GVWR and GAWR

[PyrPatriot]

So the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is the official amount of load in the vehicle. It is the total amount of the weight of the vehicle with everything in it, fuel, occupants, stuff in bed, dirt, etc. Do not exceed GVWR.

Is the Gross Axle Weight Rating, which in my case combined exceeds the GVWR, is the weight the axles themselves can handle. It would essentially be the Gross Vehicle Weight less the actual weight of the axles and wheels/tires. So mine are 3100/3750 front/rear. So that means the rear axle can have 3750lbs of weight ON it, bed, part of the body, bumper, suspension, and stuff in the bed. Obviously even with 1600lbs in the bed (which Metalcloak tested in their suspension system), the steel bed and such being at most 500lbs, axles could still handle more weight without breaking. That is how all these people drive around in their JTs with a “bed pool” and not break an axle? Or folks putting 2000lbs in the bed and driving home from Home Depot (see payload threads)

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[DiscoSlug]

I was recently researching this which brought me to your older thread.

I think your rationale may be slightly flawed. I say slightly because I couldn't find a definitive answer from axle manufacturers on if the GAWR includes the weight of the axle assembly. Similar to GVWR, my thought would be that it needs to include the axle weight itself. I don't believe any manufacturers are out there tare weighting the axle assembly after building on it. They'll build the assembly (vehicle, trailer, etc) then weigh the assembly with a scale for each axle.

So if you go to a CAT scale and get a sheet with your axles individually weighed, you'll want to make sure your weight for front and rear are under their respective GAWR. In this case, you initial assumption would instead be more suited to comparing GVWR against combined GAWR. I personally would not assume the GAWR is weight ON the axle, with the axle weight tared out. Especially considering that each vehicle manufacturer is going to be welding different stuff to the axle assembly changing it's tare weight.

I'd be happy to be wrong though if you have any references to the contrary.

 

[MPMB]

It would essentially be the Gross Vehicle Weight less the actual weight of the axles and wheels/tires. So mine are 3100/3750 front/rear. So that means the rear axle can have 3750lbs of weight ON it, bed, part of the body, bumper, suspension, and stuff in the bed.

Your equation, as written, would be:

GAWR = GVWR - weight of axles, wheels & tires. Which doesn't make sense.

But your later description would be

GVWR = Front AWR + Rear AWR. Which is a considerably different of equation, and still incorrect in terms of weight capacity.

If GVWR is 6250 (like all class 1 pickups), and your axle capacities are 3100 and 3750, that totals 6850, well over the GVWR.

While engineers at Jeep have said the JT can tow/haul more, it's just limited by cooling restrictions brought on by the Wrangler-based front end, insurance companies have a more important definition of capacity.

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