What I found out about GVWR

While attending the Heartland Rally at Goshen I had my truck & BH weighed by Recreation Vehicle Safety Ed. Foundation. They provide a detailed report of the weight of each wheel of the truck and trailer. The info on my 2006 GMC 2500 is as follows:
front axle rating -4800 lbs.
rear axle rating - 6900
GVWR - 9200

load measurements with trailer hooked up
front axle - 4100
rear axle - 5450
GVWR - 9550
This showed I was over my GVWR by 350 lbs. All other weights were well within guidelines.

The question I had and called and ask RVSEF about is how they calculate the GVWR of a truck. If you add the weight ratings of my front and rear axle you get 11,700 lbs. NOT the 9200 lbs. (a difference of 21%) that GMC states. RVSEF informed me that for large trucks, and other vehicles such as motothomes the GVWR is the sum of the front and rear axle weight ratings. The engineers at the manufacturing companies determing the axel ratings for pickup trucks and then the MARKETING folks determing the GVWR. They set it lower than the sum of the axel ratings because various states have different laws on required licenese for trucks of various GVWR weights. They think it will help them sell more trucks if we have to buy a less expensive license. There is a movement to have the manufactures post the true GVWR but it will probably be several years off. Till then I guess we need to evaluate our trucks from the data from the engineers since they set the axel weight ratings based on the axels, suspension, brakes, tires and other compotents. Hope this help everyone.

I often wondered why the front and rear capacities added up to more than the GVRW. I had pretty much the same readings as yours when we HAD the 3/4 ton Chevy. I knew then that we would get "heavier" as time goes on so we moved up to the 3500. I'm glad we did. Good Info to know. Thanks!

Thanks for the info Michael. I always wondered why they didn't add up. My truck does the job of pulling my Sundance even though it is over it's GVWR but within the sum of it's axle weights. Oh well. I'll have to get a bigger truck regardless. The law is the law...

Guy

Here in New Brunswick my truck weight is registered at 3097KG and my friends 04 F350 2X4 dually is registered under 3000KG. My truck registered is GVW is at 6000KG and my Friends F350 is 5000KG So this leaves me with a load of 2903 KG in the truck and my Friends F350 around 2000KG. I have heavy duty registration for being over 3000KG and my friend is regular licencing like a 1/2 ton with his F350. The 2005 and up F250 Ford is a much better truck then the previous models with heavier frame and Brakes. Thats the 17" wheels.
3097K g= 6813 Lbs ,3000Kg = 6600 Lbs, 5000Kg = 11000 Lbs, 6000Kg = 13200 Lbs