Update to thread 74448 Weight Issues

Troll, can I ask what the money gets you to increase the GVM? I imagine new springs and maybe shocks, but other than that do they do anything else? Thanks in advance. John

Troll, wow, changing the rear coils to leaves is a hell of a job, amazing that is what they do....... John

G'day Troll,

Good thread and thanks for the info. We all worry about the vehicle weight a little, me included. I was wondering about the rear springs as well and not sure if you can answer this. But if Fulcrum needed to replace the coils with leaf springs to give you 3700 GVM - what sort of weight increases are the likes of ARB talking about and were they also planning a spring change like Fulcrum?

Kind regards

Hi Troll, there is a mob in Melbourne who can do it legally up to 3900kg's. We researched this for months and were about to get it done and was then told it does not increase the GCM, only the GVM, so there was no use us getting it done. What ever we added to the car, had to be deducted from what we were towing. We could only still be 6800kg's all up. It is the guys who do all the CFA truck upgrades. They had to do all the CFA vehicles after Black Saturday, as they were so far over weight. I think they were in Moorabin somewhere.
Karen

Well, well, Troll81.....you've certainly re-kindled my interest in getting an increase of GVM for my over-weight Patrol!! Does this only apply to Patrol utes that need to be increased? The fact that they're changing from coils to leaves gives me hope that they can do this upgrade for wagons (or , as in my case, a dual cab with a lard arze).

The cost ($3300- or whatever), wouldn't bother me in the slightest, so long as the GVM can be legally increased.

Got my hopes up!!!!!

Roachie

Troll
We have done all the changes to upgrade ours too but cannot find an engineer that will sign it off on form 5. $3300 is including your up grade I expect. I will be watching your thread for the out come.
Sharon

Not sure what problem is trying to be solved here but when I had my 600mm stretch (wagon) done by John Bourke at Specialised Vehicles (Orangeville near Camden, Sydney) he offered to have the GVM upgraded to 3500kg by the engineer at the same time as the inspection of the stretch. He said because I already had H/D springs and shocks and LT tyres there was nothing else needed. Got a new GVM plate and all. Engineer was $900 for the one look.

OBT

I also looked at John Bourke in Sydney as well as just about everyone who does this type of work along the East Coast. (Also had a look at Creative Conversions in QLD as one of the main contenders). My brief was an extension and GVM upgrade on the new 79 series ute.

I’ve now got the ute at Multidrive Technology in Geelong. They have a couple of standard GVM upgrade packages of which one included an extra 200mm in the chassis with 540kg upgrade. I’ve had them extend that to 500mm. The vehicle is registered first and the engineer then completes a secondary compliance plate for the mods and upgrade. Was very impressed with their workshops and the quality of their workmanship. I will have mine back next week so will fill you in on a few more details then. GVM is now up from 3300 to just short of 3900Kg. Cost is about the same as the 700mm extension by either Bourke or Creative in QLD.

Multidrive Upgrade

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Cheers Mick

After reading in an Overlander mag about the GVM upgrades for the 200 series QUOTE:]

it seems that whilst the GVM of the tug is increased the GCVM stays the same.

The effect of this is that it actually REDUCES the weight that you can tow
To quote from the 200 article

A LC200 at its old GVM of 3300kg could tow 3500kg


The GCM is unchanged with the new GVM so while the 200 can still tow

3500kg it can only do so at a weight of 3300kg, or if it weighs 3580kg it can
tow 'önly' 3225 kg. [End quote]

These weights include the ball weight of course.

So be aware of this when you do the sums. I have read elsewhere of this in reference to other vehicles as well

Cheers

Gentlemen.
Seeing as this tread is going to live more than most it may be worth giving some background information on vehicle design from a retired designer.
When a vehicle is being designed the manufacturer wants to maximize sales so the comments of motoring writers are taken seriously. comments on ride are important to buyers size of wheels and towing capacity are also important. The cheapest way to make a vehicle score well in all 3 is to make it heavy with soft springs. The easy way to do this is to use cheap mild steel for most of the components. That is why most passenger 4x4's are heavy and not able to carry a load.
A commercial vehicle with the same running gear can carry a lot more because it is a lot lighter build using hightensile steel.
Examples hilux / prado. triton / pajero. Mercedes sprinter/ Ml270. VW golf/ transporter. By way of comparison, a Merc sprinter tare weight is 1780 kg gvm is 3500 kg carries about 1500kg almost its own weight. A Suzuki vitara 1790 kg gvm 2200 kg carries about 300kg minus passenger weight.
What is the point? If you want to carry a load buy a commercial vehicle.
A small truck like a Canter can carry 2000 kg with room for a camper body.
If you are wanting a smooth ride and safety buy a Sprinter 4x4 both cost less than a 200 series. Eric.