Determining Towing Capacity

Are you in the market for a new truck? When it comes to vehicles built for hauling livestock, there\’s a lot to consider. How do you determine the right kind of a truck for your needs? Wainalta Motors has been serving clients since 1962, carrying new Chrysler, Jeep, and Dodge vehicles as well as a wide selection of used inventory. Their staff has knowledgeable and personal experience in the hauling of horses and truly understands what\’s riding in the back. In this blog, Wainalta Motors answers several of our questions about towing capacity and the changing world of trucks. Here\’s what they had to say.

Q. If I want a vehicle that can tow a 4-horse + Living Quarters gooseneck trailer? And For Ex: If I just need a vehicle that can tow a 2-horse bumper pull?

A. It all comes down to two important factors; 1) how much you’re pulling and; 2) how often you’re pulling that weight. If you find yourself pulling a heavy trailer like a living quarters option, you’ll want to get into a 3500 dually. This would make pulling the LQ, a breeze. The 3500 Ram dually has the highest towing capacity while still getting you the best fuel mileage because your truck doesn\’t have to work as hard.

For the 2-horse bumper pull, a 1500 would be more than enough to pull it, but this is where the question of how often are you pulling it comes in. If you\’re pulling once every 3 months and just mainly using the truck to get back and forth from work or city trips, the best bet is the Ram 1500, however if you\’re pulling all the time you should consider stepping up to a 2500 Ram or 3500 Ram to save money on fuel in the long run.

Q. What does GVWR stand for? (What does it mean?) How do I know I have the proper towing capacity I need?

A. GVWR stands for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating which is the maximum operating weight/mass of a vehicle, as specified by the manufacturer including the vehicle\’s chassis, body, engine, engine fluids, fuel, accessories, driver, passengers and cargo but excluding that of any trailers.

It’s important to understand that GVWR isn\’t towing capacity – GVWR is the max your vehicle should weigh according to manufacturer\’s specifications. GCWR is the maximum allowable combined mass of a towing road vehicle, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle, plus the mass of the trailer and cargo in the trailer.

The easiest way to check what the capacities of your vehicle would be is to look in your owner\’s manual. They also have the GVWR listed on the sticker by the VIN on the driver side door. If however, you want something more specific to your vehicle\’s options, you can always call us with your VIN and we would be happy to find out exactly what your vehicle is capable of.

Q. The world is changing – are there any features on trucks today that can help me feel better about my carbon footprint? Is there such a thing as an electric truck, powerful enough to tow livestock?

A. Ram is constantly improving their vehicles. With the introduction of the 1500 Ecodiesel you can get up to 8.4L/100km in realistic driving conditions. Less fuel consumption means a lower carbon footprint. The Ram also has the diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) system which works with a catalyst to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions. There isn\’t an electric truck yet powerful enough to tow. Perhaps we will see one in the future.

Q. What are some 2016/2017 features coming out in Ram Trucks that may add to the comfort my family can benefit from while traveling?

A. Ram offers a ton of comfort features from navigation built right into the console, to heated and ventilated seats. Push-button fold-able mirrors for those tight spaces, built in remote start works with the diesel preheat in the winter, and if you want even more options, you can get automatic windshield wipers and automatic high beams.

Q. Tell us about the back-up camera? How can it assist with hooking up a trailer?

A. If you ever went to back up to a trailer and had to jump in and out 5-7 times, then you’re in luck. The Ram offers two different back up cameras one for backing up to a bumper pull and one that shows the box of your truck. Both of them make hooking up to a trailer a breeze.

Q. Are there any park assist / collision prevention / self-driving features available in Ram trucks?

A. The Ram trucks currently offer front and rear park assist. This is a device that senses objects in front or behind the vehicle. It alerts the driver with a tone increasing with volume and frequency, the closer you get to any object. This in conjunction with the backup camera means for less chance of having a fender-bender.

Q. What other safety features can you tell me about in the latest Ram truck models?

A. The big one everyone is talking about right now is distracted driving – and Ram has a solution for it. It offers a hands-free system build right into the interior that can sync up to your phone. It allows a driver to answer calls, or even have texts read aloud to you while you\’re driving. Altogether, the system allows you to keep your eyes on the road

Q. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

A. We deliver all over Alberta and Saskatchewan. If you have any questions about vehicle tow rating or want to know if you need to trade up to something that can pull better, don’t hesitate to give us a call we’re here to help! (780) 842-4471