zachlaplante
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Re: Whats Your Real Weights? Truck and Trailer. The Real Deal
On Vehicle Ratings: Weight ratings is a complicated subject, but needs to be understood. There are several ratings, most of which do not add together. They are actually different ratings and are limited by different conditions. Here is my understanding of the ratings: GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): This is the weight limit of your vehicle. It includes all passengers, gear, fluids, fuel, everything (called gross weight). It does not include the weight of a tow vehicle, but it would include the pin weight of a fifth wheel, since that weight is a load in the truck bed. I'm not sure what design aspect of the vehicle limits this, but my guess is that it is suspension and handling related. GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating): This is the weight limit of your vehicle plus any towed vehicles. It includes the gross weight of the tow vehicle and the gross weight of the towed vehicle. Note, gross weight is the actual total weight of the loaded vehicles, not the gross weight limit. This limit is usually related to either the drive train capability or the breaking capability of the tow vehicle. Since the trailer has its own brakes, my guess is the limit is related to the drive train of the tow vehicle. GAWR (Gross Axel Weight Rating): This is the weight limit that is allowed on any axel. Your vehicle will have one rating for the front axel and another for the rear axel. As with GVWR, GAWR includes all weight loads such as passengers, gear, and fuel. If you have a fifth wheel hitched, it would include the pin weight load. This limit is to keep the respective axel from being overloaded, it is usually limited buy the ability of the tires to support the total axel load. Tow Rating: This is the limit of the tow hitch at the rear of the vehicle. It is a limit to the gross weight of the towed vehicle. This limit is normally related to the strength of the hitch. If you are towing a fifth wheel, it is of no concern to you because the fifth wheel is not connected to the tow hitch. There is only one way to know if you are operating within your vehicle weight limits, and that is to load up the tow vehicle and trailer and go to a scale and get weights. The trailer needs to be fully loaded, including fluids, so the holding tanks should be full, and all of your gear should be loaded on the trailer. To do it right, you should get four weights: Front axel (FA), rear axel hitched (RAH), rear axel unhitched (RAU), and trailer axel (TA). Please note that the pin weight of a fifth wheel will add a little weight to the front axel, because the fifth wheel ahould be a few inces in front of the rear axel, but the amount is so small, I am ignoring it and assuming all of the trailer pin weight falls on the rear axel. FA + RAU should be less than GVWR FA + RAH + TA should be less than GCWR FA should be less than Front GAWR RAH should be less than Rear GAWR Your pin weight (PW) is RAH - RAU PW + TA should be less than the GVWR for the trailer I hope this helps. I recommend you take the time to check your weights, all of the weight ratings are there as safety limits.457Views0likes0Comments
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