1997 Honda Odyssey Owner's Manual - Page 130

Towing a Trailer Your Honda is designed primarily to carry passengers and their cargo. You can use it to tow a trailer if you carefully observe some general rules. The total weight of the trailer and everything loaded in it must not exceed the weights shown in the table below. The "tongue load" should never exceed 160 Ibs (72 kg). This is the amount of weight the trailer puts on the hitch when it is fully-loaded. As a rule of thumb, the tongue load should be 10 percent of the total trailer package. For example, if the trailer and its load weigh 1,000 Ibs (450 kg), the tongue load should be 100 Ibs (45 kg). Adjust the trailer's cargo to change the tongue load. Start by putting approximately 60 percent of the cargo toward the front and 40 percent toward the rear. Never load the trailer so the back is heavier than the front. The combined weight of the car, all passengers and their luggage, and tongue load must not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. The GVWR is printed on the Certification label attached to the driver's doorjamb (see page 218). The combined weight of the car, all passengers and their luggage, and tongue load also must not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating. The GAWR is also shown on the Certification label. It tells you the maximum load for the front and rear axles. It is possible that your towing package does not exceed the GVWR but does exceed the GAWR. Improper trailer loading, and/or too much luggage in the cargo area can overload the rear axle. Redistribute the load and check the axle weights again. * 1 : Including driver. Based on per passenger 150 Ibs (70 kg) *2 : Seven-passenger model only Driving