2008 DODGE SPRINTER trailer

353 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
The GVWR includes the weight of the ve-
hicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
The GAWR is the total allowable weight
that can be carried by a single axle (front
or rear).
The GCWR is the total allowable weight
of vehicle and trailer when weighed in
combination.
Never exceed the GVWR, the GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle or the
GCWR.
Warning
G
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
tire and loading information placard on
the driver’s door B-pillar or on the certifi-
cation label below the driver’s seat on the
mounting pillar. Overloading the tires can
overheat them, possibly causing a blow-
out. Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure.
Continued
Warning (Continued)
G
Overloading of tires is dangerous. Over-
loading can cause tire failure, affect vehi-
cle handling, and increase the stopping
distance. Use tires of the recommended
load capacity for the vehicle. Never over-
load them.
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355 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Load limit informationLocate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs.”
2
on
the tire and loading information placard.
The combined weight of all occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue load (if
applicable) should never exceed the
weight referenced in that statement.
Steps for determining correct load
limitFor vehicles with a gross weight capacity
less than 10,000 lbs (4536 kg) only.
The following steps have been devel-
oped as required of all manufacturers
under Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal Reg-
ulations, Part 575 pursuant to the “Na-
tional Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety
Act of 1966”.Step 1
\1
Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s placard.
Step 2
\1
Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
Step 3
\1
Subtract the combined weight of the
driver and passengers from XXX kg
or XXX lbs.
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356 OperationTires and wheels
4
Step 4\1
The resulting figure equals the avail-
able amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity. For example, if the
“XXX” amount equals 1400 lbs and
there will be five 150 lbs passengers
in your vehicle, the amount of avail-
able cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs (1400-750 (5 x150) =
650 lbs).
Step 5
\1
Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity calculated
in step 4.
Step 6 (if applicable)
\1
If your vehicle will be towing a trailer,
load from your trailer will be trans-
ferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how this reduc-
es the available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.
The following table shows examples on
how to calculate total load, cargo load
and towing capacities with varying seat-
ing configurations and number and size
of occupants. The following examples
use a load limit of 1500 lbs.
This is for illustrative purposes only
. Make sure
you are using the actual load limit for
your vehicle stated on the vehicle’s tire
and loading information placard
(
\2
page 354).
The higher the weight of all occupants,
the less cargo and luggage load capacity
is available.
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357 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Exam-
ple
Combined
weight limit
of occu-
pants and
cargo from
placard
Number of
occupants
(driver and
passen-
gers)
Seating
configura-
tion
Occupants' weight
Combined
weight of all
occupants
Available cargo/luggage and
trailer tongue weight (total load
limit or vehicle capacity weight
from placard minus combined
weight of all occupants)
1
1500 lbs
5
Front: 2
Rear: 3
Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Occupant 2: 180 lbs
Occupant 3: 160 lbs
Occupant 4: 140 lbs
Occupant 5: 120 lbs
750 lbs
1500 lbs - 750 lbs = 750 lbs
2
1500 lbs
3
Front: 1
Rear: 2
Occupant 1: 200 lbs
Occupant 2: 190 lbs
Occupant 3: 150 lbs
540 lbs
1500 lbs - 540 lbs = 960 lbs
3
1500 lbs
1
Front:1
Occupant 1: 150 lbs
150 lbs
1500 lbs - 150 lbs = 1350 lbs
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358 OperationTires and wheels
4
Certification labelEven after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants, cargo
and the trailer tongue load (if applicable)
as to not exceed the permissible load
limit, you must make sure that your vehi-
cle never exceeds the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the
front or rear axle and the Gross Combi-
nation Weight Rating (GCWR) (if applica-
ble).
Under a maximum loaded vehicle condi-
tion, gross axle weight ratings (GAWR’s)
for the front and rear axles must not be
exceeded. USA only - for vehicles with a gross
weight capacity less than 10,000 lbs
(4536 kg) only:
To determine the maximum loading con-
ditions of your vehicle, locate the state-
ment "The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never ex-
ceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on the tire and
loading information placard. The com-
bined weight of occupants, cargo/lug-
gage and trailer tongue weight (if
applicable) should never exceed the
weight referenced here.
You can obtain the GVWR, the front/rear
GAWR and the GCWR from the certifica-
tion label. The certification label can be found below the driver’s seat on an out-
ward facing position of the mounting pil-
lar (
\2
page 632).
For more information on the trailer
tongue load, refer to "Trailer tongue
load".
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR):
The total weight of the vehicle, all occu-
pants, all cargo, and the trailer tongue
load must never exceed the GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR):
The total allowable weight that can be
carried by a single axle (front (FA) or rear
(RA)).
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359 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR): The total allowable weight of ve-
hicle and trailer when weighed in comin-
bation including a 150 lbs (68 kg)
allowance for the presence of a driver.Vehicle Model type
GVWR
GAWR (FA)
GAWR (RA)
GCWR
2500
8550 lbs (3878 kg)
3970 lbs (1801 kg)
5360 lbs (2431 kg)
13550 lbs (6146 kg)
3500
9990 lbs (4531 kg)
11030 lbs (5003 kg)
4080 lbs (1851 kg)
4410 lbs (2000 kg)*
4080 lbs (1851 kg)
4410 lbs (2000 kg)
7060 lbs (3202 kg)
7720 lbs (3502 kg)
15250 lbs (6917 kg)
15250 lbs (6917 kg)
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360 OperationTires and wheels
4
To assure that your vehicle does not ex-
ceed the maximum permissible weight
limits (GVWR and GAWR for front and
rear axle and GCWR), have the loaded
vehicle (including driver, passengers and
all cargo and, if applicable, trailer fully
loaded) weighed on a suitable commer-
cial scale.
Trailer tongue loadThe tongue load (tongue weight at the
hitch ball) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the
load you can carry in your vehicle. If a
trailer is towed, the tongue load must be
added to the weight of all occupants
riding and any cargo you are carrying in
the vehicle to prevent exceeding your
Sprinter tow vehicle’s rear GAWR. The
tongue load is 10% of the trailer weight
and everything loaded in it.For example, if the trailer tongue load
equals 140 lbs (63.5 kg) and the deter-
mined available cargo/luggage and trail-
er tongue weight equals 500 lbs (227
kg), the amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 360 lbs (500 –
140 = 360 lbs) (163.5 kg (227 – 63.5 =
163.5 kg)).
For further information on vehicle and
trailer weights and ratings, loading a
trailer and trailer towing, see “Trailer
towing” (
\2
page303).
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395 Operation
Tires and wheels
4
GAWR (G
ross A
xle W
eight R
ating)
The GAWR is the maximum permissible
axle weight. The gross vehicle weight on
each axle must never exceed the GAWR
for the front and rear axle indicated on
the certification label located below the
driver’s seat on the mounting pillar.
GCWR (G
ross C
ombination W
eight
R
ating) The GCWR is the total permissible
weight of vehicle and trailer when
weighed in combination including a
150 lbs (68 kg) allowance for the pres-
ence of a driver. It is indicated on the
certification label located below the driv-
er’s seat on the mounting pillar.GTW (G
ross T
railer W
eight)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer plus
the weight of all cargo, equipment, lug-
gage etc. loaded on the trailer.
GVW (G
ross V
ehicle W
eight)
The GVW comprises the weight of the
vehicle including fuel, tools, spare
wheel, installed accessories, passen-
gers and cargo and, if applicable, trailer
tongue load. The GVW must never ex-
ceed the GVWR indicated on the certifi-
cation label located below the driver’s
seat on the mounting pillar.
nf_BA.book Page 395 Friday, January 25, 2008 3:53 PM