RV 101® - Trailer Towing Mistakes, is your Tow Vehicle & Trailer Properly Matched & Safe to Tow?

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This is great tip.

Great video. Thank you so much.

Just got a camper all the terminology that you’re using we are already confused

Thanks Mark for the video

Man if you haul garbage to the dump in a ram you'd have to walk home the truck would be the first thing to toss in the dumpster

Lost all credibility at my trucks a RAM you say do research you obviously did none yourself if you bought a ram

Good on ya mate , very informative and very well presented !!!

Finally a clear explanation, thank you Mark

Thank you so much, this truly the best explanation I have heard on this subject, u rock!

the gcvw rating doesn't match because axle ratio is too high. try a mid 3;55 ratio for better match when ordering truck.

Putting the example together with increase truck curb weight by 800lbs decreasing payload by the same then adding 900lbs tongue wieght would be really close to payload before max towing.

Mark, this is the best explanation of "getting it right" with respect to trailer/tow vehicle weight combination I've seen from anyone in my over 40 years of trailering. Great job!

Great explanation, but easily confusing. Also need to consider that tire condition should be like new.

Reminds me of my 9th grade math teacher, very detailed orientated, take notes, you'll learn something, that might save your life, otherwise take your SUV, V6, with no Jake brake no tow package, , , down wolf creek pass, see what happens, best of luck !

You say a ram 1500 but you are standing next to a 2500.

I preach this information all the time on the Facebook groups. It’s amazing how many uneducated people there are.

Mark, great video.... I have a 2019 Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi with a 5.7 short bed. I’m getting an Escape 5.0TA fiberglass 5th wheel trailer with a max wt of 5500lbs. I think I should be ok with this setup, do you think I’ll have an issue? Thanks

Just as important and rarely mentioned... Slow Down, dont drive distracted, and keep your equipment maintained!

Great explanation....I think 🤔

Best explanation I've seen! Thanks.

I always make an effort to stay at least 1k under max weight. Just because my truck can pull a 9.5k trailer, doesn’t mean I want too. I currently have a 2014 Silverado with a max tow package and z71, and can pull 9500lbs. My mallard travel trailer is 8000lbs, weighed at a cat scale. That’s as heavy as I want to go. 10k distribution bars, and keep my speed under 65mph, and I’m ok.

This is great information but it’s sooooo much🥴🥴🥴

Tongue weight and hitch weight are subtracted from the tow vehicle's payload capacity.
Good to know....

For individual tire weighing go to your state DOT scale and ask if they have the portable scales. Ask them to weigh your truck and trailer on them fully loaded.

Excellent information👍🏾👍🏾 for too many times I see 1/2 trucks regardless the make pulling 5th wheel trailers even though the 5th wheel trailers are designed for 1/2 ton trucks, people assume if they can pull it there good to go, I rather have more truck than I need because you never know

Thank you for this informative video sir!

This is a pretty strong argument against trailers at all. Do you really think the common man who has been taught in the government education camps is capable of following any of this, or do you think they just buy the biggest '1/2 ton towable' 5th wheel with a garage they can afford? Then, they stash the garage with a heavy ATV. This gives me new respect for semi drivers as well.

Best video and explanation. I do have a F150 (7200 GWVR) 3.73 ratio and a 28” cougar (6200 dry weight) also a weight distribution. It is not easy to adjust the weight, I decided to sell the F150 and to buy a F250 or F350 to have more relaxing driving when towing my trailer. Thanks for the video, well done.

Very in-depth look at towing this is why when setting up a new rig and trailer combo I always gi to a scale house and have everything weighed together

Thank you

Thank for your effort in explaining all for our sake. Here in Europe max tow ball weight is said not to exceed 5% of the trailer weight. How can we explain towing car’s max tow ball limit 150 kg and towing a 3000 kg trailer; while 10% 300 kg?

Question for RV Education, or anyone here really. This video was super helpful, but I am seeing something different in my recent purchase.

I understand that the MTWR was calculated using the GCWR - Curb Weight, and that’s why any additional tow vehicle Payload value needs to be removed from the MTWR value when assessing the trailer you can pull.

However, on the Land Rover website I see the following for my 2021 Range Rover Sport 6 cylinder:
GVWR: 6945 lbs
Payload (calculated): 2024 lbs
Curb Weight: 4921 lbs
MTWR: 7716 lbs
GCWR: 14,660

If I use the math provided for MTWR = GCWR - Curb Weight I don’t get the listed MTWR of 7716 lbs…I actually get 9539 lbs. Instead, if I calculate MTWR using GCWR - MTWR I get 7715 lbs., the number matching the listed MTWR for the car.

So, I’d like some opinion on if my conclusions are correct…
a) It seems like Land Rover calculates their MTWR assuming the tow car is at full capacity of payload already, or at least calculates the MTWR with a buffer of allowing the tow car to safely carrying anything from zero payload, to full 2024 lbs payload in addition to the max weight trailer. Does that sound right?
b) If the tow vehicle is not carrying any payload, the MTWR is actually understated by 2024 lbs, and can likely carry more than listed (physically, not legally). Of course there at least needs to be a payload of the weight of the driver, but basically you could just start chopping payload off of 9539 lbs, vs. 7716 lbs.
c) Knowing Land Rover calculates MTWR this way, the adjustment I would actually make to the calculations is that I simply would not remove tow vehicle payload weight from the MTWR value, correct? Not necessarily increase MTWR, but simply refrain from removing tow vehicle payload since the Land Rover MTWR is already accounting for a tow vehicle that could potentially be carrying its max payload. Does that make sense?

Would love to hear some input. Thanks!

Very informative.

This video is my answer to Facebook posts that ask about towing a travel trailer. Thanks for providing clear instructions for a very important safety issue.

Nice video for WD and towing information. Passed it on to the new owner of my TT. Question, have you ever done any video on Mud Flaps or Rock Tamer type products.

A little confused, you are showings 2500 Ram but are using a 1500 as the example?

Very informative and educational
I will study this.

Amazing video. A must watch!

I’ve watched several of these videos and y brain scrambled right away. This is the first one that literally felt like it was taught by the best grade school math teacher I ever had. Thank for dumbing it down and yet you are exceptionally thorough!!

Wow! Great information! This makes the difference between life and death or a serious accident. Glad this video's up!

After weighing my truck and doing some calculations, we're going to have to stuff the Mother in law in the camper, there's no payload left in the truck for her!!!!!! LOL

I dont care what party you represent I Will Always Thumb Down your video if you have a political advertisement.
BOOOOO!!

This is the best explanation I have seen

Great info! How does it affect payload?

Good video. Thanks for posting.

I love how he used a Ram 1500 as an example but the whole video he stands in front of a Ram 2500.

Excellent presentation. I finally get it now. My dealer installed a weight distribution hitch and advised me as to which chain link to use for optimum distribution, but will that change if I add more weight to the trailer and/or truck? Is this something that I can verify as correct by looking at whether the hitch ball is riding level?