Thread: Large Caravan TARE weights

Originally Posted by Fatso

You can not compare a Semi or B-Doulble which is configured totaly different to a Vehicle with a caravan swinging off a tow bar . There is plenty of technical pappers to confirm that the difference in weights should be in the tugs favour , you just have to look . I can suggest a read of Colllin Rivers technical books on thie subject .

Some might suggest that anything Collyn Rivers writes may need to be taken with a pinch of salt to be honest if all his work is like his Electrical advice - some of which should be listed in the 'Fiction' section of the Library.

So, if you have links to some technical docs by some Engineers of note and not a self proclaimed 'Expert' I'm happy to read through it.

Others might suggest that this is playing like a thread on a caravan forum.

Originally Posted by pop058

I think we just went back to square one. Where in the ADRs does is define required towball weights ?????????

OK, so I’m NOT going back to square one!!

Because I have a knack from reading stuff like this, I have now read through a whole bunch of ADRs......starting with the applicability summary to work out which apply. Of those there were a few obvious ones exclude but i am pleased to report that in ADRs:
38 Brakes
42 General
43 Vehicle configurations and dimensions
44 Specific vehicles
62 Mechical connections

NOWHERE mentioned drawbar or towball or ball weights. There is no mention of 10% anywhere either.

There is also a Vehicle Standards Bulletin which talks about ATM and GTM as definitions and the only comment is

Note
Except for semi-trailers, the difference between the ATM and GTM is usually small.

So once again, its not specifically in the ADRs. The certifier is wrong.

From the OP

Originally Posted by vbrab

It seems all state police intend to start targeting caravanners for their tow ball weights

It's not in the ADRs.
Where is it? Can it be enforced? What would the charge be?

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

From the OP

It's not in the ADRs.
Where is it? Can it be enforced? What would the charge be?

‘It’ being exceeding the towball capacity?

That’s breaking a ‘road rule’ which are enforceable under the relevant state legislation and regulations - just like the speed limit or parking rules (or any other overloading rules)

Originally Posted by Wilyms

‘It’ being exceeding the towball capacity?

That’s breaking a ‘road rule’ which are enforceable under the relevant state legislation and regulations - just like the speed limit or parking rules (or any other overloading rules)

It being the 10% tow ball weight or are you suggesting, as my tow ball is rated to 3,500kg, I can theoretically have the full 3,500kg weighing down on the tow ball?
Which road rule is that? They are numbered.

Manufacturers now specify ball weights for their vehicles as do tow bar makers - I think the cops will have a list of vehicles and approved ball weights and measuring that - eg my RRS is 350kg so if the van I was towing had an actual ball weight of say 400kg then I would be busted.

Hopefully busted by the common sense Police as well...

I keep getting the opinion that people have no concept of just how heavy 350kgs actually is...( yes I know thats dumb statement,, but you get my meaning)