Hi, we're preparing to take our van for a long awaited cruise and consequently our discussions, etc. have got to the GVM; ATM; GTM; TBM questions. We have a 2007 Jayco Masport Poptop and our "tug" is 1993 series 80 Landcruiser.
The VIN plate on the van states: GTM 1333kg; ATM 1494kg; Tare Mass 1194kg.
Now, we know that our "tug" has a capacity of 2500kg, so it appears we don't have a "weight" problem if these figures are accurate. We wonder how much faith we should put in the VIN plate ..... as we have read on various forums that the vin plates are not always "correct" ....
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[spoiler] May the Road rise up to meet you, May the Sun always shine upon your back, The Wind blow gently upon your face, And the Rain fall gently upon your fields.
If possible weigh the van before you load it up then when everything you think you need is in. I got a big shock and now don't travel with all that much stuff and I am full time on the road.
Don't forget to add the tow ball weight and people to the tug weight.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
Empty out water tanks, take out consumables and clothing and sundry tools - Take off gas cylinders. Go to any authorised weighbridge and get weight certified on slip of paper - That is your actual Tare despite what is stamped on VIN Plate. If Vin plate incorrect (you can almost bet it will be understated) you will need to go to automotive engineer to have all weights re calculated and a new vin plate produced to actually work out what your correct payload will be.
There are lots of variables like suspension and axle ratings, tyre ratings also come into calculations. Remember when the mermaids pull you over "You" are liable for any fine despite wrong information on VIN plate, you will also lose demerit points, and it is possible you may have to have your whole rig transported on a tow truck to an engineer to have corrected - You can almost guarantee that the nearest engineer to recalculate and rectify will be thousands of Klms away, not around the corner from home.
It can be a very expensive (in both money and time) to be caught out on the road in a incorrect weight of caravan.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
Thanks for that .... sort of figured we'd best do that. Just looking for "confirmation" I guess. The use of the description of "mermaids" suggests to me that your are from England .... am I right?
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[spoiler] May the Road rise up to meet you, May the Sun always shine upon your back, The Wind blow gently upon your face, And the Rain fall gently upon your fields.
Thanks for that .... sort of figured we'd best do that. Just looking for "confirmation" I guess. The use of the description of "mermaids" suggests to me that your are from England .... am I right?
"Mermaids" is a very common term for Transport Dept doing on-road weighing, appropriate name really.
The TARE of your van is only of use to you, the scalies are not interested in it. They are only interested in the van's ATM and GTM and GVM & GCM of your tow car.
Your van will have the ATM and GTM on the plate so just load what you think you need, then weigh the van to see that it is under these weights and you are good to go.
Weigh your car with fuel, passengers & stuff you travel with, with the van connected to determine the car GVM then add the van GTM to arrive at your GCM.
Cheers Neil
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
THe "normal" VIN weight of a van.
Is PRE. Gas. Battery's. Solar. Roll out. rear carrier. Spare wheel.
Just ONE empty bottle and completely empty inside.
THEN.. They add gas.roll out etc. etc.
Basically. ALL the add on's over and above the chassis and body
are additions to TARE.
As said above. NO interest to law.
Only thing they want.
is AXLE weights. ALL of them, individually and combined.
He can get you there alone if not loaded properly.
A few trucks have gone that way believe me.
Max on tyres weight of van. Car. and both combined.
WITH you and missus on scales too.
PS. Change her for a skinny missus.
Gives you more leeway on weights.
That 20\50\100kg can make ALL the difference hey. Chuckle.
Hello Bob, welcome to the Department of "Weights & Measures"!
There has been a stack of examples shown here of recent times regarding this (shocking) subject. "Shocking" refers to what we get when we do the first ridgey-didge check!
Your "Load" = ATM minus Tare (300Kg) is what you carry in the van that wasn't there when the caravan was weighed (or averaged for the type of van) at manufacture (Tare). It includes bedding (but not the mattress(s), clothing, food, gas, water, battery, any solar panels you may have installed on top, etc.
From your figures shown, your TBM is 160Kg (ATM minus GTM) which seems a little high for an unloaded van of light weights.
I emptied my van recently for "the test" - didn't remove the battery as it is in an awkward position. My tare was 40Kg over the VIN Plate & as batteries weigh about 25-30Kg, I deciphered that my tare includes the awning. My van is legal only if I don't have my water tanks full (or one nearly full, the other empty). My critical measurement with the car is the GVM as there is no GCM shown on the plate.
Dougwe mentioned to weigh your van. I support Neil in weighing the vehicle & see how that weight compares with the GVM. Hopefully you will have some room to add the weight of your passenger(s), the caravan (TBM) & whatever you want to carry in the car.
Warren
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
Thanks for that .... sort of figured we'd best do that. Just looking for "confirmation" I guess. The use of the description of "mermaids" suggests to me that your are from England .... am I right?
Definitely not from England, My relations watched Dirk Hartog sail past - Mermaids is a term referring to C*nt's with scales.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
No usually the only thing thats correct on the vin plate is the vin, most of the time the weights are a mathematical equation. Weigh tug loaded for a trip, add tow ball weight, it should be under the GVM on the tugs plate, then weigh the van on it's own it should be under the ATM on the van plate now hook it up to tug and the combined weight should be less than the tugs GCM.....................if not youvé blown it........
You can still be out on axle weights even if the total kgs is in order.
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Checking out the places I drove past a thousand times................
Hi, we're preparing to take our van for a long awaited cruise and consequently our discussions, etc. have got to the GVM; ATM; GTM; TBM questions. We have a 2007 Jayco Masport Poptop and our "tug" is 1993 series 80 Landcruiser.
The VIN plate on the van states: GTM 1333kg; ATM 1494kg; Tare Mass 1194kg.
Now, we know that our "tug" has a capacity of 2500kg, so it appears we don't have a "weight" problem if these figures are accurate. We wonder how much faith we should put in the VIN plate ..... as we have read on various forums that the vin plates are not always "correct" ....
The simplest way to check is load your van for travel with tanks etc full.
The measured weight of this loaded van unhitched cannot legally exceed 1494kg which is your plated ATM.
When doing this you can also measure or calculate your ball weight. Put the hitched van only on scales and measure, then without moving the van unhitch and check weight of van again. The difference will be your actual ball weight.
Your actual ball weight must not legally exceed the lesser of tug or towbar rating. In your case your loaded ball weight should be around 150kg.
The measured weight of the tug with van attached must not exceed the tug rated GVM on it's compliance plate.
The most likely figure on the van plate to be incorrect will be the Tare because of additions to the van over its life. Using my method of weighing tare is irrelevant. Your loaded van's weight simply cannot exceed the ATM.
-- Edited by montie on Sunday 15th of October 2017 07:10:43 AM
-- Edited by montie on Sunday 15th of October 2017 07:19:43 AM
