GCWR compliance - educate me please

Txsurfer wrote:
So I just watched a video - in TX you are supposed to have a Class A non-commercial license for anything over 26,000 CGWR. It specifically stated that that number is determined by adding the truck GVWR and the trailers GCWR. Interesting..

The term "Gross Combined Weight Rating" (GCWR) is used in two totally unrelated contexts. One is the manufacturer GCWR, which is the total combined weight that the vehicle is rated to move as explained above. The other, which is what you are referring to, is the number that states refer to in determining regulations for a particular combination. In the case of Texas that's requiring a non-commericial class A license to drive a combination of 26,000 pounds GCWR or more if the trailer also is over 10,000 GVWR. In this situation, GCWR is simply the sum of the truck's GVWR and the trailer's GVWR. For example, a SRW 3500 series truck with an 11,400 GVWR pulling a 5th wheel with a 16,000 GVWR would require a non-commercial class A license in Texas and some other states, where a DRW truck with a GVWR of 14,000 pulling a fifth wheel with an 11,000 GVWR would not.

So I just watched a video - in TX you are supposed to have a Class A non-commercial license for anything over 26,000 CGWR. It specifically stated that that number is determined by adding the truck GVWR and the trailers GCWR. Interesting..

In some states you need to be licensed for your particular GCWR. But basically it's just a possible warranty thing.

I drove the truck and 5er onto scale and as long as that number was under the GCWR I was ok.

GCWR is not a legal issue, it is the manufacturer's rating for warranty (if they could ever prove you exceeded it). It is what the manu. feels is a max weight to pull with reasonable performance and not damage the drivetrain, etc. But to specifically answer, you would not add truck and fiver GVWRs because that would double count the pin weight. Also in Tx you can register the truck for a GVWR higher than the manu. Number. You just can't exceed any axle or tire rating.