Tire Load Rating Calculator for Towing
Verify if your current tires have the strength to safely support your trailer's tongue weight and cargo payload.
Quick Answer
Towing a 7,000 lb travel trailer puts roughly 700 lbs of tongue weight directly onto your rear axle. Combined with 500 lbs of cargo, your two rear tires must support 1,200 lbs of extra weight on top of the truck's empty rear axle load. Tires with a load index of 114 (2,601 lbs each) will safely pass this towing scenario.
Expected Tongue Weight by Trailer Type
| Trailer Type | Total Trailer Weight | Estimated Tongue Weight | Min. Recommended Load Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility/Landscape | 3,000 lbs | 300–450 lbs | SL or XL |
| Boat Trailer | 4,500 lbs | 225–350 lbs (5–7%) | XL or Load Range C |
| Medium Travel RV | 6,000 lbs | 600–900 lbs | Load Range D |
| Large Toy Hauler | 10,000 lbs | 1,000–1,500 lbs | Load Range E |
| 5th Wheel / Gooseneck | 14,000 lbs | 2,800 lbs (20%) | Load Range E (Dually) |
Formula
Required Rear Tire Capacity = (Empty Rear Axle Weight + Tongue Weight + Bed Cargo) ÷ 2
- Tongue weight = typically 10–15% of total conventional trailer weight
- Example: (3,000 + 800 tongue + 200 cargo) ÷ 2 = 2,000 lbs required per rear tire (Min Load Index 105)
- Inflate to max PSI when towing — this unlocks the tire's full rated capacity
- 5th-wheel tongue weight is typically 20–25% — always use Load Range E dually tires