Manufacturer Update Meeting

Transcription

1 YOUR KEY TO SUCCESS Caravan Industry Association of Australia RVMAP TECHNICAL UPDATE APRIL 2015 Caravan Industry Association of Australia has received plenty of positive feedback after the release of last month s new look RVMAP Technical Update. We hope that you found the update informative and interesting. Any suggestions for the ongoing improvement of this publication would be appreciated. In order to provide ongoing Technical Updates that are relevant, we would appreciate any information that you as industry professionals may come across which could be of interest to the wider industry community. Please forward any items on to us at rvmap@caravanindustry.com.au. In this month s update» Towing Safety Issues Highlighted Weight Distribution Hitches (WDH)» Smoke Alarm Standards Revised Production Statistics»»» New Auditor to join RVMAP Technical Team» Regulations for Taps and Showers in Recreational Vehicles» Receive Government Funding for New Equipment» RVMAP Whiteboard Tell us what you know Recreational Vehicle Plumbing Standards Product Safety Recalls Manufacturer Update Meeting Don t miss the upcoming Manufacturer Update Meeting 6pm Thursday 16th April 2015 at the Rydges Hotel, Parramatta New Auditor to join RVMAP Technical Team Caravan Industry Association of Australia is currently in the process of employing a new full time Auditor to carry out RVMAP inspections to assist in our goal of completing two audits per product type twice a year for every Accredited Manufacturer. The successful applicant will spend the majority of their time on the road and be based out of our Melbourne office. We look forward to welcoming them to the team. 1 of 8

2 Towing Safety Issues Highlighted With the ever increasing number of standard inclusions bumping the weight of Recreational Vehicles through the roof, there is a need for industry education on ratings and masses. Caravanning QLD recently held a free Pre-Easter Caravan Safety Check day where consumers had the opportunity to have their Recreational Vehicles assessed by government regulators such as Transport Compliance and Policy Officers, Gas Inspectors and the Queensland Police Service. With two portable weighbridges brought into the Brisbane showgrounds, QLD Transport Compliance Officers found several issues with overweight caravans. Unfortunately, these caravans were often coupled with underrated tow vehicles. One of the worst examples seen by Compliance Officers on the day was a 3000kg caravan which had a staggering 470kg ball weight. The tow vehicle (Mitsubishi Pajero) was only rated to tow 2500kg with a ball mass rating of only 180kg. The consumer informed Compliance Officers that this was the same tow vehicle they used when picking up their caravan from the dealership. The weight of the caravan in relation to the consumer s tow vehicle is still too often overlooked. Any business selling RV products, in particular caravans to consumers need to be aware of their obligations in terms of legal responsibility as well as overall road safety. Queensland Transport Compliance Officers look over Recreational Vehicles at Caravanning QLD s Pre-Easter Caravan Safety Check Day The Key to Ratings & Masses Caravan Industry Association of Australia The key to safe and enjoyable caravanning is to match your van to the right tow vehicle and to load your van appropriately. Getting the ratings and masses right will make your tow setup safe and legal. The relevant information can be found on the caravan s vehicle plate and in your tow vehicle s handbook. A A (kg) = Load Carrying Capacity (payload) Includes fluids, luggage, personal effects and options fitted afer manufacture. A will vary depending on the weight of A applied to the caravan. TARE (kg) = B + C GTM rating (kg) = A + B ATM rating (kg) = A + B + C Vehicle plate GTM, ATM, load carrying capacity and maximum tow C C (kg) = Tow Ball Load ball weights must not be exceeded. C will vary depending on the height of the coupling, the level of the caravan and the B B (kg) = Load on Tyres C will vary between tare and ATM depending on the design & loading weight and loading positions of A. B will vary depending on the of the caravan. C is the load of the tow ball that is exterted weight and loading positions of A. onto the tow ball of the tow vehicle at any time. CARAVAN RATINGS & MASSES Tare Mass (TARE) B + C Rating specified by the caravan manufacturer for the total weight of the caravan (load on tyres plus tow ball load) with all options and fittings as supplied by the manufacturer, with empty water tanks, gas bottles, and no fluids not essential for operation on public roads, and without luggage or personal effects. This is also known as Dry Weight when supplied by the manufacturer with no water, gas, fluids, etc. Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) rating A + B + C Rating specified by the caravan manufacturer for the total maximum permitted mass of the caravan (load on tyres plus tow ball load) when carrying its maximum payload, including fluids, luggage and personal effects. Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) rating A + B Rating specified by the caravan manufacturer for the total maximum permitted axle load of the trailer (excluding tow ball load) when carrying maximum payload including fluids, luggage and personal effects. Load Carrying Capacity (Payload) A Difference between TARE and ATM. It is the maximum load specified by the caravan manufacturer permitted in the caravan including fluids, luggage, personal effects and any after-market fittings/equipment. If fittings or equipment is added after manufacture, actual empty weight (TARE) will be more than the TARE specified on the vehicle plate, and the payload will be reduced accordingly. Tow Ball Weight (Tow Ball Load at TARE) C Actual load (or force) specified by the caravan manufacturer exerted on the towbar when the trailer is at TARE. When any fluids, luggage and personal effects or after-market fittings/equipment are added, the tow ball load will vary from tow ball at TARE specified on the vehicle plate. Maximum Tow Ball Weight (Max Ball Loading) Maximum load (or force) specified by the caravan manufacturer that can be exerted on the towbar at anytime. This load (or force) must not be exceeded when loading or towing the caravan. Caravan Industry Association of Australia recommends that Accredited Manufacturers place this Key to Ratings and Masses information sticker in a readily available position (e.g. inside the boot and close the VIN plate) in every manufactured product. Price incl. GST $60 per pack of 50. To order this sticker or any other RVMAP merchandise please your orders through to sales@caravanindustry.com.au TOW VEHICLE RATINGS Towing Capacity Maximum ATM that the vehicle can tow legally. The maximum for an unbraked caravan is much lower than for a braked caravan. Tow Ball Weight (Tow Ball Loading) Maximum load (or force) permitted on the tow ball of the vehicle, which must also not exceed the rated capacity of the towbar itself. Gross Combination Mass (GCM) rating The rating provided by the tow vehicle manufacturer. The maximum laden mass of a motor vehicle plus the maximum laden weight of an attached caravan is not permitted to exceed the GCM rating. LOADING THE VAN As a general rule, heavy items should be loaded low down and towards the middle, or axle line, of the van. Move items forward or back to adjust the Tow Ball Weight C unless otherwise specified by the caravan manufacturer. 2 of 8

3 Weight Distribution Hitches (WDH) Hayman Reese Towing Technical Support Representative Gary Gardiner also attended Caravanning QLD s recent Pre-Easter Caravan Safety Check day and observed numerous Weight Distribution Hitches (WDH) which had been set up incorrectly. It s important to remember that fitting load levelling bars will not make a caravan any lighter. According to Caravan Trade & Industries Association of Queensland s (CTIAQ) Vehicle Towing Mass Guide Before using load levelling bars, it must be determined that the tow bar on the vehicle and the vehicle itself are strong enough to withstand the loads imposed on the system by load levelling devices. This is particularly critical when dealing with the lighter weight vehicles and bars. Gary carries out training sessions to educate Dealerships and Manufacturers on how to correctly set up and adjust Weight Distribution Hitches. For more information contact Gary on: ggardiner@trimas.com.au Below are some basic Weight Distribution Hitch set up instructions: WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SETUP AND ADJUSTMENT 1. Set the tow vehicle and trailer on firm and level ground, a quiet car park is ideal. 2. Using your jockey wheel to level the trailer, measure the distance between the caravan and the ground, front and rear, and record (Before D & E), as well as Coupling height (C). 3. Measure the distance between the ground and the top of the wheel arches on one side of your tow vehicle, front and rear, and record (Before A & B). 4. Make any adjustments to the towball height (if equipped) to ensure your trailer s Coupling measurement (C) is aligned with the towball. This can be done by rotating your towbar s TBM (Mini or Intermediate WDS), or adjusting the ball mount of the WDS as shown earlier in this guide (Medium, Heavy and Super Heavy Duty). 5. Hitch your trailer onto your towball and release the jockey wheel from the caravan s A-frame. 6. You will now see the suspension geometry of your tow vehicle change and notice the rear section compress whilst the front of the tow vehicle will rise. Now measure the wheel arches as done in step 3 and record (After A, B, D & E). 7. Setup Weight Distribution System as per instructions included with the kit or download new details from the Hayman Reese website. Lift spring bars and adjust into position, using retaining pins where applicable to lock the hitch into position. 8. Measure the change in suspension height on the front and rear of the tow vehicle as done in steps 3 and Adjust tension on the spring bars by increasing or reducing the number of chain links between the end of the bars and the snap up brackets. Re-take measurements and ensure you have rebalanced the difference between the front and rear wheel arch taken in step 6 (within a 10mm difference). 10. If you have observed an increase in the suspension height at the rear of the tow vehicle, you have re-distributed too much weight forward. You may need to experiment by adjusting the amount of tension. 3 of 8

4 Regulations for Taps and Showers in Recreational Vehicles All taps, showers and appliances which use water installed into Recreational Vehicles must be registered and labelled as per the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme. Appliances, taps and showers need to meet the testing requirements for these products, have current Watermark certificates and be registered under the WELS scheme. If you purchase these types of products through a large RV component supplier or manufacturer, then these products will most likely be registered already. To check whether a product you are currently using is WELS registered and labelled please visit: - (click on Search for a Product on the homepage). Smoke Alarm Standards Revised Australian Standard (AS 3786:2015): Smoke alarms using scattered light, transmitted light or ionization has recently been revised. This Standard specifies requirements, test methods and functional criteria for smoke alarms that operate using scattered light, transmitted light or ionization, intended for household or similar residential applications. This revision should be taken into consideration when ordering and purchasing smoke alarms for installation into Recreational Vehicles. 4 of 8

5 Production Statistics Towable Motorised Feb 15 was 6% higher than Feb Feb 15 was 3% higher than Feb14 0 FY YTD 2015 YTD FEB FEB 2015 TOWABLE FY YTD 2015 YTD FEB FEB 2015 MOTORISED COMPARISON vs LAST YEAR 2015 Incr vs FEBRUARY Towable % FEBRUARY Motorised % FEBRUARY Total % FEBRUARY YEAR TO DATE % % of Year 2015 Included in Stats: 16.7% to end of FEB % of 2015 Production - TOWABLE: 14.7% to end of FEB % of 2015 Production - MOTORISED: 13.3% to end of FEB % of 2015 Production - TOTAL: 14.7% to end of FEB Production figures recently released for February 2015 show that the number of Recreational Vehicles being manufactured are still well on the rise this year, with a year-to-date production increase of 16% compared with this time last year. In terms of actual numbers there were nearly 100 more towable recreational vehicles produced than in February of last year. Receive Government Funding for New Equipment If you are planning to invest in plant and equipment or in new practices to improve the productivity or the energy efficiency of your business operations, then the $2.55 billion Emissions Reduction Fund may be of interest to your business. This fund provides a positive incentive for Australian businesses to adopt smarter business practices to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they emit. For more information visit the website: 5 of 8

6 RVMAP Whiteboard Tell us what you know The RVMAP Whiteboard section of each Technical Update will be used as a platform for open discussion of matters which the technical team are currently researching or seeking industry feedback on. We encourage businesses to get into contact with us if they feel they can provide any further information on these topics by ing us at rvmap@caravanindustry.com.au. Recreational Vehicle Plumbing Standards Issues with plumbing standards have been a focus for the RVMAP technical team this month after several enquiries from consumers around regulations for water piping. Based on our investigations, communicating with numerous government bodies, plumbing suppliers and testing facilities, Caravan Industry Association of Australia understands that there are no mandatory regulations for what type or grade of water hose/pipe must be used for fresh or waste water installations. The two standards which we have identified as being relevant to water pipes/ hoses are: Australian Standard (AS ): Plastics materials for food contact use. Australian Standard (AS/NZS 4020:2005): Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water Our understanding is that as a Recreational Vehicle is not permanently connected to one fixed water supply it is exempt from most regulations outlined in the Plumbing Code of Australia. If you have any further knowledge, answers or experience on this topic we would appreciate you getting into contact with us. 6 of 8

7 PRODUCT SAFETY RECALLS Caravan Industry Association of Australia wishes to notify industry businesses of the following product recalls this month which may be relevant to your business and/or your customers. Safety Warning on Portable Butane Lunchbox Cookers Gas regulators have identified that some models of portable gas stoves are unsafe and should be recalled as they fail provisions of the relevant gas appliance standard. These models fail the overpressure tests and there is a risk that the cookers may explode if they overheat. A comprehensive list of affected models can be accessed via clicking this link: For further information, please contact the gas appliance regulator in your state: www. gtrc.gov.au/contact Vehicle Recalls Toyota Kluger GSU50, GSU55 (Manufacture Year August - December ) Defect Description: The circuit board for the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system may have been damaged during its manufacturing process, potentially resulting in the illumination of the EPS warning lamp and loss of power steering assistance. Date published: 12th March 2015 For more information click on the following link: Component and Appliance Recalls Eco 2 Tonne Override Coupling fitted to Easytow Trailers Pty Ltd Defect Description: Under heavy use the coupling head and coupling shaft may develop slackness. This may create extra stress on the locking pin which may shear. The shaft could then rotate in the coupling head, unscrew and detach. Date published: 17th March 2015 For more information click on the following link: 3M Secure Fit Eyewear 200 Series SF201AF-AS, Clear Lens, Anti-Fog Coating, Lot Defect Description: The product may not provide impact resistance due to sporadic temple (arm) breakage issues. Date published: 23rd March 2015 For more information click on the following link: 7 of 8

8 Questions? If you have any further questions regarding any of the issues above, or if you have any technical information you wish to share with us please do not hesitate in contacting one of our Technical Advisors: Anne Campbell - annec@caravanindustry.com.au or James Field - jamesf@caravanindustry.com.au or Technical Team Caravan Industry Association of Australia Working collaboratively with State Trade Associations on trade matters which affect the Caravanning and Camping Industry. Association of Australia 8 of 8