One of the most important elements in towing is to never exceed the lowest capacity component of the towing system. The towing system comprises every component involved directly or indirectly with towing from the front of the towing vehicle to the rear of the trailer being towed. It encompasses the vehicle weight & capability to tow, the individual components capacity to tow (i.e. Hitch Ball capacity), The weight, capacity and specifications of the trailer and all electrical and lighting.
To ensure you do not tow more than your system can tow safely, it is important to identify the capacity of each component as well as your vehicle.
Your vehicle’s towing capacity is the maximum amount of weight it can safely pull, which changes based on how it’s configured, how much weight it’s already carrying (the Tow Vehicle’s payload), and how you distribute and control the load you need to tow.
It’s important to note that the maximum amount of weight listed on a vehicle assumes that the Tow Vehicle is carrying only a driver. If you plan to tow a travel trailer and bring along your family and all the associated gear they’ll need for a weekend away, the manufacturer’s calculations will not be accurate for your load
Where to find the capacity of each component?
The following serves as a guide to locating component capacity. If you do not know the capacity of a component, do not tow until you do and you are certain every component’s capacity exceeds what you are towing. See also the bROK Towing Definition page for more clarification on terminology and acronyms.
