We have got a Jeep Grand Cherokee petrol car.

So Vicki, what is the actual weight you got when your husband weighed the vans tow ball weight with the scales?

So far, based on the information here, it would appear that your vehicle is allowed a ball weight of 350kg, your van has a supposed ball weight of 185kg at Tare, and you weight the vans tow ball weight and got a weight higher than 185kg. What was that, as if it is below the maximum ball weight of your vehicle, I think you are jumping at shadows at the moment.

I would suggest loading the van as you would for a trip, and then go to a weighbridge and get the total weight including ball weight (disconnect from the car). That must be below the ATM shown on the VIN plate and the tow weight allowed for your vehicle in the handbook.

Then get the weight of the van connected to the car, but with the cars wheels off of the weight bvridge, and that must be below the GTM shown.

Then get the ball weight by either putting just the towball onto the weigh bridge, or by using your scales. That must be below the 350kg limit on your vehicle, or whatever that tow ball figure is shown in your cays handbook.

Then come back if you are still unsure how to interpret the figures, and people will be able to advise you better.

PS. What are the new laws supposedly coming in?

-- Edited by TheHeaths on Sunday 19th of August 2018 07:48:39 AM

well supposed to be stopping all vans by main roads and weighing and grounding them, that was from a mechanic but one never knows all I know it put the bejesus up us, we did have one grounded in Kilcoy as he was overweight so makes one wonder if they are going to have a go at us now (they must be running out of money).  Thank you so much for your help it seems a bit clearer to me now. SAFE TRAVELS.

 

Vicki, What year and type of petrol engine is the car (i.e. 6cyl or V8)? Based on current models, only the petrol V8 and the diesel model GC's can tow up to 3500kg with ball weight 350kg. The 6 cyl petrol is much lower. You need to check the manual for your model, it will specify the car's max tow weight and ball weight.

I'm guessing (only guessing, mind you!) that you have been trying to get your ball weight down to 185kg, if so you will have a struggle since that is only relevant to the van at its Tare weight (i.e. when delivered ex. factory completely empty), not at its ATM. As we've been saying, if you run the max. ATM of 2300kg, your ball weight could go up to around 230kg or so, provided these weights fall within your car's tow and ball ratings.

If you are a little hazy on calculating and measuring your van weights correctly, these references might help you:

http://www.withoutahitch.com.au/caravan/weigh-caravan-camper/

vickiparker wrote:

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it is very confusing to me, he is weighing on the ball of the van is that right????

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 Vicki

You are getting too much information.....some of it misinformed.

What was the ball weight when you measured it?

 

montie wrote:

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John

All vans since the introduction of compliance plates have a measured ball weight at tare stamped on the compliance plate.

It is irrelevant and is not a rating.

As posted earlier the OP's measured ball weight should not exceed the tug rating of apparently 350kg.

The ideal measured ball weight of the OP's van should ideally be around 230/250kg which is way under the rating and perfectly legal.

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Gday...

I do understand you are a dealer of some experience and obvious standing and I hesitate to question your knowledge/advice.

However, that statement is not valid. Many vans do NOT have a towball weight stated on their compliance plate ... whether a 'tare TBW' or a 'MAX TBW'.

See the compliance plate for my van -

Cheers - John

Gday...

Thanks for the advice, Murray.

I had raised this issue with VicRoads a year or so ago and they had no issue - or explanation why they had no issue.

I doubt I will ever want to re-register it interstate ... given the cost of registration in Victoria compared to other states.

It is not my intention to sell the van either - it and I will go to the grave together.

Cheers - John

montie wrote:

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vickiparker wrote:

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it is very confusing to me, he is weighing on the ball of the van is that right????

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 Vicki

You are getting too much information.....some of it misinformed.

What was the ball weight when you measured it?

 

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The problem is we're all working on scant information and a lot assumptions. To avoid further confusion for Vicki I'd suggest no more info be given until (when or if) she is able to clarify some fundamental questions:

1. The car's towing & ball weight ratings (printed in the car's manual) based on model year and petrol engine size. Unless they're driving one of the V8 models, and since we now know it's not a diesel, the 3500kg/350kg ratings will NOT apply to their car. The ratings will be a lot lower if it's a 6 cyl.

2. The van's actual (vs. rated) ATM or GTM needs to be measured.

3. The actual ball weight as measured

 

IMO, there's no point in them reducing or shifting payload around until these things are determined.

 

I am so 0ver it all I am ready to give up my van, It is so confusing I am over it I cannot work it out. I feel so uneasy to tow our van now, I love travelling but so overaught with it all I do not now which way to turn.

Owners have a responsibility to know some very basic information about their motor vehicle / caravan including;-

(1) The tow rating of the motor vehicle.
(2) The tow rating of the towbar fitted to the motor vehicle
(3) The tow rating of coupling fitted to the caravan.

The maximum towball download is the lessor of (1), (2) or (3)

So far, vickiparker has not disclosed (1) or (2) above but from reading the photo of the vehicle plate on the caravan, we know that the caravan does not have a maximum ball mass (3) so only (1) and (2) apply.

Vicki

Just tell us what values of (1) and (2) are?

Further, what is the actual ball mass of your caravan (4)?

I suspect that the actual ball mass is less than either (1) or (2) above, so nothing to be concerned about.

If you know the numbers (1), (2), (3) and (4) then you know where you stand !

It's hard for some SC. All those -ATM, GTM, towball rates, GVM... I can recall my debut woth caravanning and it took some study not unlike a vans charging system.

I suggest a little time to allow her to get around all this and supply the measurements

yobarr wrote:

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< Hi Vicki....please can you advise what year your car was built? Easy from there. 

-- Edited by yobarr on Sunday 19th of August 2018 06:05:32 PM

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I asked that question early this morning, but no response has been fortcoming

-- Edited by Bill B on Sunday 19th of August 2018 06:18:41 PM

vickiparker wrote:

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We have got a Jeep Grand Cherokee petrol car.

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 As Bill said, the year and whether its 6 cyl petrol or V8 petrol would give info to advise you properly

Eaglemax wrote:

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It's hard for some SC. All those -ATM, GTM, towball rates, GVM... I can recall my debut woth caravanning and it took some study not unlike a vans charging system.

I suggest a little time to allow her to get around all this and supply the measurements

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 She can take all the time she wants Eaglemax, no time constraints are being imposed. Just trying to simplify by chunking it down - one spec. at a time.