The following are the different weights that you should know about before towing.
Base Curb Weight - is the weight of the vehicle including full tank(s) of fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo or any optional equipment.
Cargo Weight - includes all weight added to the Base Curb Weight -- including passengers, cargo and optional equipment. When towing, trailer tongue weight is also part of the Cargo Weight.
Payload - is the combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants, and optional equipment that the vehicle is designed to carry. It is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating minus the Base Curb Weight.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) - is Base Curb Weight plus actual Cargo Weight. It is the actual weight that is obtained when the fully loaded vehicle is driven onto a scale.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) - is the maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded vehicle (Base Curb Weight plus Payload). The vehicle's measured GVW should not exceed the GVWR. The GVWR along with other maximum safe vehicle weights, as well as tire, rim size and inflation pressure are shown on the vehicle's Safety Compliance Certification Label.
Gross Axle Weight (GAW) - is the total weight placed on each axle (front or rear). To determine The Gross Axle Weights for your vehicle and trailer combination, take your loaded vehicle and trailer to a scale. With the trailer attached, place the front wheels of the vehicle on the scale to get the front GAW. To get the rear GAW, weigh the towing vehicle with trailer attached, but with just the four wheels of the vehicle on the scale. You get the rear GAW by subtracting the front GAW from that amount.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) - is the total weight each axle (front or rear) is capable of carrying. These numbers are also shown on the Safety Compliance Certification Label. The total load on each axle (GAW) must never exceed its GAWR.
Gross Combined Weight (GCW) - the GVW of the vehicle plus the weight of the fully loaded trailer. It is the actual weight obtained when the vehicle and trailer are weighed together on a scale.
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR) - is the maximum allowable weight of the towing vehicle and the loaded trailer (including all cargo and passangers). The measured GCW should not exceed the GCWR.
Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight - is the maximum allowable fully loaded weight of the trailer the vehicle can tow. This number is obtained by subtracting the towing vehicle's GVW from its GCWR.
Tongue Weight - is another critical measurement that must be made before towing. It refers to the amount of the trailer's weight that presses down on the trailer hitch. Too much tongue weight can cause suspension/drivetrain damage, and can press the vehicle down in back causing the front wheels to lift to the point where traction, steering response and braking are severely decreased. Too little tongue weight can actually lift the rear of the vehicle, reducing rear-wheel traction and causing instability which may result in tail wagging or jackknifing.
For proper handling, tongue loads must meet the following requirements:
-- For trailers up to 2,000 lbs., tongue load should not exceed 200 lbs.
-- For trailers over 2,000 lbs., tongue load should be 10-15% of trailer weight.
-- For fifth-wheel trailers, tongue load should be 25% of trailer weight.
GVW should not exceed GVWR (obtained from Safety Compliance Certification Label on the left front door lock facing or the door latch post pillar).
GCW should not exceed GCWR (obtained from charts in your vehicles's owners manual).