GM Trucks to Adopt J2807 Towing Standard in 2015

Chevrolet plans to adopt the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2807 tow rating standards for its half-ton pickup trucks.

“When the specific segment goes to J2807, we will as well,” Jeff Luke, executive chief engineer of GM trucks, said at the Detroit Auto Show this week. Chevrolet has long held the stance that when the rest of the industry uses the J2807 standard for their pickup truck tow ratings, it will do the same.

That day is almost here. While unveiling its new F-150, Ford said the truck will use the J2807 guideline to calculate its tow ratings. It hasn’t gone unnoticed in the Chevrolet camp.

“We are fully ready to go, assuming that our main competitors do the same thing,” said Luke.

The J2807 standards are a set of specific guidelines meant to standardize how tow ratings are calculated. J2807 would keep the playing field even when it comes to maximum tow ratings, as currently manufacturers conduct independent tests while bragging about tow ratings based on measurements that don’t necessarily live up to an industry standard.

SEE ALSO: Why Your Truck’s Tow Rating is BS

For Chevrolet, it’s a waiting game to make sure that Ford will actually follow through on its promise.

“As founding members of the SAE trailer towing committee, we will meet amended SAE trailer towing standards, which are expected to be voted on by the end of the second quarter,” said Ford trucks communications manager, Mike Levine, further confirming that Ford will use J2807.

When asked about the timeline for adopting the new ratings, Luke answered “if their [J2807] truck is 2015, then our truck will be the same.”

Currently, Chevrolet holds the towing crown with a maximum trailer tow rating of 11,500 pounds on properly equipped trucks, but Ford is just behind with a max tow rating of 11,300 pounds. Ford is promising that the new F-150 will tow more than the old one, but by exactly how much remains to be seen.

Once J2807 is adopted however, both of those numbers will change, and finally consumers will be able to compare advertised tow ratings directly and accurately.