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Old 07-18-2019, 06:59 AM   #21
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John, I believe the correct acronyms are GVW (gross vehicle weight), the actual total weight of the vehicle and everything in it, and GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating), which is the maximum total weight of the vehicle and everything in it set by the manufacturer.

Similarly, there is GAW and GAWR (gross axle weight and gross axle weight rating) for each axle, as well as GCW and GCWR (gross combined weight and gross combined weight rating) for the actual and maximum weights of tow vehicle and trailer and everything in both.

UVW (unloaded vehicle weight), also called “dry weight” referring specifically to travel trailers, refers to the as-built weight of a trailer with all fixed equipment and options as it leaves the factory. Sadly, it’s not a requirement for manufacturers to weigh each finished trailer and post that number on a label, but some do.

Published dry weights are typically the base UVW for a model before options. That’s why they are particularly unreliable, because most molded trailers have a very long option list. It’s one of the benefits of the factory direct sales model- the ability to have it the way you want it.

The difference between the GVWR and the UVW is the cargo carrying capacity CCC of the trailer. There is a lot of variation in that number among travel trailers, too. Some (toy haulers especially for obvious reason) have a very generous CCC. On others it can be quite limited, but 500-1000# CCC is pretty typical for smaller travel trailers.

Motor vehicles use the terms “curb weight” and “payload” instead of UVW and CCC. Curb weight includes all vehicle fluids, in contrast to dry weight, which does not.

Ratings do not represent the true maximum capabilities of a vehicle. Of course manufacturers leave some safety margin. Your springs don’t immediately break, for example, if you exceed the GAWR by a hundred pounds. You may find the vehicle doesn’t handle as well, and over time things will wear out faster. Manufacturers take all that into account when setting ratings.

However, manufacturer ratings are generally recognized as legal limits in most motor vehicle laws. In theory you could be cited or even impounded for exceeding a weight rating. Enforcement is rare (except large commercial vehicles), but it’s always a possibility if a vehicle appears grossly overloaded or unsafe to a LEO. It could also result in criminal or civil liability if a post-crash investigation uncovers an overweight condition.

Oops... got a little carried away. Hope some of this is helpful to a newcomer...
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Old 07-18-2019, 03:28 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
gwr is the max total weight the trailer is rated for. my casita 16 was about 2000 lbs dry, and had a GWR of 3500 lbs. actual weight traveling would be the 2000 + whatever you actually put in it, including water, propane, and should be under 3500 lbs or you're overloading the frame and axles and tires and brakes.
And any options and the battery(ies).
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Old 07-19-2019, 09:24 PM   #23
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trailers have a GWR rating on the data plate, while cars and trucks have a GVWR. I can only presume this is because a trailer is not a 'vehicle'.
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Old 07-19-2019, 10:23 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz View Post
trailers have a GWR rating on the data plate, while cars and trucks have a GVWR. I can only presume this is because a trailer is not a 'vehicle'.

Anything can be a vehicle.

a thing used to express, embody, or fulfil something: I use paint as a vehicle for my ideas.
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Old 07-20-2019, 10:35 AM   #25
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We have a Scamp 5th wheel, which we have pulled with both 4-cyl and 6-cyl Tacoma's. Of course, the 6 gives a bit more oomph for getting up grades, etc.

But to comment on bed size: We sleep sideways on the upper bed, as we didn't like the specter of kicking our feet through the window screens. Made a pull-out shelf that we put foam on to extend over the stairs for foot room. A king-sized sheet fits in this configuration! It's not hard to do...

Highly recommend getting a FG trailer! Makes camping easier (we used to be tent campers) on the old bones, plus they can go almost anywhere. Our 5th wheel is super easy to pull and very stable, even in high winds.
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Old 07-20-2019, 03:26 PM   #26
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The 17' Casita might be a little big for you, but I'm 6'2" and I have to slouch a little to clear the vent knob and the bed is just big enough for the two of us, BUT we love the bathroom, the fridge, the simplicity and durability of the Casita.
We've towed it 70,000 miles and it looks great and is as tight as the day it left Rice, TX (in 2006). The tag says it weighs 2700#, but I've never seen it at that. Fully loaded for a month plus trip it weighs 3500# +/- 100#. I pull it easily with a 2011 GMC Acadia (SUV).
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Old 07-22-2019, 03:00 PM   #27
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Thanks, everyone. These posts on weights really are helpful. I will be printing and saving your post Jon in AZ. Thank you. Going to look at someone else's Little Joe on Wed. That should give us some idea of how a 13' feels, at least.
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Old 07-23-2019, 07:58 AM   #28
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New and exploring fiberglass option

A Little Joe is not exactly representative of all 13’ers, being quite a bit narrower. Most of the space is taken up by the bed. If that’s all you really need, perfect! I hope you’ll find a way to see some other trailers as well, including other 13’ers. We like having enough space to hang out, cook, and eat inside when the weather turns nasty.

Regarding weights, John may well be right that trailers simply use GWR rather than GVWR. My Scamp lacks a weight sticker so I couldn’t check.

However, trailers are indeed vehicles, not in the abstract sense Glenn suggests, but according to the legal definition used by motor vehicle departments. So GWR and GVWR are technically synonymous. The latter is what you’ll find in motor vehicle laws and applies to towed vehicles as well as motorized vehicles.

The terminology gets confusing. Just remember a “gross weight” is an actual loaded weight and a “weight rating” is an upper limit set by the manufacturer.

Tires have weight ratings, too, and they’re dependent on inflation. The maximum load listed on the sidewall assumes maximum inflation, also listed on the sidewall.
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Old 07-23-2019, 09:08 AM   #29
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+10 Go to a rally and check out the various brands and models. Me, almost all of the molded FG trailers are narrow as it is, I would not want something narrower. Traditional trailers are all wider in comparison. Being able to pass my wife in the aisle way in our Escape 19 is a big plus as we couldn't do it in our Casita. I believe the aisle in my Trilliums 1300 is relatively wide too in part due to the cabinets being shallower than typical.

I really, really like having a separate place to sit other than the bed. Making the bed up every evening and taking it down every morning gets really old quick. Many of the 13s out there have a front gaucho couch where you can sit and leave the rear dinette in bed form. My favorite layout in a 13 footer would have a two person dinette in the front, with a convertible dinette/bed in the rear. You can get that with a Scamp Deluxe. A lot more front gauchos out there.

If you are looking for a used 13 footer, Scamp 13 is by far the most common.
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