Your car can be one of your most important assets while moving heavy equipment or loads, such as boats, trailers, or even other cars.  However, before you even consider moving the car, you should always know your towing capacity so that you can safely and legally tow a trailer.  This takes only a few simple calculations, and then you will know how to determine your car’s towing capacity.

Check the owner’s manual

First and foremost, you should check your car’s owner’s manual, which usually list this information in an easy-to-understand format.  However, if you’ve lost your owner’s manual or don’t have it handy, you can still figure our the towing capacity by looking at your car.

Check the vehicle data tag

The vehicle data tag should be located on the driver’s door jamb and should have the towing capacity listed in both metric and imperial measurements.  If it does not list the towing capacity, then you just need to do some simple calculations to figure it out!  The combined gross weight rating will be printed in the same area.

Simply add the weight of the passengers, cargo and fuel together.  Subtract the combined weight of the occupants and cargo from the combined gross weight rating and the resulting number will be the maximum weight your vehicle can legally and safely tow.

Weight of passengers + cargo + fuel = Internal Weight ;

Combined Gross Rating – Internal Weight = Towing Capacity

Safest Towing Practices

In general, you don’t want to tow over 70% of your maximum tow weight, since it will cause considerable wear and tear to your vehicle.  Furthermore, you should also consider the type of roads and the route you’ll be towing along, as poorly paved roads and steep inclines may cause engine and transmission problems.  Lastly, don’t forget to ensure that the weight capacity of the hitch is sufficient for your load as well, since that may be the limiting factor in some cases.

How Much Can You Safely Tow?

If you have any concerns about towing a new trailer or about your vehicle’s towing capacity, you should contact a towing professional to get a personalized assessment.  If your car is not fit for towing the desired weight, then you can also hire a towing professional to do it for you. TalkLocal can have you talking with up to three, high-quality, local towing professional in just minutes!

If you are among the many who have found themselves broken down on the side of the road, or moving across the country with more than one vehicle, you may be trying to save some money by towing your vehicle yourself. Before you do, you need to consider the car towing regulations in your area.

Car Towing Regulations to Consider

– Are you able to successfully tow another vehicle? It’s a good idea to practice first in an area where you can’t hurt someone.

– What will your insurance cover in case of an accident? If you only have insurance on the vehicle doing the towing, you could be in a world of hurt if your tow vehicle side swipes another.  Even if you have insurance on both vehicles, a quick call to your insurance agent will clear you to pull it without fear of a huge bill should you get in an accident.

– Will you be crossing state lines? Each state has its own car towing regulations. None will conflict with the others. For example, while breakaway brakes were required in one state, they are not necessarily illegal in the next. However, it’s important to research all regulations and adhere to the strictest of each.

– Does your state, or one in which you will be traveling, require a special class license to tow a vehicle? If so, you may need to take a class or test in order to add a special addition to your license that qualifies you to tow.

– All states require breakaway breaks. These devices will automatically lock on your tow trailer should it be detached from your lead vehicle.

If You Need Help…

A quick internet search of each state’s car towing regulations can help you determine the laws you must adhere to.

If you are still anxious about attempting to haul another vehicle, it’s probably a good idea to contact a professional tow truck driver. Most moving companies will subcontract a car mover. TalkLocal can connect you with one in your area quickly, easily and for free.