How to find my towing capacity/

[tron67j]

Appreciate the advice as yes I had pretty much thought along the lines of traveling dry. My original thoughts of doing so were more along the lines of the habit I have developed over the years in my hiking and backpacking travels where I try to support the local communities various businesses. This involves stopping in at supply shops to pick up food for my backpacking trips to dining at local places to eat if doing just day hiking. Figured I'd do something like that when I do branch out into using a trailer as a base camp, waiting until I get to my destination to pick up groceries and such. After all, with the trailer being like a base camp at a camp ground I'd be gone several days backpacking before returning for a brief respite in civilization before venturing back out on the trail again. At least that is the thought at this time as I am just in the early stages of exploring and learning about all of this.

If you are doing dry camping, you could consider a bed camper with a pop up roof. That way you don't have the wasted space and weight of a bathroom (you need water to use most) and can get a chemical toilet if wanted. This way you don't need to tow anything, and you still have a base. Just something I have thought about, but I am not quite there on not having a regular toilet.

 

[hikernbackpacker]

If you are doing dry camping, you could consider a bed camper with a pop up roof. That way you don't have the wasted space and weight of a bathroom (you need water to use most) and can get a chemical toilet if wanted. This way you don't need to tow anything, and you still have a base. Just something I have thought about, but I am not quite there on not having a regular toilet.

I have been thinking of that as an option, as I study up on things I have seen some videos of folks doing that with things like the Toyota Tacoma as an overland camping kind of style.

I haven't really towed anything behind any of the vehicles I have owned in the past. I did grow up on a working farm and did 'tow' things like plows and bush hogs behind the tractors that I drove as I plowed the ground or bush hogged the grass fields. And I am sure towing a trailer down the road is a good bit different so there is that I would have to get used to.

I am still in the deciding phase at this point as I continue to collect information and learn. I do like having options and there are plenty out there. Just enjoying the journey as I go along

 

[Idledrummer]

The 1396# payload is usually the most important number as you run out of that pretty early on. That is how much you can put in (people, stuff in the bed) and on (trailer tongue weight) the truck. Since that # was derived as the truck was being driven off the factory line you might want to hit a scale to see what it really is. Every floor mat, aftermarket mod and piece of dirt stuck in the tire tread subtracts from that.

A quick example of what you could tow: Take a 5,000# trailer of some type. Typically, 10-15% of that weight goes on the truck (so takes away from your payload). So, you're now down to 800ish# of people and gear you can put in the truck.

The other towing number is what the truck can pull (this is often just called "max towing". IIRC, most 1500s are 7-10K depending on engine and rear gears. So, if your truck was rated at 10,000# it could only pull that with very little else in the truck since as much as 1500# of that 10K would go on the truck as payload.

Great job coming here to learn BEFORE buying something. #1 rule is don't listen to RV salesmen. As far as they're concerned any truck can tow anything. They just never finish the sentence with, "off the lot."

Great detailed answer. Thank you. I had the same question for my 2011.