weight Capacity

• Also listed in your car's specifications will be the tongue weight. The tongue weight is the amount of weight your trailer tongue puts on your car's hitch. This can range from just a few pounds for a small, empty boat trailer to hundreds and even thousands of pounds for things such as large campers and boats. It's important to note that an aftermarket hitch that is the correct fit for your car may have a higher tongue weight capacity than your car's capacity. This does not mean the higher-rated hitch increases your vehicle's tongue weight capacity. A bathroom scale can be used to measure your tongue weight on smaller trailers. To get an accurate reading, place the scale on blocks until it is the same height as your hitch.
  
  

Tire Pressure

• Before you put your towing rig on the road, familiarize yourself with the tire pressure specifications for the front and rear tires. Under-inflated tires run hot and are more likely to fail and cause a loss of control. Tire pressure will be listed on your fuel door (you should check them every time you fill up), or inside a door jam. The specifications will also be in the owner’s manual. Be sure to note the pressure will have a range depending on load, so you may need to add air when towing heavy loads. Always carry a pressure gauge when towing and check pressures regularly on the car and the trailer. Tire pressure builds as heat increases, and you may have to make adjustments to compensate for changing conditions.
  
  

Have It Weighed

• Once you have your towing rig hooked up for the first time, take a test drive to your local transfer station or dump and have it weighed. If it's just you and an empty load for the trailer, you'll get a sense of the capacity you have available in your GVWR. It's also a good idea to load the whole rig up and simulate the maximum load, then go to the scales. Always keep your load within specification for your vehicle and remember to drive with an additional margin for error while towing because braking distance increases with weight.