Axle Weight Rating VS GVWR

Remember, its expected that 10% to 15% of the trailers total weight will be supported by the tongue. either via a hitch to a tow vehicle, or when parked the tongue jack.

Totally normal. You have to take weight supported by tongue into account.

Max out your TT at 9480 lbs and subtract the minimum (10%) tongue weight and you're only carrying 8532 lbs on the axles.

Wildride64 wrote:
New to TT's and RV'ing in general. I got to looking at my axles and they are 4500 lb (x 2) Dexter axles. The GVWR, as listed on the sticker of my trailer, states 9480 lbs. My question, is there an issue with my axles being rated for 9000 lbs and my trailers' GVWR exceeding that 9000 lbs axle rating? Is this common place?

Thanks in advance,
Randy

Actually your axles are a little higher than normal. Did you get their weight rating from off the individual axles or from the trailer's certification label? The weights can differ. It depends on what the vehicle manufacturer used to certify the trailer. The official GAWR values will be shown on the trailer's certification label.

The total certified GAWR weights, when added to the trailer manufacturer's recommended hitch weight, MUST not be less than GVWR.

Seeing as you are checking things out, check the load rating (in lbs/kg) on the tire side wall. Unlike cars and light trucks, TT tires are usually inflated to the max cold PSI.

My axles are rated 3500# so the pair can carry 7000#.

The CAT scales measure 5600# on the axles and 750# on the tongue. That is a total of 6350#, when fully loaded for the road.

My max TT weight is 7500#, with only 10% on the tongue that would still only put 6750# on the axle.

Thank you all for your responses. It's true what "they" say...you don't have to be the smartest person in the room as long as you surround yourself the smartest people. So thank you for clarifying this for me. I totally forgot about the tongue weight being subtracted so thank you. I did pull all of the info from the data sticker on the trailer and again I thank you for reaffirming that point as well!

Best Regards,
Randy

Where did you get 4500 lbs from? Standard Dexter axles would be 3500, 4400, 5200 & 6000 lbs. Maybe they are 4400 lb, D44 axles? What dia. brakes are they? The Dexter D44 axle has 10" brakes according to this Dexter info. and shows that the tube should be 3" dia. and wheels should be 6-lug. If the brakes are 12", you could have a higher rated axle. You could always talk to a tech. at Dexter to confirm if needed.

Our TT came with larger rated axles than standard. Dealer told us they were 4400 lb rated. I replaced the bearings & seals a couple of seasons ago ('nuther story, sigh). When I went looking for bearings, there were conflicting part nos. and it turned out they were 5200 lb ones. Our "4400 lb axles" have 12" brakes and am glad we have them. Our TT has Alko axles and was around the time Alko became part of the Dexko company and maybe Dexter made a design change in D44 specs?