Thread: Sorting Out Vehicle Capacity and Types of Driver's Licence

aggregate is the total mass of the fully laden vehicle/object its stamped on.

youve got a 3.7t agg so thats 3.7tGVM.

you're good on a car license.

however...

you're over 1t payload so technically its got to be a commercial vehicle

( I had issues with this with fozzy which were immediately quelled when I asked "whats that mean if i have a heavy combo license and only use it for private use?"

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your reply.

I have just returned from the depths of the paddock armed with three different light sources... it is quite dark here now at close to 10:00 pm.

I found the plate on the firewall it states Assuming that since the van was made in Australia it would use the British Imperial ton, the long ton, at 2240lb.
The van has a GVW at 8400 LBS = Gross Vehicle Weight, or GVW, = 3.8101759079999997 Tonnes or 3.8 Tonnes
With the plated GCW at 12600 LBS

This would put the GCW at 5.715263862 accessed 14th April 2020 from Convert pounds to tonnes - Conversion of Measurement Units

So how would this relate to... Queensland C Class of has a maximum weight of 4.5 tonne (t) gross vehicle mass (GVM) Licence types, classes and conditions | Transport and motoring | Queensland Government

So the most important figure for me is that Bluey at a GVW of 3.8 tonnes is well under the 4.5 Tonne restriction of the Queensland C Class licence by 700 kilograms; or 0.7 of a Tonne.... Thank God!

Now for the next layer of complexity. If I was to tow a 3.5 Tonne rated trailer with a GVW of 3.8 tonnes it means I have 300 kilograms of spare capacity between the trailer's rated towing capacity and Bluey's GVW? Or are there other factors that come into play when towing?

Kind regards
Lionel

You're saying the GVM is 3.8t which is well under the 4.5t max for a C licence.

GCM I didn't see as being specified in the licence link.

Car license Lionel. GCM is the total weight of the vehicle and trailer. Many of the large 4x4s and massive caravans would exceed 6 tonne.
A car (C) license covers up to 4.5 tonne/12 occupants, excluding trailer. You may need to upgrade to a LR to legally tow a trailer, that increases the GCM to over 4.5 tonne.
A Toyota LC 76 can have a GCM of 6.56 tonne, many of those drivers will only hold a C class licence.

Why is Gross Combined Mass (GCM) So Important? - RVeeThereYet

https://www.hcvc.com.au/forum/genera...ational#111931

If you read through the second link, it further confirms my suspicion that the dual wheel back axle was not a standard fitment.
Don't forget to confirm both diffs are the same ratio and all tyres the same rolling diameter.

Your weights are very similar to my 101 - my GVM is 3652kg so not much less than yours and I can drive on a normal licence.

Garry

Originally Posted by Slunnie

You're saying the GVM is 3.8t which is well under the 4.5t max for a C licence.

GCM I didn't see as being specified in the licence link.

Hello Slunnie,

I suppose terms and numbers changed a bit between March 1973 when Bluey was made. All the details I found were under a layer of moss and over-spray on the ID plate. I will get some cleaner active on the plate tomorrow to see if the writing becomes clearer. The details so far I can only see are GVW and GCW.

A 2015 Notification of Change of Ownership form from Western Australia which shows: TARE, Agg., and GCM

Then the 2020 Queensland Government Licensing's GVM as far as I can tell GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) and GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) are interchangeable. The GVW figure taken from Bluey's plate is under the 4.5 GVM... to me that is all good!

Anyway between all the different initials and the crossing of state boundaries - things get lost in translation... Plus I am only a bare of limited mathematical ability at this hour of night. As in Winnie the Pooh's "Bear of little brain".

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your reply.

I have just returned from the depths of the paddock armed with three different light sources... it is quite dark here now at close to 10:00 pm.

I found the plate on the firewall it states Assuming that since the van was made in Australia it would use the British Imperial ton, the long ton, at 2240lb.
The van has a GVW at 8400 LBS = Gross Vehicle Weight, or GVW, = 3.8101759079999997 Tonnes or 3.8 Tonnes
With the plated GCW at 12600 LBS

This would put the GCW at 5.715263862 accessed 14th April 2020 from Convert pounds to tonnes - Conversion of Measurement Units

So how would this relate to... Queensland C Class of has a maximum weight of 4.5 tonne (t) gross vehicle mass (GVM) Licence types, classes and conditions | Transport and motoring | Queensland Government

So the most important figure for me is that Bluey at a GVW of 3.8 tonnes is well under the 4.5 Tonne restriction of the Queensland C Class licence by 700 kilograms; or 0.7 of a Tonne.... Thank God!

Now for the next layer of complexity. If I was to tow a 3.5 Tonne rated trailer with a GVW of 3.8 tonnes it means I have 300 kilograms of spare capacity between the trailer's rated towing capacity and Bluey's GVW? Or are there other factors that come into play when towing?

Kind regards
Lionel

Suspicions further aroused, you have a discrepancy in plated and WA rego (licensed) GCM weights. I believe the GCM Was uprated in WA, after the rear axle was fitted. I think the axle was sourced from an IH C or D 1310, or possibly a small AR 1300

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Car license Lionel. GCM is the total weight of the vehicle and trailer. Many of the large 4x4s and massive caravans would exceed 6 tonne.
A car (C) license covers up to 4.5 tonne/12 occupants, excluding trailer. You may need to upgrade to a LR to legally tow a trailer, that increases the GCM to over 4.5 tonne.
A Toyota LC 76 can have a GCM of 6.56 tonne, many of those drivers will only hold a C class licence.

Why is Gross Combined Mass (GCM) So Important? - RVeeThereYet

Towing capacities International - Historic Commercial Vehicle Club of Australia

If you read through the second link, it further confirms my suspicion that the dual wheel back axle was not a standard fitment.
Don't forget to confirm both diffs are the same ratio and all tyres the same rolling diameter.

G'day Ian,

I chased up about Telecom vans. As it turns out my father and one of my brother-in-law's father were both PMG, Telecom and Telstra long term career people.

The brother in law's father was a Mechanic - now retired. When asked the immediate response back to me was that in Telecom anything over 3 tonnes had dual wheel axles fitted as standard from the factory as part of their manufacturing contract specifications.

Oh yes - there are some things that the BIL-Father goes straight between the eyes and straight down the line - any Telecom specifications for fleet vehicles. Hmmm somehow the words ...."the Gospel according to" ... spring to mind. Or how about, "in no uncertain terms".

Prior to joining the PMG he was a Mechanic in the Australia Army.

Kind regards
Lionel