Gross axle weight ratings (GAWR) on both the vehicle and trailer, which represent the maximum amount of weight a particular axle can carry, including the wheel and tire.Gross combined weight rating (GCWR), which represents the maximum weight of your loaded tow vehicle and your loaded trailer combined.Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR), which represents the maximum weight your vehicle can carry, including passengers, cargo, fuel and the vehicle itself.If you have a high-trim vehicle, have accessory equipment installed, or are carrying more passengers or cargo with you while trailering, a realistic trailering number may be lower than stated.Īlthough it is important not to exceed your vehicle’s tow rating, there are other important weight limits that should never be exceeded while towing, including:
While baseline tow ratings are available in the GMC trailering guide, detailed tow ratings are listed within your vehicle’s owner’s manual.Įven these figures are a baseline – they represent a base-spec vehicle with two 175-lb passengers and no cargo. When developing new pickup trucks, SUVs and crossovers for production, GMC engineers perform extensive tests that push vehicles to their extreme limits in order to determine the precise physical abilities of every truck, crossover and SUV.
These numbers aren’t arbitrary – in fact, they’re the result of extensive real-world testing.