GVWR...the "Law" or a "Guide"???

[TomR]

Good Morning All...As a spinoff of the TV questions and the highway weigh station post...Are the GVWR of a TV and an AS the LAW or are they GUIDES provided by the manufacturers???

As an example...if you had to be weighed at a "weigh station"...could you be ticketed or fined for being over GVWR...either on the TV or the trailer???

Ever happen to anyone??

BTW...I am not looking for the "you will be sued" if in an accident and are GVWRs...response...JUST...is it illegal to be over GVWR?...can you get fined like the big rig truckers???

Boy, if it is ILLEGAL (as opposed to maybe foolish)...I sure could have been in trouble on my 6,000 mile road trip this fall in my abused and overloaded '98 Volvo ...pretty sure I was over GVWR...no, don't worry...no trailer!

Thanks Tom R

[wkerfoot]

Tom,

The weigh stations are to make sure that the vehicle doesn't exceed the state or federal ratings for each axle (somewhere around 8,000 lbs for singles or 16,000 lbs for duals) so that the highways are not more abused than normal. They do not check the individual vehicle GVWR or GCWR.

Bill

Originally Posted by TomR

Good Morning All...As a spinoff of the TV questions and the highway weigh station post...Are the GVWR of a TV and an AS the LAW or are they GUIDES provided by the manufacturers???

As an example...if you had to be weighed at a "weigh station"...could you be ticketed or fined for being over GVWR...either on the TV or the trailer???

Ever happen to anyone??

BTW...I am not looking for the "you will be sued" if in an accident and are GVWRs...response...JUST...is it illegal to be over GVWR?...can you get fined like the big rig truckers???

Boy, if it is ILLEGAL (as opposed to maybe foolish)...I sure could have been in trouble on my 6,000 mile road trip this fall in my abused and overloaded '98 Volvo ...pretty sure I was over GVWR...no, don't worry...no trailer!

Thanks Tom R

[Fyrzowt]

Bill is correct - at least in California.
I checked with the commercial enforcement guy at CHP on a vehicle weight issue we had at work. He stated that they only look at the axle ratings for enforcement.
Dave

[Condoluminum]

CA trailer handbook and web sites state "you should never.." but don't cite a VC section... I looked but couldn't find a statutory prohibition for non-commercial vehicles.

The only specific reference is section 21715, which states that no vehicle with "unladen weight" (may be less than curb weight) of 4,000 pounds or less may tow a trailer with gross weight or GWVR of 6,000 pounds or greater.. Should be common sense, but then... Look at the video... Most 1/2 ton pickups are in range of 4K# to 5K#, but smaller trucks and SUV's might be under...

[Garfield]

It's my understanding that the GAWR (axle) must never be exceeded under any circumstances. This is one of the key numbers that the weigh station cops look for. The GAWR is followed closely by the GVWR which is set by the manufacturer based on engineering factors, and is usually a close derivative of the GAWR (though not a simple sum).

The last number, the GCVWR, (i.e. combined) is the manufacturers recommended maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle and trailer and is more of a guideline than anything else - at least I have never heard of a case where anyone ended up in court by exceeding the GCVWR. (The GCVWR is not a simple sum of the GVWR for TV and TT).

I've been told by weigh scale cops here in Ontario they only look at GAWR and GVWR for the both TV and TT.

[SRW]

Originally Posted by Garfield

It's my understanding that the GAWR (axle) must never be exceeded under any circumstances. This is one of the key numbers that the weigh station cops look for. The GAWR is followed closely by the GVWR which is set by the manufacturer based on engineering factors, and is usually a close derivative of the GAWR (though not a simple sum).

The last number, the GCVWR, (i.e. combined) is the manufacturers recommended maximum total loaded weight of the vehicle and trailer and is more of a guideline than anything else - at least I have never heard of a case where anyone ended up in court by exceeding the GCVWR. (The GCVWR is not a simple sum of the GVWR for TV and TT).

I've been told by weigh scale cops here in Ontario they only look at GAWR and GVWR for the both TV and TT.

If the GCVWR is not the total of tow vehicle and towed vehicle, what is it?

[AlbertF]

Originally Posted by SRW

If the GCVWR is not the total of tow vehicle and towed vehicle, what is it?

Garfield referred to ratings, not actual gross weight. GCVWR is usually truck curb weight, 150 lbs for the driver, and the maximum recommended trailer weight. If the truck is loaded, the trailer weight rating is reduced by the amount of the load in the truck.

The province of British Columbia enforces GAWR and GVWR, but the vehicles would typically need to look overloaded before they would be weighed.

[Ike T]

This may show my ignorance, but do certain states require personal vehicles and trailers stop at weight stations? I have never seen a personal TV and trailer at the weigh stations in the Southeast except for commercial "big rigs".

Perhaps it's because weigh stations here are more often than not closed.

[garry]

Weight stations are for commercial trucks not RV's they check log books as well as weight.
As stated they are to make sure the federal & state limits are not exceeded. They are not going to check your rig unless you pull in and ask them to.

Garry