Why doesn't the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating equal the Gross Axle Weight Rating for the front and rear axle?Take my F150 (heavy) pickup for example. The FGAWR = 4,050#. The RGAWR = 4,800#. Yet the GVWR = 8,200#. Why shouldn't the GVWR = 8,850#?

GVWR is the maximum weight that a vehicle can weigh per the manufacturer. It is based on the assembled components including the weakest link. GAWR is the weight rating for one single component the axle. Loading to GAWR would likely overload the weakest link in the chain. Usually tires, but could also include things like springs, drive shaft, frame, wheels heck even safety equipment like seat belts. There is a retired GM engineer on the forums whos job was as a certification engineer. His basic job was to submit certification requests to the Feds for vehicles. He is very knowledgable in the process and what it all entails.

donn0128 wrote:GVWR is the maximum weight that a vehicle cab weigh per the manufacturer.nit is based on the assembled components including the weakest link. GAWR is the weight rating for one single component the axle. Loading to GAWR would likely overload the weakest link in the chain. Usually tires, but could also include things like springs, drive shaft, frame, wheels heck even safety equipment like seat belts. There is a retired GM engineer on the forums whos job was as a certification engineer. His basic job was to submit certification requests to the Feds for vehicles. He is very knowledgable in the process and what it all entails.Very well stated. Bruce

Weakest link in the food chain down to pavement dictatesStopping to agency mandated distance at max conditions....etcMight just be longevity for warrantyWe on the outside will never know and just guesses...

It seems as though vehicles intended for the consumer market are that way. This is my theory, and it's just a theory, I have nothing really to back it up with- Say your truck's GVWR is actually the sum of FGAWR and RGAWR, so 8850. Say your truck weighs 5500 empty, giving you a max payload of 3350. The average consumer might see that number and assume they can just throw 3000 pounds in the bed. The problem with that is the RGAWR would be exceeded substantially. Therefore the OEMs give some "wiggle room" with GVWRs and payload ratings to help avoid exceeding axle ratings by a wide margin.The GVWR on trucks for the commercial market typically is FGAWR+RGAWR. My theory on that is a commercial user is more likely to pay attention to axle weights, and the OEMs leave it to the truck user to determine how to load the truck.

I think you will find that for most light trucks the gross vehicle weight is less than the combined axle weight. GVWR is also a function of how well a vehicle will stop loaded up to that rating. GVWR is not caclulated by adding up the axle ratings or even tire ratings. Consider a dually, it has more than 12,000 pounds rear tire capacity, a rear axle that is around 9500 pounds and is on a vehicle with perhaps a 12,000-14,000 pound GVWR. Add in the front axle and two front tires and soon it is very apparent that if you try to make the numbers add up they won't.

Question about GVWR. | Good Sam Community

42 Replies

nomad297
Explorer
Apr 11, 2015
donn0128 wrote:
GVWR is the maximum weight that a vehicle cab weigh per the manufacturer.nit is based on the assembled components including the weakest link. GAWR is the weight rating for one single component the axle. Loading to GAWR would likely overload the weakest link in the chain. Usually tires, but could also include things like springs, drive shaft, frame, wheels heck even safety equipment like seat belts. There is a retired GM engineer on the forums whos job was as a certification engineer. His basic job was to submit certification requests to the Feds for vehicles. He is very knowledgable in the process and what it all entails.

Very well stated.

Bruce
donn0128
Explorer II
Apr 11, 2015
GVWR is the maximum weight that a vehicle can weigh per the manufacturer. It is based on the assembled components including the weakest link. GAWR is the weight rating for one single component the axle. Loading to GAWR would likely overload the weakest link in the chain. Usually tires, but could also include things like springs, drive shaft, frame, wheels heck even safety equipment like seat belts. There is a retired GM engineer on the forums whos job was as a certification engineer. His basic job was to submit certification requests to the Feds for vehicles. He is very knowledgable in the process and what it all entails.

Forum Discussion

Question about GVWR.

42 Replies

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

GVWR question

GVWR Calculation Question

GVWR Question

GVWR

GCWR vs GVWR question