Can My Truck Tow It? Payload & Towing Safety Calculator
TowCheck is a free iPhone app that adds up your truck, trailer, people, and gear and tells you — green, amber, or red — whether you're within payload, GVWR, towing capacity, and tongue-weight limits before every trip.
Download on the App StoreFree — with an optional $2.99 one-time Pro upgrade.
Instant payload verdict — are you over GVWR?
Add your truck's GVWR and curb weight (or payload), then everyone and everything coming along. TowCheck compares the total to your payload capacity and gives a plain green/amber/red answer.
- Unlimited truck and trailer profiles
- Unlimited people, animals, and gear items
- Full payload calculation and verdict
Towing capacity & hitch rating check
Your real towing limit isn't just the brochure number — it's capped by payload and your hitch rating too. TowCheck checks all of them together.
Tongue & pin weight in the safe range
TowCheck flags tongue weight (10–15% for bumper-pull) and pin weight (15–25% for fifth-wheel/gooseneck) when you're outside the safe band that prevents trailer sway.
Trailer loaded weight — propane, batteries, water
Account for propane tanks, batteries, and fresh/grey/black water so your loaded trailer weight and tongue weight are accurate, not guessed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if my truck is overloaded?
Add up everyone and everything in the truck plus the trailer's tongue weight, then compare that to your truck's payload capacity (GVWR minus curb weight). TowCheck does the math automatically and shows a green, amber, or red verdict before you drive.
How much can my truck tow?
Your truck has a manufacturer tow rating, but in practice you're also limited by payload and hitch rating. TowCheck checks tongue/pin weight against your hitch rating and your loaded weight against payload, so you see the real limit — not just the brochure number.
What is tongue weight (or pin weight) and what should it be?
Tongue weight is the downward force the trailer puts on the hitch — typically 10–15% of the loaded trailer weight for a bumper-pull, and 15–25% for a fifth-wheel or gooseneck (pin weight). Too little causes sway; too much overloads the truck. TowCheck flags when you are outside the safe range.
What is the difference between GVWR and payload?
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the most your fully loaded truck is allowed to weigh. Payload is what's left for people, cargo, and trailer tongue weight after the truck's own curb weight — roughly GVWR minus curb weight.
Is TowCheck free?
Yes. Unlimited trucks, trailers, people, gear, and full payload and tongue-weight verdicts are free forever. An optional $2.99 one-time Pro upgrade adds AI photo weight estimates and rating-label scanning.