It can be frustrating to find the perfect trailer only to learn that your vehicle can’t tow it. At times, you may unknowingly purchase a vehicle with low towing capacity. It’s always essential to work with a reputable dealer when shopping for a towing vehicle. That’s where Sierra Blanca Motors comes in.
For more than 50 years, our team at Sierra Blanca Motors has helped ranchers, horse haulers, and other vehicle buyers find the perfect towing vehicle for their needs. We offer a wide selection of towing vehicle models, including RAM, Chevy, and Jeep, with a commitment to delivering excellent customer service and exceptional dealership experience you’ve come to expect from us.
What Is Towing Capacity?
Towing capacity is the weight limit your vehicle can pull. Different vehicles have different tow capacities depending on make, model, year, and other features. For example, RAM towing capacity isn’t the same as Jeep towing capacity.
Likewise, truck towing capacity would often differ from SUV towing capacity. Exceeding the tow limit may lead to safety hazards and mechanical damages to your vehicle. The most dangerous consequence of exceeding a vehicle’s tow capacity is losing braking ability, increasing the risk of having an accident. Exceeding the tow limit can also prevent your vehicle from driving uphill, even with the gentlest slope.
When shopping for a towing vehicle, be sure to consider several factors to ensure that you pick the right one for your needs:
- Towing capacity – The vehicle you choose should have sufficient towing ability to handle the maximum loaded weight of the trailer you’ll be towing. The manufacturer determines a vehicle’s tow capacity.
- Curb weight – Before you ask, “What is curb weight?” we’ll tell you—this is the vehicle’s weight when fully fuelled but carrying no passengers or load. We advise you to choose a vehicle that’s quite close in weight to your loaded trailer. Generally, the heavier your vehicle, the easier it will be to handle the trailer’s weight.
- Wheelbase – Wheelbase determines a vehicle’s stability and maneuverability. If you want to know what wheelbase is or how to measure wheelbase, it’s simply the distance from a tow vehicle’s front axle to the rear axle. Generally, the longer the wheelbase, the safer the vehicle.
- Drive system- Rear two-wheel-drive vehicles often have higher tow capacity ratings. However, if you frequently tow in rough terrains, we advise you choose a four-wheel-drive for increased safety.
- Transmission – Whether to choose manual or automatic transmission will depend on personal preference. While an automatic transmission often has a higher tow limit than a similar vehicle with a manual transmission, it’s best to choose a car or truck that you can handle comfortably and safely.
- Tow package – A vehicle equipped with a towing package has enhanced suspension and brakes, a more robust transmission system, a large radiator with extra cooling capacity, and other advanced features to handle heavy loads better. You may not need a tow package if you occasionally pull a light trailer. However, if you often tow heavy loads over long distances, a vehicle with a towing package would be a more reliable option.
- Chassis design – Unibody vehicles, which include most cars and smaller SUVs, are often not ideal for towing since their bodies aren’t as strong as large SUVs and full-size trucks, which feature a “body-on-frame” chassis design.
Sierra Blanca Motors—The Dealership That Understands Towing Capacity—Ruidoso, NM
To tow safely and legally, make sure you stay within your vehicle’s towing capacity. As such, it’s essential to know the towing capacity of a vehicle when choosing which model might work best for your towing needs. If you’re having a hard time finding the right towing vehicle, Sierra Blanca Motors can help.
We offer towing vehicles from top manufacturers like RAM, Jeep, and Chevrolet at unbeatable rates. Whether you want to know Chevy towing capacity, Dodge towing capacity, or any other vehicle’s towing capacity, we can advise you accordingly.
We’ve been serving Ruidoso, Roswell, Las Cruces, Carlsbad, and the surrounding areas of New Mexico for more than 50 years. Contact us today at 575-213-5439 for all your towing vehicle needs.
