RV MAIL
LETTERS FROM THE ROAD
WEIGHT DEBATE
After reading your editorial in issue #21 on
your discussion about Tare and ATM with a
reader, it made me recall a discussion recently
with a salesman from a caravan company in a
regional town just outside of Melbourne.
I was enquiring about one of the vans on his
lot and he asked what type of vehicle I would
be towing it with. I told him it was a 2015 RG
Colorado, to which he replied, “Great, you can
tow a 3500kg van with that.”
I took the bait this time, as I usually let it slide,
but I decided to question that statement. I
replied with, "Well, no, I really can’t. It may
be rated to tow 3500kg but in reality I can't
because I have the LTZ model, which has been
reduced by Holden some 200kg in GVM and I
will exceed my GVM.”
I tried to explain that my GVM is only 2950kg
and my kerb weight is 2119kg, and when I
quoted the weights of passengers and the
added accessories I have, plus towball mass, I
am over my GVM and I simply cannot tow that
amount of weight. But he kept telling me that I
can legally tow 3500kg.
I have a GCM of 6000kg. Subtracting the weight
of a 3500kg van gives me an allowed GVM of
now only 2500kg. Now when I subtract my kerb
weight of 2119kg, I have a paltry 381kg payload,
from which I also need to subtract my towball
load of, let’s say 350kg (using the 10 per cent
rule), and I am now down to only 31kg payload.
Now I can't even get in the vehicle to drive it
as I weigh 90kg and I haven't even included
the vehicle accessories like bullbar, etc., or
passengers. So the 3500kg tow rating is legally
unrealistic in this case.
He seemed to take offence and rebutted with
“I have lived and breathed caravans for 20
years and I know my stuff!” Like a quarrelsome
schoolboy I was told that I was reading too
much into it and that I didn't understand what I
was talking about.
Am I correct in my calculations? If I am, this
highlights the serious misinformation within the
caravan Industry and also the motor vehicle
industry. If I am wrong, I will graciously accept
that and I will go back and further research the
subject, as it is confusing – all those acronyms.
So I welcome these features in your magazine
that explain this subject in easy to understand,
plain English. As you said, we could all probably
brush up on it.
Paul Patullo
Via email
Hi Paul, thanks for your letter. Assuming
the van in question was fully loaded to ATM
– bang on 3500kg – your calculations are
correct. Check out the article ‘Transfer of
Weight’ in issue 22 for more information.
– Ed
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