Loading Your Vehicle - GMC TopKick 2007 Owner's Manual

Loading Your Vehicle

It is the responsibility of the Final Stage
manufacturer to install a Certification label on your
vehicle. This label shows how much weight
your vehicle can properly carry. It may also show
the size of the vehicle's original tires, and the
inflation pressures needed to obtain the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle. This is called the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR). The tire
information could also be shown on a separate
Tire Information label.
The GVWR includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, and cargo.
The Certification label also tells you the maximum
weight for the front and rear axles, called the
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). To find out
the actual loads on your front and rear axles, go to
a weigh station and weigh your vehicle. Your
dealer can help you with this. Be sure to spread
out your load equally on both sides of the
center line.
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Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, or the
GAWR for either the front or rear axle.
And, if you do have a heavy load, spread it out.
CAUTION:
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Do not load your vehicle any heavier than
the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR),
or either the maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). If you do,
parts on your vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your vehicle handles.
These could cause you to lose control
and crash. Also, overloading can shorten
the life of your vehicle.