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Off-road trailer shopping comes with a vocabulary problem: the spec sheet assumes you already know what GVWR, a poly-block hitch or a DC-to-DC charger is. This glossary defines the fifty terms that actually appear on Black Series spec sheets and in towing conversations, in plain language, with the Black Series figure where one applies.
Jump to a section: Weights and towing · Chassis and suspension · Power and electrical · Water and plumbing · Body, climate and layout · Buying and ownership
Weights and towing
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The maximum the trailer is allowed to weigh fully loaded, set by the manufacturer. This is the number to size a tow vehicle against. Black Series: 7,000 lb (HQ15), 7,500 lb (HQ12), 10,000 lb (all six other models).
Dry weight (UVW, unloaded vehicle weight). What the trailer weighs as built, with no water, propane, gear or people. Useful for comparing models, useless for planning a tow.
Payload capacity (trailer). GVWR minus dry weight. What you can legally put in the trailer, including water. An HQ19 at 6,525 lb dry with a 10,000 lb GVWR carries roughly 3,475 lb.
Payload capacity (truck). The combined weight of occupants and cargo your truck can carry, printed on the driver's door-jamb label. Tongue weight comes out of this number, which is why it usually decides whether a half-ton works. Check yours in the payload calculator.
Tongue weight (hitch weight). The downward force the trailer's coupler puts on the hitch ball, normally 10 to 13 percent of the trailer's loaded weight. A 10,000 lb trailer means 1,000 to 1,300 lb on the truck.
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating). The maximum combined weight of truck and trailer together. You can be under both individual ratings and still exceed this one.
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating). The maximum weight a single axle may carry. Uneven loading can overload one axle while the total stays legal.
Tow rating. The maximum trailer weight a vehicle is rated to pull in a specific configuration. Advertised maximums usually require a particular cab, bed, axle ratio and tow package.
Weight-distribution hitch. A hitch with spring bars that transfers part of the tongue weight forward onto the truck's front axle, restoring steering feel and level stance. It improves handling but adds no payload. When to use one.
Sway control. Friction or cam devices, or an integrated truck system, that resist the trailer's side-to-side oscillation at speed.
Brake controller. The device in the truck that applies the trailer's electric brakes in proportion to the truck's braking. Required for trailers of this weight; most modern trucks offer a factory-integrated unit.
Breakaway cable and switch. A lanyard that applies the trailer brakes automatically if the trailer separates from the tow vehicle.
Safety chains. Crossed chains between trailer and hitch that hold the coupler up off the road if it releases. Guide.
Tandem axle. Two axles under the trailer instead of one, spreading load and improving stability. Standard on the TH22.
Tare and net carrying capacity. Alternative terms for dry weight and trailer payload, common on Australian-market spec sheets.
Chassis and suspension
Hot-dipped galvanized chassis. A steel frame dipped in molten zinc after fabrication, coating every surface including inside sections and weld seams. The reason Black Series chassis resist corrosion where painted frames rust from the inside out.
Independent suspension. Each wheel moves on its own trailing arm rather than being tied to the opposite wheel by a solid axle. Keeps tires planted on washboard and uneven ground, and lowers the shock transmitted into the body. Compared with solid axle.
Trailing arm. The pivoting arm that connects each wheel hub to the chassis in an independent setup.
Dual-shock (twin-shock) suspension. Two dampers per wheel, standard on Black Series. The second shock manages heat and fade on long, rough descents where a single shock overheats.
Air suspension. Air springs with an onboard compressor in place of coil springs, allowing ride-height adjustment. The Moab Flex air suspension is part of the Rocky Mountain edition.
Articulating (off-road) hitch. A coupler that allows rotation on three axes so the trailer can twist relative to the truck without binding on severe terrain. A conventional ball coupler cannot.
Poly-block hitch. An articulating coupler using polyurethane blocks to allow that movement, standard on Black Series models. Inspection and care.
ADR (Australian Design Rules). The Australian vehicle standards the hitches and several components are approved to, a legacy of the brand's Australian engineering.
Stone guard. Protective sheeting across the front and underbody that shields plumbing, wiring and the front wall from gravel thrown by the tow vehicle.
Departure and approach angle. How steep a crest or ditch the trailer can clear without dragging its rear or front.
Ground clearance. The distance from the lowest fixed point of the chassis to the ground.
Load range (tire). A letter grade for a tire's carcass strength and maximum inflation pressure. Load Range E carries more than Load Range C at the same size. Guide.
DOT date code. The four digits at the end of a tire's sidewall code giving the week and year it was made. Trailer tires age out around six years regardless of tread. How to read it.
Power and electrical
Amp-hour (Ah). A measure of battery capacity. Black Series ships a 200Ah bank on the HQ12 and TH19 and a 400Ah bank on the other models; the Yellow Stone and Rocky Mountain editions move to an 800Ah Victron system.
Watt-hour (Wh). Capacity in energy terms: amp-hours times volts. A 400Ah 12V bank is roughly 4,800 Wh.
Lithium (LiFePO4). The battery chemistry used in modern RV banks, lighter than lead-acid, usable to a deeper discharge, and tolerant of many more cycles.
Depth of discharge. How much of a battery's capacity you actually use. Our off-grid calculator assumes 80 percent usable to stay conservative.
Inverter. Converts 12V DC battery power to 120V AC household power. Black Series fits a 2,000W pure sine wave inverter as standard; the upper editions use a 3,000W unit that can run the air conditioner off battery.
Pure sine wave. An inverter output waveform that matches utility power, required by sensitive electronics and most compressors. The cheaper alternative, modified sine wave, can damage some appliances.
Solar charge controller (MPPT). The device between the panels and the battery. Maximum Power Point Tracking controllers extract meaningfully more energy in weak light than simpler PWM types. Troubleshooting.
Roof solar array. Panels mounted on the roof. Standard on every model is 600W; the Yellow Stone and Rocky Mountain editions carry 1,200W.
DC-to-DC charger. Charges the trailer battery from the tow vehicle's alternator while you drive, at a proper charge profile. Part of the Victron package on the upper editions.
Shore power. Plugging into mains electricity at a campground. Cord guide.
Parasitic draw. The small continuous drain from detectors, controllers and standby electronics that flattens a battery over weeks in storage. Causes and fixes.
Days of autonomy. How long you can camp without shore power or a generator before the battery runs down. Depends on your loads far more than on the trailer.
Water and plumbing
Fresh tank. Potable water storage. Black Series models carry about 64 gallons, among the largest in the off-road class.
Grey tank. Waste water from sinks and the shower, 26 gallons on Black Series models.
Black tank. Toilet waste, 26 gallons.
Triple-filtered drinking tank. A separate, filtered supply for drinking water, 12 to 16 gallons depending on model.
Water pump. The 12V pump that pressurizes the system when you are not on shore water. If it will not stop running.
City water connection and check valve. The inlet for a hose from a campground tap, with a one-way valve that stops pressurized water backfilling the fresh tank. Fix.
Wet bath. A bathroom where the shower, toilet and sink share one sealed fiberglass room. Standard on the HQ12, HQ17 and TH19.
Dry bath (en-suite). A bathroom with a separate shower stall, so the rest of the room stays dry. On the HQ15, HQ19, HQ21, HQ21 Balcony and TH22. Which models have which.
Winterizing. Draining and protecting the water system before freezing weather, using the bypass valve and antifreeze. Step by step.
Anode rod. A sacrificial rod in a water heater that corrodes so the tank does not. Replaced periodically.
Body, climate and layout
Hard-wall construction. A rigid one-piece body, as opposed to canvas sides or a slide-out. No seals to fail on rough roads.
Pop-top. A roof that raises for standing headroom and lowers for towing, reducing height and drag. The HQ12 is the pop-top model.
Slide-out. A section that extends to enlarge the interior at camp. Common on conventional trailers and deliberately absent from Black Series models, since the seals and mechanism are a liability off pavement.
R-value. A measure of insulation performance. The TH22 uses R16 spray-foam insulation.
Four-season capability. A loose industry phrase for trailers built to work below freezing: insulated and heated tanks, sealed underbelly, adequate furnace. The Yellow Stone and Rocky Mountain editions add the Alaska winter package with tank heating.
BTU. The heating or cooling output unit. Black Series models carry a 13,500 BTU air conditioner and a 16,000 BTU furnace.
Toy hauler garage. A rear cargo bay with a ramp door and tie-down points for bikes, ATVs or gear, with a diamond-plate floor on the TH19 and TH22.
Convertible lounge. A dinette or seating area that converts to a bed, adding a sleeping position without a dedicated bunk.
External kitchen. A slide-out cooking station accessible from outside, standard across the lineup.
Buying and ownership
Factory-direct. Buying from the manufacturer rather than through a dealer's inventory. Black Series sells both ways; the price is the same.
PDI (pre-delivery inspection). The inspection before handover. Black Series runs a 300-point check at the Upland, California facility.
Build slot. Your place in the production queue, held by a refundable $500 deposit.
MSRP and out-the-door price. The starting price versus what you actually pay after delivery, tax and registration. Delivery is a flat $2,880 anywhere in the continental U.S., or free at factory pickup. See the numbers.
Edition (trim). Base, Yellow Stone (+$15,000) and Rocky Mountain (+$30,000), available on all eight models. What each includes.
Transferable warranty. Coverage that passes to the next owner: one year comprehensive, fifteen years structural and a lifetime A-frame chassis warranty. Terms.
VIN. The vehicle identification number used for registration, warranty and recall lookups.
Still stuck on a term? Check the FAQ, ask us, or start with the guides hub.