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Easily calculate towing force online with our free Towing Force Calculator. Accurate results for marine and trailer towing. Fast, simple, and reliable.
Understanding towing force is crucial when dealing with heavy-duty vehicles, trailers, or marine tug operations. Whether you’re hauling a trailer on land or pulling a vessel across water, you need accurate towing force calculations. That’s exactly why we developed this Towing Force Calculator to help you calculate pulling force easily, with accurate formulas and multiple unit support.
This free online tool gives you instant towing force results based on two main methods: marine towing (bollard pull-based) and trailer towing (friction and axle-based). It's perfect for professionals, students, and hobbyists alike.
Towing force is the amount of force required to pull an object either on land or water. It depends on various factors like weight, friction, efficiency, and in some cases, the ratio of axle diameter to wheel diameter.
The towing force helps determine whether your vehicle or tug is capable of pulling a specific load safely and efficiently.
There are two primary ways to calculate towing force, depending on the situation:
Used when calculating the force a tugboat needs to pull a vessel or barge. The formula is:
Towing Force = Bollard Pull × Efficiency
Example:
If a tug has a bollard pull of 500 kN and an efficiency of 0.85:
Towing Force = 500 × 0.85 = 425 kN
This method is ideal for vehicles towing trailers or heavy equipment over land:
Towing Force = Weight per Wheel × Friction Coefficient × (Axle Diameter ÷ Wheel Diameter) × Number of Wheels
Example:
Weight per wheel = 2000 N, friction = 0.05, axle diameter = 0.05 m, wheel diameter = 0.5 m, number of wheels = 4
Towing Force = 2000 × 0.05 × (0.05 / 0.5) × 4
Towing Force = 2000 × 0.05 × 0.1 × 4 = 40 N
There’s no guesswork. The calculator uses scientifically accurate formulas and real-world unit conversions.
Whether you're towing a boat across water or hauling a trailer on land, understanding your towing force is essential. Our Towing Force Calculator is designed with precision and ease of use in mind. With just a few inputs, you’ll get a reliable force estimate in seconds.
It’s the perfect tool for engineers, mechanics, transport specialists, or anyone working with towing systems.
No installation, no learning curve just enter, calculate, and tow with confidence.
Towing capacity refers to how much weight your vehicle can safely pull. It involves engine torque, towing hitch strength, and braking capacity. You can use our calculator to get the towing force, which helps you compare with your vehicle’s towing specs.
Yes, many towing force calculators are available online, including our web-based version that works on desktop and mobile. It’s lightweight, fast, and free.
Pulling force is the same as towing force. It’s calculated based on either bollard pull × efficiency (for marine) or using the wheel weight, friction, axle/wheel ratio, and number of wheels (for trailers).
Typical rolling resistance coefficients range from 0.01 (bearings) to 0.1 (rough roads). Use 0.03–0.05 for common trailer tires on flat surfaces.
Yes, our calculator supports unit conversions. Enter your preferred input units, and get the output in lbf, kgf, kN, or tons.