So, what does “GVWR” mean? It stands for Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. Great, but what is “Gross Vehicle Weight Rating”? It’s an important term to know if you’re shopping for a rugged Chevy pickup because you have some serious hauling to do along our Schaumburg roads.
What is Gross Vehicle Weight Rating? The GVWR is the maximum amount that is safe for your vehicle to weigh. It not only includes the curb weight of your vehicle, but also the weight of your passengers, fuel, tongue weight (10-20% of the weight you’re towing), and of course, anything you load into the bed of your truck. There can be consequences for exceeding the vehicle’s GVWR, meaning the driver could be held for criminal liability.
This may all sound technical, but what does GVWR mean for your towing and hauling? For one thing, it can also be a matter of criminal liability in some states if you are in an accident and you have exceeded your GVWR, meaning criminal charges up to and including manslaughter. Regardless of the liability issue, it’s a matter of safety, which should be important to every Streamwood driver.
To calculate how much you can haul without exceeding your vehicle’s GVWR, add your vehicle’s curb weight, your own weight and the weight of your passengers, the weight of your fuel, and the weight of anything you’re carrying inside your truck. Then subtract that total from your vehicle’s GVWR. The result is the weight of the cargo you can load into the truck’s bed without going over the GVWR.
Chevy trucks are known for being able to handle big jobs, so come down and check out our lineup of truck models. In the meantime, you might find it helpful to learn about the towing capacities of the various Chevy models, as well as look over our other automotive tips and advice. Our dealership is conveniently located near Bartlett, but you can also browse our entire inventory from the comfort of your own home! So, contact us today!
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