New Touareg tow rig

jw0747 said:

Seriously doubt any car/truck manufacturer would advertise their vehicle's towing capacity and then say something like now don't forget to read the fine print because what we advertised as the towing capacity ain't always true and also don't forget to add a weight-distributing hitch before you tow. Then again you can analyze something to death because what you think was advertised ain't the truth. If they advertised 7,700 lbs you can be certain it was tested and not over stated. To overstate towing capacity could expose a car/truck company to some serious liability in the event of a serious accident.

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I don't doubt it at all, and I'm not saying that they might have overstated the towing capacity, just that I'd want to know what was needed to get that rating. There is definitely some special equipment required to tow 7700 lbs. Trailer brakes, if nothing else. Is a weight distributing hitch needed? I don't know, but I'd want to know so I'd know what equipment I needed to buy.

And almost all vehicles are actually rated for Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR). This is the total weight of the truck and trailer. Some vehicles, like my '97 F-250HD, emphasize the GCWR. My owner's manual says my truck is rated for 18,500 lbs GCWR and a trailer weight of 0 - 12,500 lbs. Others, like my dad's Odyssey, emphasize the trailer weight and say it can to a 3500 lb trailer if the van is empty except for the driver, and that any additional weight in the van needs to be subtracted from the trailer rating. Both are legitimate ratings, have been tested, and cover the company regarding liability. But you need to read the entire rating in order to know what it really allows.

It could be that the Touareg is rated to tow 7700 lbs even when it's loaded to its GVWR. I'm not saying that it isn't. I'm just saying that if the tow rating does require the vehicle to be empty, that would be pretty normal (and would be clearly stated in the owners manual).

Looks like a great multi use tow rig to me. Let us know how it works out.