What is the difference between gross vehicle weight rating and gross combination weight rating?

• A. GVWR includes the trailer weight; GCVWR is just the vehicle weight.
• B. GVWR is the weight of the vehicle.
• C. GVWR is the gross value; GCVWR is the gross vehicle weight rating of the engine.
• D. GVWR is the weight of the vehicle; GCVWR includes the laden weight of the trailer.

Answer: (C)

Understanding weight ratings for towing is essential. GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) is the maximum weight the vehicle itself is rated to weigh when fully loaded with everything inside it—fuel, passengers, cargo, and so on. It does not include any trailer. GCWR (gross combination weight rating), sometimes called GCVWR, is the maximum combined weight of the tow vehicle plus any attached trailer and the trailer’s load. So GVWR limits the vehicle alone, while GCWR limits the total of vehicle plus trailer.

For example, if a truck has a GVWR of 26,000 pounds and a GCWR of 40,000 pounds, the truck’s own weight and cargo must stay under 26,000, and the combined weight of the truck, trailer, and everything on the trailer must stay under 40,000. This means you must manage both numbers: you can’t exceed the GVWR with the vehicle by itself, and you can’t exceed the GCWR when you add the trailer and its load.