D2 Tow Rating

I may have missed it, but I haven't seen any mention of maximum axle loading. I have a D4 and find it quite easy to exceed the rear axle loading of 1855 kg when towing a 2.5 T van. I can be well within GCM, GVM and tow ball weight, but without minimising the load in the boot nudge over the 1855 kg limit. One more spec to watch!

So some actual numbers which makes this a bit weird.

Td5 Coil Spring - towing 3500 kg

Unladen Weight 2150 kg
Plus fuel, driver and 2 passengers 300 kg
Plus tow ball weight 250kg
GVM (when towing 3500kg) = 2700 kg
GCM = 2450 + 3500 = 5950 kg (excludes tow ball weight)

Which is all good and still below GVM, until you add 50kg to bring it up to full GVM of 2750kg. Then you can only tow 2000kg, have to drop the tow ball weight to 150kg (but you get this back as extra payload), and so the GCM drops to only 4750kg. The literal straw that breaks the camel’s back it seems.

The air suspension model is similar but you can add 130kg to the GVM.

It is the reduction to only towing 2000kg when at full GVM that does not make sense. Should only drop 50kg not 1500kg.

And I don’t believe the 2000kg limit when at full GVM is a typo. It appears in too many different places.

...

So no one has stated the obvious solution yet......(and no it’s not get a D3).

....keep the vehicle load below GVM and the trailer below 3500kg and the only limits that apply is tow ball weight and as StewG points out - axle loads. The air suspension is the winner here as this allows you to go up to 1928kg on the rear axle when towing.

The owners handbook does not say how much below these limits you have to be as it only states what applies at the limits - but I would recommend being 50kg below to avoid any legal complications.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by shack

I'm not actually sure that's entirely correct,
when you say "Rave" do you mean Rave or the actual owner's manual supplied with the vehicle for the destination country?

We only have airbag D2s so our figures are already higher, but the following two pics need to be read carefully, especially if you have an airbag equipped one, as if your stay under 100 kmh things are different, in fact I think 100 kmh is the limit when towing in most states anyway. So do the math....it might still come out at what you said, but I can't be bothered adding it up!

Cheers
James



https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...9d66c17350.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...8175578429.jpg

---

The pic on the left is for vehicles sold in the UK. The one on the right is for Australian vehicles.

The 2000kg limit when at GVM does not apply here.

Note that 5 seater diesel with coils is 2750GVM but 7 seater with coils is 2880.
The vehicles are the same except maybe for spring rate.
Seeing just about everyone will have heavier rear springs anyway surely the 2880Kg is the relevant safe limit for a coil spring diesel vehicle.
I didn't know that 7 seaters came with springs. I don't think they did in UK.
Ditto rear axle load. surely the axles are exactly the same , just the springs differ.(1720 vs 1800)
Regards PhilipA

Seven seaters came with mandatory SLS. Any with coils must have been retrofitted.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Seven seaters came with mandatory SLS. Any with coils must have been retrofitted.

---

In AU yes

Quote:

---

Seven seaters came with mandatory SLS. Any with coils must have been retrofitted.

---

So why does the presumably OZ owner manual show the option?
Regards PhilipA

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by PhilipA

So why does the presumably OZ owner manual show the option?
Regards PhilipA

---

It was an option on five seaters.