CARGO LOAD

Lindsey, look in the door jam of your truck, it'll list the capacities of the steer and drive/rear axle. You cannot exceed those weights on either of these axles. Also look at the sticker on your trailer, it will list the capacitiy of each trailer axle. Do not exceed those weights either. And you will want to check to make sure the tires on each axle ad upto, or above what each axle is rated for.

The next thing you'll want to do is go to a truckstop with a certified scale and have your truck and trailer weighed without a load on it. Make sure the fuel tank is full, and you have all your tie down gear loaded on the truck/trailer.

Subtract the weight shown that ot shows on your scale receipt from the combined weight that all you axle capacities added up to. The number you come up with will be the absolute most weight you could haul on your equipment legally. Provided that you're not overweight on a axle, and your registration shows you can gross that much.

If you have any questions feel free to send Me a private message and I'll try to explain its little better.

 

have to agree wth everyone here. you should always know your empty weight. scale tucket is 10.50 from any truckstop.

 

Lol. You're getting all the answers to questions you didn't ask.

Flatbedcarrier is correct, but let me add a little bit from bitter experience. (chuckle)

GVWR is your Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. That's the total amount that your truck is allowed to weigh with payload, fuel, you and anything else you bring along. There will also be a GVWR on your trailer. Your total rig's GVWR is the total of the two.

GAWR is your Gross Axle Weight Rating. This is the total amount you are allowed to have on an axle. Your door sticker will tell you the front axle and rear axle weight ratings. The two should add up to your total GVWR. You have to put the truck on a scale to check your ACTUAL weights to compare to the RATING weights and determine how much payload you can put on the truck. You then need to scale with the trailer on to see how much the trailer adds to the truck's axle weights, and see how much the trailer weighs empty.

GCWR is your Gross Combination Weight Rating. This is a rating that is published by the truck's manufacturer, and tells you how much your Truck, Trailer and payload can weigh all-up.

Towing Capacity is a number, again published by the manufacturer, that tells you how much weight you can tow including the weight of the trailer and the load that's on it. Note that your towing capacity is going to be different for bumper pull trailers and gooseneck or fifth-wheel trailers. It is entirely possible that when you add the Towing Capacity to the truck's GVWR you could exceed your GCWR. Mine does.

My truck has a 26000lb GCWR. Because of the weight/capacity of my trailer, I have to run with a combined registration that allows me to weigh in total up to 26000lbs. Because my trailer is over 10000lbs and I travel interstate, I have to have a CDL. But since I'm under 26001, I don't have to do the fuel reporting stuff (IFTA).

If your combo is over 26000lbs, you will need a CDL, IFTA stickers and the attendant quarterly fuel reporting, and possibly apportioned plates. Check with your DOT to be sure.

If you run a combined registration, your payload capacity is your GCWR minus your actual scaled empty weight.

If you run apportioned, I believe that you can run up to your total GVWR, but you need to check this before you do it. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable on apportioned plates could chip in here......