Thread: Towing Capacity

I too would be interested in a copy of the manufacturers specs from the manufacturer, Ron.

My Perentie is registered as 5.6t GVM and 7.1t GCM.
Oh! That leaves 1500kg!
Amazing.

I have a question for the brains trust.
The tare (fuel tanks full) is as near to 4t as you can get for my question. Let's say I'm 100kg, so let's call that 4.1t. If I carry nothing else in the tow vehicle, does that mean I can legally tow 3t? 4.1t + 3t = 7.1t = GCM

Originally Posted by Dougal

From a non adr compliant engineers perspective, I'm wondering if the changes to the rear of the chassis are the main reason? Aside from the military not requiring a higher rating from that class.

That is a fair point.
However, when I look at 3.5t towbars on modern utes and think how flimsy they and their mountings look compared to the Perentie, I cannot help but think it may be able to be re-rated by an automotive engineer.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

That is a fair point.
However, when I look at 3.5t towbars on modern utes and think how flimsy they and their mountings look compared to the Perentie, I cannot help but think it may be able to be re-rated by an automotive engineer.

Any chance of a type modification under the Aussie system?

Perhaps a group of Perentie owners could get together, commission an appropriately licensed Engineer to re-rate the Perenties both as-is and with any supporting modifications to meet a 3,500kg rating.

Then any following Perentie could be rubber stamped as complying to that pre-approved mod.

What we need is a precedent, someone to actually do the process, and see what comes from it how much $$$ and persuasion.
I'd love to just have 2500 kg, then I can tow my stuff

Originally Posted by Dougal

Any chance of a type modification under the Aussie system?

I think so. I know a couple of people who have had engineers reports on modifications they sell.

Originally Posted by Dougal

Perhaps a group of Perentie owners could get together, commission an appropriately licensed Engineer to re-rate the Perenties both as-is and with any supporting modifications to meet a 3,500kg rating.

That would require some organising.

Tony, that 6x6 Perentie club idea is getting closer.

Hey Gav, I may need an intro to your engineer mate.

Mate the fancy acronymns are the actual docs you need. They are the ONLY documents that count for the perenties.

the Perentie was made under and ADF contract to the specifications given IN the contract. the liability code is the link you need to get those details

Even then thats not going to do you any good for what you need, all that gives you is

1. what the original specification was for the vehicle
2. the testing TO that specification
3. the references to the published documents
4. the relevant compliance to the ADR's of the time of manufacture
5. The liability acceptance for the vehicle as designed and tested.
6. Parts compatibility details.
7. more irrelevant legal mumbo jumbo about who does what and where in regards to initial servicing, warranty and parts guarantee

here's what you will go ahead and find out. (someone might have just gone through this rigmarole already)
you might want to read all of this post carefully and do some inferring of things that I am not coming out and openly saying based on things that I have said.
once you dig all the way into that mess that the vehicle has been tested as designed and that the technical specifications for the vehicle are laid out in

UHB XXXXXXX
EMEI XXXXXXX


Let me quote some of the points from the warranty section from one of the liabiltiys... (and most of the points are suitably replicated in the UH

the warranty shall not apply where

• the vehicle is not operated in accordance with the user hand book
• vehicle not being maintained in accordance with the user hand book or EMEI manuals
• misuse or neglect

Welcome to dealing with specific military build equipment mate, its not like the stuff out there in civvy street because in its infinite wisdom the ADF never, EVER does a straight out MOTS purchase, they must always modify stuff to suit themselves, resulting in a custom build which then becomes ADF/ADI specific so there is no way you can do anything with it in stock form outside of the ADF limits.

The perentie is a one off beast, they dont exist in any other theater in the world but this one and the documents that you can get your hands on are (IF you're lucky) the EMEI's and the UHB. They are the documents that everyone is using including the insurance people, including the engineers. There is no EURO, JIS, DIN, SAE or other standards on them apart from the ADF/ADI and ADR specifications provided.

let me give you a more recent example.

The Gwagon.

ITs not a G350 and its not a straight out MOTS Gwagon. The ADI has its very own special set of them and they have their own special set of documentation. you cant look at the data sheet for a G350 or a MOTS gwagon and say, the manufacturers sheet for that vehicle says this therefor that applies to the ADF Gwagon. There are some points that are the same but the document sets are on completely different releases and therefor do not interchange Fine for reference material on the parts where they do match but thats it.

In the same way because the Perentie has its own custom chassis at the rear end with its own custom recovery and towing setup you simply can not look at a county/defender book and then decide that because they both look like the perentie, the county has the same engine and has the gearbox as an option in australia that the data sets are totally interchangable.

hell even the suspension is different in several key areas.

I figure IF you go hard at it it will take you about 6-9 months to dig in far enough to find out the information you think you'll find. When you find it you will find that your answer is going to be one of 2 things

1. its rated to 900-1200KG towed load depending on variant
2. the chassis was tested to 1200KG towed load In accordance with the design requirements.

all of which is what we've been saying since the get go.

Theres a very specific set of reasons why there are exactly 3 varients of the perenties that I am interested in and why so far, Ive had exactly no interest in any of the vehicles coming up for auction.

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

I too would be interested in a copy of the manufacturers specs from the manufacturer, Ron.

My Perentie is registered as 5.6t GVM and 7.1t GCM.
Oh! That leaves 1500kg!
Amazing.

I have a question for the brains trust.
The tare (fuel tanks full) is as near to 4t as you can get for my question. Let's say I'm 100kg, so let's call that 4.1t. If I carry nothing else in the tow vehicle, does that mean I can legally tow 3t? 4.1t + 3t = 7.1t = GCM

Pretty sure off the top of my head that they are the correct numbers for a 6x6 GS or similar

and no, it doesnt partly because the pintle from memroy is only rated to 4000LB and because there is a specification that sets your maximum towed load.

IF you had a max towed spec of 3T and you had a GCM of 7.1T so long as you kept your vehicles GVM under 4.1 then yes you could tow 3T with it but if you then put another half ton on the tray you would have to take it out of the trailer letting you tow only 2.5T.

If you were in that configration the limiting factor would be the brakes on the vehicle and trailer. In reality its now very very rare to see a vehicle whose GCM is lower than its rated max GVM and max Towed GVM combined.