2008 Cadillac DTS Owner's Manual - Page 289

Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It should never weigh more than 1,000 lbs (454 kg). These are total maximum weights including the load. But even that can be too heavy. It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. It can also depend on any special equipment that you have on your vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry. See "Weight of the Trailer Tongue" later in this section for more information. Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight. You can ask your dealer/retailer for our trailering information or advice, or you can write us at our Customer Assistance Offices. See Customer Assistance Offices on page 7-5 for more information. Weight of the Trailer Tongue The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important weight to measure because it affects the total or gross weight of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be riding in the vehicle. And if you tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-20 for more information about your vehicle's maximum load capacity. If you are using a weight-carrying hitch or a weight-distributing hitch, the trailer tongue (A) should weigh 10 to 15 percent of the total loaded trailer weight (B). 4-29