Hi there

I am trying to establish car manufacturer's Gross Combination Mass (GCM) for a 2019 Hyundai Tucson 2WD for a friend of mine who is new to towing.

The vehicle does not have the GCM listed on any plate attached to the vehicle.

The vehicle does not have the GCM listed in the manufacturer's vehicle manual - there is no reference to a GCM at all.

The Hyundai dealership - both new cars and the service centre could not tell me what the GCM is for this vehicle or how the manufacturer calculates a GCM.

The Hyundai website gives all weights for the vehicle and maximum towing capability but the GCM line entry is blank (no value indicated)

I also rang the NRMA Technical area and they suggested that there wasn't a GCM listed for this vehicle if there is nothing mentioned about it.  NRMA suggestion was to take 200kg off the max tow weight and 200kg of the max vehicle weight and this should put you under the vehicles unlisted GCM?

So after all this I have decided to come to you guys for assistance.

Q1: Does anyone know the GCM that is listed for this vehicle?

Q2: Does anyone know the correct method to use to calculate the GCM? of a vehicle where the GCM is not listed or not set.

The vehicle in question has the following specs:

Kerb Weight 1514kg (manual states this includes full tank of full and all standard equipment. Does not include passengers, cargo or optional equipment)

GVM 2060

Max Braked Towing 1600kg

Tow Ball Vertical Load 120kg

Permissible Axle Weight Front 1240kg

Permissible Axle Weight Rear 1150kg

I would be grateful for any advice regarding trying to determine the GCM for this vehicle. We are trying to ensure we tow sensibly, safely and legally.

Thank you

Steve

GlobalTraveller wrote:

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Hi there

I am trying to establish car manufacturer's Gross Combination Mass (GCM) for a 2019 Hyundai Tucson 2WD for a friend of mine who is new to towing.

The vehicle does not have the GCM listed on any plate attached to the vehicle.

The vehicle does not have the GCM listed in the manufacturer's vehicle manual - there is no reference to a GCM at all.

The Hyundai dealership - both new cars and the service centre could not tell me what the GCM is for this vehicle or how the manufacturer calculates a GCM.

The Hyundai website gives all weights for the vehicle and maximum towing capability but the GCM line entry is blank (no value indicated)

I also rang the NRMA Technical area and they suggested that there wasn't a GCM listed for this vehicle if there is nothing mentioned about it.  NRMA suggestion was to take 200kg off the max tow weight and 200kg of the max vehicle weight and this should put you under the vehicles unlisted GCM?

So after all this I have decided to come to you guys for assistance.

Q1: Does anyone know the GCM that is listed for this vehicle?

Q2: Does anyone know the correct method to use to calculate the GCM? of a vehicle where the GCM is not listed or not set.

 The vehicle in question has the following specs:

Kerb Weight 1514kg (manual states this includes full tank of full and all standard equipment. Does not include passengers, cargo or optional equipment)

GVM 2060

Max Braked Towing 1600kg

Tow Ball Vertical Load 120kg

Permissible Axle Weight Front 1240kg

Permissible Axle Weight Rear 1150kg

 I would be grateful for any advice regarding trying to determine the GCM for this vehicle. We are trying to ensure we tow sensibly, safely and legally.

 Thank you

Steve

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 Hi Steve....When I get home I will see what I can find in my data.From my experience,talking to manufacturers or retailers is an exercise in futility,as they often don't know,and don't particularly care.Cheers

P.S....OK,when there is no GCM listed,I believe that it can be arrived at by adding the GTM ( weight on van wheels) to the  GVM? Others may know for sure? In your case,the car has GVM of 2060kg and tow capacity of 1600kg,so assuming 160kg ball weigh,this would leave 1440kg,so GCM might be 3500kg? However,whenever safety is of ANY concern,towball weight is generally recognised as being 10% of trailer's ATM rating,which would suggest that the car should tow no more than 1200kg as a PIG trailer.(Van). Because towball weight removes weight from the car's front axle,and this car is 2wd,I would suggest that 1200kg would be maximum towing capacity as a PIG trailer, so maybe 3140kg GCM? If you chose to tow 1600kg as a PIG trailer,the weight ratio between loaded car and loaded trailer still is good,but with a maximum towball weight of only 120kg,you'd be playing with fire.My suggestion is DON'T DO IT. Please feel free to ask more questions if you wish.Cheers

P.P.S I will continue to search for your factory GCM.

Steve,

The measured weight of your combination cannot legally exceed the lesser of the following:

1) The tug manufacturer's rating

2) GVM plus ATM minus Ball weight. (In your case 2060kg + 1600kg - 160kg = 3500kg).

As it seems Hyundai do not publish a GCM rating you will need to stay below 3500kg. Tug manufacturers do not stamp a GCM rating on the compliance plate so best you refer to their published online specs to check that info. If by chance Hyundai publish a lower rating for GCM then you will be restricted to that.

In the above calculation I have assumed a 10% ball weight which is 160kg

-- Edited by montie on Monday 4th of January 2021 02:21:18 PM

Thanks everyone. I'll try the caravan council.

Thanks Yobarr.Would be nice if you find something. Cheers.  I'll wait to see if you do. Thanks again

Thanks Montie.  Very useful as well. Cheers

GlobalTraveller wrote:

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Thanks Montie.  Very useful as well. Cheers

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 I have checked the Hyundai online specs and they do not publish any rating for GCM so you will need to keep your combo weight below 3500kg with a ball weight of 160kg.

I did note that the ball rating for your model is only 120kg which is a bit light on to tow 1600kg ATM. Ideally for safe towing it should be around 10% which is 160kg.

-- Edited by montie on Monday 4th of January 2021 02:19:12 PM

Dougwe wrote:

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It would be good if Cindy could move this thread to the new 'weights and measures' sub forum above for future reference for all to see.

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 Hi Doug...thanks for drawing my attention to this,as posting there may provide some relief for those who attest that they are sick of reading about weights! If they now read about weights,they obviously have made a conscious decision to do so.Cheers.

GlobalTraveller wrote:

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Thanks Yobarr.Would be nice if you find something. Cheers.  I'll wait to see if you do. Thanks again

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 Hi Steve...Like Montie,I am not having much success in finding a published GCM figure for your car,so we have to work with what we have.As previously stated,if safety is of any concern,towball weight should be around 10% of the van's ATM.With your towball weight pegged at only 120kg,this means your tow capacity,as a PIG trailer (van) is limited to 1200kg. In my opinion,towing 1600kg in a front wheel drive car,with only 120kg towball weight,would be foolhardy.Cheers

Greg 1 wrote:

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Towing 1600kgs with a front wheel drive in my opinion is a bit fraut with disaster any way. The following is possibly one of the reasons for the low ball weight. Years ago our tow tug was out of action and I hooked up the horse float to the company car, a common front wheel drive model of the day, to take my daughter's two showjumpers to an event about 5 ks away. It was pouring with rain and the weight behind was about 1500kgs. It was one of the most scary butt clenching 5 ks I have ever driven in my life and I have done a few. Swore never anything more than a garden trailer behind it after that. Always towed with rear wheel or 4wd ever since.

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 Great example of personal experience,Greg.As you suggest,using a 2060kg GVM front wheel drive car to tow 1600kg as a PIG trailer is an exercise in stupidity.When challenged, manufacturers justify their claimed towing capacity by saying that these little buses can tow 1600kg,for example,if the trailer is a DOG trailer,where there is almost no  (15kg?) towball weight.Deceptive,unscrupulous,unfair...but they get away with it.Tow 3500kg with a 6000kg GCM ute? Yeah,right.Cheers

Thank you everyone for your comments.  I have to admit I also had the concerns raised with FWD and towing these weights but I wanted an independent opinion.  I have passed on your comments to my friend.  My thanks again.  Also apologies for not putting this up on your "weights" page. I didn't realise there was a sub group.

Cheers

Steve

GlobalTraveller wrote:

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Thank you everyone for your comments.  I have to admit I also had the concerns raised with FWD and towing these weights but I wanted an independent opinion.  I have passed on your comments to my friend.  My thanks again.  Also apologies for not putting this up on your "weights" page. I didn't realise there was a sub group.

Cheers.  Steve

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Hi Steve......no need to panic,as the "weights" page was started only today! Some people seemed to be offended by  the number of posts that involved weights,so Cindy wisely decided to start a sub-forum.We possibly can now look forward to having no more complaints,as there is no absolutely no need to access that forum unless weights are of interest? And again I will say that the vehicle in question CANNOT safely tow more than 1200kg as a PIG trailer.Good luck.Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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GlobalTraveller wrote:

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Hi Steve......no need to panic,as the "weights" page was started only today! Some people seemed to be offended by  the number of posts that involved weights,so Cindy wisely decided to start a sub-forum.We possibly can now look forward to having no more complaints,as there is no absolutely no need to access that forum unless weights are of interest? And again I will say that the vehicle in question CANNOT safely tow more than 1200kg as a PIG trailer.Good luck.Cheers

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 Maybe the new sub forum should have been called

The 79, Nothing Compares or Competes.

Regards

Rob

bentaxlebabe wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

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GlobalTraveller wrote:

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Hi Steve......no need to panic,as the "weights" page was started only today! Some people seemed to be offended by  the number of posts that involved weights,so Cindy wisely decided to start a sub-forum.We possibly can now look forward to having no more complaints,as there is no absolutely no need to access that forum unless weights are of interest? And again I will say that the vehicle in question CANNOT safely tow more than 1200kg as a PIG trailer.Good luck.Cheers

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 Maybe the new sub forum should have been called

The 79, Nothing Compares or Competes.

Regards

Rob

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 Rob,

That wasn't a very useful contribution to the topic...

Thankyou for that information. Ill pass it on. Cheers.

landy wrote:

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Hi Global Traveler it might be worth your friend asking Hyundai if they offer a rear suspension upgrade for the Tucson. I know they do for the Santa Fe as I have had it fitted to two of my vehicles and it increases the allowance by about 50 KG's Landy.

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 Good advice Dave.I,too,found details of the Santa Fe upgrade,but I was unable to find any such upgrade for the Tucson.Cheers

yobarr wrote:

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Greg 1 wrote:

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Towing 1600kgs with a front wheel drive in my opinion is a bit fraut with disaster any way. The following is possibly one of the reasons for the low ball weight. Years ago our tow tug was out of action and I hooked up the horse float to the company car, a common front wheel drive model of the day, to take my daughter's two showjumpers to an event about 5 ks away. It was pouring with rain and the weight behind was about 1500kgs. It was one of the most scary butt clenching 5 ks I have ever driven in my life and I have done a few. Swore never anything more than a garden trailer behind it after that. Always towed with rear wheel or 4wd ever since.

---

 Great example of personal experience,Greg.As you suggest,using a 2060kg GVM front wheel drive car to tow 1600kg as a PIG trailer is an exercise in stupidity.When challenged, manufacturers justify their claimed towing capacity by saying that these little buses can tow 1600kg,for example,if the trailer is a DOG trailer,where there is almost no  (15kg?) towball weight.Deceptive,unscrupulous,unfair...but they get away with it.Tow 3500kg with a 6000kg GCM ute? Yeah,right.Cheers

---

 If everyone drove 79 series some certain person would have nothing to say but positive comments about there vehicles,maybe we should trade our lightweight utes with little engines for overpriced V8 dinosaurs to keep someone calm.

cheers

travelyounger wrote:

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yobarr wrote:

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Greg 1 wrote:

---

Towing 1600kgs with a front wheel drive in my opinion is a bit fraut with disaster any way. The following is possibly one of the reasons for the low ball weight. Years ago our tow tug was out of action and I hooked up the horse float to the company car, a common front wheel drive model of the day, to take my daughter's two showjumpers to an event about 5 ks away. It was pouring with rain and the weight behind was about 1500kgs. It was one of the most scary butt clenching 5 ks I have ever driven in my life and I have done a few. Swore never anything more than a garden trailer behind it after that. Always towed with rear wheel or 4wd ever since.

---

 Great example of personal experience,Greg.As you suggest,using a 2060kg GVM front wheel drive car to tow 1600kg as a PIG trailer is an exercise in stupidity.When challenged, manufacturers justify their claimed towing capacity by saying that these little buses can tow 1600kg,for example,if the trailer is a DOG trailer,where there is almost no  (15kg?) towball weight.Deceptive,unscrupulous,unfair...but they get away with it.Tow 3500kg with a 6000kg GCM ute? Yeah,right.Cheers

---

 If everyone drove 79 series some certain person would have nothing to say but positive comments about there vehicles,maybe we should trade our lightweight utes with little engines for overpriced V8 dinosaurs to keep someone calm.

cheers

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 The new weights sub forum wont prevent the advice offered in other vehicle manufacturer topics.

The agenda is both repetitive and boring.

Regards

Rob

bentaxlebabe wrote:

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 The new weights sub forum wont prevent the advice offered in other vehicle manufacturer topics.

The agenda is both repetitive and boring.

Regards

Rob

If any information offered to the owners of these lightweights is both factual and indesputable,and such information is regularly offered to different owners,by definition this information may be deemed "repetitive". If you find such information "boring" there is a simple solution...don't read it.Hope this is not too confusing? Cheers