GVWR, Payload, Towing Capacity or GCWR

JIMNLIN wrote:
Here's my input.

GCWR......isn't placarded on a truck nor is it required to be by NHTSA/FMVSS nor is it legally enforced by roadside.

GVWR .... is placarded on the truck but has no legal status as to how much a load truck can carry from a practical or legal standpoint. It can be used in other applications such as figuring the trucks GCW.

Payload capacity.... nothing but a advertising number and not a legal number roadside enforcement uses.

tow capacity...... isn't placarded on the truck so nothing legally enforceable.

FAWR and RAWR ......are a legally number and is enforced by road side.

tire placard capacity.... anther number that can be changed by the truck owner for a higher rating but isn't a enforceable number


Many of these rating are not on our older trucks. Rating like GVWR/FAWR/RAWR are placarded on the older and newer trucks. The other numbers were added later ...many after '05.

Having towed legally/safely with these size trucks to make a living I choose my rating based on safety/reliability.

My choice is stay under the trucks FAWR/RAWR and RAWR/tires load ratings in particular since it will carry most if not all of the load from a trailers hitch or a truck camper.

I also choose to stay close the the truck mfg tow ratings especially a low powered gas engine drive trains for how much my truck can pull.

Others have differing opinions and may use all or some or non of the above numbers.

Not sure I completely follow.

FAWR and RAWR are not legally binding limits, not sure where you got that (if you have a reference please post, but in hours and hours of reading code it has never been mentioned). There are only a few things legally binding. Tire limits (600lbs/in of width or as stamped in the sidewall), axle limits (not the ones on the door sticker but rather the 20,000lbs per axle limit), and registration.

Your 2003 has RAWR and FAWR, so why do you say after 2005? The older trucks I have looked at, from the 90's, have FAWR and RAWR. I haven't been around anything recently enough to know on older.

When I head out camping I am over 2 of 3 placard limits on my drivers door. I am 100% legal to do so. The last trip to the scales had me at:

FAW: 4760
RAW: 7140
GVW: 11,860
TAW: 8000
GCW: 19,860

Relative to the door sticker I was

FAW: -440
RAW: +940
GVW: +1960

I have tires for 9,000/lb an axle and registration for 26K lbs. I am legal in every aspect.

So, I have found the exact opposite in reading law's about tires and axle ratings. Where did you get your info?