Newbie question re: gvwr rolling vs. parked

[glaufen]

Hi!

We are looking at buying our first travel trailer (to be towed by an SUV with a 5000lbs limit), and we’re mostly looking at small travel trailers with bunkhouses… A question that keeps coming up is that these trailers (understandably) have very small cargo capacity — which I understand as the difference between GVWR and dry weight (plus options installed). In fact, the cargo capacity is, in multiple cases, so low that we would exceed it simply by having two adults, two children, the clothes on our backs, a full tank of fresh water, and a full propane cylinder.

My question, then, is: is there a difference in GVWR when the trailer is rolling versus when it’s parked and on jacks? We can easily avoid exceeding GVWR while towing… but it would be impossible to avoid exceeding that number while in a campground. I’m getting different responses from different sales reps (ranging from a polite version of ‘that’s an absurd question’ to ‘yes, that’s a real concern’), and, as far as I can tell, no manufacturers seem to publish different numbers for the two distinct situations.

Any help/perspective y’all can provide would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
George

(as a specific for-instance: the KZ Sportsmen 181BH has a CCC of 520 pounds, which makes it seem like no one could plausibly make use of its sleeping capacity of 5... ever, really, unless they brought no water)

 

[Scooterfan]

Yes...the CVWR limits apply to hauling / towing. Once set up in a campground and stationary and on jacks, weight limits should not be an issue. Although I am certainly no expert, this would seem to apply in your example. Safe travels...

 

[Kevin D Pem]

When parked the weight limit does not apply. Reason: because dips and rough roads won't have the tendency to bottom the suspension and bend/ brake things.

 

[glaufen]

Thank you both, @Kevin D Pem and @Scooterfan —much appreciated. Makes sense; the thing that has confused me, I guess, is that there don’t seem to be accessible/published weight limitations for a standing trailer – despite the fact that such limitations must exist, and would, presumably, be an issue in a warranty or liability claim if the trailer were standing still.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Thank you both, @Kevin D Pem and @Scooterfan —much appreciated. Makes sense; the thing that has confused me, I guess, is that there don’t seem to be accessible/published weight limitations for a standing trailer – despite the fact that such limitations must exist, and would, presumably, be an issue in a warranty or liability claim if the trailer were standing still.

If an item is built to withstand some conditions as a rule they will withstand less severe conditions with no need to publish or engineer for them.

 

[glaufen]

If an item is built to withstand some conditions as a rule they will withstand less severe conditions with no need to publish or engineer for them.

Again, makes sense; 4300lbs is less strain on frame/axle/etc when standing than rolling... my question is how to figure out how much higher the weight limit is for same trailer when standing—i.e., obviously 4301 would be fine... but would 4500? 5000? 5500?

Probably, right? But there’s certainly some number that’d be the fail point for some component (my bet would be 14” tires)... is it so astronomically high as to make this a moot point? Surely there’s some point past which someone would cry ‘void warranty’ or ‘liability’...

 

[Kevin D Pem]

My guess is you would have to go have engineering calculations done on all components. Some spread sheet programs and data bases have those figures for beam strength of different materials. this would include for instance how far a spring can go before it will not return to original shape, spindle dia and how much effort it would take to change or bend it. What the actual capacity is of steel reinforced rubber where tire inflation is concerned. But I can tell you the engineers are only concerned about rolling weight.

 

[glaufen]

Fai

My guess is you would have to go have engineering calculations done on all components. Some spread sheet programs and data bases have those figures for beam strength of different materials. this would include for instance how far a spring can go before it will not return to original shape, spindle dia and how much effort it would take to change or bend it. What the actual capacity is of steel reinforced rubber where tire inflation is concerned. But I can tell you the engineers are only concerned about rolling weight

fair enough; thanks again!