Towing Payload Capacity Calculator
Work out how much payload is left in your truck once passengers, cargo and the trailer’s tongue weight are subtracted from the door-jamb payload rating.
How it works
Payload used = passengers + cargo + tongue/pin weight · Remaining = rating − used
Towing capacity is not the number that runs out first — payload usually is. The trailer’s tongue or pin weight presses down on the truck and counts against the door-jamb payload rating, right alongside your passengers and the gear in the bed. Add all three and subtract from the rating: if the total exceeds payload you are overloaded even if the trailer weighs far less than your tow rating, which is exactly how people unknowingly overload a half-ton truck.
Worked example
A truck rated for 1,800 lb of payload carrying 350 lb of people and 150 lb of cargo has 1,300 lb left for the hitch. A 600 lb tongue weight uses 600 of that, leaving 700 lb of payload in reserve — safely under the limit.
Frequently asked questions
Does tongue weight count against payload or towing capacity?
Payload. The tongue or pin weight is a downward load carried by the truck, so it comes out of the payload rating on the door-jamb sticker — not the tow rating. This is why payload, not tow capacity, is often the real limit.
Where do I find my truck’s payload rating?
On the yellow sticker inside the driver’s door jamb, usually reading "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXXX lb." That figure already accounts for your truck’s options and is more accurate than a brochure number.
What if I am over payload but under tow rating?
You are still overloaded. A weight-distributing hitch can help restore axle balance, but it does not raise the payload rating — you must reduce passengers, cargo or tongue weight to get legal and safe.
Related calculators
This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.