Thread: Tow Ball Download weight confusion with state legal

Caravan manufacturers in OZ just build it then put the suspension subframe wherever ten percent is. No time to overthink it.
(Having a ceramic toilet is FAR more important than road manners afterall... )

There is a 20 month waiting list for new Titanium caravans, 12months is the new normal.

Originally Posted by IndusD4

Maybe this is due to caravan design. European vans tend to have the wheels in the centre of the van, where Australian built vans they tend to be further back. Wouldn't that cause more of the weight to be on the tow ball?

Ron

That’s just it.

Yet when weighed a heap still ran at 6-7%

Many van builders are rogue, will build anything rather than risk losing a sale by denying a customers request.

Then of course we have those customers who insist everything be like home and fit ridiculous gear and push maximum weight and want a borderline tow vehicle.

As Drafrete said earlier, check your axle loadings are correct and the GVM and GCM will probably be ok. It is very easy to overload the rear axle, even with a 2.5 T trailer (approx. 10% TBD) and a full boot even without exceeding the GVM or GCM. Do your best guess on weight distribution and then weigh each axle to stay safe and legal.

Great thread, In case it hasnt been mentioned, Tow Ball Weight x 1.5 = appx weight on rear axle due to leverage

Originally Posted by Drafrete

Hi,
The maximum rear axle capacity for the D4 is 1855kg.

D4
5 Seater 1855kg
7 Seater 1885kg

D5
5 Seater 1775kg
7 Seater 1900kg

Originally Posted by haydent

Great thread, In case it hasnt been mentioned, Tow Ball Weight x 1.5 = appx weight on rear axle due to leverage



D4
5 Seater 1855kg
7 Seater 1885kg

D5
5 Seater 1775kg
7 Seater 1900kg

So, if the towball weight is 200, you are saying the additional weight on the rear axle is in the order of 300?

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

So, if the towball weight is 200, you are saying the additional weight on the rear axle is in the order of 300?

Last time I weighed mine properly with the car loaded and van hitched, and seperate, front and rear axle the full weight of the drawbar is on the ball , where the extra 100 kg. comes from is the front axle looses weight and it’s put onto the rear.
i was very surprised at this and weighed it all again just to be sure I hadn’t done the process incorrectly some how.
I thought that because of the self levelling suspension it wouldn’t transfer so much of the weight, I was wrong and it does, that was with a ball weight of 280kg. which was also the o much for the van which weighs 2500kg
i have reloaded the back of the car and the van to improve the distribution and it did make it more stable , not that stability was a issue due to the brilliance of the car but now it’s even better
there is no calculations to do, no adding or taking weight off, rear axel limit is a set number and that’s the one that gets exceeded very quickly

i just recently found out from some youtube video examples that self levelling suspension actually make it worse, as when the air bags inflate to level it it actually puts more weight on the rear axle than with the sag ... i also found a weight distribution hitch work to move about 80kg off the rear axle

Originally Posted by haydent

i just recently found out from some youtube video examples that self levelling suspension actually make it worse, as when the air bags inflate to level it it actually puts more weight on the rear axle than with the sag ... i also found a weight distribution hitch work to move about 80kg off the rear axle

Weight distribution hitches are a no no on the Discos. I'm sure it says it in the manual somewhere