Bob, I'm glad that you are comfortable with confused, I've been told that I'm both hopeless and beyond help.
My understanding/interpretation is that the GAWR (gross axle weight ratings) as determined and specified by both the component and truck manufacturer are added together to determine the GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) as specified by the chassis manufacturer The GVWR is the stated max safe operating weight of the chassis, if you overload the chassis the assembly is legally being abused and all bets are off as far as the manufacter and lawyers are concerned.
Consider any towed item to be a seperate vehicle/component that has it,s own GAWR plus the tongue weight that are added to determine the GVWR .
When you hook a trailer to the truck chassis only the tongue weight of the trailer becomes part of the truck chassis' gross weight.
The GCWR (gross combined weight raring) is the combined total of all of the axle capacities that the rig can weigh without overloading or abusing the package as determined by the component manufacturers.
The powers that title and license vehicles determine how much weight you can legally carry by their own formulas, usually pounds per inch of tire width, they will write what ever weight rating that you want to pay for as long as it doesn't exceed the manufacturers stated capacities. trailers are usually titled/licensed by weight determined by a certified weigh ticket. Just don't get caught overweight at the scales if you're a commercial vehicle.
Since RV's are not commercial vehicles they don't have to scale and draw very minimal attention from the weighmaster.
With all of that being said if a LEO wants to be difficult they could probably find a reason to weigh you and it is only prudent to comply with the GCWR and within 10% overweight on any given axle
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