When embarking on your first RV trips, you are likely going to be full of excitement to fill your vehicle and get going! However, you won’t want to be weighed down by your choices of equipment and entertainment.
Have you been wondering exactly how much weight your RV is designed to carry? Or, if you are towing another vehicle, how heavy can they both be? When purchasing a new RV, weight is often buried under the list of other desirables like size, features and layout.
What happens if I carry too much weight with my RV?
If your vehicle is weighed down, you can cause significant damage. Here are some of the things that can happen if you carry too much weight:
- General RV wear and tear. All parts of your RV from suspension through to engine will strain to keep your vehicle moving. If you are carrying too much weight, you could cause damage to these parts and shorten the life of your RV.
- Tire damage. All RVs come with tires that can carry a defined weight. If you go over this weight, you can experience inconvenient blowouts during your journey, or at least wear them down quickly.
- Overheating during ascent. If your RV is carrying too much weight, it can become prone to the engine overheating and failing during a climb. This can easily leave you and your vehicle stranded on a mountainside.
So, how much weight can I carry?
The first thing you should do is search for your ‘RV Weight Information’ sticker in your vehicle. This could be located anywhere from inside a kitchen cabinet to behind the driver’s seat. This will indicate the maximum possible weights for your RV to carry. Check the ‘Gross Vehicle Weight Rating’ (GVWR) to know exactly how much your vehicle can weigh when loaded.
If you are towing a vehicle with your RV, you can calculate your Gross Combined Vehicle Weight by taking the GVWRs of both vehicles.
Lastly, it is important to distribute your load evenly. You can check if any axle of your RV is carrying too much weight, using your Gross Vehicle Axle Weight Rating. On your RVs sticker, you will be able to see how much weight your RV is capable of carrying on each axle.
Fortunately, weighing your loaded RV isn’t too difficult! Just stop at any truck-stop, and you should be able to have your vehicle weighed for a small fee.
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Jack Vale is a writer from Happy Writers, Co. in partnership with Pakmule cargo hitch carriers.
