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Key Takeaways
- GVWR limits the loaded truck's total weight, GCWR limits the truck and trailer together and GAWR limits the weight on each axle.
- The truck's body, equipment, people and trailer tongue or pin weight all reduce the capacity available for cargo.
- Calculate available payload using the truck's actual weight as equipped, then verify loaded truck and axle weights on a scale against the applicable ratings.
A truck's body, liftgate and tools can use up thousands of pounds of carrying capacity before the first delivery is even loaded. Whether you're choosing a truck or planning the day's load, you need to know how much capacity is left for people and cargo.
GVWR tells you how much the loaded truck can weigh, while GCWR sets the limit for the truck and trailer together. Payload is the weight the truck carries. Checking these figures, along with each axle's rating, helps you find a truck that fits the job and load it within its limits.
What GVWR, GCWR and Payload Mean
Each of these terms answers a different question about your load. Here's what the ratings cover and how they relate to the weight your truck carries.
What Is GVWR?
Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the manufacturer's maximum allowable weight for the fully loaded truck. It includes the truck itself, its body, fuel, installed equipment, people and cargo, plus any trailer weight carried by the truck.
You may also see gross vehicle weight (GVW), which is what the truck actually weighs at a given moment. Compare that weight with GVWR to see whether you're within the limit. For example, a truck with a 26,000-pound GVWR cannot carry 26,000 pounds of cargo because the truck itself uses part of that allowance.
What Is GCWR?
Gross combined weight rating (GCWR) is the manufacturer's maximum allowable weight for the loaded truck and loaded trailer together. You may also see it called gross combination weight rating.
The main difference between GVWR and GCWR is what each covers: GVWR applies to the loaded truck, while GCWR applies to the loaded truck and trailer together. You can be below the truck's GVWR and still exceed GCWR once you hook up a trailer.
GCWR alone won't tell you how much you can tow. You also need to check the manufacturer's trailer weight limit for your exact truck configuration, along with the ratings for the hitch or fifth wheel, truck axles and trailer.
What Is Payload?
Payload is the weight the truck carries, including people, cargo and added equipment. If you're towing, it also includes the trailer weight supported by the truck. For a conventional trailer, that downward load on the hitch is called tongue weight. For a fifth-wheel trailer, the load transferred through the kingpin to the truck's fifth wheel is called pin weight. Both use part of the truck's available payload capacity.
The difference between GVWR and payload is that GVWR covers the whole loaded truck, while payload is part of that total. To find the payload capacity of a completed work truck, subtract its weight with the body, installed equipment, a full fuel tank and all other operating fluids — but without people, cargo or trailer tongue or pin weight — from GVWR. The remaining capacity is available for those additional loads.
What Is Gross Axle Weight Rating?
Gross axle weight rating (GAWR) is the manufacturer's maximum allowable load on a single axle system. Check each axle's rating, since the front and rear ratings may differ.
A truck can stay below GVWR and still overload an axle. For example, heavy cargo placed near the back of a box body may overload the rear axle even when the truck's total weight looks acceptable.
How Manufacturers Determine Weight Ratings
Manufacturers look at how the truck's frame, suspension, axles, tires, wheels and brakes work together. The powertrain and cooling system also matter when determining how much combined weight the truck can handle. GVWR and GCWR reflect that specific configuration and the work the truck is designed to do.
That's why adding axle ratings together won't give you the truck's GVWR, and upgrading a part, such as the springs, won't automatically increase it. When planning a load, use the ratings assigned to the completed vehicle.
How a Truck Body and Equipment Affect Payload
The truck's body and installed equipment count toward its GVWR, so every pound they add reduces the weight available for people and cargo. A lighter body can leave more capacity for cargo, as long as it provides the strength and features your application requires.
When you're adding up the weight, include:
- The box, flatbed, dump or service body
- Liftgates, cranes, toolboxes, shelving, racks and other installed equipment
- The driver, passengers and their gear
- Cargo, tools, supplies, chains, binders and dunnage
- Fuel and other operating fluids not already included in the starting weight
- Trailer tongue weight or fifth-wheel pin weight when towing
Before using a published payload figure, check what's already included. If you're looking at a chassis-cab, you may still need to account for the body and any installed equipment. An upfitted truck may already have those items factored in, along with factory options. Knowing what the number includes helps you avoid counting the same weight twice.
If you're towing, check the truck and trailer manufacturers' loading guidance to determine how much weight the trailer will transfer onto the truck. That weight affects both your remaining cargo capacity and the load on each axle.
How to Calculate Truck Payload
To calculate truck payload, start with the truck's GVWR and its actual weight as equipped:
GVWR − Truck Weight as Equipped = Available Payload
Weigh the completed truck with its body, installed equipment and fuel on board. Make a note of whether the driver, tools or cargo are already included. Then subtract only what you still plan to add to find out how much capacity remains.
Payload Calculation Example
Let's say your truck has a GVWR of 26,000 pounds. The chassis-cab weighs 13,800 pounds with full fuel and operating fluids, but without the body, added equipment, people or cargo. The table below shows how each addition uses up the remaining capacity.
| Truck or Added Item | Weight (Pounds) | Capacity Remaining Before GVWR (Pounds) |
|---|---|---|
| Starting chassis-cab | 13,800 | 12,200 |
| Add van body | 3,400 | 8,800 |
| Add liftgate | 1,000 | 7,800 |
| Add toolboxes and shelving | 400 | 7,400 |
| Add driver and passenger | 400 | 7,000 |
| Load cargo | 6,000 | 1,000 |
With the body, liftgate, toolboxes and shelving installed, the truck weighs 18,600 pounds. Adding the driver, passenger and 6,000 pounds of cargo brings it to 25,000 pounds, leaving 1,000 pounds below GVWR.
Now hook up a trailer that transfers 1,200 pounds onto the truck. The truck's weight rises to 26,200 pounds, putting it 200 pounds over GVWR. You would need to remove at least 200 pounds of cargo, then check axle loads, GCWR and the other towing limits before heading out.
How to Check a Loaded Truck Against Its Ratings
Where to Find GVWR and GCWR
Start with the certification label, usually near the driver's door or door frame, to find GVWR and each axle's GAWR. If the truck has been upfitted, check any final-stage manufacturer or alterer labels too. Make sure you're using the ratings for the completed truck.
For GCWR and towing limits, check the manufacturer's owner's manual, towing guide or specifications for your truck. Match the information to its model year, powertrain, axle ratio and equipment. If you're unsure which figures apply, your dealer can help.
Weigh the Truck and Each Axle
Take the truck to a certified vehicle scale with the people, fuel, tools and cargo it will carry on the job. Get a weight for each axle as well as the truck's total. Ask the scale operator how to position your truck to get the axle weights you need, especially if it has tandem or multiple axles. If you're towing, weigh the truck with the trailer attached so the results include the weight transferred onto the truck.
Check the scale ticket against each of these limits:
- Loaded truck weight against GVWR
- Each truck axle's weight against its GAWR and applicable tire and wheel capacities
- Total weight on all truck and trailer axles against GCWR
- Trailer weight, trailer axle loads and hitch or fifth-wheel loads against their respective ratings
When you add up the weights on all truck and trailer axles, tongue or pin weight is already included on the truck's axles. Adding it again would count it twice. You'll also need to check the weight limits for your route and registration, which may be lower than the equipment ratings.
Weigh the truck again whenever you change the body, add equipment or carry a different load. If any limit is exceeded, redistribute or reduce the load and reweigh. Overloading can affect braking and handling and cause parts to wear out sooner.
Find the Right Truck for Your Payload and Towing Needs
Before choosing a truck or planning a load, add up the body, equipment, people, fuel and cargo. Include tongue or pin weight if you tow, then check the loaded setup against GVWR, each axle's GAWR and GCWR.
As the nation's largest commercial vehicle dealer network, Rush Truck Centers has a vast inventory of new and used trucks in stock. Our dedicated truck sales specialists can help you find a truck capable of meeting the payload and towing needs of your application. Explore our truck inventory to get started.
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