How Much Can My Truck Tow?

The fastest answer: open the driver’s door and look at the yellow sticker on the door jamb. It lists your truck’s payload, GVWR, and tire/axle ratings. For tow rating specifically, check your owner’s manual or punch your VIN into your manufacturer’s towing guide. The number painted on the side of the bed or in the brochure is the maximum any version of your truck can tow, not necessarily yours.

A 2025 F-150 SuperCrew with the 3.5L EcoBoost and Max Trailer Tow Package tows 13,500 lb. The same F-150 SuperCrew with a 2.7L V6 and no tow package tows 5,000 lb. Same model name, almost three times the difference.

Half-ton, 3/4-ton, 1-ton in 2026

Class	Examples	Typical max tow	Max payload
Half-ton (1500)	F-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, Tundra	10,000-13,500 lb	1,500-3,000 lb
3/4-ton (2500)	F-250, Silverado 2500HD, Ram 2500	17,000-22,000 lb	3,000-4,500 lb
1-ton (3500)	F-350, Silverado 3500HD, Ram 3500	21,000-37,100 lb	6,000-7,800 lb
Mid-size	Tacoma, Colorado, Ranger, Maverick	3,500-7,700 lb	1,500-2,000 lb
Compact	Maverick, Santa Cruz	2,000-4,000 lb	1,500 lb

The very top of those ranges requires the heaviest engine option (diesel for HD trucks), the highest axle ratio, the max tow package, and a regular cab or specific bed length. A typical 2025 F-150 Crew Cab 4x4 with the popular 3.5L EcoBoost and standard tow package: 11,300-12,400 lb depending on options. A typical F-250 Crew Cab 4x4 with the 6.7L Power Stroke: 20,000 lb conventional, more with goose/fifth wheel.

The four numbers you need to know

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): Maximum weight the truck itself can weigh, fully loaded, with everything in/on it.
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating): Maximum combined weight of your truck and trailer together.
Payload: GVWR minus the truck’s empty curb weight. Includes you, passengers, cargo in the bed, and tongue weight of any trailer.
Towing capacity: GCWR minus the truck’s curb weight (with driver, fuel, etc.). What you can pull.

Tongue weight (10-15% of trailer weight) counts against payload. Tow a 10,000 lb trailer with 1,200 lb of tongue weight, and that 1,200 lb has come out of your payload allowance. Add 2 adults (350 lb) plus gear in the bed (200 lb), and you’ve used 1,750 lb of payload. If your truck has 1,800 lb of payload, you’re at the limit.

This catches a lot of owners. People obsess over the tow rating and forget the payload limit hits first on most modern half-tons.

Finding your truck’s exact rating

Owner’s manual has a towing chapter with tables by configuration.
Manufacturer’s online towing guide. Ford, GM, Ram, and Toyota all publish year-by-year PDFs.
VIN decoder at the manufacturer’s site gives exact specs.
Door jamb sticker shows GVWR, axle ratings, and tire pressure (but not tow rating).
Trailer hitch label on the receiver itself shows the hitch’s rating (which can be a lower limit than the truck’s).

Don’t trust the salesperson’s number or a brochure unless it’s for your specific configuration. Always verify with a printed source.

Configuration matters

Tow rating drops with:

More doors (regular cab > extended cab > crew cab).
Longer bed (sometimes).
Heavier engine (paradoxically: V8 trucks often tow less than turbo V6s because of curb weight).
4WD (subtracts 200-500 lb of capacity vs 2WD).
Lower axle ratio (3.21 < 3.55 < 3.73 < 4.10). Higher numbers = more pulling power.
No tow package.

Tow rating goes up with:

Max Tow Package (factory option, $1,000-$2,000 new).
Diesel engine on HD trucks.
Higher axle ratio.
Fifth-wheel or gooseneck hitch instead of bumper-pull.

The Ford recall to know in 2026

If you own a 2021-2026 F-150, 2022-2026 Super Duty, Ranger (2024-2026), Expedition (2022-2026), Maverick (2022-2026), Transit (2026), or Lincoln Navigator (2022-2026), check NHTSA recall 26V104000 (Ford 26C10). The Integrated Trailer Module has a software fault affecting trailer lights and brake controllers. Ford pushed the OTA fix in March 2026. If your truck wasn’t updated, the dealer will do it free.

What happens if you tow too much

The ratings exist because of physics. Brakes are sized for the GCWR. Drivetrain components are stress-tested for the GVWR. Tires have load ratings stamped on them.

Exceeding the limits:

Burns up the transmission. Heat is the killer.
Wears brake pads in months instead of years.
Stresses ball joints, tie rods, and wheel bearings.
Voids warranty (manufacturers can deny claims).
Voids insurance in many states if there’s an accident.
Increases stopping distance and reduces handling margin.

Going 5% over is generally fine occasionally. 15% over routinely will cost you parts. The legal liability if you’re at fault in an accident while overloaded is significant.

Towing what you actually tow

For boats, RVs, and utility trailers, look at the GVWR of the trailer (max it can weigh loaded), not the empty weight. A 5,000 lb empty travel trailer with 1,500 lb of water, propane, gear, and cargo is a 6,500 lb tow.

Match your trailer GVWR to roughly 75-80% of your tow rating for comfortable margin. A truck rated to 10,000 lb will be more pleasant pulling 7,500 lb than 10,000 lb, and you have reserve for hills, headwinds, and that one weekend you bring more stuff.