GVWR???

Thanks to all for the replies!
The unit I am going to look at is a 2010 Phaeton 40' QTH w/Freightliner chassis.

Thanks again,
DICK

If you intend to spend months or longer in it many people find that they need at least 1500 pounds of cargo carrying capacity (CCC) for each adult. The CCC or the newer designation OCCC will be on a sticker somewhere in the motor home - usually in a cabinet or closet.

You can see the definition of CCC HERE, and OCCC HERE.
Scroll down to "2009 New weight label" and download the pdf file.


To get CCC subtract the weight of water you will carry and the weight of the people you will carry from the OCCC.

It is common to see CCC numbers as low as a few hundred pounds (even on diesel pushers) which means it would be overloaded for weekend trips and unusable for full timing.

We have 2800 pounds of CCC and would like to have 3500. We started with a 30 footer with no slides and after a year traded it in on a new 35 footer with two slides.

acker1 wrote:
So this would be 10,000# GCWR which is good?

Thanks
DICK

well, it's better than 9000-lbs. but seriously, you only have part of the story. you know the GVWR is 32,000-lbs, but what is the empty weight of the MH? empty weight is, well, the empty weight. no fuel, no water, no LP, no food, no clothing, no people, etc. the difference between the empty weight and the GVWR is called the payload. payload is how much stuff...food, fuel, water, LP, clothing, pets, people and stuff...you can add to the MH without exceeding the weight ratings.

don't let the dealer/seller confuse you with NCC, CCC, SCWR and other terms. IMO those are meant to confuse the issue. UVW (unloaded vehicle weight) comes closest to payload but includes fuel (6-lbs per gallon for gas, 7.15-lbs per gallon for diesel). and do not rely on the weight sticker that may be posted on the interior wall of the closet. that may not include options added by the dealer. once you know the unloaded weight you'll know how much weight you can add. but be careful here as you have to be mindful of the GAWR (gross axle weight ratings).

it's not enough to know how much payload you have. you need to know where the payload is. that is, how much of the payload is on the front axle and how much is on the rear axle. insist on having the unloaded vehicle weighed at a certified scale and get individual axle weights. compare the individual actual axle weights against the GAWR for that axle. you may be surprised at the results. when we were shopping for a new MH back in 2000 we insisted on getting actual axle weights for a unit on the lot. we were really surprised to learn that that while the total weight of the MH was less than the GVWR the front axle was underweight by a greater amount than the rear axle was overweight. we took a pass on that MH.

as for towing a vehicle...the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

- the GCWR minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (food, fuel, water, LP, clothing, supplies, pets, people and misc. stuff); OR

- the weight rating of the MH hitch (Class II 3500-lbs, Class III 5000-lbs, Class IV 10,000-lbs); OR

- the weight rating of your towbar

a little preparation and knowledge now may save you from heartache down the road. good luck to you.

A side note - something I learned recently. The weight on the sticker in the coach may not be accurate. Weigh your coach. That's the only way to know exactly what it weighs. And weigh it like you are travelling, people, water, fuel, gear etc. THAT is your starting point.

Your motor home can weigh up to 32,000 pounds of which 20,000 can be on the rear and 12,000 on the front but the total should be 20,000 or less.

Your motor home PLUS whatever you tow behind it can tip the scales at a max of 42,000 pounds.

So the towed vehicle can be the lesser of:
1: The rating on the tow hitch (I suspect your's is a 10,0000 pound hitch) and 42,000 less the actual scaled weight of the motor home.

Load it for "Bear" (Travel) and park it on a scale.. Find a flat, segmented scale and get the axle weights.. If needed adjust stuff front to rear to get it under the 12,400/20,000 limits. Then park with just one side on the scale to get side to side weights, again adjust to balance best you can

Once you have adjusted and have the 4 corner weights, Get the tire manufacturer's inflation charts and inflate per chart, MANY (Self included) like to add 5 PSI to the maker's chart.

Then weigh your towed, Odds are less you carry a good size land yatch type car or truck in an enclosed trailer you will be good there. But weigh it (or take it with you on the first run) to be sure.

If you do not tow 4 down. take the towed with you when you weigh (4 down towing adds next to no weight to the motor home, but does to the COMBINED gross vehicle weight).

hi,

Lets say that the motorhome empty weight is around 28,000 pounds, and the GVWR is 32,000 pounds. Then you add water, propane, diesel fuel, and come up to about 29,000 pounds, this will leave you a adaquate 3,000 pound cargo rating.

If you plan on towing a 11,000 pound cargo trailer with 1,000 pounds of hitch weight, yes the motorhome can do this. Just make sure that the overall weight of the motorhome is only 31,000 pounds before hitching up to that size trailer. You can actually go a little heavier on the trailer, depending on how low the motorhome curb weight is, and it also depends on the hitch weight rating being well over 10,000 pounds.

If you plan on towing a car, yet it will do fine. Anything larger, and you will be transferring weight from the front axle to the rear axle as well as adding weight to the rear axle. So checking the rear weight at a CAT scale, or local moving company (they typically have certified scales too) will tell you what loads you can carry.

Fred.

Most people towing a small car are towing less than 5K. A full size Chevy pickup 8K. It's probably fine. Depends on what you can live without.

Dick,

Yes, if the loaded weight of the coach is 32,000 or less, according to the chart, you could tow up to 10,000.

BUT, I have no idea whose numbers those are: chassis maker? coach maker?

The LESSER of chassis or coach maker's specs dictate. As an example, if the coach maker used a frame extension or less than 10k hitch, the towing rating would be less.

OK. Thanks I'll try and find out the actual weight.

DICK

I think you need to know the weight of the vehicle itself. Then you will know how much you can load in it and how much you can tow. The GVWR means nothing without knowing the actual weight.