I'm kind of confused now. I've never played with the GVWR numbers before so I may be in the dark. I thought this was the most the truck can weight when its on scales with either the bed full or weight on the receiver. It sounds like its not though. Hell, I basically don't know what to think now. Someone please explain. Thanks.

 

No you are right the GVWR is the maximum the truck can weigh including payload.

 

GVWR = truck + things in the truck + tongue weight. In other words, if towing, parked on the scales with the trailer wheels OFF the scale. GCWR is with the trailer wheels ON the scale with the truck.

 

A local pontiac dealer just had a "seminar" on trailering... it was really good.

GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating)... the most your truck can EVER weight, under any circumstances (including all the people in it, your luggage, the weight the trailer is putting on the hitch and a coffee and sandwich for the road). The plate on the door of my F-150 says it's 7,200 lbs.

the trailer also has a GVWR which is the most the trailer can ever weigh, including all your packed cargo.... usually on a plate on the side of the trailer

GCWR (gross combined weight rating)... the most your combo can ever weigh; truck, trailer, people, cargo, dog, sandwiches and all. the whole ****eree; also on the door plate of my F-150 it's 14,500 lbs. (sorry... it's in the owner's manual, not the door plate)

GAWR (gross axle weight rating)... each axle has a max weight limit too (door plate)

Payload... the maximum weight of all the people and cargo (including the weight the trailer is putting on the hitch). the payload capacity of my F-150 is on a yellow sticker on the B-pillar and it's 1,222 lbs

curb weight... the weight of your truck without you in it. (curb weight does include a full tank of gas, oil, air in the tires, a spare tire... etc. etc. etc. just the way it rolls off the dealer's lot). the curb weight of my F-150 is, in theory, 5,900 but I think mine's 5,978. I don't think you'll find this number on any of the vehicle certification stickers or plates but...

basically... the F-150 has a rated maximum trailer weight of anywhere from 2,300 lbs (for a 4x2 regular cab 4.2L w/ manual trans and 3.31 gears) all the way to 9,900 lbs (for a 4x2 regular cab 5.4 "Heavy Duty" and 4.10's). My owner's manual pegs my maximum trailer weight (5.4L Screw w/ 150" WB and 20" wheels) at 8,600 lbs.

this is tricky... my max combo weight (14,500) - max trailer weight (8,600) = 5,900 lbs.... which is my curb weight... yeah.... I know, it seems like the only way to tow your max trailer weight is without you in the truck. pretty creative specification.

Ultimately, what's the limit? Whatever limit you hit FIRST.

I suspect that, for most people, it'll be GVWR... unless you're alone in the cab

Limit 1... max trailer weight (a fiction) is 8,600 lbs

Limit 2... max combo weight: but wait, that's also too much weight

Limit 3... GVWR; if I have a 7,874 lb trailer it will (if it's set up properly and SAFELY) put between 10% and 15% of it's total weight on my hitch.

That means my truck will weigh Big deal? Probably... unless you get stopped by the RCMP outside Osoyus... then you get to park your trailer and call a tow truck... or you get to walk while the missus drives into town... either way - it's a crappy start to your vacation.


The real limit (on my truck) is that 1222 lb payload. 1222 lbs - 725 lbs (of passengers) means I can only load my truck with 497 additional lbs (of EITHER cargo or weight on my hitch) which means (if 497 lbs is 10% of the weight of my trailer) the heaviest trailer I can pull is 4,970 lbs.



Can the truck pull 5,000... or 6,000 or even 7,000 lbs? sure. safely? probably. think I can outrun one of those hemi chargers cop cars on the highway? not so much.

sorry... first post and it was realy long. dry too.

 

info

 

You might be able to legally tow the maximum trailer weight with your fat @$$ in the truck - if you only had a gallon or 2 of gas and left your spare tire home.

 

All the above replies show how much loading and towing are often misunderstood. In another thread I said nieve and insulted some one but still the same.
Load carrying capacity of a truck alone is greatly different than towing with gross combined weight maximums.
Seldom does a PU owner get scaled by law enforcement unless the appearence of over loading is obvious or there is some other infraction of law..
Among some reasons why, are the weigh station can only go by the licensed GVW no matter if right or wrong, for decision.
As has been stated, the tongue weight is added to tow vehichle weight but is still the same part of the GCVW. This by it'self has a bearing on tire capacity and axle loading on the truck.
So to be technically correct, towing load calculation gets a bit complex and in the end is dictated by the state law as much as the mfger ratings.
If the law says your overloaded even though Ford says not, your still overloaded.
Only those who crowd the limits have to be more concerned for truck reliability and safety due to the loads.

 

Right - I could put BL12 plates on my rig, which Ford rates at 7800# GCWR, load the poor thing up to 11,999 pounds and be legal. However, I have BL6's, and if I weigh 6001 pounds and get hit with scales, I have a ticket.

I wish MO didn't class them like this - in IL I had "B" plates which are good to 8000, and the smallest truck plates they have.

 

Keven above just varified what I have been saying in this and other threads.
Figuring all the aspects of towing weight is not a simple thing to do unless you go all thru all items and find none that are out of limits, <<< to be legal >>>.
The driver/owner has a responsibility to be at least close to legal in actual capacity for safety reasons of the rig and others on the road, same as a tractor-trailer is supposed to do.
Also there is an insurance requirement. If an accident occurrs that calls into question the load levels, the driver is in a bushel of trouble over it because he operated a total load, unsafe or legal..