AT LAST! Real Tow Limit Standards...sort of.

[Francesca Knowles]

Hi, All

Well, it's progress, at least for pickup trucks.
As early as this fall, and "universally" by model year 2013, tow limits for pickups will be established by an orderly process of testing.
Here's a link to an article detailing the standards agreed on by the major truckmakers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Approval of Unified Tow Testing Standards Expected This Fall - PickupTrucks.com News

Here's hoping that this'll be followed by an effort to do the same for all the other vehicles we tow with!

Francesca

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Hi, All

Well, it's progress, at least for pickup trucks.
As early as this fall, and "universally" by model year 2013, tow limits for pickups will be established by an orderly process of testing.
Here's a link to an article detailing the standards agreed on by the major truckmakers and the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Approval of Unified Tow Testing Standards Expected This Fall - PickupTrucks.com News

Here's hoping that this'll be followed by an effort to do the same for all the other vehicles we tow with!

Francesca

If not progress, at least it's progressive
I guess we should infer that the manufacturers have been lying to us up until now.... check your owner's manual... no wait ....
What does SEMA say about it?

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by floyd

What does SEMA say about it?

........um...well......If I See Ma, I'll ask her!

Francesca

[Alf S.]

Hi: floyd... I don't think it's lying per se... more like liability!!! Why do the car/truck mfg's use such a low tow rate, and the trailer mfg's. use such a low trailer weight??? Like all things it's a numbers game. More people want high mpg's than want high tow cap's. Some of us want both!!! LoL
In Canada the powers that be set the standards for measuring L/100km's but you'll only get those figures if you live and drive in Utopia... As Donna D says "YMMV"
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Alf S.

Hi: floyd... I don't think it's lying per se... more like liability!!! Why do the car/truck mfg's use such a low tow rate, and the trailer mfg's. use such a low trailer weight??? Like all things it's a numbers game. More people want high mpg's than want high tow cap's. Some of us want both!!! LoL
In Canada the powers that be set the standards for measuring L/100km's but you'll only get those figures if you live and drive in Utopia... As Donna D says "YMMV"
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

The U.S. has standards for determining the EPA MPG as well and they were updated a few years ago to a more accurate method.

The one thing which I find missing in the perennial discussion of "real tow limit standards" is the difference between the capabilities of the drivetrain and the capabilities of the chassis. The former merely informs the owner of the possibility of damaging the drivetrain or causing premature wear.
The latter involves capabilities which involve safety issues such as braking and handling.
For instance a 10 inch clutch should generally last longer and have greater clamping strength than a 9 inch clutch,but applied to the same chassis, should make no difference to public safety. In fact, less drivetrain capability may even enhance public safety.
While both are important...I have yet to hear of a legitimate case of a trailering accident caused by not exceeding the speed limit, or inadequate acceleration.
The overall "tow rating" will naturally reflect a chain being only as strong as it's weakest link, which is why some otherwise identical vehicles with only different drive trains will have different tow ratings.
Exceeding the drivetrain capability is not in the same realm as exceeding the chassis capability, but it is imortant to know them both... perhaps reported separately?

[Ray N]

Toyota has voluntarily used the J2807 standards for the Tundra and Tacoma since 2011.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Ray N

Toyota has voluntarily used the J2807 standards for the Tundra and Tacoma since 2011.

The article says that the standard is only about 3/4 of the way through revision as of July 15, 2011.
Surely perfection is just around the corner... until the next revision!
It seems that the manufacturer's tow ratings have always been considered the final word ,and now we see that they are not competent to set them for their own products
How many are going to take their five year old tow vehicle in to be tested next year?