Gcwr
- Thread starter Twan
- Start date
Not sure if it varies state/state but my GCWR is listed on my vehicle registration in PA. As far as I can tell its based off the manu's rating for the vehicle.
Here's some listings of different vehicles if you're trying to find what yours may be.
http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/
Here's some listings of different vehicles if you're trying to find what yours may be.
http://www.trailerlife.com/trailer-towing-guides/
Often asked and frequently misunderstood.
The manufacturers rating is heavily biased towards the power train. Basically, your motor and tranny will be happy to pull so much weight without overheating or other unpleasantness.
For DOT purposes, it is a matter of hitches, axles, brakes and tires. All of these have to within the rating for the load being pulled. For example, on single wheel trucks, the most limiting factor is the tires. With about 3500# on the rear from just the truck, you only get an additional 2000#-2500# you can put on that axle because of the tires.
Additionally, you have to register the vehicle for the loads you expect to pull. In my case, I have registered at 26000 in PA so I can pull my trailer.
You best bet is to actually talk to the PA DOT. They are hard to pin down, but once you get an inspector on the line, they can answer all your questions definitively. That's what I did 8 years ago when I set up my truck.
The manufacturers rating is heavily biased towards the power train. Basically, your motor and tranny will be happy to pull so much weight without overheating or other unpleasantness.
For DOT purposes, it is a matter of hitches, axles, brakes and tires. All of these have to within the rating for the load being pulled. For example, on single wheel trucks, the most limiting factor is the tires. With about 3500# on the rear from just the truck, you only get an additional 2000#-2500# you can put on that axle because of the tires.
Additionally, you have to register the vehicle for the loads you expect to pull. In my case, I have registered at 26000 in PA so I can pull my trailer.
You best bet is to actually talk to the PA DOT. They are hard to pin down, but once you get an inspector on the line, they can answer all your questions definitively. That's what I did 8 years ago when I set up my truck.
i dont know why i missed this..
here are things i see and get asked often.
1. if you are not hauling profesionally/for hire you should not be pulling into ANY scale houses.
2. manufacture GVWR is a recomendation/ guidlines to be followed. (mainly for the idiots that cant ask questions and grossly overload componants and put the general public at risk) 90% of the time the mfg GVWR is always less then combined axle capacity of said vehilce... see earlier statement.
3. GCVW is all axle on said vehicle added together. per laws the towing vehicle should be plated for the max weight of both the truck and trailer that you plan on grossing at. you are aloud to plate less than max gross. example my truck axle capacity (F+R) is 15,000 my trailer is 16,000(tandem 8k) for a combine gross of 31,000, it is plated at 26,000.
4. trailer should be plate for its weight while disconnected from truck. example my trailer has 16,000lb axles (tandem 8ks) the trailer is plated for 19,000lbs.
this covers axle weight AND pin/tongue weight of said trailer while disconnected from the towing vehicle. while my truck can handle 8,000lb pin weight i could gross the trailer at 24,000lb. i didnt see the reason to since my trailer with current setup rarely weighs more then 18,500lb. i have had people try and tell me i can gross out at 34,000.. i ask them can i do that with 31,000lb worth of axles....
5. CDLs is another big arguing subject.
A is GCVW above 26,001lb and a trailer above 10,001lb AKA heavy combination (tractor trailers dumps pulling trailer dumps or heavy equipment pintle trailers, including hotshots grossing over 26,001lb etc)
B is GCVW above 26,001lb and a trailer less then 10,001lb AKA heavy straight vehicles, large buses, straight dumps, trash trucks, flat bed wreckers, the tree trucks with the shreader/chippers in tow fall in this.
C anything that does NOT fall into A or B including 15 pass buses, limos, EMS small HM transports and hotshots/rv haulers scaling less then 26,001lb
you DO NOT need one if you are hauling your personal equipment (helping a buddy out included) since that does not fall under the definition of COMMERCE which is being paid to move someone else product from point A to point B.
to do that requires USDOT#, MC# IFTA(if applicable) insurance, log box and all required safety equipment for a std operating commercial motor vehicle.
clear as mud
:thumb:
here are things i see and get asked often.
1. if you are not hauling profesionally/for hire you should not be pulling into ANY scale houses.
2. manufacture GVWR is a recomendation/ guidlines to be followed. (mainly for the idiots that cant ask questions and grossly overload componants and put the general public at risk) 90% of the time the mfg GVWR is always less then combined axle capacity of said vehilce... see earlier statement.
3. GCVW is all axle on said vehicle added together. per laws the towing vehicle should be plated for the max weight of both the truck and trailer that you plan on grossing at. you are aloud to plate less than max gross. example my truck axle capacity (F+R) is 15,000 my trailer is 16,000(tandem 8k) for a combine gross of 31,000, it is plated at 26,000.
4. trailer should be plate for its weight while disconnected from truck. example my trailer has 16,000lb axles (tandem 8ks) the trailer is plated for 19,000lbs.
this covers axle weight AND pin/tongue weight of said trailer while disconnected from the towing vehicle. while my truck can handle 8,000lb pin weight i could gross the trailer at 24,000lb. i didnt see the reason to since my trailer with current setup rarely weighs more then 18,500lb. i have had people try and tell me i can gross out at 34,000.. i ask them can i do that with 31,000lb worth of axles....
5. CDLs is another big arguing subject.
A is GCVW above 26,001lb and a trailer above 10,001lb AKA heavy combination (tractor trailers dumps pulling trailer dumps or heavy equipment pintle trailers, including hotshots grossing over 26,001lb etc)
B is GCVW above 26,001lb and a trailer less then 10,001lb AKA heavy straight vehicles, large buses, straight dumps, trash trucks, flat bed wreckers, the tree trucks with the shreader/chippers in tow fall in this.
C anything that does NOT fall into A or B including 15 pass buses, limos, EMS small HM transports and hotshots/rv haulers scaling less then 26,001lb
you DO NOT need one if you are hauling your personal equipment (helping a buddy out included) since that does not fall under the definition of COMMERCE which is being paid to move someone else product from point A to point B.
to do that requires USDOT#, MC# IFTA(if applicable) insurance, log box and all required safety equipment for a std operating commercial motor vehicle.
clear as mud
:thumb:
Only correction I have is that CDL A required for GCVW above 26,000lb OR a trailer above 10,000lb
You can get in a pissing match with the DOT if you are hauling a trailer plated above 10,000lb but weigh in less than that.
If you are hauling your truck to the sled pull, and you have sponsor stickers on the truck, it will be considered a commercial load.
You can get in a pissing match with the DOT if you are hauling a trailer plated above 10,000lb but weigh in less than that.
If you are hauling your truck to the sled pull, and you have sponsor stickers on the truck, it will be considered a commercial load.
half of them are straight out of the school dont know shit trying to make a name for themselves..
the 15k+19K=34K with 31k of axles example was a DOT cop from MD
fwiw most 5 axle semis have a 60k tractor gvw and the van trailer are 64k gvw but only have 105k combined axles
i can make the legitimate argument that you need a CDL C and commercial paltes to drive your volt to work.
the problem the DOT cop forget is what commerce IS.
when you are hauling your stuff somewhere competing or not it is not commerce. even if i helped a buddy out the rig is not for hire
now it completely changes when you pay me to drive your truck hauling your comp vehicle to an event. then that falls under commerce since paying the driver just made it a rig for hire