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When your region is set to United States (under More -> Settings -> Region & Units), loadmate uses US towing terms throughout, so every label matches the paperwork in front of you. Your source values come from the vehicle label, the owner’s manual, the trailer label, the manufacturer’s documents, truck-scale tickets, and separate scale readings where needed. This page explains the terms you see and where to read each number.

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Common terms

loadmate names each weight and rating the way US documents name it, so the on-screen label reads like the figure on your label or manual. These are the terms you see when your region is United States:
  • Vehicle laden weight limit: Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
  • Combined laden weight limit: Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).
  • Trailer laden weight limit: Trailer GVWR.
  • Trailer empty weight: Dry Weight.
  • Vehicle empty weight: Curb Weight.
  • Towing capacity: the towing figure from your vehicle’s manual or label.
  • Coupling load on the hitch: Tongue Weight.
Weights show in pounds (lbs), volumes in gallons (gal), distance in miles (mi), and hitch measurements in inches (in). Tire pressure shows in psi. The app uses American spelling, so you read “tire”, “curb”, and “color” as they appear on your documents.
loadmate records the values you enter and checks them against each other and against your loads. It does not verify that the numbers match the physical rig, so enter each figure carefully from your trusted documents.

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Common mix-ups

  • Do not confuse GVWR with GCWR. GVWR is for one vehicle or trailer. GCWR is the combined vehicle and trailer limit.
  • Do not put Trailer GVWR into the tow vehicle field. Trailer values belong on the trailer.
  • Do not use Dry Weight as the loaded trailer limit. Dry Weight is the empty reference weight before cargo, water, and options.
  • Do not treat Tongue Weight as the full trailer weight. It is only the downward load on the hitch.
  • Do not use an advertised tow rating without checking the owner’s manual and label for the exact vehicle configuration.

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Truck scale and CAT Scale wording

When loadmate points you at a measured weight, US copy uses the term you actually look for: truck scale, or a CAT Scale. AU, UK, and EU users see “weighbridge”; in the United States you see truck scale or CAT Scale instead, so you head to the right facility. A truck-scale or CAT Scale ticket gives you measured gross and axle weights for a baseline weigh-in. It may not give tongue weight directly, so enter tongue weight only from a separate scale reading, the scale process you follow, or the source documents for your rig. loadmate keeps those readings distinct and uses them to track what changes after you load. To record a professional weigh-in, see Record a weigh-in. To update tongue weight from a separate reading, see Update tow-ball weight.

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Where to find ratings

Every rating comes off a document you already have, so you enter the number straight from the source rather than estimating it:
  • GVWR, GCWR, and Towing Capacity: the vehicle label inside the driver’s door jamb, and the owner’s manual.
  • Trailer GVWR and Dry Weight: the trailer label, usually on the front or A-frame, and the manufacturer’s specification sheet.
  • Maximum Tongue Weight: the hitch or receiver sticker, and the vehicle’s towing section in the manual.
  • Tire size, load index, and speed rating: the tire placard (the sticker inside the driver’s door or by the fuel cap) and the tire sidewall.
Enter these when you add your tow vehicle and trailer. For the steps, see Add a tow vehicle and Add a trailer.

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What varies by state

Weight ratings such as GVWR, GCWR, Trailer GVWR, Towing Capacity, and Maximum Tongue Weight are the figures you read from labels, manuals, and hitch or receiver markings. loadmate measures your loads against the values you enter from those sources. Some towing rules, such as licensing, braking, and speed details, vary by state. For anything specific to where you tow, check the rules for your state with the relevant authority.

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Try it now

Set your region to United States under More -> Settings -> Region & Units to see US terms across the app. Then open a trailer profile from the Garage tab and confirm the labels read as Trailer GVWR, Tongue Weight, and Dry Weight, matching your trailer’s documents.
loadmate helps you work from the numbers you enter. Keep your source documents handy, and use a weighbridge, truck scale, or local authority when you need official evidence.