What does GVWR mean
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Gainesville, Texas
What does GVWR mean
ok i know that GVWR stands for gross vehicle weight but is that how much your vehicle weights mine says 9000lbs and i was arguing with a friend about it and he was saying that that meant all i could tow was 9000lbs but i was trying to tell him that my truck weighed 9000lbs who is right?
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Down by da beach.... boy
That means the maximum amount your vehicle can weigh (including passengers, fuel, and payload). It is not the weight of your truck. Subtracting the weight of your truck with no load in it from the gvwr will give you your payload.
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Denton,TX
It is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and as BT said it is the max amount your truck is allowed to weight fully loaded. There is no set number for truck weight, because that included all accessories and fuel. The best thing to do is to fully fuel your truck and go get it weighed.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Need more info to make a guess. Mine is a 1995 2 wheel drive extended cab with a custom built rear bumper that goes somewhere around 450 lbs and an aluminum cap, 5 speed. all of which affects the weight. Scale weight full of fuel, me in it (285#) - steer 3420 lbs, drive 3160 lbs, gvw 6580 lbs.
GVWR is 8800 lbs - subtract 6580 (GVW) and I have 2220 lbs of payload capacity with me in the cab.
GVWR is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or the maximum Ford says it should weigh.
GAWR is the Gross Axle Weight Rating for either front or rear axle, or the most that axle can weigh.
GVW is what it weighs on a scale.
GAW Front is front axle weight on a scale
GAW Rear is rear axle weight on a scale
Best way to find out what yours weighs is to go to a scale and weigh it. Different options add different amounts of weight.
Dave / Believer45
GVWR is 8800 lbs - subtract 6580 (GVW) and I have 2220 lbs of payload capacity with me in the cab.
GVWR is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, or the maximum Ford says it should weigh.
GAWR is the Gross Axle Weight Rating for either front or rear axle, or the most that axle can weigh.
GVW is what it weighs on a scale.
GAW Front is front axle weight on a scale
GAW Rear is rear axle weight on a scale
Best way to find out what yours weighs is to go to a scale and weigh it. Different options add different amounts of weight.
Dave / Believer45
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Cabot, Arkansas
Don't forget about the
CGVWR combined gross vehicle weight rating. That is the total amount for the vehicle, including whatever trailer you may be pulling. I think it's 20,000 lbs. for my truck.
CGVWR combined gross vehicle weight rating. That is the total amount for the vehicle, including whatever trailer you may be pulling. I think it's 20,000 lbs. for my truck.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: northern Maine
Gvwr
well just wondering, my truck GVWR is 8,000 lb, I registered it for 12,000 lb, now if i have a load on it and truck now weight is 11,500,lb and i get stoped buy bulls, does that mean i am overloded, and get a ticket???
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
Shendoa,
Maybe, but most will not write you a ticket if you are registered at 12,000.
One factor that may affect the ticket or not is does it look like it is overloaded?
Do you have the rear bumper dragging the ground or close to it?
Also if your truck weighs 7,000 and you are towing 7,000 the rig weighs 14,000
If the scales stop you you better be registered for 14,000 or more.
If you were registered for 8,800 ( this number is on your registration) you just got busted for 5,200 pounds over weight.
The towing vehicle (truck) must be registered for the weight of the entire rig. (truck plus what it is towing)
A lot of states will not weigh RV's (boats, campers, camper trailers) but more are starting to check these rigs out.
If it looks like it is work related or you may be making money hauling it, you better be registered for the weight.
Maybe, but most will not write you a ticket if you are registered at 12,000.
One factor that may affect the ticket or not is does it look like it is overloaded?
Do you have the rear bumper dragging the ground or close to it?
Also if your truck weighs 7,000 and you are towing 7,000 the rig weighs 14,000
If the scales stop you you better be registered for 14,000 or more.
If you were registered for 8,800 ( this number is on your registration) you just got busted for 5,200 pounds over weight.
The towing vehicle (truck) must be registered for the weight of the entire rig. (truck plus what it is towing)
A lot of states will not weigh RV's (boats, campers, camper trailers) but more are starting to check these rigs out.
If it looks like it is work related or you may be making money hauling it, you better be registered for the weight.
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Joe Kucinski
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: northern Maine
now worried
ok my truck is registered for 12,000 check my sig= now my travel trailer loaded weight is 11,000 lbs the camper trailer is registered for 12,000 lbs. the whole thing is 59 feet long, in bed of truck is junk like tools and household stuff, truck weight full is about 11,000 = that 22,000 lbs= they don't register trucks for 22,000 lbs = so now what. other people are doing this, so how they doing it. their must be something i don't understand?? i no longer use slide in camper, now have tow trailer.
shendoa.
shendoa.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Nutter Fort, WV
You must have someting different on RV plates up there.
I have pulled semi trailers with Maine registration.
They do not have a weight on the registration for 15 a year.
The tractor is registered for 80,000 for about 3500 a year.
Trailer registration here in WVA has no weight on the registration card.
Truck must be registered for the gross weight of the entire rig.
I have pulled semi trailers with Maine registration.
They do not have a weight on the registration for 15 a year.
The tractor is registered for 80,000 for about 3500 a year.
Trailer registration here in WVA has no weight on the registration card.
Truck must be registered for the gross weight of the entire rig.
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Denton,TX
Originally Posted by cookie88
Don't forget about the
CGVWR combined gross vehicle weight rating. That is the total amount for the vehicle, including whatever trailer you may be pulling. I think it's 20,000 lbs. for my truck.
CGVWR combined gross vehicle weight rating. That is the total amount for the vehicle, including whatever trailer you may be pulling. I think it's 20,000 lbs. for my truck.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2001
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From: Cabot, Arkansas
Originally Posted by johnsdiesel
Ford calls this the GCWR. Mine is 20K as well.
shendoa, at 22,000 you are overloaded. There is no legal way around that. However, like you said earlier.....people do it all the time, and you molst likely won't ever have to worry about it unless you wreck it.
I think they (Ford) upped the GCWR on the new dually 350's to like 24,000, but earlier than that you'll need an F-450 or F-550 to be nice an legal.
My #'s may be off, it's been a while since I looked this stuff up.
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Denton,TX
Originally Posted by cookie88
I think they (Ford) upped the GCWR on the new dually 350's to like 24,000, but earlier than that you'll need an F-450 or F-550 to be nice an legal.
I have to say that I'm one of the conservative people when it comes to towing. If the GCWR is 20K I don't go over that number. Keep in mind, not only do you have to move the weight, you have to stop it as well. If the trailer brakes fail you're in a sticky situation if you're overloaded by a significant amount.
FTE Leadership Emeritus
Joined: May 2001
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From: Cabot, Arkansas
Brand C upped the 3500HD to a similar #, so of course we had to match it. I don't think there were any physical changes to either truck to warrant the jump. Just the same old manufacturers games. Kinda like the "600" cummins, nothing new there, just turned it up a bit at the factory.
Post Fiend
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Denton,TX
Ya, remember when the 6.0 PSD came out? First it was going to be rated for 550 lb/ft of torque. Then Dodge came out and said they were going to release the new Cummins with 555 lb/ft. Ford upped the numbers to 560 lb/ft in order to be top dog. Now of course both the Cummins and Duramax have raised their numbers and I expect Ford will do the same next year. Typical marketing stuff. 
It makes sense that they would do this to keep up with the competition. I'm beginning to wonder when it will end if it ever ends. What's next, heavier duty axles, factory airbags, a 500HP/1000lb/ft engine, 6 door models from the factory, etc.? It's fun to watch, but as the numbers go up so does the cost of repairs. I wonder how long a Dodge auto is going to last with a Cummins 600.
It makes sense that they would do this to keep up with the competition. I'm beginning to wonder when it will end if it ever ends. What's next, heavier duty axles, factory airbags, a 500HP/1000lb/ft engine, 6 door models from the factory, etc.? It's fun to watch, but as the numbers go up so does the cost of repairs. I wonder how long a Dodge auto is going to last with a Cummins 600.