How to calculate payload?

Can someone show me how to calculate a payload if I'm towing a trailer? what I need to do to get the payload?

Is there a formula to use?
payload = hitch + whatever weight in the truck?

As you can see i think my payload is 990lbs? is this correct? or is it higher? I did some research online and the payload say online is around 1,120 to 1,620 lbs is this not correct?

2020 Tacoma TRD SPORT 4x4 V6.

thank you again.

 

Looks about right (accessories/addons, 4x4, etc). Say you have 500lbs in the truck; that leaves you with 490lbs tongue weight; which should be a trailer around 4,500 to 5,500lbs (tongue weight should be 9% to 11% of the trailer's weight).

There's more to it than one simple rating; so I wouldn't worry about going over that number. However, I definitely wouldn't put 1,000lbs on the tongue

 

So here is my trailer configuration:
SPECIFICATIONS
Hitch Weight:
455 lb.
UVW
3513 lb.
CCC
842 lb.

So if my math is right
455(hitch)+400(4 people weight) = 855lbs? that leave me with 135lbs left?

Does this sound right? What if i'm getting a hitch sway that is about 65 lbs do i also factor that in?

Please let me know if i'm missing anything else? and can my truck capacable of this trailer?

 

Honestly, you will be fine with that or a bit over. However, that weight is getting into trailer brake controller territory. What kind of trailer is it that you need a weight distribution hitch?

 

Looks correct, and unfortunately like you're at near max before gear and groceries.
Tow truck Tacoma is not, sorry.

 

I'm getting the Rockwood Geo Pro 20bhs.
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers/rockwood-geo-pro/G20BHS/5139

So you are saying I don' need a weight distrubution hitch? I will be using the toshika E3 brake controller.

Let me know

 

For

For the first 2 year I will only camping on flat land and 1-2 hour distance drive. I think this should be doable? all flat land no mountain. doable right? before I upgrade my truck to a tundra.

 

Yeah, you'll be okay, be conscious of gear weight, keep speeds down, and get a brake controller.
Oh and have fun too!

 

For a camper, I would get the weight distribution hitch, for sure. You should be fine weight-wise but be sure to load the trailer properly to keep weight off the tongue. There are guides/diagrams online on how to do this.

And awesome looking camper!

 

I bought a Tundra.
You got about a thousand lbs of payload. After you include a couple of people you got 600 lb left. Add a 3K trailer and you have 300 lb left for all your stuff.

 

do you mean to load everything in the back of the trialer right? can you link me to the guides and diagrams?

 

Not everything in the back because you need tongue weight too . Over the axle and evened out front and back .

 

You might have luck looking up a camper specific chart, the only one I have is for my Aliner. You can’t really “cheat” and put all the weight in the rear of the trailer to try and save some tongue weight. If you do, you’ll lose stability.

https://youtu.be/6mW_gzdh6to

you should be fine with the brake controller and weight distribution hitch. Just don’t throw all the cargo in the back of the trailer. Keep the weight in the front and center of the axle.

 

thank you so much!! i think i should be good to go with putting most of the weight at the front and on top of the axle.. thank yuou

 

To answer your original question, payload is anything that didn’t come from the factory. So, that would be people, gear, trailer weight, hitch, etc. this even includes fuel, so add 20 gallons and that’s an additional ~150lbs of payload. Also, your door jamb sticker will be the most accurate for your truck. That will include any port installed options (side steps, etc). That’s why it’s different than what you find on Toyota’s site as a general spec.

As you’re finding out, throw a small trailer behind your truck and you’ll end up at or overweight really quick. My only advice is to be careful.

 

Do a net search for local scales, you can measure axle weights independently and adjust your load and mainly your distribution hitch.

 

Every truck is different. Basically the lighter the truck, the more payload. Heavier trucks with more options weigh more and have less payload. A 4X4 Double cab V6 automatic is going to be much heavier than an Access cab 4X2 base model with the 4 cyl engine and manual transmission. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, (GVWR) is the same on both trucks, but the lighter truck will handle more weight before exceeding GVWR. Your truck is heavier than most, which means less payload than most.


The hard number is GVWR, which is 5600 lbs on your truck. You should keep the total weight of the truck, any passengers in the truck, any cargo in the truck and the tongue weight of any trailer at or under 5600 lbs. But there has probably never been a truck, or car for that matter that hasn't been loaded over GVWR at times. For the occasional short trip if you're over by 50-100 lbs you'd be OK if you drive carefully. I would not advise anyone to make a habit of exceeding GVWR. You will wear out the truck much faster if you do.

Your truck's listed payload is 990 lbs. That number was determined by subtracting your trucks actual weight when it rolled off the assembly line from GVWR, or 5600 lbs. That means your truck weighed 4610 lbs when it was made. Actual payload CAN change. Anything you do to make the truck heavier than when it was built reduces payload. If you were to remove stuff to make it lighter payload can go up.

Remember GVWR is constant. Some guys have been known to remove spare tires, running boards, skid plates, even the rear seats in order to lighten the truck and increase payload. It would be best to actually weigh the truck along with anything you keep in the truck then subtract that number from 5600 lbs. That is your true payload. Then you need to subtract your weight and the weight of any passengers who would be in the truck.

Lets assume the 990 lbs is accurate. I weigh 220, my wife 140. With us in your truck we'd only have 630 lbs usable payload. When you calculate tongue weight figure 13% of the trailers weight as tongue weight. If I hitch to a 4000 lb trailer there will be an additional 520 lbs placed on my truck leaving only 110 lbs for other cargo in the truck.

Unless you don't plan to carry any other passengers and cargo in the truck around 3000-3500 lbs is about the most your truck will handle. With just a driver in the truck and no other cargo you could probably go a little over 4000 before exceeding GVWR.

This isn't the same as tow rating. Your truck is rated to PULL 6400-6500 lbs. But the suspension won't handle that much weight due to the limited payload.

 

Thank you for the clear explanation. I got a question regarding this.

Lets assume the 990 lbs is accurate. I weigh 220, my wife 140. With us in your truck we'd only have 630 lbs usable payload. When you calculate tongue weight figure 13% of the trailers weight as tongue weight. If I hitch to a 4000 lb trailer there will be an additional 520 lbs placed on my truck leaving only 110 lbs for other cargo in the truck.

So lets assume my payload is true 990. I weigh 175, my wife weight 125, son weigh 60 and daughter 40. That is 400 lbs.
990-400 = 590lbs usable payload. I factor in the trailer weight nothing loaded yet 3513 x 13% = 457lbs

So 590-460 = 130 left?

On the trailer it have a hitch weight of
Hitch Weight:
455 lb.

Don't I factor that in? or that is already calcuated on the 13%?

Thank you..

 

Short answer. Yes, you need to include the Sway Hitch weight.

The 65 lbs of the hitch will add to the CARGO weight in the truck (855 lbs + 65 lbs) to total 920 lbs. Leaving roughly 70 lbs for gear, food......etc.

Although, I'd suggest not to exceed 85% of the capacities of truck or trailer.

 

Yeah, I forgot the equalizer e4 hitch sway = 65lbs. so total 920. Wow!! so 920lbs and 70lbs for gear. that leave me at 93% capacity. I really need to be driving very slow and safe..

I have question i'm confuse. The trailer have a hitch weight of 455. Does that mean that is 13% of the trailer unload weight of 3515? That sound about right?

Thank you..