PAYLOAD, AUSTRALIA S BECAUSE DRIVING SOMETHING ILL AND DANGEROUS IS FOR SUCKER AND LADA OWNERS. BY DEX FULTON

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "PAYLOAD, AUSTRALIA S BECAUSE DRIVING SOMETHING ILL AND DANGEROUS IS FOR SUCKER AND LADA OWNERS. BY DEX FULTON"

Lisa Edwards
6 years ago
Views:

1 LOAD, GVM, AND PAYLOAD, EGAL BECAUSE DRIVING SOMETHING ILL S AND DANGEROUS IS FOR SUCKER AND LADA OWNERS. BY DEX FULTON NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION PLEASE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE MOST READCLICK 4X4HERE MAGAZINE AUSTRALIA S

OAD, GVV VM, AND Because you ve heroically chosen to download your copy of Unsealed 4X4, you can t see what s on this page. But trust us - it s well worth looking at.

When you think about it, this is kinda scary as not paying attention to your GVM can have If you like the idea of risking a bent chassis, cooked brakes, voided insurance and automatically being at

2 OAD, GVV VM, AND Because you ve heroically chosen to download your copy of Unsealed 4X4, you can t see what s on this page. But trust us - it s well worth looking at. To see it in all its glory go to unsealed4x4.com.au GVM is one of the least thoughtabout variables in the equation of setting your 4X4 up for touring. When you think about it, this is kinda scary as not paying attention to your GVM can have If you like the idea of risking a bent chassis, cooked brakes, voided insurance and automatically being at fault in an accident, then skip on over this article; but if you like being on the right side of both the law and physics, then you need to make a cuppa and have a bit of a read. For those who aren t aware, GVM stands for gross vehicle mass and it refers to the total amount of weight your 4X4 can handle safely. And pretty much everything your fuel tank to topping up the fridge with a few beers to bolting some barwork to your bus to tyres to packing the camping gear it all goes on the GVM. Now you may think that driving a 4WD gives you a fair bit of wriggle room here most of them have ladder chassis and heavy-duty suspension (at least compared to a passenger car), and in the good old days this may well have been the case. But there s been a disturbing trend over the past couple of decades. 4X4s are getting wider, longer and heavier; but perversely, the amount of weight they can carry has been shrinking. What the??? To see if we can get to the bottom done to keep your vehicle legal, we thought we d put together this article to show just what you can carry, what you can bolt to your four-wheel drive, and what options you have when the weights you need to have on board are greater than what s legally allowed.

VM, AND WHAT LOAD, GVM, AND QUICK GUIDE BALL WEIGHT The force (in KERB WEIGHT This is

$It often includes a token amount of weight for PAYLOAD 7KH GL HUHQFH D SDUWLDOO\ ȴ OOHG IXHO$ WDQN DQG between the GVM and the a driver, but it s essentially the W hav th product for kerb

WDQN DQG between the GVM and the a driver, but it s essentially the W hav th product for kerb

$HFWLYHO\ KRZ PXFK ZHLJKW Whether you( need to keep in contact with friends in the convoy, or$ includes things GVM Gross Vehicle Mass, there s an ideal Uniden product to keep you connected.

includes things GVM Gross Vehicle Mass, there s an ideal Uniden product to keep you connected.

and trim levels, but is always included on the VIN plate.

$The sum of both PD[LPXP DPRXQW RI ZHLJKW ERWK D[OH UDWLQJV XVXDOO\ DGGV XS WR vehicle and$ $more than the GVM, giving a bit of It should ideally be the GVM and ȵ H[LELOLW\ DV WR ZKHUH$ WKH ZHLJKW LV braked tow rating added together, distributed on the vehicle.

WKH ZHLJKW LV braked tow rating added together, distributed on the vehicle.

UH8080S BRAKED TOW RATING How PLAY Police & Emergency VIDEO UHF & Scanner in 1 heavy a

Frequencies WKH YHKLFOH FDQ WRZ $V The weight of a trailer.

ratings note, the Gross Trailer Mass Keep up-to-date with the miss a word, it are bearea.

replays up Instant Replay to Scan Unencrypted Police, to 1 minute of recent degree of

amount of ball weight on the Frequencies.

keeping you connected Waterproof Range: 17km# Operating Time: 24hrs PLAY VIDEO igo CAM 755

CONDITIONS BUILT RUGGED FOR AUS & NZ CONDITIONS UNIDEN.COM.AU 1300 366 895 1 1.

It really doesn t take much for even a large 4X4 like this LandCruiser to be over GVM 2

Seems fairly substantial, WHAT IS IT AND HOW right?

winch (60kg), a rear bar and a Payload and GVM are closely second spare (70kg), a set of

3 VM, AND WHAT LOAD, GVM, AND QUICK GUIDE BALL WEIGHT The force (in KERB WEIGHT This is NLORJUDPV H[HUWHG GRZQZDUGV essentially the vehicle s weight on a vehicle s tow ball by a trailer. when unladen. It often includes a token amount of weight for PAYLOAD 7KH GL HUHQFH D SDUWLDOO\ ȴ OOHG IXHO WDQN DQG between the GVM and the a driver, but it s essentially the W hav th product for kerb weight of a vehicle. your nex adventur stock weight of a 4X4. HFWLYHO\ KRZ PXFK ZHLJKW Whether you( need to keep in contact with friends in the convoy, or simply communicate when you reit outside the vehicle exploring, it can carry. includes things GVM Gross Vehicle Mass, there s an ideal Uniden product to keep you connected. Even in likelocations fuel,without passengers, mobile reception. bar or the most a 4X4 can weigh. the most remote work, tents, awnings, winches, It can vary through models fridges you name it. and trim levels, but is always included on the VIN plate. AXLE LOAD How much weight WKH IURQW DQG UHDU D[OHV FDQ GCM Gross Combined Mass, the handle safely. The sum of both PD[LPXP DPRXQW RI ZHLJKW ERWK D[OH UDWLQJV XVXDOO\ DGGV XS WR vehicle and trailer can add up to. more than the GVM, giving a bit of It should ideally be the GVM and ȵ H[LELOLW\ DV WR ZKHUH WKH ZHLJKW LV braked tow rating added together, distributed on the vehicle. but often it isn t (just to make things even more confusing). UH8080S BRAKED TOW RATING How PLAY Police & Emergency VIDEO UHF & Scanner in 1 heavy a trailer (with trailer brakes ATM Aggregate Trailer Mass. Frequencies WKH YHKLFOH FDQ WRZ $V The weight of a trailer. As a side Police &ȴ WWHG Emergency Instant Replay Frequencies we ll see in this article, tow ratings note, the Gross Trailer Mass Keep up-to-date with the miss a word, it are bearea.treatednever with a healthy (GTM) is the ATM minus the latest situations in your records & replays up Instant Replay to Scan Unencrypted Police, to 1 minute of recent degree of scepticism; but we ll get Fire, Ambulance & Emergency received signals. amount of ball weight on the Frequencies. PLAY UH850S VIDEO into that in a bit Heavy Powerful 5W vehicle s towduty bar. keeping you connected Waterproof Range: 17km# Operating Time: 24hrs PLAY VIDEO igo CAM 755 FULL HD+ Crash Cam with Speed Camera Warnings and Lane Guidance BUILT RUGGED FOR AUS & NZ CONDITIONS BUILT RUGGED FOR AUS & NZ CONDITIONS UNIDEN.COM.AU All accessories added to your vehicle have to be subtracted from your payload capacity 2. It really doesn t take much for even a large 4X4 like this LandCruiser to be over GVM 2 PAYLOAD diesel model), leaving a payload of 645kg. Seems fairly substantial, WHAT IS IT AND HOW right? But bolt on a bullbar and IS IT DETERMINED? winch (60kg), a rear bar and a Payload and GVM are closely second spare (70kg), a set of related. If you work out how much drawers (60kg), a 60L fridge on a weight your vehicle has on board slide (60kg), a rack (30kg), roof top when unladen so let s say 10L of tent (70kg), a couple of passengers fuel, a front bar and maybe a set of (150kg), a water tank (80kg) and drawers and fridge in the back the a full long-range fuel tank (120kg) GL HUHQFH EHWZHHQ WKDW ZHLJKW DQG and that weight can be reached, the GVM is the payload. It s basically DQG H[FHHGHG YHU\ HDVLO\ ZHȇUH a measurement of how much weight now at 700kg by the way or 55kg BUILT you can carry. RUGGED over GVM, and thus illegal). And FOR AUS & NZ CONDITIONS that s without a dual battery system, Let s take a 200 Series LandCruiser ball weight from a trailer, camping DV DQ H[DPSOH 7KH\ KDYH D *90 accessories or tools and recovery from the factory of 3,350kg and a gear. Scary, ain t it! curb weight of 2,705kg (VX turbo

put your eighttonne caravan on the market comes with an increase in GVM

There are things you can do to upgrade your GVM so your vehicle can

Chances are you ll be able to get sorted with little more than a

may have to up the ante a little and talk to your 4WD specialist about

the load safely, but this varies on a case-by-case basis your local 4WD

An engineering certificate showing a GVM upgrade has been performed VM,

You d think with 4X4s getting progressively wider, longer and heavier

unfortunately this isn t always the ago the current models are bigger

A 2016 SR5 dual-cab has a GVM of 3,000kg and a payload of 925kg.

4 M, AND GVM UPGRADES WHAT S INVOLVED? Properly rated Don t throw away your 12V suspension often microwave and put your eighttonne caravan on the market comes with an increase in GVM just yet though. There are things you can do to upgrade your GVM so your vehicle can step is to work out what weights you re going to be carrying. Chances are you ll be able to get sorted with little more than a suspension upgrade with springs that are rated to suit the loads your vehicle will be hauling. If you re looking at towing a 25-foot caravan around the country, you may have to up the ante a little and talk to your 4WD specialist about having some reinforcement plates and welded to your chassis. This is by an accredited engineer. It may well be more worthwhile upgrading to a bigger vehicle to handle the load safely, but this varies on a case-by-case basis your local 4WD store will get you pointed in the right direction. An engineering certificate showing a GVM upgrade has been performed VM, AND WHY ARE PAYLOADS GETTING SMALLER? You d think with 4X4s getting progressively wider, longer and heavier their ability to carry weight would be increasing too; but unfortunately this isn t always the ago the current models are bigger However the payload is shrinking. A 2016 SR5 dual-cab has a GVM of 3,000kg and a payload of 925kg. Compare that to the 2008 model 990kg payload. So why can the older model carry 65kg more on a 200+kg lighter ute? There s a range of factors that seats and padding on the interior, heavier frames, larger panels, more add up and collectively take their toll on the GVM. Keep in mind also that as you add accessories to your vehicle, they ll decrease the overall is almost always better here.

M, AND VM, AND RUGGEDREFINED HEAVIER VEHICLES escape the

There are AND SHRINKING GVMS The TX6155 is an Australian

similar dustproof, story 5 watt with UHF wagons, CB handheld

that While features the newer extended vehicles battery

When shopping have up impressively to 30 hours * operating

the their with kerb a waterproof weights are speaker higher

than the gear you take into the bush, the amount of weight

engines that deliver your available payload capacity better

Speaking of towing at the end of the day you can t If you want

upgrading your tow rig to something like a Dodge Ram, Ford

hours on low power or 18 hours on high power.

au TOP SELLING NEW 4X4S AND THEIR GVMS MODEL GVM PAYLOAD Ford

2950kg 803kg Holden Colorado 7 2820kg 610kg Isuzu D-MAX 2950kg

701kg Jeep Wrangler (wagon) 2540kg 571kg Land Rover Discovery

3200kg 588kg Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2710kg 640kg Mitsubishi

(wagon) 3060kg 582kg Nissan Y62 3500kg 765kg Range Rover Sport

5 M, AND VM, AND RUGGEDREFINED HEAVIER VEHICLES escape the physics. There are AND SHRINKING GVMS The TX6155 is an Australian designed IP67 the water trend of shrinking GVMs is It s and a similar dustproof, story 5 watt with UHF wagons, CB handheld becoming radio clear and is more than too. that While features the newer extended vehicles battery performance with a little worrying. When shopping have up impressively to 30 hours * operating large GVMs, time and now comes for a new vehicle, think about the their with kerb a waterproof weights are speaker higher microphone. than the gear you take into the bush, the amount of weight they can and the ball weight of any trailer higher-tech engines that deliver your available payload capacity better power and economy, but and the GVM. Speaking of towing at the end of the day you can t If you want to cart serious loads or tow big trailers, think about upgrading your tow rig to something like a Dodge Ram, Ford F350 or this Iveco Daily 4X4 *Operates for a maximum of 30 hours on low power or 18 hours on high power. To find out more visit TOP SELLING NEW 4X4S AND THEIR GVMS MODEL GVM PAYLOAD Ford Everest 3100kg 605kg Ford Ranger 3200kg 925kg Holden Colorado 2950kg 803kg Holden Colorado kg 610kg Isuzu D-MAX 2950kg 1010kg Isuzu MU-X 2750kg 690kg Jeep Grand Cherokee 2949kg 701kg Jeep Wrangler (wagon) 2540kg 571kg Land Rover Discovery IV 3240kg 675kg Mazda BT kg 1082kg Mercedes G Wagen 3200kg 588kg Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2710kg 640kg Mitsubishi Triton 2900kg 930kg Nissan Navara 2910kg 930kg Nissan Y61 (wagon) 3060kg 582kg Nissan Y kg 765kg Range Rover Sport 3200kg 802kg Range Rover Vogue 3250kg 762kg Suzuki Grand Vitara 2100kg 480kg Toyota FJ Cruiser 2510kg 510kg Toyota Fortuner 2750kg 615kg Toyota HiLux 3000kg 925kg Toyota LandCruiser 200 Series 3350kg 610kg Toyota Prado 2990kg 545kg Toyota 70 Series (dual-cab ute) 3300kg 1095kg Volkswagen Amarok 3040kg 1029kg NB: All models top-spec and dual-cab where applicable.

LOAD, GVM, AND This vehicle is rated to tow 3500kg, but after factoring in real-world

THEY SOUND A few short years ago there weren t too many options on the market if you wanted to

Today however, almost every dual-cab XWH ZLWK WKH H[FHSWLRQ RI WKH Triton and Amarok) is rated

$PDVV $70 DQG LWV H HFW RQ \RXU vehicle s GVM.$ When it comes to towing, it s also worth looking at WKH IURQW DQG UHDU D[OH ORDG UDWLQJV RU WKH

combined Let s take a look at a Nissan NP300 Navara ST-X, which comes with a GVM of 2,910kg and

Assuming you re WRZLQJ WKH PD[LPXP NJ trailer, subtracting the trailer weight drops the

Now we factor in the kerb weight of 1,980kg: That gives 430kg left over for occupants, bar work,

6 LOAD, GVM, AND This vehicle is rated to tow 3500kg, but after factoring in real-world considerations, it s not at all an achievable number 3,500KG TOW RATINGS NOT AS IMPRESSIVE AS THEY SOUND A few short years ago there weren t too many options on the market if you wanted to tow a serious load behind you. Today however, almost every dual-cab XWH ZLWK WKH H[FHSWLRQ RI WKH Triton and Amarok) is rated to tow an impressive 3,500kg (braked). Sounds pretty good, doesn t it? PDVV *&0 Ȃ WKH PD[LPXP ZHLJKW of trailer and vehicle combined) and a trailer s aggregate trailer PDVV $70 DQG LWV H HFW RQ \RXU vehicle s GVM. When it comes to towing, it s also worth looking at WKH IURQW DQG UHDU D[OH ORDG UDWLQJV RU WKH DPRXQW RI ZHLJKW HDFK D[OH can handle (which, when combined, usually adds up to more than the vehicle s GVM). Confusing? Yes, it is. The thing is, this number is an ȆRɝ FLDOȇ UDWLQJ DQG IDLOV WR WDNH LQWR consideration gross combined Let s take a look at a Nissan NP300 Navara ST-X, which comes with a GVM of 2,910kg and a GCM of 5,910kg. Assuming you re WRZLQJ WKH PD[LPXP NJ trailer, subtracting the trailer weight drops the allowable GCM WR NJ RU WKH PD[LPXP WKH vehicle can now weigh). Now we factor in the kerb weight of 1,980kg: That gives 430kg left over for occupants, bar work, canopies, clothes, awnings and the dog. Sounds do-able, I hear you say. But let s not forget the ball weight of your trailer, which would ring in around the 350kg mark (supposedly, but it s not really the case; which I ll H[SODLQ LQ D VHF <HS WKDWȇV WDNHQ R \RXU *90 WRR OHDYLQJ \RX D scant 139kg to play with so bring your spouse, but leave the dog at home and don t forget to unbolt the bullbar before you leave. But wait, it gets worse.

OAD, GV VM, AND V NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION PLEASE

WEIGHT VS GVM ATM TOWBALL DOWNLOAD GVM REDUCTION

410kg What if you want to tow when you re already at

of 2,910kg, leaving us with a 3,000kg towing ability.

Nuh-uh we need add up to 3,020kg (1,320kg front;

GVM. Seeing our vehicle is already at GVM, that

making it greater) so the reality is that even your

above roughly So with 350kg of ball weight on our

you re well and truly over GCM and putting engine,

And oh yeah you re breaking the law, too.

While these vehicles can tow that amount on paper, in

up driving an illegal, dangerous rig all the while

If you need to tow big loads regularly, look for

7 OAD, GV VM, AND V NON-INTERACTIVE VERSION PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE NAVARA ST-X BALL WEIGHT VS GVM ATM TOWBALL DOWNLOAD GVM REDUCTION 1,000kg 100kg 130kg 2,000kg 200kg 280kg 3,000kg 300kg 410kg What if you want to tow when you re already at GVM? The GCM of 5,910kg has to be reduced by the GVM of 2,910kg, leaving us with a 3,000kg towing ability. Sounds OK, doesn t it? Nuh-uh we need add up to 3,020kg (1,320kg front; 1,700kg rear), which is only 110kg higher than the GVM. Seeing our vehicle is already at GVM, that leaves us only 110kg of allowable ball weight (or a trailer weighing that s aiming high. Because the tow ball is located a metre or so behind making it greater) so the reality is that even your 1,100kg trailer would be pushing the friendship between you and your vehicle. Without boring you with loads of maths, the table above roughly So with 350kg of ball weight on our at-gvm Navara with 3,500kg braked towing capacity, you re well and truly over GCM and putting engine, brakes everything really. And oh yeah you re breaking the law, too. Moral of the story? While these vehicles can tow that amount on paper, in the real world you re more than likely going to end up driving an illegal, dangerous rig all the while putting a huge strain on your mechanical components. If you need to tow big loads regularly, look for something with a higher GCM and GVM, and the highest torque numbers you LandCruisers and Land Rover Discovery 4s are much more suited to heavy towing tasks than a dual-cab unless you re talking something like an F250 or Dodge Ram. But you get the point.

M, AND VM, AND It s not all doom and gloom, this Toyota carries plenty of weight, but has been

vehicle up BEING OVER GVM IT S EASIER THAN YOU THINK In case you haven t picked up what we re

and a 3,000kg braked towing capacity (as a side note top-spec models are almost always a

Those are decent numbers by any estimation, and a fair representation of SUVs across the

Let s say you re towing your Cub Campers Brumby camper trailer along for your trip, which

You tick bullbar and tow pack and throw a set of quality driving lights on call it 50kg all up.

way; and throw a set of drawers (60kg) in the back to keep everything accessible.

full). Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Nothing too over the top?

of payload. That s 80kg over the limit of what the vehicle is designed to carry.

Esky, the mother-in-law or your trick 12V satellite TV setup so you can watch the grand OK,

to think about especially in the event of things going pear-shaped and you end up in a bingle

Priced the cost of a new front bar from Ford (or any other manufacturer) lately?

8 M, AND VM, AND It s not all doom and gloom, this Toyota carries plenty of weight, but has been modified to suit the loads it carries, which is an important consideration when setting your vehicle up BEING OVER GVM IT S EASIER THAN YOU THINK In case you haven t picked up what we re putting down here, GVM when you re loaded up for an Take a new Ford Everest Titanium 4X4 with the 3.2L turbo-diesel as a case study. They come with a 3,100kg GVM, 605kg payload (with 80kg being able to be carried on the roof) and a 3,000kg braked towing capacity (as a side note top-spec models are almost always a little heavier and consequently have a slightly lower payload). Those are decent numbers by any estimation, and a fair representation of SUVs across the mid-size market. Let s say you re towing your Cub Campers Brumby camper trailer along for your trip, which comes with a 160kg ball weight. You tick bullbar and tow pack and throw a set of quality driving lights on call it 50kg all up. You ve got a family, so you invest in a roof rack (20kg) to store the bulky gear up out of the way; and throw a set of drawers (60kg) in the back to keep everything accessible. You like to hit the remote destinations, so you throw a long-range tank underneath (120kg when full). Sounds pretty reasonable, right? Nothing too over the top? With you, your partner and two teenage kids on board (275kgs or so), you re now at 685kg worth of payload. That s 80kg over the limit of what the vehicle is designed to carry. And that s not factoring in any number of things like clothes, camping gear, the dog, the Esky, the mother-in-law or your trick 12V satellite TV setup so you can watch the grand OK, let s be honest here nobody is getting busted for being over GVM. to think about especially in the event of things going pear-shaped and you end up in a bingle and your insurance company decides it s not going to cover you. Priced the cost of a new front bar from Ford (or any other manufacturer) lately? They ain t cheap! At the end of the day you don t have much to play with here guys; and keeping an eye on the weights being carted should be part of your packing regime. There are options for upgrading the GVM with some aftermarket suspension, ranging from kg increases in load-carrying capacity, which will cover a lot of bases; however it s absolutely imperative that you don t go over your GVM. The consequences are just too heavy (see what I did there?).

9 OAD, GVM, AND V NON-INTERACTIVE WHAT DOES 500KG LOOK LIKE? Ball weight (with trailer fully loaded and water tanks filled) 60kg Canopy and roof rack 60kg VERSION PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR INTERACTIVE MAGAZINE Four Passengers (2 adults, 2 children) 275kg like this feature? why not Share it... Dual battery system 30kg Subscribe Bullbar, winch, brush bars and side steps 75kg TOTAL: 500kg And that s not counting the drawers, second spare, fridge, tow bar, long range tank and all the camping gear! As a side note, this Amarok has had a suspension upgrade and is well within its GVM, but it goes to show how quickly those weights add up.

10 UX VSS NAVA S SPECIFICATIONS TOYOTA HILUX WORKMATE ENGINE: 2.4L Turbo-Diesel POWER: 3,400 rpm and 1,600-2,000 rpm TRANSMISSION: 6-Speed Auto TOWING CAPACITY: 3,000kg PAYLOAD: 955kg SEATING: 5 PRICE: $43,990 NISSAN NAVARA ST-X ENGINE: 2.3L Twin-Turbo Diesel POWER: 3,750 rpm and 1,500-2,500 rpm TRANSMISSION: 7-Speed Auto TOWING CAPACITY: 3,500kg PAYLOAD: 930kg SEATING: 5 PRICE: $54,490 Got one like it? Insure it here

Do you know the consequences of exceeding GCM and GVM??

Do you know the consequences of exceeding GCM and GVM?? Do you know how much your Vehicle weighs when fully loaded for Club Trips? Do you know what your Vehicle GVM is? GCM What's That?? Do you know what your GCM is? GVM --- What's That??????Do you know what