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Post Info TOPIC: Towball weight ( 1st trip in a new / 1st van )
Barryh


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Towball weight ( 1st trip in a new / 1st van )
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Hi  Am sure that this will have been covered many times before but just for our personal circumstances can anybody offer me advice on this subject.

 

My van has a towball weight at tare ( on compliance plate ) 0f 110 kilos. I have just weighed using towball scales I have purchased and it weighs at 145 kilos ( 2 water tanks are both half full and front locker has equipment loaded ). So although we are just doing a first trip travelling light  ( just a couple of hundred kilometres away ) I want to be sure I am not pushing it on the towball.

Van specs  Tare  1850  ATM 2150  GTM 2040  Ball Loading at tare  110

My tow vehicle is a Mitzy Challenger with 3T tow capacity ( 3T towbar factory fitted by Mitzy ).

What would be the maximum I could legally and safely have over the towball - and what can I safely carry on the ball keeping the rig level ( no WDH here )

Can provide any further information if required. Many thanks for any assistance

 

Barry

 

 

 

 

 

The

 

 



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Bill B


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Legally you can have up to 300 kgs which will be shown on the plate attached to the towbar.

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Bill B
Desert Dweller


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All sounds good & legal to me particularly as you have a bit of water aboard. If your rig sits relatively flat you don't need a WDH. We've done 40,000kms of safe travel without one as have many other travelers that have done a lot more. As usual lots of people will say you definitely need one mainly because they are as much of an Aussie tradition as chucking a snag on the BBQ. Don't leave home without one because you're gonna die. laughing.gif They do nothing as far as reducing sway. WDH's are a very emotional issue with some folk.



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iana


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What you need to be aware of is the CVM "Combined vehicle mass", and the GVM "Gross vehicle mass", neither of these are you allowed to exceed. Ball weight has a range of between 5% to 15% of the mass of the caravan, but between 8 and 10% seems to be the aiming point. Just be aware also the GVM includes passengers and pets, and also a WDH if fitted (30.5kg).

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PeterD


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Desert Dweller wrote:

If your rig sits relatively flat you don't need a WDH. 

 Wrong information. The following comes from a listing produced by RACQ and the Caravan Trade & industries Association. The listing is information from the vehicle companies. Take the manufacturers advice and use a WDH (Load distribution hitch.) Don't take forum members advice to use band-aid fixes like modifying suspension instead of WDH.

WDH Challenger.PNG



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PeterD
Nissan Navara D23 diesel auto, Spaceland pop-top
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Peter_n_Margaret


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iana wrote:

What you need to be aware of is the CVM "Combined vehicle mass", ....................

 It is actually called the GCM, "Gross Combination Mass" which is the maximum allowable mass of the tug and van combined, when fully loaded.

 

Cheers,

Peter



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Desert Dweller


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Seen plenty of Tritons & Challengers getting around safely without a WDH in sight. They are both susceptible to chassis bending under load as are quite a few others.



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PeterD


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Desert Dweller wrote:

 They are both susceptible to chassis bending under load as are quite a few others.

 None of the chassis bends have occurred when WDH is used. All the broken chassis have occurred by overloading and mainly when air bags were fitted. WDH will counter large ball weights bending chassis, it stresses the chassis in the opposite direction. Please show me a case of chassis being bent by WDH, in the mean time please get your facts straight.



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PeterD
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Retired radio and electronics technician.
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Baz421


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PeterD wrote:
Desert Dweller wrote:

 They are both susceptible to chassis bending under load as are quite a few others.

 None of the chassis bends have occurred when WDH is used. All the broken chassis have occurred by overloading and mainly when air bags were fitted. WDH will counter large ball weights bending chassis, it stresses the chassis in the opposite direction. Please show me a case of chassis being bent by WDH, in the mean time please get your facts straight.

Agree with PeterD here. 



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Desert Dweller


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As we wrote in our first reply WDH's are a very emotional issue for some people. See what we mean. laughing.gif Without one you're a ''dead duck''.  laughing.gif



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