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On this weeks show I am walking you through the basics of matching your tow vehicle to your RV. I am breaking down and defining the terms associated with towing safety. \xa0I'm also laying out the formula used to determine what size RV can be safely towed by what sized tow vehicle.\nSome terms we hear discussed at RV dealerships and on social media groups dedicated to RVing are below. It's a good idea for those new to towing to familiarize themselves with these terms.\n\nGVWR - Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.\xa0This number indicates the maximum amount of weight that can be carried in that RV. This would be fully loaded. It is what the industry has determined through federal guidelines that the frame, and axle, and wheels can accommodate. It is a federal law that each RV or travel trailer that leaves a factory must have this number in the left front corner of the outside of the trailer on a non removable plate.\xa0\n\nUVW - Unloaded Vehicle Weight. This is sometimes referred to as the dry weight. When a travel trailer leaves the factory it is individually weighed. The weight for that trailer is connected to its vin number and is specific to that individual trailer. You can have two trailers made the same day at the same plant that will have two different UVW ratings. It depends on the options that are put on them. An awning on a trailer can weigh a lot. An added 30 # propane tank can add another 25 pounds empty -\xa0 54#\u2019s when it\u2019s full. Also keep in mind that if you bring that trailer home and do modifications to it before you put one thing in it, every modification you make adds to your UVW.\n\nCCC- Cargo Carrying Capacity. This number is also on the label in the left front corner of your RV. It can also sometimes be found on the inside of the door. This number tells you how much weight you can add to your RV when you\u2019re packing it. The CCC on my Liberty Outdoors Max is 660 pounds. The axle and the tires are not rated to carry more than this amount of added weight.\xa0\n\nGVWR - UVW = CCC\n\nThe GVWR on my Max trailer is 3800 pounds. When I deduct the 3,140 pound UVW (or the dry weight as some people like to say), I arrive at the number 660 which is my Cargo Carrying Capacity. This simply means I cannot put more than 660 pounds of stuff in my trailer.\n\nTongue weight -\xa0the downward force that the tongue of the trailer exerts on the hitch that is connected to the vehicle. ... Experts agree that an acceptable tongue weight for any trailer is somewhere between 9 to 15 percent of the gross trailer weight.\xa0\n\nYour tow vehicle also has ratings that you need to be aware of.\xa0\n\nThere are three numbers to concern yourself with in your tow vehicle.\xa0\n\nYour tow vehicle also has a\xa0GVWR which can be found on the door jam or the door itself on your tow vehicle. This number reflects the maximum amount of weight that vehicle can have in total. It\u2019s made up of the weight of the vehicle itself, what\u2019s in it and the tongue weight of anything it\u2019s pulling.\xa0\n\nThe\xa0Cargo Carrying Capacity number is also listed on the door. That\u2019s how much stuff you put in your tow vehicle.\xa0\n\nThe UVR or dry weight, is what it weighs empty but with a small amount added for gas. This number is a little trickier to find. You can find it in your owners manual. You can also get that number by taking your gross vehicle weight rating and deducting your cargo carrying capacity. That will give you a number close to what your vehicle weighs dry.\n\nThere is one last number to concern yourself with and it\u2019s called the GCWR. This number reflects the\xa0total of the GVWR for your tow vehicle and the RV together. It\xa0is the maximum allowable combination of your tow vehicle, its passengers and cargo combined with the weight of the RV and its cargo. This rating is set by the vehicle manufacturer.\xa0I got this number from my owners manual but you can also get it from a website. At this website you put in your Vin number and all the details about your vehicle will come up including the gross combined weight rating.