Upgraded ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass)

[DaveR]

Hi there
Looking to see if anyone has gone to the trouble of increasing a trailers ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass), particularly for QLD.

Having built a trailer before, I remember the procedure to make it and register it for and ATM of 1550.
I am looking at buying a camper which is 1020 ATM and am thinking this may need to be increased a bit.

I know it is close to impossible for 750 kg ATM. However, for 1020 rated ATM, if I can get details of Axel loading rate, I should be easily able to upgrade to about 1300 kg ATM which will cover out needs with room to spare.

Has any Swaggers out there bothered with this.
I wish to keep things legal (ish).

Thanks
Dave

[awill4x4]

Dave, I have a single axle caravan rather than a trailer and I went down this route after modifying my van considerably.
My van was an "on road" version I made more "rough road" capable by strengthening the chassis and changing the leaf slipper springs to independant trailing arm coil/ shock suspension.
With all the mods and installing an extra water tank I needed to upgrade the ATM to make it all legal.
I'm in Victoria so I approached a Vicroads accredited engineer (VASS) to inspect my van and go over any issues he was concerned about.
I supplied him with a current weigh bridge certificate and all receipts of suspension and brake systems including their advised weight limits and he took it from there.
He also checked the tyre size and maximum loadings and took photos of all the mods done to my van.
In the end he endorsed my van from a previous ATM of 1620 Kgs (my van was almost certainly over that anyway) and gave me a new ATM of 2240 Kgs.
This has allowed me 300ish Kgs of personal effects even with both water tanks and gas bottles full.
He printed a new trailer modification certificate which is affixed next to the Trailer VIN plate in the front boot.
For Vicroads it was simply presenting them with the engineers certification and they issued a new registration sticker with the new Tare weights of the van at no cost.
It's where I wanted the van to be and I'm happy I went this way to keep everything legal.
Cheers andrew.

[StrvnMrvn]

Hi Dave,

Mate I looked into it. If the trailer is already registered in QLD with the vin stamped into the trailer, you have to go through a process of removing it and then getting it re-registered.

You will have to look at the axle, springs, shocks and tires. Can the manufacturer do it for you?

I didn't go ahead in the end because we have dropped a lot of stuff off the tent (awning, side walls) as I have a big enough tarp to do the job. We have about 100kg to play with, which isn't much, so I use my ute to carry the extra stuff.

 

Strvy

[Brij]

awill4x4, which engineer did you use?
My father is looking at increasing the ATM of an older Pheonix caravan he has just bought. Be good to go to a particular engineer who has done this specific task before with good results.

Ta
Peter H

[Bird]

Dave, I have a single axle caravan rather than a trailer and I went down this route after modifying my van considerably.
My van was an "on road" version I made more "rough road" capable by strengthening the chassis and changing the leaf slipper springs to independant trailing arm coil/ shock suspension.
With all the mods and installing an extra water tank I needed to upgrade the ATM to make it all legal.
I'm in Victoria so I approached a Vicroads accredited engineer (VASS) to inspect my van and go over any issues he was concerned about.
I supplied him with a current weigh bridge certificate and all receipts of suspension and brake systems including their advised weight limits and he took it from there.
He also checked the tyre size and maximum loadings and took photos of all the mods done to my van.
In the end he endorsed my van from a previous ATM of 1620 Kgs (my van was almost certainly over that anyway) and gave me a new ATM of 2240 Kgs.
This has allowed me 300ish Kgs of personal effects even with both water tanks and gas bottles full.
He printed a new trailer modification certificate which is affixed next to the Trailer VIN plate in the front boot.
For Vicroads it was simply presenting them with the engineers certification and they issued a new registration sticker with the new Tare weights of the van at no cost.
It's where I wanted the van to be and I'm happy I went this way to keep everything legal.

and you wouldn't have done a 1/2 arsed job either
John said you was away on the road?

[awill4x4]

awill4x4, which engineer did you use?
My father is looking at increasing the ATM of an older Pheonix caravan he has just bought. Be good to go to a particular engineer who has done this specific task before with good results.
Ta
Peter H

Peter, I used Askar Kadykov from Engineering Consultancy & Design in Hallam Victoria, I know he has done some engineering compliance work for a company near where I work that modifies 4x4's.
His website is here: http://ecad.net.au/
Below is a list of approved VASS signatories from Vicroads own website.
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/7E91CC5C-D88A-41B8-930E-FD5A9286F402/0/VICROADS_n1886187_VASS_Final.PDF
It was pretty straight forward but then I was able to see him on a quiet day just after the Xmas holidays.
He also does vehicle import compliancing and LHS to RHS steering conversions.
He had a brand new 2012 Chev  Duramax 6.6 litre diesel pickup with all the bells and whistles he was converting and compliancing at his factory.
Regards Andrew.

[awill4x4]

and you wouldn't have done a 1/2 arsed job either
John said you was away on the road?

We went away for a week about 3 or so weeks ago Bruce.
I'm back now working on Johns GU getting it ready for his Cape York trip in a couple of months.
Yeah, I'm pretty happy with how it's all turned out, it looks pretty mad with all those Koni's sitting in a row. 
Cheers Andrew.

[kylarama]

Neat setup awill4x4.

Curious to know what the rough cost of the engineers report was? 
I've been thinking about upgrading our Jayco Eagle to a 50mm axle, 12" brakes, along with springs.  With the few extras fitted and what we take camping, I'm betting I am way too close to the GTM of 1385kg.

[awill4x4]

Neat setup awill4x4.

Curious to know what the rough cost of the engineers report was? 
I've been thinking about upgrading our Jayco Eagle to a 50mm axle, 12" brakes, along with springs.  With the few extras fitted and what we take camping, I'm betting I am way too close to the GTM of 1385kg.

The cost of engineering was $660 for my setup.
I don't know how that compares to other engineers but I just wanted peace of mind that I am towing a perfectly legal van.
For anyone going down this line just make sure to keep all receipts and try to get them to show maximum loadings as in weight etc and part numbers if possible.
The tyres were a bit of a limiting factor for me, I went for 205R16 Bridgestone Duellers with a load rating of 110 but I have to run high pressures around 50 psi (engineering requirements).
In hindsight I should have got maybe a tyre around 225/75R16 (roughly same diameter as 205R16) with a load rating of 115 then I wouldn't need tyre pressures as high as I now do.
Being an "onroad" van the wheel arches aren't very big so going much larger than the 225's probably isn't feasible.
Regards Andrew.

[way-t-go]

Mine was a brakeless camper good for 750KG. I fitted Electric Brakes to it and wanted the Rego to reflect that and any increase in carrying capacity that I could get.
I used a Certifier who came to my house, took measurements, looked at the Springs, wheels, tyres and axle. He then fitted a Blue Plate and gave me a certificate to take to Queensland Transport to modify the rego details and issue a new Rego Label. The carrying capacity was raised to 1500KG. The cost was about $300.

Gary

[DaveR]

Thanks Swagers.

Thanks to Way-t-go for the Qld info, I was not expecting it to be this easy.
I won't bother calling Qld trans now, but call the same guy I used for my own trailer when I built it.

Fingers crossed, I get my 1st camper this week......

[GeeTee]

Hi there
Looking to see if anyone has gone to the trouble of increasing a trailers ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass), particularly for QLD.

Having built a trailer before, I remember the procedure to make it and register it for and ATM of 1550.
I am looking at buying a camper which is 1020 ATM and am thinking this may need to be increased a bit.

I know it is close to impossible for 750 kg ATM. However, for 1020 rated ATM, if I can get details of Axel loading rate, I should be easily able to upgrade to about 1300 kg ATM which will cover out needs with room to spare.

Has any Swaggers out there bothered with this.
I wish to keep things legal (ish).

Thanks
Dave

Is the trailer registered as "Brand X" or a "home-made'? If it is home-made, considering consultancy fees and paperwork, a "new chassis" (you can work that one out!) may be a far easier option. 

EdiT I missed some vital information!

[DaveR]

Its a reputable Queensland brand.
I am hopeful the seller can put hands on info I asked for, 2 days to wait, then I'll find out.

[pand65au]

hello
my cousin is getting the ring around over this issue, he has a 96 outback swan, that was delivered with the 1300 kg drop axle but has the second water tank factory fitted. for some reason the springs have sagged. he has since upgraded to veh components 2 ton independant with 12" elec brakes. how ever vca will not recertify the set up for 2T. he has tried various engineers but they seem reluctant to do it and jayco do not whant to know. is ther someone in the brisbane southside area that anyone recomends who will be willing to blue plate the upgrades?
thanks
peter