GVWR GCWR

Thanks for all your replies. Very helpful!

littlemo wrote:
GVWR or GCWR Which one of these are the actual weight I can tow behind my motor home? Or is this not anything to do with what I can tow?

Simply put, weigh your rig fully loaded with people and any hitch weight and subtract this from the GCWR rating. You answer is the supposed max. that you can tow and you'll have to weigh it fully loaded as well, if you want to be exact. Sometimes, being a little overloaded, just entails some different driving habits and sometimes it can be a real problem, so each individual will have to decide these factors for the bases of their decisions.

teddyu wrote:

littlemo wrote:
GVWR or GCWR Which one of these are the actual weight I can tow behind my motor home?

GCWR-GVWR = Rated Max Toad Weight JM2¢...

Neither represent what you may tow (directly). GVWR is a federally mandated rating of how much weight your vehicle can carry on it's own axles.

The OTHER is a factory established combined weight of tow vehicle and towed trailer. Obviously if you load less in the tow vehicle you can tow a higher weight and if you load MORE in the tow vehicle, you can tow less trailer weight.

Good luck / Skip

littlemo wrote:
GVWR or GCWR Which one of these are the actual weight I can tow behind my motor home? Or is this not anything to do with what I can tow?

\

neither. the GVWR is the total amount of weight your MH chassis is designed to safely carry, including itself. The GCWR is the total amount of weight the MH is designed to propel, including itself. in many, but not all cases, the difference between the GCWR and the GVWR is the total amount of weight you can tow. but..the maximum amount of weight you can safely tow will be the lesser of the following:

* the GCWR (gross combination weight rating) of the MH minus the actual weight of the MH as it is loaded for travel (includes fuel, fresh water, food, clothing, people, pets, supplies, eyc)

* the weight rating of your tow bar

* the weight rating of your hitch

this is why it's vital to know what your MH weighs as it is loaded and configure for travel before choosing a toad. Your MH will not collapse if it is overloaded but you will experience handling issues as well as longer braking distances and accelerated wear on suspension, brakes, steering, etc

when you weigh the MH at least get individual axle weights and then compare the actual weights to the GAWR for that axle. the sum of the GAWR should equal the GVWR. it is possible to be underweight on one axle and be overweight on the other. you'll never know that unless you get separate axle weights. I know this from personal experience.

good luck.

Neither.
GVWR= the maximum weight the manufacturer has certified the chassis to safely support/carry.
GCWR= the maximum weight on the chassis and towing the vehicle can be. In other words the combined weiht of vehicle and trailer. Or in your case, MH and toad.

littlemo wrote:
GVWR or GCWR Which one of these are the actual weight I can tow behind my motor home?

GCWR-GVWR = Rated Max Toad Weight JM2¢...