Thread: D4 Weight Measured

Originally Posted by BobD

I weighed my 2010 Disco 4 TD V6 SE today as I am trying to see what goodies I can put in it for a trip in September to Cape York via the Great Central Road from Perth. I will be travelling with a few Patrols and Landcruisers.

My car has an ECB bullbar, Kaymar single tyre rear bar, Brown Davis longrange fuel tank, Mitch Hitch, Traxide dual battery with D34 Optima, Safari Snorkle and GOE compressor cover plus Llams and a GME radio.

The weight came to 2740 kg with the fuel gauge on half full and the long range tank empty.

On the trip I will have a Kimberly Mycube roof top tent, Feather Light Awning, Waeco CF 50DZ fridge, three people, swag plus camping gear, food and personal luggage etc and an extra spare on the Kaymar bar. I will be running GOE 18 inch alloy wheels with Continental Cross Contact AT tyres plus two GOE steel rims with the same tyres as spares.

I wanted to also get drawers and a water tank but this will add way too much weight to the car, which will already be over its GVM I think, especially if both fuel tanks are full.

We will need to be very weight conscious. I will try to remove the steel winch mounting from the alloy bull bar, possibly remove the Mitch Hitch, maybe remove the third row seats, keep the water to one 22 l jerry can and travel with the long range tank half full at max as an emergency source of fuel.

Bob

I think it's likely that just about every tourer setup for big trips like this will always be over the GVM...and well over. Its unavoidable. You can try to reduce where you can, but you may struggle to get close to the GVM.
Have a sensational trip.
Brett....

It is avoidable... It's called a trailer.

SA Transport, and SA cops now pull 4wds into weigh stations and has mobile weighing stations too. I am led to believe they are doing it in NT and WA also

If an accident occurs in Sa/Wa/Nt they now impound the vehicle and weigh it including belongings.

Several vehicles in last 6 months done for over GVM from Pt Augusta and onwards.

The additional weight is what breaks things...

Putting it in an offroad trailer will avoid axle overloading, stress on the vehicle.


Skuilnaam

Amazes me how no-one gives a hoot about overloading their 4wd, rendering it unsafe.

Yet everyone screams blue murder at "dickhead truck drivers" running overloaded...

Best re-think things.

Originally Posted by skuilnaam

Amazes me how no-one gives a hoot about overloading their 4wd, rendering it unsafe.

Yet everyone screams blue murder at "dickhead truck drivers" running overloaded...

Best re-think things.

That's because if a 4wd is overloaded its only by a couple of hundred kilos........and not being driven by someone on amphetamines (or out killing prostitutes as mr clarkson would say.)

Some places trailers just can't be taken or not recommended.
I use a camper trailer so my weight is not an issue, but when you do the CSR you either carry what you need, or perish. Trailers can be taken up or down the CSR but I can assure you that you will stress your vehicle much more than over loading it by a couple of hundred kilos.
Brett...

Originally Posted by skuilnaam

It is avoidable... It's called a trailer.

SA Transport, and SA cops now pull 4wds into weigh stations and has mobile weighing stations too. I am led to believe they are doing it in NT and WA also

If an accident occurs in Sa/Wa/Nt they now impound the vehicle and weigh it including belongings.

Several vehicles in last 6 months done for over GVM from Pt Augusta and onwards.

The additional weight is what breaks things...

Putting it in an offroad trailer will avoid axle overloading, stress on the vehicle.

Skuilnaam

I just spoke to a friend who is a mermaid, and they don't touch 4wds. They do on occasion pullover cars towing caravans up north. I am in WA.
Brett....

Looking at weights and GVMs of Patrols and Landcruisers last night I see that most of them would have significantly less capacity than my D4 if they had the same extras. There is no way that you could fit drawers and carry large amounts of water and fuel, although most of them have all the fruit plus steel bull bars etc when touring. At least with them you can get a GVM upgrade if you think of it when they are new.

My GQ Patrol with Chev V8 diesel would be really limited so I need to carefully watch what I put in it also.

I do not want to tow a trailer so I will be keeping the weight down and removing any heavy bits that I can before the trip. The Landrover's "balls" are very tempting items to remove!! My wife and I can also go on a diet and that will remove 30 kg straight away, ha ha. My 45 kg daughter is OK though.

I guess on an even more remote trip where large amounts of food, water and fuel are required a trailer would be the only option, which would create its own share of economy, safety and difficulty issues.

Bob

It is rediculous. they've upped the brakes and beefed up everything else like sound proofing which has upped the tare. Why don't they just have an optional up on the GVM?

If you are a school run mum, you won't need the GVM up, if you want the D4 and the camping gear you up the GVM and have a an up on your drivers licence.

I can legally drive a rigid anything, if it has 4 wheels then its a GVM up to 12 tonnes, it's silly that I can only have 5 1/2 adults and picnic lunch as a load in the D4.