triple 6k axles but only 12k gvwr?

[44magnum]

So last night I bought a used 38' gooseneck "American Hauler" cargo/car trailer, What I found intresting is that it has triple 6K axles but it onlyhas a 12K GVWR?? I dont car as the heaviest thing I plan on hauling is an rx8, I just dont understand it, Did someone at the factory screw up when they rated it? Does anyone know why the manufacturer would do this?
I bought it cheap as I was looking for a 32' with about that same GVWR but since this one was a little longer and a light 12k gvwr he was willing to sell it cheap. I compared it to an identical length triple axle trailer with a 18k gvwr and everything was built just as heavy.
I was actually happy it wasnt rated at 18k because in Iowa the gvwr of my truck plus the gvwr of the trailer cant exceed 26k, if it does I need a CDL. My truck has a 10K GVWR so 16K was my limit for the trailer. Anyway if anyone knows why the manufactur would under rate their trailer I would love to hear it. Thanks

[Fantom]

Originally Posted by 44magnum

So last night I bought a used 38' gooseneck "American Hauler" cargo/car trailer, What I found intresting is that it has triple 6K axles but it onlyhas a 12K GVWR?? I dont car as the heaviest thing I plan on hauling is an rx8, I just dont understand it, Did someone at the factory screw up when they rated it? Does anyone know why the manufacturer would do this?
I bought it cheap as I was looking for a 32' with about that same GVWR but since this one was a little longer and a light 12k gvwr he was willing to sell it cheap. I compared it to an identical length triple axle trailer with a 18k gvwr and everything was built just as heavy.
I was actually happy it wasnt rated at 18k because in Iowa the gvwr of my truck plus the gvwr of the trailer cant exceed 26k, if it does I need a CDL. My truck has a 10K GVWR so 16K was my limit for the trailer. Anyway if anyone knows why the manufactur would under rate their trailer I would love to hear it. Thanks

You answered your own question. We have a couple trailers that have 2 7k axles, but a 9900 GVWR as to not need a CDL to tow it.

[44magnum]

That dosnt make sense to me as even though the trailer is (for all intensive purposes) built to have a gvwr of 18k, i cant load it as such because its only rated for 12k. In other words even thought its built to handle more I can't legally put more in it.

[Fantom]

Pretty much. It's just like how a company can buy a truck with a GVWR of 33,000 and have it derated to 26,000 so driver's without a CDL can still drive it.