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Truck Payload Calculator
Payload is everything your truck carries on top of its own weight: people, gear, accessories and the weight of a trailer on the hitch. It is often the first limit towers hit, long before the advertised towing capacity. Enter your numbers to see how much payload you have left.
Truck Payload Calculator
Estimates only. Always follow your vehicle's owner's manual, door-jamb label and hitch ratings. Weigh your actual setup at a public scale.
How payload is calculated
Payload = GVWR ā curb weight, or simply the figure on your door-jamb placard.
Payload remaining = payload ā passengers ā cargo ā accessories ā tongue weight
If you don’t know the tongue weight yet, the calculator estimates it at 10% of the loaded trailer weight for a bumper-pull trailer and 15% for a fifth wheel or gooseneck, the same assumption Ford uses in its online towing calculator. Real tongue weight is often higher, so measure it when you can.
Use the door-jamb placard
Every light vehicle sold in the US carries a Tire and Loading Information placard on the driver’s door jamb (required by federal motor vehicle safety standard 110). It states: “The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX lbs.” That number is calculated for your vehicle as it was built, including factory options, so it is more accurate than a brochure payload figure for a base model.
Anything added after the truck left the factory, such as a bed cover, toolbox, larger tires or a hitch, reduces what is left. That is why the calculator has a separate field for accessories.
Worked example
A half-ton pickup’s placard says 1,650 lb. Two adults weigh 360 lb, gear 250 lb, and a tonneau cover, ball mount and toolbox add 150 lb. The travel trailer weighs about 6,500 lb loaded.
- Estimated tongue weight: 6,500 Ć 10% = 650 lb
- Total load: 360 + 250 + 150 + 650 = 1,410 lb
- Payload remaining: 1,650 ā 1,410 = 240 lb (85% used)
If the trailer actually puts 1,000 lb on the hitch (about 15%), the same truck is 110 lb over payload, even though the tow rating may be well above 6,500 lb.
Payload vs. towing capacity
Towing capacity is about what the truck can pull; payload is about what it can carry. Because tongue weight sits on the truck, a heavy trailer uses up payload quickly. Check both: the towing capacity calculator combines tow rating, GCWR, payload and hitch rating in one result.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my truck's payload?
The most accurate figure is on the yellow Tire and Loading Information placard on the driver's door jamb: "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed ā¦". It is calculated for your specific vehicle as built, including factory options.
Is payload the same as GVWR minus curb weight?
In principle, yes: payload is what the vehicle may carry on top of its curb weight without exceeding GVWR. Brochure curb weights are often for a base model, so the door-jamb placard or a scale weight of your own vehicle gives a more realistic number.
Does tongue weight count as payload?
Yes. The weight a trailer puts on the hitch (or the king pin weight of a fifth wheel) is carried by the truck, so it is subtracted from payload exactly like passengers and cargo.
Does the weight distribution hitch count?
Yes. The hitch head, bars and ball mount are carried by the truck and count toward payload. A weight distribution hitch spreads the tongue weight between axles, but it does not remove it from the truck.
What else limits how much I can carry?
The rear axle rating (GAWR) and the load rating of the tires also apply. Staying under payload does not guarantee the rear axle is not overloaded, especially with a heavy tongue or a slide-in camper.
Related calculators
Sources
- eCFR, 49 CFR 571.110, tire selection and loading information placard
- Ford, Online Towing Calculator FAQ (10% / 15% tongue load assumption)
- Ford, 2026 RV and Trailer Towing Guide (PDF)
This calculator gives general estimates for planning. Never exceed GVWR, axle ratings (GAWR) or tire load ratings. The ratings on your vehicle’s labels and in its owner’s manual always take precedence.