Tow Ball Weight and GVM

[chester Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close chester]

Hey guys just a quick one does your towball weight come off your GVM

example

The GVM on my 120 series is 2900kgs
The towball weight of my van is 140Kgs

Is my new GVM 2760kgs or some other figure.

Just curious as cause i think with the towball weight an everything else either in the car or on the car for this trip i am going to be close to GVM

Thanks

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

Re: Tow Ball Weight and GVM

I believe the towball weight has to come off your GVM. The towball weight would be included in any figure calculated if the vehicle was taken over a weighbridge whilst towing.

[pjorek Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close pjorek]

Re: Tow Ball Weight and GVM

Can anyone confirm that the GVM is the total weight of the car including passangers + bagage and you're not insurred if you cross it??

if so, is there a way to increase the GVM? ie fit different brakes+suspension+tyres and go through the pits??

[waltec Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close waltec]

Re: Tow Ball Weight and GVM

Hi Chester
Found this on the Web

On-Vehicle Capacity
GVM - Gross Vehicle Mass
Gross Vehicle Mass is the accepted safe, maximum allowable total mass of a fully loaded motor vehicle. It consists of the kerb mass (mass of the vehicle itself with all operating fluids) plus the payload

Payload
A vehicles’ payload is the maximum capacity of the vehicle for the transport of all non-standard items including the vehicles body (tray, tipper, van etc), the cargo itself, occupants and optional equipment and accessories (bull bars, spot lights, roof racks, tow bars etc)

Kerb Mass
A vehicles kerb mass is the mass of the vehicle in running order, unoccupied and unladen with all fluid reservoirs filled to their nominated capacity. All standard vehicle equipment is also included in the kerb mass.

And this is also a good read
Caravan and Motorhome Books

He makes mention of insurance, saying that their insurance will cover them if the vehicle is moderately overweight, but end of the day if an insurance company is looking for a way to get out of the claim, they may use it. Also I have heard of drivers of overloaded heavy vehicles that have been involved in accidents causing injury, being charged. Once someone is injured, the police are then involved, and if they deem that the excess weight has contributed to the accident, you can be in all sorts of trouble.

As for upgrading your GVM, this can be done on some vehicle, not sure about the Prado, but we had our work troopie upgraded (just needed suspension upgrade and an Engineer to approve and fit compliance plate), from memory got another ~400kgs

Matt

[jonesie Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close jonesie]

Re: Tow Ball Weight and GVM

Chester, the actual GVM of your Prado is the total weight of your vehicle at the time it is weighed; eg. if it weighs 2900kgs with all your equipment aboard,(sounds a lot) and you then hook up your van with it's 140kg towball weight, that 140kgs is then transferred to the towing vehicle, making your GVM (the total weight of your Prado with van attached) now 3040kgs. The only sure way to find out is to drive on to a weighbridge and check it.

Hey guys just a quick one does your towball weight come off your GVM

example

The GVM on my 120 series is 2900kgs
The towball weight of my van is 140Kgs

Is my new GVM 2760kgs or some other figure.

Just curious as cause i think with the towball weight an everything else either in the car or on the car for this trip i am going to be close to GVM

Thanks