Thread: Large Caravan TARE weights

Originally Posted by PhilipA

I am pretty sure that none of the European caravans on the Australian market would have 10% ball weight.

About 5% is common in Europe and reflected in the max ball weights of European cars which are quite low.

Regards Philip A

I concur.

I use one of those vertical tube towball weighing thingies - great present for fathers day, birthday etc.

I work on approx 180 towball weight for my 3.5T brick as from my experience being the most comfortable and feeling safe (and pull it with a 2+T D2, albeit only averaging about 80, so the faster ones hate me). I do have a "little" driving experience and still hold a HC licence, and my dear SWAMBO says I take more time looking rearwards to facilitate others overtaking, than I do driving looking forward.
Gave up my F licence years ago 'cos got p'd off having to have a legislated medical every year.

Originally Posted by dirvine

The trouble with rated towing capacities is that at that total with say the "10%" TB mass (even if we do not agree that is correct), the D max can hardly have any payload. This is a spreadsheet that i did some time ago for interested people. Extract of a D Max

Comparison of some popular tow vehicles
Make/Model		Isuzu D-MAX LS-U 3ltr Auto
Max towing rating		3,500 Kg
		3,500 Kg
TARE		1,945 Kg
Plus	TBW	350 Kg
	Fuel	76 Kg
	2 Passengers	150 Kg
	bullbar	100 Kg
	Mimimum GVM	2,621 Kg
GVM		2,950 Kg
Mandated GCM		5,950 Kg
	remaining payload	329 Kg
	GCM = Minimum GVM + Van weight result	-171 Kg

So with a bull bar, fuel and 2 passengers its overloaded by 171Kg!!

The mass of the tow vehicle is still less than the mass of the trailer which was my point.

I agree Mick. All the "popular" Twin Cabs are less weight than a 3.5t van. But what I am also pointing out is that with full petrol, a few accessories, and two "average" weight passengers, they cannot tow a 3.5t van legally as they exceed the GCM.

Originally Posted by dirvine

I agree Mick. All the "popular" Twin Cabs are less weight than a 3.5t van. But what I am also pointing out is that with full petrol, a few accessories, and two "average" weight passengers, they cannot tow a 3.5t van legally as they exceed the GCM.

Ye. Gotta watch that GCM.

However, if you ditch the passenger..........

150kg for passangers.... Hmmm, me and my Pug - Wes and that's about stuffed....

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

Sadly, I cannot find any articles be reputable authors.
I can, however, find information on various vehicles. Using the D max, as an example, it is rated by the manufacturer to tow 3.5t and yet the vehicle itself weighs half that.
https://www.isuzuute.com.au/media/do...tion_Sheet.pdf

Tail wagging the Dog !! . Agree there are plenty of car manufacturers that place a 3500Kg towing capacity on there vehicles , nobody is saying that a vehicle can not tow 3500Kg .

Don Athaldo pulled a bus with his Teeth using a rope but what learned authors including the Caravan Council Of Australia are saying that it can become inherently unstable given the right circumstnces to tow a trailer that is heavier than the tug and suggest a trailer wieght that is about 80% of the tugs loaded weight and 10% Ball weight is considered safe to handle most obverse situations .

I noticed a twin cab ute this morning coming towards me towing a block of flats with its front end porposing up and down , obviously to much weight on the rear , he must have been experiencing understeer and a scary ride . Any way thats my take on it .

Originally Posted by Fatso

Tail wagging the Dog !! . Agree there are plenty of car manufacturers that place a 3500Kg towing capacity on there vehicles , nobody is saying that a vehicle can not tow 3500Kg .

Don Athaldo pulled a bus with his Teeth using a rope but what learned authors including the Caravan Council Of Australia are saying that it can become inherently unstable given the right circumstnces to tow a trailer that is heavier than the tug and suggest a trailer wieght that is about 80% of the tugs loaded weight and 10% Ball weight is considered safe to handle most obverse situations .

I noticed a twin cab ute this morning coming towards me towing a block of flats with its front end porposing up and down , obviously to much weight on the rear , he must have been experiencing understeer and a scary ride . Any way thats my take on it .

Again, you are posting opinion without reference.
Where is this caravan council thing and do they have any legal jurisdiction?
Link please.

I read an article the other day....maybe the link was on here dunno..either way

It was Clayton’s Towing.....and they clearly state it there own opinions and mention they are not engineers or experts about Caravan accidents.

Interesting comments about WDH and brake controllers

Caravan Crashes - Our Opinion As To Why | Clayton's Towing