2023 Guide to Towing: The Perfect Pair

There are so many choices in tow vehicles today, spanning from small SUVs to heavy-duty diesel-powered trucks, that it can be tough to accurately match a tow vehicle and trailer. After all, proper trailer and tow vehicle setup is essential to a safe and enjoyable experience. Doing some research beforehand makes it easy to avoid ending up with a vehicle that isn’t properly equipped to tow your travel trailer or fifth-wheel.

Note: To download the RV Magazine 2023 Tow Ratings Guide, click here.

Starting From Scratch?

If you don’t yet own a tow vehicle or trailer, the first consideration should be your budget and how you want to allocate the funds. From a practical standpoint, you will probably spend more time in the tow vehicle than the trailer, and it will be doing all the work, so it makes sense to get what you really want.

If You Own a Tow Vehicle

The first thing to do is to determine the vehicle’s tow rating based on equipment and options. If you bought the vehicle new, you probably know how it is equipped; if you bought the vehicle used, you may be able to enter the VIN in an online search and find out how it is equipped.

Once you’ve established the tow rating, the most important consideration is how much the RV weighs. All trailers should have labels that display the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) and the cargo carrying capacity (CCC). Since you may not be able to weigh the trailer before purchase, your best bet is to use the labels, especially the yellow CCC label, as your guide.

If the trailer’s GVWR is within the vehicle’s maximum tow rating, you can be confident that you’ll be good to go so long as you don’t overload the trailer (or the tow vehicle’s payload capacity; see below). Remember that fuel weight (such as in a toy hauler with an onboard fuel station) is included in the CCC calculation, but water (in the freshwater tank and the water heater) is considered cargo.

The label should tell you the weight of the water the unit can carry, but if not, simply add the capacity of the freshwater tank and water heater and multiply the sum by 8.34 (pounds per gallon). And remember that the posted weight does not necessarily include dealer-installed options.

Another consideration is the tow vehicle’s payload rating (GVWR minus vehicle curb weight), which is the maximum allowable weight for cargo and passengers. The payload capacity of the vehicle can be found on the Tire and Loading Information decal inside the doorjamb or edge of the driver’s door.

Consider that a travel trailer places around 10% of its weight on the vehicle’s hitch, while a fifth-wheel will put around 20% of its weight in the bed of the truck. Calculate that figure for the tow rig, including passengers and typical cargo, and make sure the payload rating isn’t exceeded.

The gross axle weight rating (GAWR) is the maximum weight the axle is designed to carry, and must also be considered when matching a tow vehicle to the trailer. Keeping tabs on the rear-axle weight and payload is important because adding a lot of heavy cargo in the back of the tow vehicle can create rear-axle overloading.

GAWR and payload ratings are a greater concern with fifth-wheels—especially larger ones—simply because more weight is shouldered by the truck. If the trailer you’re considering won’t exceed the tow rating, payload, GAWR, or GVWR of the tow vehicle, you’re good to go.

If You Own a Trailer

Purchasing the trailer first gives you the freedom to get everything you want in an RV. Before you close the deal, however, it’s important to take into consideration the size/type of tow vehicle that will be required to pull your new trailer. Obviously, the tow rating of the vehicle you’re considering should be the primary selection factor. If the new trailer has a GVWR of 15,000 pounds, you’ll want a vehicle that can tow at least that much.

To help with your search, we compiled a list of all the vehicles from the major manufacturers, along with their towing capacities. You can access that list by clicking here.

Making the Connection

Towing a travel trailer or fifth-wheel isn’t difficult, but it does require an understanding of the towing equipment, paying close attention to road conditions and traffic, and looking ahead to anticipate what other drivers may do. While this is true of any vehicle you’re towing, there are some differences between travel trailers and fifth-wheels.

For a travel trailer, there are many different hitch designs and features from which to choose. The first thing you need to know before towing anything is the type of hitch receiver your vehicle has if any. Some vehicles offer one only when a tow package is available. If this is the case, the appropriate hitch receiver can often be added at a qualified RV center.

Fifth-wheels typically represent a larger investment both in the trailer and the tow vehicle, so it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can before making a purchase and know what is involved in hitching, towing, and backing. Fifth-wheels can be more stable and easier to maneuver since lateral pressure by the trailer doesn’t try and push the truck’s body one way or the other, as can happen with a travel trailer.

Once you’ve made the purchase of your travel trailer or fifth-wheel, you’ll need to learn the safe and proper way to hitch it to the tow vehicle. When hitching up, don’t get sidetracked; take your time, and maybe even create a checklist to follow. Like any new activity, practice makes perfect. In no time at all, as you understand the equipment and how it works, you’ll be towing like a pro.

Top Tips

Always select the optional towing package. It’s usually not a lot more money, and it includes equipment that will make the tow vehicle able to handle the weight. Towing packages vary, so be sure to ask what it includes.

Newer tow vehicles, especially with HD designations, often have useful options that make towing easier, including camera packages, hitch-guidance systems, integrated trailer-brake controllers, and other features. If you’re shopping for a truck that can tow a fifth-wheel, you might consider one that is prepped with a puck mounting system in the bed, which allows you to easily install and remove the hitch in minutes.

Towing a Travel Trailer

Weight-Distributing Hitch Systems

Smaller, lighter hitches are weight-carrying, meaning all of the trailer’s tongue weight is carried by the hitch itself. These hitches sometimes attach to the bumper but normally the vehicle’s frame. Larger hitches are weight-distributing (WD) and use spring bars (also called hitch bars) to distribute some of the hitch weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle and the trailer axle(s), and always attach to the tow vehicle’s frame via a receiver. Smaller WD hitches are also available for today’s crop of ultralight trailers.

Hitch systems are rated for the gross trailer weight as well as the hitch weight, so it’s important to know these figures ahead of time. Be sure to buy from a known and reputable manufacturer.

Sway Control

Travel trailers are more susceptible to sway than fifth-wheels due to the lateral pressure applied to the hitch ball under certain driving conditions, including buffeting from larger close-by vehicles and crosswinds. That pressure, due to the distance from the rear axle to the hitch ball, produces leverage that tries to force the back of the tow vehicle one way and the front end the other way, with the rear axle as the fulcrum. The trailer begins to oscillate from side to side, exerting its forces on the tow vehicle, which can result in a loss of control.

Longer trailers have more surface area for the wind or a pressure wave from a passing truck to push against. Trailers built with lightweight materials for easier towing are even more easily influenced by these forces. Correct weight distribution is important, as is proper loading of the trailer. The hitch should carry at least 10% of the trailer’s weight, and insufficient weight on the hitch increases the likelihood of sway.

Even when all the correct conditions have been met, you may still experience trailer sway. Consider getting a hitch system that incorporates sway control, as some WD hitches do. If you already own a hitch, add-on systems are available. These are sometimes friction-type sway-control systems that make it more difficult for sway to begin, but they aren’t designed to stop it once it starts.

To practically eliminate sway (there will always be some, but imperceptible sway is as good as none), look into a complete hitch system designed for this purpose or an add-on electronic sway-control system. They’re not cheap, but both have been proven to be effective.

Trailer-Brake Controllers

Many newer tow vehicles feature an integrated trailer-brake controller. If your tow vehicle does not have one, there are many aftermarket products available that are easy to install and adjust. Since just about every trailer has an electric brake system that operates independently from the tow vehicle, a trailer-brake controller is a necessity. They are also required by law once the trailer you’re towing exceeds a minimum weight (check with your state’s laws for specifics, though they are generally between 1,500–2,000 pounds).

Brake Time

If you encounter significant trailer sway, release the accelerator and manually apply the trailer-brake controller—not the vehicle’s brakes. The trailer-brake controller will apply the brakes on the trailer only, forcing it to pull straight again and slowing the tow vehicle and trailer at the same time.

Towing a Fifth-Wheel

Truck Prep

A fifth-wheel hitch is mounted inside the truck bed and is attached to the truck’s frame to mount the hitch system. Fifth-wheel “hitch-ready” packages are available from some manufacturers, whereby the frame is already prepped to handle the weight and forces generated by a fifth-wheel and includes universal hardware for attaching the hitch.

Some vehicle manufacturers also offer puck mounting systems, with the holes already drilled in the bed and sockets incorporated into the frame rails designed to accept unique fasteners. With these systems, it’s simply a matter of installing the hitch in the sockets, locking the fasteners in place, and heading out on your travel adventures.

If you anticipate purchasing a new truck to haul your fifth-wheel, it will be worth your while to opt for a fifth-wheel-ready model. If you’re prepping a truck without a factory-installed system, be sure to conduct research into qualified RV centers and check their track record through online reviews. Your hitch manufacturer may also be able to recommend a reputable installation center.

Hitches

Fifth-wheel hitches are designated by the maximum weight of the trailer (gross trailer weight, or GTW) they are designed to tow. Because you won’t necessarily know the weight of your trailer when it’s full of freshwater, propane, and supplies, it’s a good idea to base any hitch purchase on the trailer’s GVWR and “buy up.” For example, if your trailer has a GVWR of 18,000 pounds, search for a 20,000-pound hitch.

Get Shopping

If you’re on a budget, you may want to get the most affordable hitch that will safely do the job. If you plan to tow frequently, will be towing a heavier trailer, or want things to operate more smoothly, a hitch with airbags, shocks, or some other suspension system will cost more but will make for a more comfortable ride. Some hitch assemblies are lighter than others, and some are designed to be assembled and disassembled in sections, making installation and removal possible for one person.

Consider a sliding hitch when using a short bed truck to provide more clearance in turns. Manually operated “slider” hitches allow the driver to slide the hitch rearward before negotiating a sharp turn. An even better bet is an automatic sliding hitch, which slides rearward when the truck and trailer begin a turn. It’s more expensive but is still much cheaper than repairing the truck and trailer if the fifth-wheel’s front cap and the truck cab collide.

Yet another option is an extension that bolts to the existing pin box, which prevents the pin from turning in the fifth-wheel-hitch saddle via the extension’s rotating turret that moves the pivot point rearward. Be sure to verify that the hitch you own or are considering for purchase is compatible with a pin-box extension.

How to Hitch Up

The V-shaped opening in the hitch saddle is designed to help guide the pin into place, but the closer to dead center and the right vertical placement, the better.

First, lower the tailgate on the truck, hang the power cord where it won’t be in the way, then slowly back up the truck, guiding the hitch saddle opening toward the trailer pin. When close to the saddle, raise or lower the landing gear so that the height of the leading edge of the pin box is level with, or slightly lower than, the hitch saddle (when it’s level), depending on the hitch brand. Then continue backing up until the pin finds its home. You may find it necessary to raise the tailgate partway through this process to avoid contacting the front of the trailer.

If you did it right the first time, the jaws will close, allowing the locking arm (handle) to automatically find its hitched position or be physically moved and secured, depending on the hitch brand and model. Always confirm that the latching jaws are locked in place, with the arm in its proper position, before moving the truck.

Light It Up

Once the hitching process is complete, have someone help you with a trailer-light safety check to verify that the running lights, brake lights, and turn signals work in unison with the tow vehicle once the power cable is plugged in. Then pull ahead safely and activate the brake controller manually to make sure the trailer brakes are working.

Now You Know

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

The maximum a vehicle can weigh without being overloaded.

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)

The maximum weight that can be carried on a vehicle’s axle, including the weight of the axle.

Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)

The trailer weight determined by measurement at a certified public scale. It must never exceed the trailer’s GVWR.

Gotta Have It!

A TPMS like RVi’s smart Tire Patrol helps you keep tabs on all the tires in your towing combo from the comfort of your towing vehicle.

For an enhanced load leveling, consider a suspension upgrade like Air Lift’s LoadLifter 7500XL Ultimate.

Roadmaster Comfort Ride shock-absorber and slipper-leaf spring systems smooth out the ride.

An electric trailer dolly from Parkit360 makes it easy to back your trailer into tight spots … no truck needed!

Gear Up!

For more information on the towing products shown in this guide, visit the following:

• bwtrailerhitches.com
• blueox.com
• camco.net
• curtmfg.com
• demco-products.com
• equalizerhitch.com
• hensleymfg.com
• hopkinstowingsolutions.com