Rivian Towing Capacities

[moosetags]

We intend to use our R1T to tow our Airstream Travel Trailer. We think that this will be doable, but there are several considerations. Our Airstream weighs 7,000#. This is well within the Rivian's 11,000# towing capacity. The Achilles' Heel in the Rivian's towing capabilities is its payload capacity. The standard payload capacity is 1,760#. If the R1T has the off-road package, it adds quite a bit of weight and reduces the payload to 1,420#.

This is where things can get really tight. The payload is the weight of everything you put into the truck. This includes the passengers, everything in the passenger compartment, gear tunnel, bed of the truck, and the tongue weight of the trailer.

Our Airstream has a tongue weight of 900#. This gives us 860# for everything else if we have the 1,760# payload. 320# for SuEllyn and I. This leaves us with 540# for all of our tools, gear, and our 120# inverter generator. This puts us pretty close to the R1T's payload limit.

If our R1T had the off-road package, we could easily go over the payload limit.

Brian

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[pc500]

Usually it excludes the driver. And, you have no gas to worry about.

This aside, you just put a good weight distribution system on and drive it if its that close. I'd also hope you can ditch the generator soon with V2L.

 

[IHScout]

We ran into the same issue with our suburban and trailer. We put everything we could into the trailer, as the payload was much higher there. That worked well enough for us. We plan to implement the same strategy with our R1S. Best of luck to you and SuEllyn

 

[moosetags]

It has always been my understanding that the payload weight includes all passengers, including the driver.

 

[crashmtb]

I’d be more concerned about axle gross weight rating than payload. load it to that!

easy for me to say since I’m not the one doing it ?

 

[Zoidz]

We ran into the same issue with our suburban and trailer. We put everything we could into the trailer, as the payload was much higher there. That worked well enough for us. We plan to implement the same strategy with our R1S. Best of luck to you and SuEllyn

Just be careful on the weight distribution inside the trailer. Some people are fully aware of the risks, some people are not, so I'm posting a link to a video that shows the dangers of "backloading" a trailer, either out of ignorance to the risks, or because you intentionally want to couterbalance the tongue weight to reduce it.

 

[peteywaslike]

Has it been confirmed that the off road option is the differentiator between the 1,760 lb and 1,420 lb payload numbers? Any difference between Explore and Adventure trims? I definitely will need to remove the off road package then. I’ll be towing a 6500 lb Airstream with a 875 lb tongue weight.

 

[IHScout]

Just be careful on the weight distribution inside the trailer. Some people are fully aware of the risks, some people are not, so I'm posting a link to a video that shows the dangers of "backloading" a trailer, either out of ignorance to the risks, or because you intentionally want to couterbalance the tongue weight to reduce it.

That is a great point and one reason I never let other people load things into my trailer. Thank you for including this.

 

[moosetags]

Has it been confirmed that the off road option is the differentiator between the 1,760 lb and 1,420 lb payload numbers? Any difference between Explore and Adventure trims? I definitely will need to remove the off road package then. I’ll be towing a 6500 lb Airstream with a 875 lb tongue weight.

I have confirmed those weight figures using the official 1,760# payload number. I got the 1,419# number from the sticker in the door jamb that was shown in one of the TFL test videos. That vehicle had the off road package. That is the only option that could explain a 340# weight difference.

Brian

 

[Max]

Never towed before. Trying to understand this. R1S has 1800 Ib payload. Assuming each axel can handle 900 Ib, does that mean with no weight distribution hitch, I can have 500 Ib tongue weight and 400Ib junk in the second half of the SUV?

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