GVWR, does it really matter

[taddyport]

I may be missing something but I'm not 100% sure what the big deal is with the GVWR on a trailer. I understand it's concept but if I have a trailer with a dry weight of 10000 lbs and a GVWR of 15000 lbs but I only put in 500 lbs of "stuff" I'm only at 10500 lbs. I know that I have to stay under it. I know that if I reach that max then I really have to make sure that my GCWR is within limits and I also know that the more the GVW of the 5'er the more weight I have on my rear axle of the TV but if I'm way below the GVWR why do I need to be concerned with that number.

what am I missing ?

thanks in advance

Jon

[Old-Biscuit]

mtofell1 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:

DRY weight.....10,218#

Scaled Weight..13,873#

Wow, does Mrs. Old Biscuit collect anvils? 🙂

That's a lot of stuff.

LESS is More.
1 bag in ==== 2 bags out

Full Time weights......everything we owned was aboard :B


Funny thing is watched a lot of weekend campers pull up and spend the next 30 minutes PLUS pulling stuff out and more stuff and more stuff---like those circus clown cars
Yet I was able to open any compartment and SEE everything w/o having to move anything.

[mtofell1]

CALandLIN wrote:

CALandLIN wrote:
Gross combined weight rating (GVWR) refers to the total mass of a vehicle, including all trailers. Simple, until you start figuring-in the variables.

In 2007 NHTSA implemented a series of rules changes that effects how optional and standard loads are added to the basic trailer weight. Those rules do not leave much, if any, deviations by the trailer builder or their chain of retailers (Dealers).

For trailers with a GAWR of 10,0000# or less read this, starting at paragraph S9.3.

Click Here!


For trailers with a GVWR of 10,000# or more read this, starting at paragraph S10.4.

Click Here!


Note: Any trailer leaving the factory with a propane system will include the entire system including the weight of a full system included in the trailer’s dry weight.

This has some inaccuracies - First sentence is wrong - Gross Combined Weight Rating is GCWR not GVWR. Also, there is an extra "0" in the 10,0000 in the 3rd paragraph. Also, 3rd paragraph says "GAWR" which is an axle rating and is usually labeled to identify which axle. I suspect it's supposed to be GVWR.

[CALandLIN]

CALandLIN wrote:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - The maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded vehicle. Simple, until you start figuring-in the variables.

In 2007 NHTSA implemented a series of rules changes that effects how optional and standard loads are added to the basic trailer weight. Those rules do not leave much, if any, deviations by the trailer builder or their chain of retailers (Dealers).

For trailers with a GAWR of 10,000# or less read this, starting at paragraph S9.3.

Click Here!


For trailers with a GVWR of 10,000# or more read this, starting at paragraph S10.4.

Click Here!


Note: Any trailer leaving the factory with a propane system will include the entire system including the weight of a full system included in the trailer’s dry weight.

[rhagfo]

I don't think it always matters.

I keep toying with how we would do with a Arctic Fox 29-5k with our 2001 Ram.
This 5er has a GVWR of 16,600# all are going to say your crazy that is 2017 DRW territory!!
Well listed Dry weight is 11,200#, just about what our current 5er weighs. Then about 1,500# to 2,000# stuff and we are about 13,000#, doable for our tough little 2500, maybe, the concerning items is the Dry pin 2,663# (31%) Arctic is known for heavy pins.

PS: the extra 400# dry we would still be under rear stock GAWR!!


Arctic Fox 29-5K
Specifications:

Dry Axle Weight (approx. Lbs.): 8545
Dry Hitch Weight (approx. Lbs.): 2663
Net Carrying Capacity: 5392
Gross Dry Weight – Lbs.: 11208
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVWR) – Lbs.: 16600
Exterior Length (approx. w / hitch): 35’2?

It is numbers like this that make me say one needs to look at both listed DRY and GVWR. There are many surprises out there.
We looked at one of these last spring, and didn't think it was 35' long, didn't look that long. There are many 38' to 40' 5er with lower GVWR. Some of these have very low payloads, many under 2,000#, we easily get about 1,200# in our 32' 5er and the basement isn't huge. Now look at what happens when a family of five gets a 38' 5er with a 1,800# GVWR, I start to see an overloaded 5er!!!

[mtofell1]

Old-Biscuit wrote:

DRY weight.....10,218#

Scaled Weight..13,873#

Wow, does Mrs. Old Biscuit collect anvils? 🙂

That's a lot of stuff.

[JIMNLIN]

Example only.....Many rv trailers with a 14k-14.5k GVWR has 6k tandem axles = 12k or 3000 lb per tire.

Just about all RVs have higher GVWR numbers than the sum of the axle GAWR numbers.

I know which number I load my trailers to....and its the biggest safety concern.

[Terryallan]

Ffor me. the GVWR is a totally useless number. UNLESS it is only 500lb over the dry yellow sticker weight. I know if my TT has more than 1200lb of carrying capacity. I will NEVER reach it. As it is. My TT has 2600lb of carrying capacity. It weighs dry "yellow sticker" 4811LB. It weighs ready to camp, 5650lb give or take a couple hundred depending on where it is going. it is + 1600lb UNDER the GVWR. so that number is useless.

[Me_Again]

Carrying capacity of a trailer is often overlooked. Our new 2017 Bighorn has a 3000+ CC. The larger models all have the same 16K GVWR and loose CC as size goes up. Larger ones drop below 2K CC. We are using up most of our 3K CC. Chris

[azdryheat]

One point not covered is how your trailer's GVWR affects your driver's license or vice versa. Some states require a special license based on the weight of the trailer. California, for example, requires a non-commercial class A license to tow a travel trailer weighing more than 10,000 pounds or a 5th wheel weighing more than 15,000 pounds. This is why you'll see the CHP stopping the big toy haulers in Calif (registered in CA) knowing they are well over the 15,000 limit and checking the driver license status.

[Old-Biscuit]

My 5vr
DRY weight.....10,218#
CCC............ 4,157#
GVWR...........14,375#

Scaled Weight..13,873#
Wert Pin....... 2,980#


YEP....it matters!

[toedtoes]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I agree 100. all that matters is that the actual weight of your rv.
People who reject a unit that has a weight rating more than their GVWR might be missing out on a good unit.
bumpy

But, you still need to know what those limits are and how close you will be to them fully loaded to make the purchase decision in the first place.

And for most newbies, they have no idea how much their stuff weighs - they just figure if there's empty space in the cabinet, they can add more stuff. So, staying within the GVWR protects them from their lack of knowledge (as well as that of the salespeople who will tell them all sorts of things).

For those who have dealt with weights, etc., and have an understanding of how fast things add up, it's not a big deal - they can usually make it work safely.

[toedtoes]

mtofell1 wrote:
The other side of this coin is what about a trailer with a CCC of 1200#? It's not like the door locks closed and you can't put anything else inside once you reach the max #.

When shopping for my last RV I was really surprised how low some of the capacities were. Some are barely over 1000# and a full load of water ate up half of that.

Also, I've often wondered if the CCC is just for while you are rolling? I almost think is has to be. Otherwise, the 10 people the trailer is advertised to sleep better weigh under 80# each 🙂

It is only while moving.

Look at the small lightweight TTs. Some have a CCC that barely covers the fresh water, propane and batteries.

[Bumpyroad]

taddyport wrote:
I may be missing something but I'm not 100% sure what the big deal is with the GVWR on a trailer. I understand it's concept but if I have a trailer with a dry weight of 10000 lbs and a GVWR of 15000 lbs but I only put in 500 lbs of "stuff" I'm only at 10500 lbs. I know that I have to stay under it. I know that if I reach that max then I really have to make sure that my GCWR is within limits and I also know that the more the GVW of the 5'er the more weight I have on my rear axle of the TV but if I'm way below the GVWR why do I need to be concerned with that number.

what am I missing ?

thanks in advance

Jon

I agree 100%. all that matters is that the actual weight of your rv.
People who reject a unit that has a weight rating more than their GVWR might be missing out on a good unit.
bumpy

[mtofell1]

The other side of this coin is what about a trailer with a CCC of 1200#? It's not like the door locks closed and you can't put anything else inside once you reach the max #.

When shopping for my last RV I was really surprised how low some of the capacities were. Some are barely over 1000# and a full load of water ate up half of that.

Also, I've often wondered if the CCC is just for while you are rolling? I almost think is has to be. Otherwise, the 10 people the trailer is advertised to sleep better weigh under 80# each 🙂