Thread: What happened to your D3/D4 today?

Originally Posted by scarry

Had just over 100KG on the roof of our D4 many times with no issues.....

I kinda agree...

Except that - The roof seam is known to crack if overloaded and then subjected to "dynamic" surfaces...
The mounting points on some D3/D4s have cracked / torn the metal away from the area around the 10mm stud.

And the true kicker - if you have over 75kg up there, and you have an accident - roll over or uncontrolled swerving - you just gave the insurance company the best out they could ever want!

Just to show it some more love I bought this today, bit earlier than planned but at $275 and 5 minutes away at REPCO (seems to be a special on these everywhere) I figured just get it.

IMG20251125134210.jpg

Originally Posted by Tombie

And the true kicker - if you have over 75kg up there, and you have an accident - roll over or uncontrolled swerving - you just gave the insurance company the best out they could ever want!

I’ve seen the cops in WA piece a 200 series back together then weigh every single part to assess the weights, loads and distribution. It was involved in a fatal. Outwardly not the 200 series drivers fault, but if he was seen to be non-compliant it wouldn’t have mattered if the other driver was on meth and swerved into him. He goes to jail.

It’s not just insurance. Any significant accident might see your bits put back together and looked at under the microscope.

Still, I saw a D4 recently with a double swing away spare wheel carrier, aux tank in the space of the spare and steel front bar and towing a fairly large off-road camper. I’m sure he’s compliant and won’t have an issue when a Getz full of tourists pulls out in front of him and he t-bones them.

Originally Posted by johnp38

Just to show it some more love I bought this today, bit earlier than planned but at $275 and 5 minutes away at REPCO (seems to be a special on these everywhere) I figured just get it.

IMG20251125134210.jpg

Did the same, except it’s for the new truck build.

Cant hurt to have it at that price.

Originally Posted by Tombie

you just gave the insurance company the best out they could ever want!

Good luck to them,the chance of having an issue is very remote.

Same as most of the D3/4s dragging 3 to 3.5T vans around.There wouldn't be many that have actually been on the scales and weighed,and are fully legal,particularly if the vehicle has quite a few mods.

The chance of me having a multi vehicle accident is similarly remote. Haven’t had one in 30+ years of driving.

Still wouldn’t be without insurance.

And paying all that coin to then have my policy voided when I need it isn’t on my to do list.

(And yes, my Caravan and D4 combo does come in legal weight - spent the time on the bridge)

Point is, insurance companies are becoming red hot active on all these ‘minor’ indiscretions and are now pursuing them.

Originally Posted by BradC

I’ve seen the cops in WA piece a 200 series back together then weigh every single part to assess the weights, loads and distribution. It was involved in a fatal. Outwardly not the 200 series drivers fault, but if he was seen to be non-compliant it wouldn’t have mattered if the other driver was on meth and swerved into him. He goes to jail.

It’s not just insurance. Any significant accident might see your bits put back together and looked at under the microscope.

Still, I saw a D4 recently with a double swing away spare wheel carrier, aux tank in the space of the spare and steel front bar and towing a fairly large off-road camper. I’m sure he’s compliant and won’t have an issue when a Getz full of tourists pulls out in front of him and he t-bones them.

Originally Posted by Tombie

The chance of me having a multi vehicle accident is similarly remote. Haven’t had one in 30+ years of driving.

Still wouldn’t be without insurance.

And paying all that coin to then have my policy voided when I need it isn’t on my to do list.

(And yes, my Caravan and D4 combo does come in legal weight - spent the time on the bridge)

Point is, insurance companies are becoming red hot active on all these ‘minor’ indiscretions and are now pursuing them.

Not technically correct, the " minor indiscretion" would have to be proved to cause or contribute to the accident, say rear reflectors rattle off a car on corrugations, then it has a head on, missing reflectors are not a factor.

In the case of meth head swerves head on into oncoming vehicle, if there is no time to brake, and vehicle total is under GVM, the roof rack is not a factor, Even if braking is involved, law is a grey area, but physics is not, and a 100 vs 75 kgs is probably immaterial in a head on in 100 km'h zone with a "legal" approach speed of 200kph, separated by a dotted white line!

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Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

Not technically correct, the " minor indiscretion" would have to be proved to cause or contribute to the accident, say rear reflectors rattle off a car on corrugations, then it has a head on, missing reflectors are not a factor.

In the case of meth head swerves head on into oncoming vehicle, if there is no time to brake, and vehicle total is under GVM, the roof rack is not a factor, Even if braking is involved, law is a grey area, but physics is not, and a 100 vs 75 kgs is probably immaterial in a head on in 100 km'h zone with a "legal" approach speed of 200kph, separated by a dotted white line!

Almost every policy states explicitly that vehicle must be in a safe and roadworthy condition. If your vehicle isn’t then you’re breaching the contract.

And most roll overs etc are cornering or swerving - and an overloaded roof rack (even an under loaded one) has a big influence on handling dynamics.

I know of a LC DC owner who had to buy himself a new one after his slow rolled on the GBH from an overloaded rack. Insurance recovered and weighed it all.