Why does adding the axles not equal the GVWR of a trailer?

Have you ever noticed that when buying the a trailer the gvwr is different than what the axle rating is? In this blog we are going to talk about why a trailer can have (2) 7000 lbs axles and be rated at 15,400 GVWR and some are 14,0000 GVWR.

First lets start with a single axle utility trailer. So under this trailer you'll find that the axle is a 3500 lbs axle, so that would mean the gvwr is 3500 lbs right? But alot of manufactures will rate this at 2990 GVWR. Now why would they do that, in a lot of states legally you have to have a brake axle on any trailer rated over 3000 gvwr.  When a manufacture list the GVWR at 2990 they can avoid putting a brake axle on the trailer which saves the end user about $300. 

Now lets talk about a trailer with (2) 5200 lbs axles, you would think the logical gvwr would be 10,400 lbs, but you will see that these trailers will run a 9900 GVWR. The reason for this is that some states require a CDL when the trailer being towed is over 10,000 GVWR.  So rating these trailers at 9900 lbs gvwr will allow you to cross state lines with no issues and it'll give you good payload.

Then I get the question all the time of why does my trailer have (2) 7000 lbs axles and a gvwr of 14,000 but I've been seeing trailers specked the same way with (2) 7000 lbs axles and a GVWR of 15,400.  This isn't an error but more of a marketing ploy to say I know the trailers are specked the same so how do I differentiate to show that my trailer is built better. With a bumper pull equipment trailers you are allowed 10% tongue weight so manufactures started to go oh this is a 14,000 lbs trailer but we get an additional 10% on the truck so we are now going to call this a 14,000 + 1400 so 15,400 to make it look like a heavier built trailer.