When choosing to buy a towable RV—either a travel trailer, toy hauler, or fifth wheel—there are a few crucial things to keep in mind. We’ve collected a few resources here that will help walk you through the towing process, and have put together an RV towing guide to help get you started.
TOW VEHICLE
One of the most important aspects of RV towing is making sure you have the proper tow vehicle. In order to do so, you’ll need to know both your vehicle’s towing capacity and payload capacity. Both of these can usually be found in the owner’s manual or by consulting your dealer. Camping World has a helpful tool that allows you to find the exact year, make, and model of your vehicle and then calculate its tow capacity. You can also check out this video from the RV Safety & Education Foundation to better understand how to match trucks and trailers.
HITCHING
In choosing your tow vehicle, you’ll also need to consider what type of hitch is required to actually connect your RV to your vehicle. Some of the most common hitch options include weight-carrying, weight-distributing, gooseneck, and fifth wheel. Togo RV has a great collection of articles that take you through some of these differences, and the steps for hitching and unhitching various trailers.
TOWING GUIDES
When understanding towing requirements, there are a lot of factors to consider—weight, hitch type, even the number of wheels can all play an important role. Luckily, there are resources out there to help make sense of it all. Togo RV has a printable towing guide that not only includes information on the different types of hitches and sidebars, but also includes specifics for driving, packing, and braking with a trailer. Trailer Life Magazine is a top publication in the RV industry, and it regularly releases detailed towing guides and advice on how to choose the right tow vehicle.
Disclaimer: Max towing varies based on cargo, vehicle configuration, accessories, and number of passengers. See owner’s manual for all vehicles and accessories before towing.
