The document discusses the importance of understanding trailer weight ratings and staying within them for safety. It defines key weight terms like actual weight, ratings, gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), gross axle weight rating (GAWR), and tongue weight. The document emphasizes that you must not exceed your vehicle's towing capacity and explains how to find the capacity in your owner's manual. It provides tips on properly distributing weight in the trailer to ensure stability and control during towing.

1. HOW MUCH
SAFELY AND
LEGALLY can my
holiday or
recreational
trailer haul in
North America?
You may be wondering what all this talk is about gross vehicle trailer weight, tongue
weight, etc. I've put together an explanation of all the weights you need to know about
in order to properly select your hitch equipment. Understanding RV Weights
For the safety of your family and others around you, it is crucial to understand and stay
within the weight ratings of your RV and tow vehicle.
Vehicle and trailer weight numbers fall into two categories:
•Actual weights: Measured weight of the vehicle or its components. Factory quoted
weights may be averages or estimates of actual weight.
•Ratings: Weight ratings are limits placed on the vehicle or its components, which
should never be exceeded.
The most common confusion about weights occurs when the two above categories are
mixed
A trailer chassis (springs, wheels, tires, axles, frame and tongue) is designed to carry a
certain maximum load. is critical that you understand your vehicle's maximum towing
capacity before you begin towing. If you exceed the manufacturer's rated capacity you
are creating an unsafe driving situation, and you are very likely to damage your
vehicle's engine, transmission, rear axle, brakes and wheel bearings, and you will void
the manufacturer's warranty.
*PLEASE and PLEASE again think are you private NON COMMERCIAL
(registered vehicle/combination) because the rules and legislation change
dramatically in Canada and the United States if you are a commercial
trailer/combination for weight and few other items. And yes a farm plated
farm vehicle is under law a commercial vehicle! Or if the company allows you
to use a commercial plated vehicle for pleasure during off hours!
If you have not yet purchased a tow vehicle, remember that in general, AWD and 4WD
vehicles have a lower towing capacity than a comparable 2WD vehicle. Pickup trucks

2. with extra-cab and crew cab designs also tend to have lower towing capacity than
comparable standard cab designs. It pays to research towing capacities thoroughly
before you buy, and it's always best to buy a tow vehicle with a much larger towing
capacity than you intend to use.
Checking Your Vehicle's Owner's Manual
Your best means of determining your vehicle's towing capacity is to read your vehicle's
owner's manual and to compare the information there with the certification plate on
your driver's door sill. The owner's manual will provide detailed instructions and
limitations, usually accompanied by tips for safe towing.
After you've read your vehicle owner's manual, it's a good idea to double check the
compliance certification label. This is typically a sticker placed somewhere in the
driver's door sill area. This label will have several fields, labeled with acronyms such as
"GVR," "GAW," and "GCWR." These fields are defined as follows:
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
This is the vehicle's standard curb weight, plus an allowance for a standard amount of
luggage, gas and passengers, as predicted by the manufacturer. Of course, your
vehicle's actual weight will vary depending on how much luggage, gasoline, and
passenger weight you have actually placed in the vehicle, so the GVW is an
approximation.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
This is the maximum safe actual weight of your vehicle. If you exceed this weight, the
vehicle's engine, transmission, brakes, and so on will be stressed beyond their design
limits.
Gross Combination Weight (GCW)
This is the actual weight of your vehicle (GVW) plus the actual total weight (not the
tongue weight) of your trailer. This number must not be higher than your vehicle's
GCWR.
Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR)
This is the maximum safe weight of your combined vehicle and trailer. This weight
includes all people, luggage, and other material. If your combined towing setup exceeds
this weight, your vehicle's engine, transmission, brakes, and so on will be stressed
beyond their design limits.
Gross Axle Weight (GAW)
These numbers are the weights expected to be placed on your vehicle's front and rear
wheels. The two numbers are likely to be different to account for engine weight and
other factors.

3. Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
This is the maximum safe weight that can be placed on your front or rear wheels. The
two numbers are likely to be different to account for engine weight and trailer tongue
weight and luggage. If you exceed this weight rating on either the front or rear tires,
you can create a dangerous driving situation or even damage your vehicle.
This load consists of the empty trailer itself, plus weight added in the form of water,
food, clothing and anything else that may be stored in or attached to the trailer. The
maximum load for which the trailer is designed is called the GROSS VEHICLE WEIGHT
RATING (GVWR). This is the total of the weight on the axles and weight on the trailer
tongue or fifth wheel kingpin.
The maximum trailer weight a specific axle is designed to carry is the GROSS AXLE
WEIGHT RATING (GAWR). Again, the rating represents the empty vehicle’s axle
weight plus the maximum added load. On trailers with more than one axle, the weight
is divided between each axle and each has its own GAWR. The total of all axle loads
plus the tongue weight must not exceed the GVWR. All of these ratings are found on
the Federal Certification Sticker on the tongue of your trailer. This label is attached on
the front roadside of the trailer. Ask you dealer or hitch installer where it is located if
you are not sure.

5. If the loaded weight of your trailer exceeds the GVWR, you’ll have to remove items to
bring the weight down to or below the GVWR. Here’s how you can figure out your
weight at the scales:
1. Weigh the trailer by itself. After driving the vehicle and trailer onto the scale,
disconnect the trailer from the tow vehicle and move the tow vehicle off the
scale. This figure must not exceed the GVWR of your trailer.
2. Find the tongue weight. Tongue weight is the amount of downward pressure
exerted by the trailer tongue onto the hitch ball. Move the trailer until the tongue
is off the scales. Re-level the trailer by adjusting the height of the tongue jack.
Read the trailer weight on the axles alone. Subtract weight on the axle from the
total weight. This weight difference will be the approximate tongue weight.
3. For small trailers, you can place the tongue on a bathroom scale. This
won’t work for trailers with tongue weight over 300 lbs. For heavier trailers, use
the method shown below. Be sure the trailer is level. Measure from the ground

6. to the bottom of the frame at the rear of the trailer and also at the front of the
trailer. The amounts should be equal when it’s level. Don’t use a level stick!
Once you have calculated the tongue weight on your trailer, you need to make sure the
figure does not exceed the recommended load for your trailer. If the tongue weight is
below the recommended amount you must move some of the load forward or strap a
heavy object like a toolbox to the front frame of the trailer. If the tongue weight
exceeds the recommended amount you must shift some of the load rearward in the
trailer. Here are the recommended weight distribution figures:
Tandem Axle Trailer 9%-15%
Single Axle Trailer 10%-15%
Fifth Wheel Trailer 18%-20%

7. Here is the formula for calculating tongue weight:
Be sure you are loaded the way you anticipate traveling. If you expect to carry water or
gasoline (in a boat), be sure your tanks are full, before doing your weight calculations.
4. Drive onto the scale loaded with all supplies, passengers, and equipment.
Take a weight reading. Check the weight capacity of your tow vehicle in the owner’s
manual. You must not exceed the capacity of the tow vehicle.
Always and ALWAYS AGAIN THINK Proper Weight Distribution is required for towing
stability and will assure that the trailer is not rear, front or side heavy. A light tongue
weight or heavy weights placed at the rear end of the trailer can cause sway. On the
other hand, too much weight on the tongue can overload the tow vehicle and cause
poor tow vehicle braking, poor cornering and can damage the trailer frame.
A properly loaded trailer will perform better and handle more safely. You should always
store heavier items on or close to the floor and as centrally as possible. Lighter items
may be stored in upper cabinets, closets and drawers. Luggage or similar cargo
transported inside your RV should be secured to prevent it from causing damage in
case of a sudden stop.
Hitch weight is another name for tongue weight. Be aware of these weights to make
sure your tow vehicle can handle this trailer. The owner’s manual that comes with your
truck, SUV or van will tell you how much weight you can handle. Don’t even attempt to
tow more than your vehicle can handle!
Many a new trailer owner has learned this
weight lesson the hard way when he was
taking a trip to Nevada. He had unthinkingly
loaded several cases of soda in the very back
of his trailer. In addition, all the holding
tanks, (located in the rear of the trailer) were
full and the water tanks, (located in the

8. middle of the trailer) were empty, as he was heading home. He also had a couple of
extra full propane tanks stored in the back of the trailer. As he was chugging along the
highway, he slightly jerked the wheel and the trailer suddenly started to sway
dangerously.
To get out of the situation he kept his foot on the accelerator and manually held the
trailer brake control on until he was able to stop the rig in a straight line. (By the way,
most people would have slammed on the brakes, which is the absolute WORST thing
you could have done in this particular situation). Of course, he immediately moved the
heavy items in the back of the trailer up to his pickup bed to redistribute the weight
and relieve the danger. It’s safest to empty your gray water and waste tanks before
traveling.