I have a bit of a concern that perplexes me, whilst filling my car with fuel (that in itself is a perplexing pastime) I noticed with more than a passing interest a caravan that had to be 25-28 feet long if it was an inch, he too was filling his car, an ea falcon, he had the obligatory two 9 kg gas bottles, also he filled two jerry cans that he had mounted on his drawbar, now not only is this not a safe place to have fuel sitting (in my opinion) it must also be considered as part of the "drawbar weight", I glanced at his drawbar, standard old thing nothing flash, said gday, noted on passing, 180 kgm weight restriction emblazoned on the tongue, now assuming he has almost attained that weight, on a van that size he would have to be close surely, even on dual axles, the extra two jerry cans weighing in would surely take him over it, I just wondered if anybody else out there does this and if they have factored it in the weight equation, dangerous not to, when he took off, the vehicle had its nose pointed skyward and I thought if he uses his lights it will be only to spotlight owls
-- Edited by dave06 at 19:21, 2008-09-04
Basil Faulty said
08:56 AM Sep 5, 2008
Interesting that you should bring this up Dave..... On Wednesday I took delivery of my brand new van (there will be conducted tours this weekend, sausage sizzle et cetera) and yesterday was maily taken up with the very involved process of getting it registered in the ACT. I had to take it to 3 places1) to get a pink slip,2) to the official stamperonner of the VIN suffix that only applies ot towed ACT Vehicles,3) to the motor registry to get a "final inspection" and the paperwork sorted. Now as the van has electric brakes and me being a pedantic smart ass when I get to the registry the inspector in uniform redolent of some G&S character says he wants to inspect the brakes thats OK I say, I'll uncouple the Jack and you can do what ever you want.... A heated, somewhat accrimonious debate ensues and I pointed out that he was only to check the Van, not the car..... Anyway he eventually decides that he will check the brakes "Visually".... I drive down his little bit of road and hit the anchors, he will observe... Anyway we now cut to the chase, but you all get my drift these ACT beaureaucrats with nothing better to do than to find fault to justify their jobs just peeve me, so he asks me what the allowable ball weight is. I could have told him anything but I know it's 250 kg and then he weighs the front end of the van attached to the vehicle by putting a scale under the jockey wheel and winding it up, thus measuring not only the van but the car that was being lifted by the coupling, the more he wound up the jockey wheel the heavier it got untill he got to around 680kg, he says this is too heavy for me to tow, I scream obscenities at him and tell him to lower it down, uncouple the ball and then weigh it. Come to think of it this clown was too stupid to be in any G&S production......He goes of to consult his supervisor who comes back and confirms my idea that he is weighing everything and gives me an earfull for calling his "staff" a cretin.... I tell him that I am extremely sorry, I appologise profuseley, I reassure him that I know that this is a major safety issue that could cause death... and I tell him that if I had not caused a fracas his "staff" would have made a serious error that would have found them all held to public ridicule. I then went on to explain (after he had stamped everything as "PASSED") that I would be communicating this entire event factually to the media, the ACT roads minister, the internet, the world.... I explained that I knew there were rules to be followed but I also told him that he should ensure his staff were competant to perform their duties.... Oh what a day.....
dave06 said
10:26 AM Sep 5, 2008
O.K. Basil, first up let me say that I am glad to hear from you again as I thought you may be ill and I was concerned, the crap that you blokes have to go through with these drongoes to register a vehicle constantly surprises me, here in good old s.a. we buy the vehicle we change the rego over and its ours, thirdly the towball weight as weighed by the drongoe is not correct, one cannot just place a set of scales under the jockey wheel, my local caravan and outdoor owner assures me that this is incorrect, I dont know how one does that but apparently it is not like that, thirdly what would have the ass end of the jackaroo ended up weighing with the combined weight of the front of the van, would be pushing close to a ton, how did he think you got it down there, these idiot pencil pushers enforce rules and regulations that they have no idea about. and thirdly and most importantly congratulations on the puschase of your escape pod, well done you we will of course expect pictures to post so I imagine you are straight on to this, and of course you will give a detailed account of the procedure that led you to the final decision as to purchase of this particular one, and of course the alterations that you will make to finish it to your requirements, all honesty, good on ya mate, I wish many happy miles ahead for you, and I am sure the rest of the forum wish the same.
Wombat 280 said
10:13 PM Sep 5, 2008
Basil Faulty wrote:
Interesting that you should bring this up Dave..... On Wednesday I took delivery of my brand new van (there will be conducted tours this weekend, sausage sizzle et cetera) and yesterday was maily taken up with the very involved process of getting it registered in the ACT. I had to take it to 3 places1) to get a pink slip,2) to the official stamperonner of the VIN suffix that only applies ot towed ACT Vehicles,3) to the motor registry to get a "final inspection" and the paperwork sorted. Now as the van has electric brakes and me being a pedantic smart ass when I get to the registry the inspector in uniform redolent of some G&S character says he wants to inspect the brakes thats OK I say, I'll uncouple the Jack and you can do what ever you want.... A heated, somewhat accrimonious debate ensues and I pointed out that he was only to check the Van, not the car..... Anyway he eventually decides that he will check the brakes "Visually".... I drive down his little bit of road and hit the anchors, he will observe... Anyway we now cut to the chase, but you all get my drift these ACT beaureaucrats with nothing better to do than to find fault to justify their jobs just peeve me, so he asks me what the allowable ball weight is. I could have told him anything but I know it's 250 kg and then he weighs the front end of the van attached to the vehicle by putting a scale under the jockey wheel and winding it up, thus measuring not only the van but the car that was being lifted by the coupling, the more he wound up the jockey wheel the heavier it got untill he got to around 680kg, he says this is too heavy for me to tow, I scream obscenities at him and tell him to lower it down, uncouple the ball and then weigh it. Come to think of it this clown was too stupid to be in any G&S production......He goes of to consult his supervisor who comes back and confirms my idea that he is weighing everything and gives me an earfull for calling his "staff" a cretin.... I tell him that I am extremely sorry, I appologise profuseley, I reassure him that I know that this is a major safety issue that could cause death... and I tell him that if I had not caused a fracas his "staff" would have made a serious error that would have found them all held to public ridicule. I then went on to explain (after he had stamped everything as "PASSED") that I would be communicating this entire event factually to the media, the ACT roads minister, the internet, the world.... I explained that I knew there were rules to be followed but I also told him that he should ensure his staff were competant to perform their duties.... Oh what a day.....
The whole deal with gross towing weights and towball weights is a little confusing. The Outback I drive came with the Subura tow kit fitted including transmission oil cooler . On the hitch the ball weight is 90kg and the all up weight is 1400 kg. The owners manual quotes a max tow ball weight of 70 Kg and a all up weight of 1980 kg. The attached info is from the owners manual
While on the subject of trailers and weight distribution have a look at this . I took the pic while filling up at Balladonia coming east from Perth back in May this year . I assume he made it I never saw him again heading east
No confusion there, Wombat.
Your limits are the weakest link.
Exceed 1400kg tow weight and you will break the towbar.
Exceed 70kg ball weight and you break the car.
Cheers,
Peter
dave06 said
11:05 AM Sep 6, 2008
gotta make you wonder dont it some people have no idea, wombat is that with a "tow kit" or is that the maximum ball weight and thats the end of it, no other course of action, pete is correct you must go with the minimum numbers as your maximum load, otherwise bits fall off
signwilson said
10:48 PM Sep 9, 2008
there is also the problem when the manufacturers Compass to be exact build vans that weight in at 340kg draw bar weight. They mounted the two water tanks all the way forward.
they have now been moved to behind the axles still have 300kg on the bar glad I have a cruiser
-- Edited by dave06 at 19:21, 2008-09-04
Anyway we now cut to the chase, but you all get my drift these ACT beaureaucrats with nothing better to do than to find fault to justify their jobs just peeve me, so he asks me what the allowable ball weight is. I could have told him anything but I know it's 250 kg and then he weighs the front end of the van attached to the vehicle by putting a scale under the jockey wheel and winding it up, thus measuring not only the van but the car that was being lifted by the coupling, the more he wound up the jockey wheel the heavier it got untill he got to around 680kg, he says this is too heavy for me to tow, I scream obscenities at him and tell him to lower it down, uncouple the ball and then weigh it. Come to think of it this clown was too stupid to be in any G&S production......He goes of to consult his supervisor who comes back and confirms my idea that he is weighing everything and gives me an earfull for calling his "staff" a cretin.... I tell him that I am extremely sorry, I appologise profuseley, I reassure him that I know that this is a major safety issue that could cause death... and I tell him that if I had not caused a fracas his "staff" would have made a serious error that would have found them all held to public ridicule. I then went on to explain (after he had stamped everything as "PASSED") that I would be communicating this entire event factually to the media, the ACT roads minister, the internet, the world.... I explained that I knew there were rules to be followed but I also told him that he should ensure his staff were competant to perform their duties....
Oh what a day.....
The whole deal with gross towing weights and towball weights is a little confusing. The Outback I drive came with the Subura tow kit fitted including transmission oil cooler . On the hitch the ball weight is 90kg and the all up weight is 1400 kg. The owners manual quotes a max tow ball weight of 70 Kg and a all up weight of 1980 kg. The attached info is from the owners manual
While on the subject of trailers and weight distribution have a look at this . I took the pic while filling up at Balladonia coming east from Perth back in May this year . I assume he made it I never saw him again heading east