Don't Overload the RV
An RV can fill up with gear faster than you think. Knowing your weight ratings, and weighing the rig, keeps your brakes, tires and handling where they should be.
RV · Originally published March 1, 2021 · Updated November 2026
It's easy to keep adding things to an RV: one more cooler, the grill, bikes on the back, a full tank of water just in case. Every bit of it adds weight, and every RV and tow vehicle has limits. Going over them is one of the most common, and most overlooked, safety problems on the road.
Weight terms in plain English
You'll find most of these on labels or stickers on the RV and tow vehicle, and in the owner's manuals.
- GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating): The most the RV is designed to weigh, fully loaded with people, cargo, water and propane.
- Unloaded or dry weight: What the RV weighed as it left the factory. Brochure numbers often don't include options added later.
- CCC (cargo carrying capacity): How much weight you can add to the RV before you hit the GVWR. It's often shown on a label inside the RV.
- GAWR (gross axle weight rating): The most each axle can carry. You can be under GVWR and still overload one axle.
- GCWR (gross combined weight rating): For a motorhome towing a car, or a truck towing a trailer, the most the whole combination can weigh.
- Tongue weight or pin weight: How much of a trailer's weight presses down on the hitch. It counts against your truck's payload.
- Payload: How much your truck or tow vehicle can carry, including passengers, gear in the bed and the trailer's tongue or pin weight.
What eats up your capacity
- Water. It weighs roughly 8 pounds per gallon, so a full fresh tank adds up fast.
- Propane, batteries and generators.
- Food, cookware, clothes and bedding.
- Outdoor gear: chairs, grills, bikes, kayaks, fishing gear.
- Aftermarket upgrades like solar, extra batteries or heavy furniture.
- Passengers, in a motorhome or tow vehicle.
Why it matters on Ozarks roads
The long hills and tight curves around Table Rock Lake, along US-65 and across the Ozarks show the effects of extra weight quickly.
- Longer stopping distances and brakes that can overheat and fade on long downgrades.
- Tire stress. Overloaded tires run hotter and are more likely to fail.
- Handling and sway. Too much weight, or weight in the wrong place, makes a trailer more prone to sway and a motorhome harder to control in crosswinds.
- Wear on axles, springs and frames that shortens their life.
How to check your weight
Don't guess. Load the RV the way you normally travel, with people, gear, water and propane, and weigh it at a certified public truck scale, such as those at many truck stops. If you can, weigh each axle, and compare the numbers to your GVWR, GAWRs and GCWR. Some RV events and services offer weighing at each wheel position, which shows side-to-side imbalances.
Simple ways to lighten the load
- Travel with fresh water low and fill up near your campsite, if water is available there.
- Dump gray and black tanks before you hit the road.
- Store heavy items low and close to the axles, and balance weight side to side.
- For trailers, follow the hitch and trailer makers' guidance on tongue weight, and use a weight-distribution hitch if recommended.
- Unload things you haven't used in the last few trips.
Weight and your insurance
Insurance is designed for sudden, accidental losses. A crash or a blowout that leads to a crash is typically handled under collision or liability, but damage that builds up from chronic overloading, like worn suspension or bent axles, may be treated as wear and tear. A heavier rig can also do more damage in a crash, which is a good reason to review your liability limits. Our article on umbrella insurance explains extra liability protection, and travel trailer insurance and towing covers how truck and trailer coverage work together.
Talk to a local agent
Call us at 417.865.4800 or request a quote below, and we'll review your RV insurance and liability limits.
Common questions
Where do I find my RV's cargo carrying capacity?
It's usually on a label inside the RV, often near the entry door or in a cabinet, and in the owner's manual.
Can I be under my GVWR and still be overloaded?
Yes. One axle or one side can be over its rating even if the total weight is fine, which is why weighing by axle is helpful.
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Written by Auto Insurance Express. Reviewed by Philip Edwards, founder. Philip has run independent insurance agencies in southwest Missouri since 1997. More about the agency.
General information, not advice about your specific policy. Coverage, exclusions and eligibility are determined by the policy forms and endorsements your insurer issues, and state rules change. Confirm details with us before you rely on them.
