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Trailer towing has its own terminology that describes what you need to know about your tow vechicle, trailer, and the combination of the two.
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- Applies only to the tow vehicle
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- Applies only to the trailer
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- Applies to the tow vehicle and /or the trailer
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- Applies to the combination of the tow vehicle and the trailer when they connected
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| Curb Weight (CW) |
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- The weight of an empty vehicle (without cargo, passengers or driver) including fuel, coolant, oit and all the vehicle's equipment
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| Payload (PL) |
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- The amount of weight to be carried by a vehicle
- Includes the driver, passengers, cargo, tongue weight, and options (factory-, dealer-, or customer-installed)
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| Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) |
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- Total weight of a vehicle with cargo, driver and passengers, fuel, water, equipment, etc.
- Not to exceed the vechicle's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR)
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| Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) |
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- Maximum allowable gross vehicle weight (GVW)
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| Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) |
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- The weight of a trailer plus all the cargo in it
- Measured by placing a fully loaded trailer on a scale
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| Gross Trailer Weight Rating (GTWR) |
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- Maximum allowable weight of a trailer plug cargo
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| Tongue Weight |
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- The weight a conventional trailer places on the back of a vehicle
- The downward force exerted on the hitch ball by the trailer coupler
- In most cases, it should not be less than 10 percent, or more than 15 percent of the gross trailer weight
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| Gross Axle Weight (GAW) |
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- Includes the weight of the vehicle plus any load that must be supported by the axle including tongue weight or payload (vehicles)
- Includes the weight of the trailer plus any load taht must be supported by the axle (trailers)
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| Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) |
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- The maximum safe load-carrying capacity of a single axle system as measured at the tire/ground interfaces
- Information alway on Safety Certification Label
- Calculated by determining the capacities of the following elements of an axle system: Axle rating - Suspension rating - Tires -Wheels
- The GAWR of a given axle system is derived from the component rating which has the least capacity of the four
- The load on each axle system should not exceed the specified GAWR on the Safety Certification Label
- Nor should the total on both axle systems exceed the GVWR
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| Gross Combination Weight (GCW) |
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- Total weight of a fully equipped vehicle and trailer with cargo, driver, passengers, fuel, water, equipment, etc.
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| Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR) |
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- Maximum allowable gross combination weight
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