Tare Weight

If you mean the van limit ..... it is the ATM on the compliance plate on the van.
(the difference between the Tare and ATM is what weight you can carry in the van).

Here are copy and pastes from ADR-01. If you read them carefully they are easy to understand.

AGGREGATE TRAILER MASS (ATM) - the total mass of the laden trailer when
carrying the maximum load recommended by the ‘Manufacturer’. This will
include any mass imposed onto the drawing vehicle when the ‘Combination
Vehicle’ is resting on a horizontal supporting plane.

GROSS TRAILER MASS (GTM) - the mass transmitted to the ground by the ‘Axle’ or
‘Axles’ of the trailer when coupled to a drawing vehicle and carrying its maximum
load approximately uniformly distributed over the load bearing area, and at which
compliance with the appropriate Australian Design Rules has been or can be
established.

TARE MASS - mass of a vehicle other than a L-group vehicle ready for service,
unoccupied and unladen, with all fluid reservoirs filled to nominal capacity except
for fuel, which shall be 10 litres only, and with all standard equipment and any
options fitted.

VSB-01 adds the following to the tare mass definition - (Fluid reservoirs do not include water tanks and waste water tanks
fitted to caravans).

The tare mass is the mass of the vehicle as it was delivered to the manufacturer. When you purchase your tug and then add things like a bull bar, winch, tow bar or anything else the tare weight of your tug is not altered. When the agent delivers your tug to you, the unladen weight will be increased by the weight of all the accessories that were added. The tare weight on your registration will be the figure that the manufacturer supplies and not the new unladen weight of the vehicle as you receive it. You may also add fixtures to your vehicle after delivery, again the tare weight is not altered.

The exact same rules apply to your van. The only difference is the manufacturer will know the exact correct weight of the tug. The van manufacturer will often estimate the weight. He may weigh the first unit of a particular model but will then change things as other units are produced, he then does not weigh that model again but it can be considerably heavier than the first one. The result is he issues a false tare weight.

Quite often the manufacturer does not build everything into the van that you order. The agent will add things like roll out awnings and battery systems. These extra bits add to the unladen weight of the van but do not alter the tare mass. Only the things you order that are provided by the van manufacturer are included in the tare weight. Many forum members think the extras should be included in the tare weight but these are the members that don't fully understand the process (I bet they would kick up a stink if they had to get their tug reassessed for its tare weight every time the added or removed accessories.)

Every time you add or remove weight to your vehicle (be it the tug or the van) this must be considered as part of the loading.

As for the the figure GVM (gross vehicle mass) that appears on registration papers, even though legislation uses different terms for the mass of trailers to that of other vehicles, the motor registry authorities do not include fields for the caravan mass figures in the database. They simply insert the ATM figure in the GVM field.

Clint, As Ozhumvee Peter said you may have one of the problems I described above. What removable loading was in the van when it was weighed? Was there water in the tanks and how much gas in the cylinders? What has been added to the van since it was delivered from the factory (storage boxes, battery systems?) There seems to be a high possibility you have one of those vans where the manufacturer guestimated the tare weight (I had a similar experience, more than 200 kg heavier than stated.)

yes unfortunately history records that many, many people have been sold caravans that can only legally carry a carton of beer before they become legally/technically overloaded. It is a situation that seems to be repeated often.

It seems the only fix for this is buyer knoweldge and vigilance

Hi Clint& CHELL
Toyota Land cruiser has a max tow cap of 3.5 tonne
Caravan industry has a load cap for caravans as a industry min of 300 KG FOR a single axle caravan and 400kg for a dual axle caravan