How Much Can I Tow With My SUV or Truck?
If you’ve ever wondered how much your vehicle can really tow, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions drivers ask before choosing a trailer. The answer comes down to matching your vehicle’s towing capacity with the right trailer weight—and that’s where Rugged Aluminum Trailers make a difference.
Because our trailers are built from lightweight, fully welded aluminum, you can safely tow more trailer and more payload with the same SUV or truck. Aluminum reduces weight by hundreds of pounds compared to steel, giving you better fuel efficiency, smoother handling, and more capability from the vehicle you already own.
Understanding Towing Capacity
Your vehicle’s towing capacity is the maximum total weight it can safely pull, including the trailer and everything loaded on it. You’ll find that rating in your owner’s manual or on the manufacturer’s website. A few key terms help make sense of it all:
- GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): the maximum total weight of the trailer and its cargo.
- GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): the maximum weight each axle can carry.
- Curb Weight: your tow vehicle’s weight before passengers or cargo.
To tow safely, your loaded trailer should always stay within both its own GVWR and your vehicle’s towing capacity. With aluminum construction, you automatically gain extra headroom between those two limits.
Why Aluminum Trailers Tow Better
Aluminum trailers weigh roughly 30–40 percent less than comparable steel trailers. That weight savings reduces stress on your engine, transmission, and brakes, while improving acceleration, braking, and fuel economy. A lighter trailer also tracks more smoothly at highway speeds and is easier to maneuver around tight corners or job sites.
Typical Towing Capacities by Vehicle Type
Every SUV or truck has a published tow rating. Here’s how most vehicles pair with our aluminum trailers.
(Always confirm your manufacturer’s official specs before towing.)
| Vehicle Type | Typical Tow Rating | Recommended Trailer Sizes | Common Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compact & Mid-Size SUVs / Cars (RAV4, Outback, Highlander, CR-V, Explorer) | 1,500 – 3,500 lb | 5×8 • 5×10 • 6×10 • 6×12 | Yard projects, camping, small ATVs, tools |
| Large SUVs (Tahoe, Expedition, Sequoia, Wagoneer) | 5,000 – 9,000 lb | 6×12 • 6×14 • 6.5×14 • 6.5×16 | Powersports, landscaping gear, small vehicles |
| Half-Ton Pickups (F-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500, Tundra) | 7,000 – 10,000 lb | 6.5×14 • 6.5×16 • 6.5×18 Tandem • 6.5×20 Tilt | UTVs, motorcycles, materials, light machinery |
| Three-Quarter-Ton Pickups (F-250, Silverado 2500, Ram 2500) | 10,000 – 14,000 lb + | 6.5×18 Tandem • 6.5×20 Tilt • 8×20 Deckover | Equipment, multiple ATVs, contractor use |
These examples represent a portion of our Rugged Aluminum Trailer lineup. We offer additional lengths and axle configurations to fit nearly any tow vehicle.
Example: How Weight and Payload Work
Take a Chevy Tahoe rated for 8,400 lb of towing.
A Rugged 6.5×16 aluminum tandem-axle trailer weighs about 1,200 lb empty and carries a 7,000 lb GVWR.
- Trailer payload = 7,000 – 1,200 = 5,800 lb
- Fully loaded trailer = 7,000 lb, well below the Tahoe’s limit
That means you can load roughly 5,800 lb of equipment—two full-size ATVs or a UTV with tools—and still be comfortably within safe limits. A comparable steel trailer would eat up another 700 lb in its own frame weight, cutting your payload to 5,100 lb. Aluminum gives you that margin back.
Why Weight Margin Matters
Tow ratings are tested under perfect conditions. Real-world towing includes passengers, cargo, headwinds, and grades. Every pound you save on trailer weight adds margin for those variables, making towing safer and smoother.
With Rugged’s balanced axles, fully welded frames, and marine-grade aluminum, you get commercial-grade strength without excess weight—so your SUV or truck performs better and lasts longer.
Sample Sizes From the Rugged Lineup
We build a wide range of aluminum trailers. Here’s a quick look at popular examples:
Open Utility Trailers
5×8 • 5×10 • 6×10 • 6×12 (single axle)
6.5×14 • 6.5×16 • 6.5×18 (tandem axle)
Tilt Trailers
6×12 • 6.5×13.5 (single axle tilt)
6.5×18 • 6.5×20 (tandem axle tilt)
Deckover Trailers
8×20 deckover — our widest, most versatile platform for commercial equipment and vehicles.
Every Rugged trailer uses a 7,000 lb tandem-axle GVWR platform engineered for highway stability and long-term durability.
The Bottom Line
So, how much can you tow with your SUV or truck?
For most compact or mid-size SUVs, a 5×10 or 6×12 single-axle trailer is perfect.
Large SUVs comfortably tow 6.5×14 to 6.5×16 tandem-axle models.
Half-ton and three-quarter-ton pickups easily handle everything up to our 6.5×20 tilt and 8×20 deckover.
Because aluminum trailers are lighter, you’ll always get more usable payload, better fuel efficiency, and a smoother, safer ride.
Design yours with the Rugged Build & Price Tool to see real-time pricing and delivery anywhere in the U.S.