Understanding RV Trailer Weight Ratings

Understanding RV trailer weight ratings can be a big learning curve for first-time RVers, but this information protects your tow vehicle and RV while ensuring your safety. It’s why manufacturers place stickers on the exterior sidewalls of towable campers and inside motorhomes, so weight ratings are always readily available. While you may not be familiar with all the acronyms, these camper ratings don’t have to be intimidating. This RV ratings guide will help you become an expert in RV weights.

Key Takeaways

• Understanding RV weight ratings (GVWR, UVW, CCC, GAWR, etc.) is essential for safe towing and vehicle longevity. It helps RVers avoid overloading and ensures they choose a camper their tow vehicle can handle.
• Key weights to know include UVW (dry weight), GVWR (maximum loaded weight), CCC (cargo capacity), and towing capacity. Tongue/pin weight and GCWR also play critical roles in matching trailers and fifth wheels to vehicles.
• Staying below 80% of your tow vehicle’s capacity and distributing weight properly help maintain safe driving conditions, protect your equipment, and avoid legal or safety issues.

Why Are Camper Weights So Important?

Even seasoned RVers benefit from periodic refreshers on RV trailer weight ratings. These ratings ensure safe towing and should be required information if you own or are purchasing a towable camper. That’s travel trailers, fifth wheels, destination trailers, etc. They’re also critical to avoid overloading your camper. 

RV shoppers must know their tow vehicle’s weight ratings to choose a camper they can tow safely—and one that won’t wear out their truck or SUV in a few short years. Check your vehicle’s towing capacity using an online towing calculator. But you’re likely here to solve a simple question: what do all these weight rating acronyms mean? GVWR, CCC, GAWR…let’s solve the mystery.

For Towable Campers

Use these camper weight rating definitions to help you choose a safe trailer and load it without overtaxing your tow vehicle.

UVW = Unloaded Vehicle Weight

Also referred to as “Dry Weight,” unloaded vehicle weight, or UVW, is the weight of the RV without any liquids, passengers, or cargo. When you buy a new RV, this is the weight you’ll tow when you hook up your trailer and pull it home—before adding water, sewer, electrical equipment, camping gear, kitchen essentials, and more. 

GVW = Gross Vehicle Weight

Gross vehicle weight, or GVW, is the weight of your RV with liquids, passengers, and cargo. You’ll tow this weight once you add everything you want to enjoy your RV adventures. 

RV Pro Tip: Wondering what your GVW is? Head to your nearest highway truck weigh station or any truck scales with your fully loaded setup to get accurate numbers.

GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating

Gross vehicle weight rating, or GVWR, is the maximum allowable weight of your RV when fully loaded with liquids, passengers, and cargo. Your actual gross vehicle weight, or GVW, should not exceed your RV GVWR as specified by the manufacturer.

RV Pro Tip: GVWR should be used when evaluating hitch and tow vehicle options. DOT traffic enforcement will issue citations based on rated capacities even if the actual weight is within code.

CCC = Cargo Carrying Capacity

Wondering how much liquid, passengers, and cargo you can carry? Then you’re wondering about your CCC. Use this simple formula to calculate how much weight you can take on board.

RV Pro Tip: CCC = GVWR – UVW

GAWR = Gross Axle Weight Rating

Gross axle weight rating is the maximum weight your axles are rated to accept. It’s important when loading up your RV. Note where you place your heaviest items to avoid placing too much weight ahead of or behind the axles. Spread your cargo weight evenly throughout your RV.

RV Pro Tip: Axle capacities will add up to more than the vehicle’s GVWR. This doesn’t mean you can carry more cargo than the GVWR suggests. Dynamic loading on the individual axles varies during travel (cornering, starting, and stopping), so the axles must be stronger than the minimum static load of the RV at rest.

Tongue Weight – For Any “Bumper Pull” Camper

Tongue weight is the weight of the trailer’s tongue that will be placed on your tow vehicle’s hitch ball.

Pin Weight – For Fifth Wheels

Hitch or pin weight is the weight of the fifth wheel’s front pin that will be placed on your tow vehicle’s fifth wheel hitch in the truck bed.

For Tow Vehicles

These weights are essential for tow vehicles. Some, like curb weight, come into play when towing a vehicle behind an RV. Others, like maximum towing capacity, are critical when shopping for a towable camper. 

Curb Weight

Curb weight is the weight of a vehicle without passengers or cargo, but it is usually listed accounting for a full gas tank.

Towing Capacity

Towing capacity is the maximum weight that your tow vehicle is rated to tow. The camper’s GVWR should never exceed the tow vehicle’s towing capacity for towable campers. The secondary vehicle’s curb weight must remain below the RV’s towing capacity for towing behind a motorhome.

RV Pro Tip: Think about how you will travel in your RV. Will you be full-timing with most of your possessions? Or will you take short weekend trips with only the essentials? Consider how much you anticipate loading your trailer, leaving ample room between your tow capacity and GVW. Many experienced RVers try to keep their GVW below roughly 80% of towing capacity.

Tongue Weight Rating

A tow vehicle’s tongue weight rating is the maximum weight that can be placed on the hitch without impairing safety or stability. Ensure your trailer’s hitch weight does not exceed this number.

RV Pro Tip: Don’t forget items that add to your trailer’s tongue weight, like heavy cargo stored in the forward pass through compartment or tongue-mounted RV bike racks. Extra weight added to this linking point can lead to loss of control. 

Payload Capacity

Payload capacity is the maximum weight your vehicle can carry, including cargo, passengers, fuel, and anything else. When fifth wheel towing, the RV’s hitch or pin weight should not exceed your vehicle’s payload capacity when added to the weight of passengers, fuel, and other cargo.

For Trailers and Tow Vehicles

Consider this additional vehicle and trailer weight rating to ensure safe towing. 

GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)

Gross combined weight rating, or GCWR, is the maximum allowed weight of a tow vehicle, its payload, and the trailer it is towing, including liquids, passengers, and cargo. In most cases, you’ll need a location with RV weight scales to determine your GCWR.

RV Pro Tip: Stay well under the maximum GCWR to ensure safe braking on the road.

These RV trailer weight ratings are essential to finding your perfect RV and maintaining your equipment. A knowledgeable RV salesperson can help you find a trailer or fifth wheel that you can safely tow. Generally, it’s best to err on the side of caution. When calculating weight allowances, many RVers strive to stay under their recommended ratings. This prevents strain on the tow vehicle and trailer while ensuring safe driving conditions for you and others.

Check out these additional towing resources: 

• Best SUVs for Towing a Camper
• Which States Require a Trailer Braking System?
• How To Find the Best Vehicle for Towing a Camper
• Do You Really Need a Weight Distribution Hitch?

Do you have questions about RV weight ratings? Let us know in the comments below.