2012 MERCEDES-BENZ G-Class weight

vehicle-specific and may differ from that in
the illustration. You can find the valid
maximum
permissible
gross vehicle weight
rating for your vehicle on the Tire and
Loading Information placard. X
The Tire and Loading Information placard
gives you details on maximum permissible
gross vehicle weight rating :: "The gross
weight of occupants and luggage must
never exceed XXX kilograms or XXX
pounds."
The gross weight of all vehicle occupants,
cargo, luggage

and trailer load/noseweight (if
applicable) must not exceed the specified
value. Number of seats
i The specifications shown on the Tire and
Loading Information placard in the
illustration are examples. The number of
seats is

vehicle-specific and can differ from
the details shown. The number of seats in
your vehicle can be found on the Tire and
Loading Information placard. Maximum number of seats
: determines
the
maximum number of occupants allowed to
travel in the vehicle. This information can be
found on the Tire and Loading Information
placard. Determining the correct load limit
Step-by-step instructions The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under Title 49,
Code of U.S. Federal Regulations, Part 575
pursuant to the "National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act of 1966".
X
Step 1: Locate the statement "The
combined weight of occupants and cargo
should never

exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs." on
your vehicle’s Tire and Loading Information
placard.
X Step 2: Determine the combined weight of
the
driver and passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
X Step 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passengers from XXX
kilograms or XXX lbs.
X Step 4: The resulting figure equals the
available 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 available cargo and luggage load
capacity is 650 lbs (1400 - 750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs). Loading the vehicle
253
Wheels and tires Z

X
Step 5: 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.
X Step 6 (if applicable): If your vehicle will
be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult
this manual

to determine how this reduces
the available cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle ( Y page 256).254
Loading the vehicle
Wheels and tires

Example: step 1 to 3
The following table shows examples on how to calculate total load and cargo capacities with
varying
seating
configurations and number and size of occupants. The following examples use
a load limit of 1500 lbs (680 kg). This is for illustration purposes only. Make sure you are
using the actual load limit for your vehicle stated on the vehicle's Tire and Loading Information
placard (Y page 252). Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 1 Combined maximum
weight of occupants
and
cargo

(data from
the Tire and Loading
Information placard) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg)
Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 2 Number of people in
the vehicle (driver
and occupants)
5 3 1
Distribution of the
occupants
Front: 2
Rear: 3 Front: 1
Rear: 2 Front: 1
Weight of the
occupants
Occupant 1:
150 lbs (68 kg)
Occupant 2:
180 lbs (82 kg)
Occupant 3:
160 lbs (73 kg)
Occupant 4:
140 lbs (63 kg)
Occupant 5:
120 lbs (54 kg) Occupant 1:
200 lbs (91 kg)
Occupant 2:
190 lbs (86 kg)
Occupant 3:
150 lbs (68 kg) Occupant 1:
150 lbs (68 kg)
Gross weight of all
occupants
750 lbs (340 kg) 540 lbs (245 kg) 150 lbs (68 kg)Loading the vehicle
255
Wheels and tires Z

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
Step 3 Permissible cargo
and trailer load/
noseweight
(maximum gross
vehicle
weight
rating
from the Tire and
Loading Information
placard minus the
gross weight of all
occupants) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
750
lbs
(340 kg)
= 750 lbs
(340 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
540
lbs
(245 kg)
= 960 lbs
(435 kg) 1500 lbs
(680 kg) -
150
lbs
(68 kg) =
1350 lbs
(612 kg) The higher the weight of all the occupants, the smaller the maximum load for luggage.
Further information can be found under "trailer load/noseweight"
(Y

page 256).Vehicle identification plate
Even if you have calculated the total load
carefully, you should still make sure that the
gross vehicle

weight rating and the gross axle
weight rating are not exceeded. Details can
be found on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side of the vehicle
(Y page 252).
Gross vehicle weight: the gross weight of
the vehicle, all passengers, cargo and trailer
load/noseweight (if applicable) must not
exceed the permissible gross vehicle weight.
Gross axle weight rating: the maximum
permissible weight that can be carried by one
axle (front or rear axle).
To ensure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible values (gross
vehicle weight and maximum gross axle
weight rating), have your loaded vehicle
(including driver, occupants, cargo, and full
trailer load if applicable) weighed on a
suitable vehicle weighbridge. Trailer load/noseweight
The trailer
load/noseweight affects the gross
weight of the vehicle. If a trailer is attached,
the trailer load/noseweight is included in the
load along with occupants and luggage. The trailer load/noseweight is usually
approximately
10%

of the gross weight of the
trailer and its load.
Only use a trailer tow hitch that has been
approved for your vehicle by Mercedes-Benz.
Comply with the manufacturer's operating
instructions for operation, care and
maintenance. Maximum load rating
G
WARNING
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 . Overloading the tires
can overheat them, possibly causing a
blowout.

Overloading the tires can also result
in handling or steering problems, or brake
failure. 256
Maximum load rating
Wheels and tires

i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and
may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Maximum tire load : is the maximum
permissible weight for which the tire is
approved.
Further information on tire loads
(Y page 258). Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
Overview of Tire Quality Grading
Standards
The Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
are U.S. government specifications. Their
purpose is to provide drivers with uniform
reliable
information

on tire performance data.
Tire manufacturers have to grade tires using
three performance factors: tread wear :,
tire traction ;, and heat resistance =. All
tires sold in North America are provided with
the corresponding quality grading markings on the sidewall of the tire, even though these
regulations do not apply to Canada.
i
The actual values for tires are vehicle-
specific and

may deviate from the values in
the illustration.
Where applicable, the tire grading
information can be found on the tire sidewall
between the tread shoulder and maximum
tire width.
For example: Tread wear Traction Temperature
200 AA A
All passenger car tires must conform to the
statutory safety requirements in addition to
these grades.
Tread wear
The tread

wear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specified
U.S. government test track. For example, a
tire graded 150 would wear one and one-half
times as well on the government test track as
a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart significantly from
the norm, due to variations in driving habits,
service practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate conditions. Traction
G
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.
The traction grades, from highest to lowest,
are AA, A, B, and C. Those grades represent Uniform Tire Quality Grading Standards
257
Wheels and tires Z

have a code with two symbols. Retreaded
tires have a code with four symbols.
Further information about retreaded tires
(Y page 242).
Tire
size: identifier =
describes the tire size.
Tire type code: tire type code ? can be
used by the manufacturer as a code to
describe specific characteristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture: date of manufacture
A provides information about the age of a
tire. The first and second positions represent
the week of manufacture, starting with "01"
for the first calendar week. Positions three
and four represent the year of manufacture.
For example, a tire that is marked with
"3208", was manufactured in week 32 in
2008. Tire characteristics
i
Tire data is vehicle-specific and may
deviate from the data in the example.
This information describes the type of tire
cord and the number of layers in
sidewall : and under tire tread ;.Definition of terms for tires and
loading
Tire structure and characteristics
Describes the

number of layers or the number
of rubber-coated belts in the tread and the
sidewall of the tire. These are made of steel,
nylon, polyester and other materials. Bar
Metric unit for tire pressure.
14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi) and
100 kilopascals (kPa) are the equivalent of
1 bar. DOT (Department of Transportation)
DOT marked tires fulfill the requirements of
the United States Department of
Transportation. Average weight of the vehicle
occupants
The number of occupants for which the
vehicle is

designed multiplied by 68 kilograms
(150 lb). Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Standards
A uniform standard to grade the quality of
tires with

regards to tread quality, tire traction
and temperature characteristics. The quality
grading assessment is made by the
manufacturer following specifications from
the U.S. government. The quality grade of a
tire is imprinted on the sidewall of the tire. Recommended tire pressure
The recommended tire pressure for your
vehicle under normal driving conditions. You
will find

the recommendation on the Tire and
Loading Information placard on the B-pillar on
the driver's side of your vehicle. The
recommended tire pressure provides the best
balance between handling characteristics,
ride comfort and wear. Additional information
on particular driving conditions is located on
the tire pressure table on the inside of the fuel
filler flap. 262
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Wheels and tires

Increased vehicle weight due to
optional equipment
This is the combined weight of all standard
and optional equipment available for the
vehicle, regardless of whether it is actually
installed on the vehicle or not. Wheel rim
This is
the part of the wheel on which the tire
is mounted. GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
The GAWR

is the maximum gross axle weight
rating. The actual load on an axle must never
exceed the gross axle weight rating. The
gross axle weight rating can be found on the
vehicle identification plate on the B-pillar on
the driver's side. Speed index
The speed index is part of the tire
identification. It

specifies the speed range for
which the tire is approved. GTW (Gross Trailer Weight)
The GTW is the sum of the weight of a trailer
and the weight of the load, luggage,
accessories etc. on the trailer. GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
The gross vehicle weight includes the weight
of the vehicle including fuel, tools, the spare
wheel, accessories installed, occupants,
luggage and the drawbar noseweight if
applicable. The

gross vehicle weight must not
exceed the gross vehicle weight rating GVWR
as specified on the vehicle identification plate
on the B-pillar on the driver's side. GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
The GVWR is the maximum permitted gross
weight of

the fully laden vehicle (weight of the
vehicle including all accessories, occupants,
fuel, luggage and the drawbar noseweight if
applicable). The gross vehicle weight rating is
specified on the vehicle identification plate on
the B-pillar on the driver's side. Maximum
weight of the laden vehicle
The maximum weight is the sum of the curb
weight of the vehicle, the weight of the
accessories, the maximum load and the
weight of

the optional equipment installed at
the factory. Kilopascal (kPa)
Metric unit for tire pressure. 6.9 kPa is the
equivalent of 1 psi

. Another unit for tire
pressure is bar. 100 kilopascal (kPa) is the
equivalent of 1 bar. Load index
In addition

to the load bearing index, the load
index may also be imprinted on the sidewall
of the tire. This specifies the load bearing
capacity more precisely. Curb weight
The weight of a vehicle with standard
equipment, including the maximum capacity
of fuel, oil and coolant and also includes the
air-conditioning system and optional
equipment if these are installed on the
vehicle, but does not include passengers or
luggage. Definition of terms for tires and loading
263Wheels and tires Z

Maximum tire load
The maximum tire load is the maximum
permissible weight in kilograms or lbs for
which a tire is approved. Maximum permissible tire pressure
Maximum permissible tire pressure for one
tire. Maximum load on one tire
Maximum load on one tire. This is calculated
by dividing
the maximum axle load of one axle
by two. PSI (pounds per square inch)
Standard unit of measurement for tire
pressure. Aspect ratio
Relationship between tire height and tire
width in percent. Tire pressure
This is pressure inside the tire applying an
outward force to every square inch of the
tire's surface.

The tire pressure is specified in
pounds per square inch (psi), in kilopascal
(kPa) or in bar. The tire pressure should only
be corrected when the tires are cold. For this,
the vehicle must have been stationary for at
least 3 hours or not have traveled more than
1.6 km (1 mile) in this time. Tire tread
The part of the tire that comes into contact
with the road. Tire bead
The tire bead ensures that the tire sits
securely on

the wheel. There are several steel
wires in the bead to prevent the tire from
coming loose from the wheel rim. Sidewall
The part

of the tire between the tread and the
tire bead. Weight of optional extras
The combined

weight of those optional extras
that weigh more than the replaced standard
part and more than 2.3 kg (5 lbs). These
optional extras, such as high-performance
brakes, level control, a roof rack or a high-
performance battery, are not included in the
curb weight and the weight of the
accessories. TIN (Tire Identification Number)
This is a unique identification number which
can be

used by a tire manufacturer to identify
tires, for example for a product recall, and
thus identify the purchasers. The TIN is made
up of the manufacturer's identity code, tire
size, tire type code and the manufacturing
date. Load bearing index
The load bearing index (also load index) is a
code that

contains the maximum load bearing
capacity of a tire. Traction
Traction is the result of friction between the
tires and the road surface. 264
Definition of terms for tires and loading
Wheels and tires