Know your Weight Impact on Vehicle and CT GVM - an awareness issue

[Mace]

Pretty sure light vehicles DONT  have a GCM and thats part of the GVM upgrade problem

They will, but it may be  the fine print.

For example, here's a Colorado brochure! the GCM is right down the bottom in the capacity calculator section.

http://www.wth.com.au/colorado/files/Colorado%20brochure.pdf

Interesting that the brochure includes a payload calculator! Good on em.

 

[Barry G]

GCM is provided in the Jackaroo handbook.

[TOPNDR]

Toyota does not stipulate a GCM for the 200 Series and have advised me, knowing that I have an ARB GVM Upgrade, that the maximum towing capacity remains the published 3500 kg.

[Mace]

Toyota does not stipulate a GCM for the 200 Series and have advised me, knowing that I have an ARB GVM Upgrade, that the maximum towing capacity remains the published 3500 kg.

Correct.

Plenty of discussion here:

http://www.kedronownersgroup.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1231

[DannyG]

I just saw this on Facebook!

EDIT Only slightly photoshopped LOL

[chookduck]

Pity most manufacturers do not have specs definitions such as Land Rover.  Looking at the specs for the Discovery 4 you find that Kerb (Weight from), GVM (Gross vehicle weight), Towing and Roof weight limits all defined.
Weights (kg)
Weight from    2,570 (Including fluids, 90% fuel and 75kg driver)
Gross vehicle weight    3,240
Towing (kg)    
Max towing   3,500
Unbraked trailer    750
Maximum trailer nose weight    350
Maximum mass of vehicle and trailer combination (GTW)    6,740
Carrying (kg)    
Maximum roof load (including roof rails/bars)    75
Maximum payload (including driver 75kg)    670

Makes it a  lot easier to figure out what you can and cannot do wrt weights.

[Ynot]

I require all people on our 4wd club trips to carry 2 forms of lifting a vehicle..........

Case....(and it has happened on a trip I was on, names and places are changed to protect the guilty, and no it wasn't me )

You're on a remote trip, say the Anne Beadell, travelling in a convoy of 3 vehicles. You have stretched out to keep dust down. You're tail end charlie.
You call the others that you are stopping for a pit stop and you will catch up to the others. You are now out of UHF range by the time you get back to your vehicle. A photo opportunity arises. This puts you further back. Now, this scenario has been played out many times not only on this trip, but others as well.
Damn, you get a puncture and not realising that it was flat, it's now shredded. You stop and change the tyre. Now you've got the wheel off and due to the terrain, it slips of the jack. You now are stuck, no uhf comms, the truck is on the deck and you now have to wait for your travel buddies to realise some thing is wrong and you haven't caught up and turn around (could be hours) or say you're travelling with your family and the scenario above happens but the rig has fallen trapping you under it. Do you have a second jack that the missus could lift the vehicle off you?

If you are travelling solo (which I mostly do) or with a small group, you need to carry everything.............and then some..........

For what it is worth i always slip the spare under the chassis while jacking up and quickly replace it with the flat tyre once i have removed it.
If the vehicle falls at least i can get the jack back under the vehicle and relift.


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[Metters]

Pity most manufacturers do not have specs definitions such as Land Rover.  Looking at the specs for the Discovery 4 you find that Kerb (Weight from), GVM (Gross vehicle weight), Towing and Roof weight limits all defined.
Weights (kg)
Weight from    2,570 (Including fluids, 90% fuel and 75kg driver)
Gross vehicle weight    3,240
Towing (kg)    
Max towing   3,500
Unbraked trailer    750
Maximum trailer nose weight    350
Maximum mass of vehicle and trailer combination (GTW)    6,740
Carrying (kg)    
Maximum roof load (including roof rails/bars)    75
Maximum payload (including driver 75kg)    670

Makes it a  lot easier to figure out what you can and cannot do wrt weights.

There is also a bit that they don't tell you,  possibly because there are far too many variables involved to even try and list them.

The following is an email I received from Land Rover a couple of years ago in answer to a question regarding the off road towing capacity of a Defender.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The Towing mass is reduced when the vehicle is used off-road to the levels below

Unbraked Trailer              500kg
Overrun Brakes               1000kg
Fully Coupled Brakes      1500kg
 
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any query.
 
Regards

David Jensen
Land Rover Australia
Tel: 1800  809 308
Email:contactus@landrover-customers.com.au
www.landrover.com.au
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I would not be the slightest bit surprised if the carrying capacity would also be reduced in off sealed road road conditions and the same would apply to all other makes.

It really is just common sense.  You can't load a car to its maximum or beyond then take it into rough conditions and expect maximum reliability.   This is a major reason why so many break in the bush.

In my armed forces days we were taught to reduce towing and carrying capacity by 50%.   

[Mace]

Hooray,

At last some great advice from a manufacturer, unlike Toyota with regard to the capabilities of the 200.

Contact the company with regard to GVCM etc it a legal cop out IMO. People hear and read what they want to know, not what they don't want to be to be told.

Unfortunately far to many load their vehicles up to 90% plus of their towing capacity and expect them to perform and be safe in all conditions, be them on the black top or off main road.
At least LR will put it in writing. Good on them.

[Metters]

People hear and read what they want to know, not what they don't want to be to be told.

Very true. 

I asked a couple of other manufacturers:  Mitsubishi said they do not recommend towing the maximum advertised capacity in off road or 4wd track conditions but did not specify a maximum off road capacity. 

The Hilux often comes in for a bit of criticism for having a towing capacity well below its competitors.  Toyota told me it can tow its maximum capacity off road but do NOT tow at all in soft dry sand!  I did not ask them about the 200.

A Nissan dealer told me the Navara will not tow its maximum capacity off road.

Holden said their cars will tow their maximum capacity on all road surfaces but I am still waiting to see a Colorado TV commercial showing one running along a dirt road towing anything that looks like it could weigh anywhere near the maximum.

[Hairs]

For what it is worth i always slip the spare under the chassis while jacking up and quickly replace it with the flat tyre once i have removed it.
If the vehicle falls at least i can get the jack back under the vehicle and relift.

Yep, my father taught me to this, also if you are under the vehicle you wont be completely crushed.
 

[Barry G]

Yep, my father taught me to this, also if you are under the vehicle you wont be completely crushed.
 

ditto

[bodgie]

Mightnt be that simple, there are reports of Road Traffic Authority (NSW) randomly pulling over vehicles that are towing and running them over the scales. 

A good report and I think there are a number of vehicles and trailers out there that are over GVM unknown to the drivers.

Trevor

My parents have seen this happen in Qld too.

[Mace]

I don't think this bloke has any idea of legal weights!

[doc evil]

For what it is worth i always slip the spare under the chassis while jacking up and quickly replace it with the flat tyre once i have removed it.
If the vehicle falls at least i can get the jack back under the vehicle and relift.


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Likewise, and it's a good practice,  but what if you jack is now wedged under ya vehicle along with ya spare (yes I've got a second spare wheel) but not a jack.........hence 2 forms of lifting a vehicle......

[Pog]

Too many what ifs... You have too much bad luck, and carry too much sh!t.

[MattNQ]

Just on GVM upgrades. Be aware of follow-on issues.  A certain Telco whose vehicles do a lot of remote area kms at one point had patrols delivered with GVM upgrades to cope with the amount of gear they carry. All was good until they found that chassis' were cracking due to the extra weight carried on rough roads.

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[jclures]

I read this on another forum, and I would take it as true.

Quote 23rd january 2014

I understand it has been a very interesting two mornings for people heading to Fraser Island.

Queensland Transport set up portable scales just before you leave the bitumen going onto the sand.

It has been reported they are checking for overloaded vehicles, trailers and boats.

If you are heading for Fraser Island this weekend be aware.

[Symon]

I read this on another forum, and I would take it as true.

Quote 23rd january 2014

I understand it has been a very interesting two mornings for people heading to Fraser Island.

Queensland Transport set up portable scales just before you leave the bitumen going onto the sand.

It has been reported they are checking for overloaded vehicles, trailers and boats.

If you are heading for Fraser Island this weekend be aware.

Must say I'm not surprised.  There has been quite a few recoveries due to broken chassis, not to mention all the rollovers that happen on the island.

[doc evil]

Too many what ifs... You have too much bad luck, and carry too much sh!t.

When you do remote travel solo like I do, you cover as many "what ifs" as possible.

I'd rather be a few kg over my gvm than dead!

[Mace]

Interesting comment to this article.

http://theage.drive.com.au/what-car-should-i-buy/what-offroader-should-i-buy-20140207-3258b.html

Quote

I was stopped at an RTA inspection station recently pulling a friend's horse float. I was driving a Toyota Landcruiser tray back with a 3500kg electrically braked tow kit on the back. The weight of the Cruiser was around 3000kg, the weight of the horse float with live stock was around 2800kg. The RTA inspectors told me that if the weight of the trailer exceeds the weight of the vehicle, the towing combination is illegal, no matter what the towing capacity of the vehicle is. As someone who really never tows - I was unaware of this.
Luckily my tralier weighed less than the vehicle so I was on my way. But I wonder how many people buy these vehicles thinking they can tow up to the vehciles maximum towing capacity, when according to the RTA Inspectors who stopped me - you can only tow a load equal or less to the weight of your vehicle.
CommenterAlex G Location Date and time February 10, 2014, 4:24PM

End quote

[Pog]

I'm not sure how true that is Mace, but as a general rule, I always like to drive something heavier than I am towing.. Its generally safer, especially when sh!t goes wrong.