OP.... The truck makers GVWR and payload numbers have no legal meaning (anywhere) as far as a overload condition. The tire placard payload sticker became mandatory in '06 so lots of vehicles on the road don't have a tire sticker.
The vehicle manufacturer may choose any GVWR he wants up to and including the sum of the GAWRs.
I found this some years ago on a prior NHTSA homepage;
GUIDELINES FOR CALCULATING GVWR
Manufacturer Specifies GAWR and GVWR
(Letter of May 6, 1974 to Heavy & Specialized Carriers Conference of American Trucking Associations): snipped for length
“….it is the manufacturer who specifies the values (GAWR and GVWR), and he is free to specify whatever values he himself decides are correct. Both NHTSA in its compliance tests, and the Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety on the road, will judge the vehicle on the basis of the values assigned. Therefore it is in the interest of the manufacturer to assign values which accurately reflect the load-bearing ability of the vehicle and its suspension.”
“The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) and the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) are defined by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as determinations made by the manufacturer. (49 CFR 571.3). As a general matter NHTSA finds that the manufacturer is most familiar with the complexities of this product and is most qualified to assign these values.”
And
(Letter of May 6, 1974 to Heavy & Specialized Carriers Conference of the American Trucking
Associations):
“The sum of the GAWR’s must at least equal the specified GVWR to avoid overloading the axle systems, and the GAWR sum may, of course, exceed the GVWR. Typically the manufacturer balances the commercial advantage of specifying a higher GVWR against the expense of higher
GAWR’s”. GAWR Determination Includes Tires, Wheels, Brakes and Suspension.
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Fleet Fords website says; note #4
Front and rear GAWRs will, in all cases, sum to a number equal to or greater than the GVWR for the particular
vehicle.
Ford markets a 11200 GVWR and a 10000 GVWR F350 SRW in the same exact truck according to Fleet Ford spec sheets. Example is a F350 SRW 6.7 diesel crew cab 4x4 172" wheel base same 5600 FAWR and 6290 RAWR same tires and wheel packages.
Being over a GVWR number or a tire placard payload number does not mean the vehicle is unsafe. If that was so then every commercial truck on the road is unsafe.
