LEGAL
Terms & Towing Disclaimer
TowGauge is a decision-support tool that organizes published towing ratings and user-entered load information. It does not replace the vehicle manufacturer, equipment manufacturer, vehicle labels, owner's manuals, professional inspection or applicable law.
A TowGauge result should be read as a comparison against the listed ratings that were available and the values you entered. It is not a declaration that a towing combination is safe in every condition.
1. Scope of TowGauge
TowGauge provides towing-capacity information, configuration matching, calculations, VIN-assisted vehicle identification, reverse matching by trailer weight, educational towing-equipment guidance and, when available, fitment-filtered links to compatible third-party towing products.
The current service does not directly sell towing products, process payments, operate a customer account system or route installer leads. TowGauge may earn a commission when you voluntarily purchase through a clearly disclosed affiliate link.
2. Ratings and source data
TowGauge uses manufacturer documentation and other identified source material to build production vehicle profiles. A record may contain maximum loaded trailer weight, GCWR, GVWR, receiver information and configuration details such as engine, drivetrain, axle ratio, cab, wheelbase or required towing package when those values are supported by the source.
Manufacturer documentation can contain footnotes, package requirements, model-year changes, market differences and later corrections. TowGauge is designed to preserve those distinctions, but errors or omissions are still possible. Always verify the exact vehicle against the current vehicle labels, owner's manual and manufacturer information before towing.
3. Your inputs and configuration
TowGauge results depend on the accuracy of the selected vehicle configuration and the weights you enter. You are responsible for confirming that the selected engine, drivetrain, axle ratio, cab, wheelbase, towing package and other relevant configuration details actually match the vehicle being evaluated.
- Use loaded, ready-to-travel trailer weight when possible rather than dry/shipping weight.
- Use the carrying-capacity value from the specific vehicle's label when completing a payload check.
- Use actual scale weights when a stronger GCWR or axle-load check is needed.
- Include people, cargo and trailer tongue/pin load in the appropriate vehicle-weight calculations.
If an important value is unavailable, TowGauge may leave that check unresolved rather than estimate it.
4. No safety certification
TowGauge does not inspect the tow vehicle, trailer, hitch, tires, brakes, suspension, coupler, safety chains, breakaway system, load distribution or roadworthiness. It also cannot evaluate weather, road conditions, driving behaviour, maintenance condition or how cargo is secured.
Staying within published ratings is only one part of a proper towing setup. You must follow all vehicle, trailer and equipment manufacturer instructions and comply with applicable laws. When in doubt, obtain qualified professional assistance.
5. VIN lookup
VIN decoding is used to help identify a vehicle and reduce manual entry. TowGauge currently uses NHTSA vPIC manufacturer-submitted data for this purpose. VIN decoding does not by itself establish every towing-critical option or the exact payload of an individual vehicle.
Do not assume that a decoded year/make/model/engine automatically proves axle ratio, towing package, receiver equipment or all configuration details needed for a towing rating.
6. Shared and printed reports
TowGauge can create shareable URLs and print/PDF-friendly reports. A report reflects the TowGauge production record and the inputs present when that report was created or reopened. Shared report URLs may contain entered load values.
A saved or printed report can become outdated if a manufacturer updates documentation, TowGauge corrects a record, the vehicle setup changes, or the trailer/load changes. Re-check the current vehicle and source data before relying on an older report.
7. Third-party sources, products and affiliate links
TowGauge links to manufacturer documents, government resources, retailers and other third-party services. Those sites and products are controlled by their respective operators. Their availability, content, specifications, pricing, inventory, shipping terms and policies can change independently of TowGauge.
When TowGauge displays a compatible-equipment recommendation, the recommendation is filtered using the fitment information TowGauge has independently mapped for the selected vehicle configuration. That does not replace the equipment manufacturer's current application guide, installation instructions, weight ratings or professional fitment confirmation. Always verify the exact part number and current manufacturer instructions before purchase, installation or use.
Some product links may be affiliate links. TowGauge may earn a commission if you make a qualifying purchase through one of those links, at no additional cost to you. Commercial relationships do not alter TowGauge vehicle ratings, calculation results or fitment rules. Affiliate links are marked with the appropriate disclosure and sponsored-link attributes.
Amazon disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
8. Availability and changes
TowGauge may add, remove, correct or reorganize vehicle records, calculations, tools, product recommendations and educational content. Coverage is intentionally limited to source-backed records that have been mapped into the production database. A vehicle missing from TowGauge does not mean it cannot tow; it means TowGauge does not currently provide a verified production record for that configuration.
The service may be temporarily unavailable because of maintenance, hosting issues, external API failures, retailer changes or source changes.
9. Disclaimer and limitation
TowGauge is provided on an informational, as-available basis. To the extent permitted by applicable law, TowGauge does not warrant that every source, calculation, result, product recommendation, fitment rule, price or third-party link is complete, error-free, current or suitable for a particular towing decision.
You remain responsible for verifying the vehicle, trailer, load, equipment and applicable laws before towing. TowGauge is not responsible for damage, loss, injury, towing citations or other consequences resulting from incorrect inputs, unverified vehicle configuration, equipment condition, improper loading, misuse of the service or reliance on a report or product recommendation without appropriate verification.
Nothing in these terms excludes rights or remedies that cannot legally be excluded under applicable law.
10. Acceptable use
You may use TowGauge for personal vehicle research and ordinary towing decision support. You may not interfere with the service, attempt to bypass security controls, abuse the VIN endpoint, scrape the service at a rate that disrupts operation, misrepresent TowGauge output as a manufacturer certification, or remove source/disclaimer context in a way that makes a result misleading.
TowGauge may update these terms as the service changes. The effective date at the top of this page will reflect the current published version.