Not looking forward to the flak I am going to cop, but here goes
These comments are opinion only, and are limited to mid class 4wd's in a towing application. I claim only to be a consumer, no expert.
I read most articles in this
forum, and a high proportion of them are about bent chassis, towing accidents, and vehicle towing ratings.
Many, many vehicles today are very easy to overload, as they are built exactly to spec, and no more. They will carry the rated load, but fail when loaded further. This can happen when the vehicle hits a big bump, or when towing. Note I mean rated load, and also axle rating
Another issue is the dreaded death wobble. It normally ends about 100 meters further on from where it starts. Poor loading is primarily to blame.
And almost invariably, both are caused by the user. Not the manufacturer.
That should stir the pot a bit!! Read a bit further, though.
There is more confusion about this issue(s) than who should be governing the nation, I reckon.
Issue one, overloading. I have seen very large, and very small tow vehicles overloaded. Size does not matter if it is overloaded. Now they were not manufactured with a load in them, so I can only assume the owners put it there!! Within this issue, there are related things.-
first one is the users ability to know they they are overloading, we dont have weigh bridges at
home.
Second one is the users ability to read and understand the regs, there are 1,000,000 versions of the legislation, according to forums etc. And the regs are confusing - more later
Third one, engine size. This one gets me, there are so many people towing who relate power to ability- "she goes over the range in top gear" grrrrr
Forth one. Axle loading. And mid framed 4 door 4wd's. Rated payload is one thing, but placement is another. Almost all mid sized 4wd's that are 4 door, have massive overhang of the body, in some cases it is nearly entirely protruding to the rear of the back axle. And behind that is the tow ball??? Force = weight by distance, so axle loading must be considered. Loading one of these to spec, and then towing, is almost a written guarantee of a bent chassis. What I am saying is, if the load on a ute is mostly behind the rear wheel, and it is use for towing, and it is loaded to 100 percent of factory stated capacity, then axle loading is exceeded. I read a good article about axle loading here on the
forum the other day, worth searching for. I have seen a lot of pictures, and actual vehicles bent, and, strangely, all were 4 door mid sized 4wd's with overhanging trays, a big load, and towing a (say) 23 foot van....So I stand by my statement that most issues are user related, good luck with insurance and warranty. Some people are stupid, many are confused
Towing. More formulas and more confusion, more interpretations. Some major items are not understood or given enough exposure
GVM. That old chestnut. Engineering approvals, "how do it get my Proton Satria GVM upgraded?" Approved GVM upgrades are ok if you dont want to tow. You can load the vehicle to the limit the engineer has approved. But some people think that the GVM upgrade is for the vehicle, and THEN they can tow to vehicles rated ATM. And that is WRONG. I once had a 4.5 ton truck, towing a Bushtracker, and was having a few problems that were unrelated to weight. And an old bloke told me I should have bought a Mitzy, as they were actually rated for 3.5 ton. My only regrets were that I didnt find out which way he was heading, so I could avoid that path. A Mitzy towing a BT??
The sleeper is the uncertainty about GCM. Some vehicles are rated from the manufacturer with a GCM, gross combined mass. This is the total weight allowable for the loaded vehicle plus the total tow weight. And it cannot be exceeded - so a 4wd with GVM upgrade is actually rated lower in tow capacity...an example, my BT50 is rated as follows,
GVM 3200
Tow 3500
GCM 6000
Now, if I loaded up my Mazda to its GVM, and tried to tow the rated load of 3500kg, then I would exceed the GCM, which cannot be exceeded, by law.So to stay legal, I can only tow 2800 kg with the Mazda fully loaded. 3200kg +2800kg= 6000kg - GVM + ATM = GCM. (Now I know this is not exactly correct in some states, but for the exercise its ok)
So say if I increased the GVM of the Mazda to 3600kg, I could then only tow 2400kg, as 3400 +2400 = 6000. Remember if your vehicle comes with a GCM rating, then it can never be exceeded, regardless of GVM modifications. And if it does not come with a GCM rating, then it is the sum of the GVM at manufacture, plus the ATM rating, and cannot be exceeded. So again, a tow vehicle with GVM upgrade has to drop its tow capacity. General statements, it varies by state.
I think it is poor that this issue is so unclear, and so unpoliced. Vehicle manufacturers can rate their vehicles to unrelaistic values (mid sized 4wd's rated at 3500kg tow, when in fact that only relates to ability with the tow vehicle as a cab chassis only, no fuel, no passengers, no body. Wrong.
And caravan manufacturers who supply newbies with the largest van that that vehicle is rated at, 3500kg's is some cases, and state that their roll is to get him out the
gate legal. I actually went to a
Melbourne factory once, and was told exactly that. Loading is up to the consumer, my roll is to get him out the
gate legal.......And a very
well known brand as
well. Very disappointing
A change in legislation is needed to simplify this issue. It is wrong that the consumer is left to "get it right" (this is failing) when vehicle and caravan manufacturers are able to hide behind poor legislation and present their products in the best commercial light, leaving consumers confused and convinced that what they are doing is correct. A code of conduct for manufactures of vehicles and caravans that protect consumers. Access to weigh facilities. A local source of clarification re these issues. Some comeback if the consumer is fooled by salesmen. Australia wide legislation, most caravans cross state borders.
When a ute bends, or a tow situation goes upside down, then something needs to change.
And finally pig headedness. So many people think that articles like this dont relate to them (cos they were told theirs CAN to 3500kg) Its related to everyone towing. At a guess, 90 percent are overloaded in one way or another.