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Home The Truck Friendly program offers general caravan and truck safety tips so that we all get home safely.

Another great Article & awareness for vehicle owners.

Home The Truck Friendly program offers general caravan and truck safety tips so that we all get home safely.

Don't tow the line of safety when it comes to your trip: hints and tips for towing - Queensland Police News Almost half of all crashes in 2020 and 2021 involving a vehicle towing a caravan and deemed to be at fault, were caused by either the caravan or tow

HOW CAN WE ALL HELP MAKE OUR TRIP MORE ENJOYABLE AND SAFER FOR EVERYONE?

Most RV drivers and caravanners want to help other road users, but as most of us have not actually been in a large vehicle like a truck, or driven a fully loaded semi-trailer on the highway, only a few of us know actually how we can help.

Many think they are helping when in fact may actually be making the situation worse by their lack of knowledge and understanding of what is needed.

One often overlooked problem is lights.

LIGHTS

Remember that when you attach a heavy caravan on to your car’s tow bar your car will sag at the rear to some extent. This will have the effect of raising the front of your tow vehicle and altering the angle of your headlights. Low beam will now look like high beam to oncoming drivers and may blind them.

There is no substitute to correct loading of your caravan however, a good set of properly adjusted weight distribution hitches or better suspension, if needed and set up correctly may help limit this tow vehicle sag and make life more comfortable and safer for approaching drivers. This will also help reduce driver fatigue from drivers constantly looking at oncoming bright lights.

Most vehicles will still porpoise to some extent making lights shine up and down as they travel on uneven highways and roads. These flashing lights can be just as annoying.

Be aware of other drivers and the effect that your rig, and your drivers actions may have on their comfort, safety and driving experience. Hopefully they will also learn to do the same for you.

Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Let's all work together to help make our roads a safer place for all.

Cheers
Ken Wilson
www.truckfriendly.com.au

THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A NEW TOW VEHICLE.

Jenny and I are currently downsizing and going back to just one vehicle. We have recently sold our 200 Series Landcruiser that had a Lovells GVM, GCM and braked towing upgrade to 4 T. This was our tow vehicle for our 20’ New Age Oz Classic which we have also just sold with the help of Takalvans/New Age Bundaberg.

Our older Hyundai Imax is now sold as it was used for transporting clients for Jenny’s Family Day Care business and my work as a disability support worker.

We needed a vehicle that served several purposes and fitted our budget. An around town and trip comfortable reliable vehicle, a car that can transport children in car seats (Isofix car seats), easy for disability clients to get into and a reliable tow vehicle for our caravan. The Landcruiser with its 70mm suspension lift was too high for most disabled clients.

For us, we found the Ford Ranger dual cab ute was the best fit for our needs.

As I have explained many times on this page and on the web site, the advertised 3.5t towing capacity of these and similar utes is just laughable in a real-life situation. It is far more like 2.8t when loaded, accessories and driver and passengers included.

Therefore, our very much loved, 3.3 Tonne ATM Oz Classic van was far too heavy for the new Ranger.

This van was replaced with a 700 kg lighter 2015 Coromal 632 van, which is very similar to our previous van and has the much-loved Fleetwood chassis.
I will be writing an article or two on setting up this new rig (Ranger and Coromal) in coming weeks after we have all the setup right and weighed.

There are some surprises, some challenges, and we are working through them. There are things to be added, like a grey water tank, and some things we may not be able to take, but will get an initial weight first.

At Truck Friendly we are often asked, “What is the best tow vehicle for a caravan”?

HOW TO FIND THE BEST TOW VEHICLE.?

The answer is that there is no one vehicle that suits all families, circumstances, and all caravans. However, we have put together the main things to consider when purchasing a new tow vehicle for your caravan, boat or horse float.

Match the caravan to the tow vehicle, or the tow vehicle to the caravan. It is your preference, but you do need to match them.

POWER and TORQUE
This is often one of the main areas of discussion on social media when this question is asked. However, as you will quickly see there is far more considerations to keep in mind.

Simply – The more TORQUE an engine has, the better it is suited for towing heavy trailers / caravans and for climbing steep grades. It is usually measured at the engine revolutions that provide the most output.

HORSEPOWER on the other hand measures the engines overall performance across all conditions.
High horsepower and high torque engines are needed to tow heavy vans and maintain speeds up hills. Many refer to it as ‘having heaps of grunt’.

The new tow vehicle must have the power and torque to tow the caravan, horse float or camper trailer that you have or intend to purchase. Then have some extra in reserve.
While the V8 Diesel is still the preferred option for many large caravan owners the petrol models are starting to make their mark.

Large diesel motors usually have the torque to help maintain power when needed and the reliability proven over the years. It is not uncommon to see big diesel tow vehicles with several hundred thousand kilometres on the speedo still happily pulling big vans around Australia.

Always be cautious of the smaller motors that rely on turbo chargers to run motors at maximum power as some may struggle when sheer grunt is needed.
Motors and models are always changing so do your homework by checking and comparing torque and power ratings, while asking around for recommendations.

SIZE
Every family have their own needs, and carry different amounts of people, luggage, camping gear and, are required to tow different size and weight caravans or camper trailers.

Family needs change and it is personal choice as to whether you feel the need for a 2-, 5- or 8-seater vehicle to fit all the family and friends in. Extra space is needed for children’s car seats.

The more seats you have is usually at the expense of cargo space, so the dual cab utes provide a happy medium for many younger families.

Like all vehicles they do have their limitations, and many can tow larger vans and carry a tonne of load but DEFINITELY NOT at the same time. This article explains more on that subject. https://www.truckfriendly.com.au/the-dual-cab-ute-marketing-hype/

For safe towing it is strongly recommended that the loaded TOW VEHICLE SHOULD BE HEAVIER THAN THE CARAVAN that it is towing. A light tow vehicle can be thrown around by a heavy caravan and result in dangerous caravan sway and rollover. It is basic physics.

Try picking up a small child and toss them around (safely). Then pick up a larger older child and do the same. You will find that, you, as the heavier person will easily stay in place with the small child, however, be moved around yourself when with the heavier older child.

It is the same with the tow vehicle and van. When the van (child) is heavier, it can easily move the tow vehicle (you) around and be tossed out of control far more easily than when the tow vehicle is much heavier than a lighter van under tow.

All the electronic add on equipment will not change that fact of physics. The electronic or mechanical equipment can only work to help minimise the effect once it starts. It may assist fixing a symptom, BUT NOT the actual problem.

RATINGS
Every vehicle has its towing and weight limits. These are expressed in the limits placed by the manufacturer for that particular vehicle, make and model. They can vary greatly between individual models, so check your exact make, model and year.
Exceeding these limits may mean your vehicle is overloaded, unroadworthy and therefore not permitted on the roads. Almost all insurance policies will have an exclusion of cover for any vehicle that is overloaded and / or a vehicle that is unroadworthy.

What is the ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) and TBM (Tow Ball Mass) of the caravan, boat or fully loaded horse float that you want to tow or purchase, now or in the future?

The tow vehicle will have many ratings to cover different aspects of the vehicle, however, the following are the main ratings.

GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) This is this maximum weight that the tow vehicle can weight, fully loaded and includes ALL accessories and aftermarket kits, canopy, bull bar, roof racks, luggage, camping gear, fridge, fridge slide, tow hitch and all people that will travel in the vehicle including driver and passengers. It will also include the tow ball weight of the caravan once connected.

TBW (Tow Ball Weight) This is the maximum download that the vehicle can have on the tow ball of the vehicle. It should also be noted that the tow bar itself must comply with the same rating or the lesser of the two will apply. What is the weight of the tow ball on the caravan or float?

CAUTION – some vehicles may have lighter towbars fitted so please check prior to connecting your van. There is also an article on our web site regarding the rating differences of adjustable tow hitches that may look the same.

GCM (Gross Combined Mass) This is the maximum weight the tow vehicle can safety move. It includes the tow vehicle, fully loaded (GVM) plus the fully loaded caravan (ATM). Follow the link above for an explanation regarding the dual cab utes and explanation of GCM ratings.

Many do not take the GCM into consideration when adding boats and other accessories to their vehicle loads.

For example: – The average dual cab ute has a weight of approx. 2,200 (Kerb Weight), a GVM of 3,200 kgs and a GCM of 6,000 kgs.

This means, with a 6,000 GCM, if you want to tow a 3,500 kg caravan with the dual cab ute you only have 2,500 kgs (6,000 less 3,500 = 2,500) for the vehicle and all load, accessories and passengers. If the vehicle itself weights 2,200 kgs then there is only 300 kgs left for all load, passengers and accessories. (6,000 less 3,500 and less vehicle weight of 2,200 = 300.)

That boat that many are carrying on the roof may well be illegal in many cases.

The Tow Ball Weight will transfer to the tow vehicle once connected but for ease of GCM calculations the GVM and ATM can be used initially.

Once connected, the Tow Ball Weight becomes part of the tow vehicles GVM and the caravan / trailer GTM (Gross Combined Mass) is used. I added this for the purists who will point it out if I don’t.

Buy a tow vehicle that fits your needs and that of what you want to tow.
It can be very expensive selling your vehicles and upgrading because you failed to do your homework to start with.

SHAPE and DESIGN
Shape and design may sound an unusual thing to consider for a tow vehicle, however the shape or design can have a very high impact on the stable towing ability of the vehicle.

For example, THE BEST DESIGN IS TO HAVE THE TOW BALL AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE REAR AXLE.

The 5th wheeler caravans are becoming more popular, in part, because they are far more stable than a traditional ‘pig’ trailer caravan design. The 5th wheeler trailer attachments directly over the rear axle provides the most stable connection and reduces dangerous caravan sway to negligible levels in most cases. This is similar to the semi-trailers used extensively throughout the world.

Any good tow vehicle will have a short overhang past the rear axle and as short a tow hitch as practical. This will help reduce the impact of caravan sway on the caravan and on the tow vehicle.

The longer the distance the more pronounced any movement will be once sway starts.

The longer the overhang to the tow hitch, the more leverage the weight of the caravan will impact the rear suspension and conversely raise weight off the front suspension, reducing traction, steering and potentially overloading the rear axle and suspension maximum weights.

Many utes, including some larger American utes can suffer from overloaded rear axle weights when towing a large trailer, float or caravan.

The rear axle being overweight is one of the most common things found with the random Qld Police checks in recent times.
A 300 kg ball weight may mean 450 kgs on the rear axle due to the leverage effect described above and below. (150%)

SUSPENSION
The caravan will attach to the tow hitch at the rear of the tow vehicle. This will apply heavy weights at the point of attachment that will lever the front of the vehicle upwards as a result. The more the rear suspension is compressed the higher the front will lift.

If the tow vehicle is not designed to have such a heavy load on the rear tow ball, the vehicle can easily become unstable and dangerous to drive and control with reduced braking, traction and steering.

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TO CHOSE A VEHICLE WITH THE SUSPENSION TO SAFELY HANDLE SUCH LOADS. A suspension upgrade by a professional may be the answer in some cases.

Weight Distribution Hitches are common accessories for caravanners, and they help transfer some of the rear axle weight to the front axle of the tow vehicle for more level, stable and safer towing.

HOWEVER, in many cases they are wrongly used to hide a bigger problem, of faulty or inadequate suspension. The faulty suspension will still be there.
FIX THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SYMPTOM.

Many manufacturers do not recommend the use of weight distribution hitches on their vehicles, while others state they are required for towing heavy trailers. Check with your manufacturers recommendations as your insurance may be voided if not following recommendations.

Check with a suspension expert before using any weight distribution hitch. Overstressing the WDH can cause chassis damage. A panel be**er advised that I would be surprised as to how many quotes he is asked to do to repair chassis damage caused by towing a large trailer, float of caravan. He said the insurance companies usually do not cover this type of damage.

There are many things to consider when matching a new tow vehicle with your, and your family needs and the caravan that you intend to tow safely and legally.

I trust that this article has helped you understand some of the things you need to consider to safety enjoy your caravanning experience, by doing some homework before you set off on that ‘big lap’ trip.

Stay safe.
Ken Wilson

www.truckfriendly.com.au

Note: Your vehicle needs to be setup to suit & tow your application.

FACT OR FICTION – WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION HITCHES (WDH)

Ken Wilson from Truck Friendly caravan road safety program looks at the misinformation and facts on these towing aids.

“I support the correct use of any safety towing aid as an extra safety measure, when needed.
HOWEVER:- I recommend that drivers FIX THE PROBLEM AND NOT THE SYMPTOM of any problem.” Ken advises.

If your vehicle and/ or it’s suspension is not up to the task, your van is not loaded properly, or you are overloaded, a WDH WILL NOT FIX THAT.

The problem will still be there, so fix the problem first, then see if you need a WDH as an extra safety feature and fine tuning.

Many experienced caravanners do not use them, while others find them a great help to towing safety. It is personal choice and different for each van set up.

Some vehicle manufacturers do not recommend the use of WDH’s on their vehicles for numerous reasons, including possible chassis damage, interfering with stability control, and air suspension etc., while other manufacturers recommend they be used if towing near maximum capacity.

My previous Lovells GVM, GCM and braked towing capacity upgraded 200 Series Landcruiser is one such vehicle.

A panel be**er I spoke to advised that he has seen numerous vehicles with chassis damage that were not covered by the vehicle insurer.

FIRSTLY, they are weight distribution hitches (WDH’s) or load levellers as some call them. They are NOT anti-sway bars. Taking advise from someone who does not know what they are called is not recommended.

Sway bars are very different, and do a different job, however, combinations can be purchased but are rare. For example, I use a Fastway E2 combination WDH and anti sway set up from Titan RV on my Ranger and van.

Ask most people how a weight distribution hitch works, and they will tell you that they transfer tow weight from the rear wheels/axle of a tow vehicle onto the front wheels/axle, therefore improving ride level and restoring steering and braking.

What they do has been covered to death on other internet and Facebook articles.

While basically correct, that description is, what they do, and NOT how they work.
A subtle difference I know, but it is vitally important to understand, how they do what they do before fitting one.

They do not reduce the tow ball weight. Some roads inspectors or police may want them removed before weighing and others may leave them on. However, they cannot weigh your tow ball with them fitted. So they will be taken of for that.

SO HOW DO THEY WORK?

Basically, they torque the vehicle’s tow bar by levering a 100mm or 4 inch (approx.) vertical receiver to the extent that it applies enough torque to override and compress the vehicles spring tension on the vehicle suspension to the front of the vehicle some 4 to 5 meters from the tow hitch.

You may want to read that again.

Try and do that without a very long leverage bar and a lot of stress on components and fittings.

These extreme forces can cause damage to the tow bar, mountings and vehicle chassis of any vehicle that is not designed to tolerate such forces. Any vehicle that has WDH’s fitted should also be extremely careful going through culverts or gutters etc with them connected, as sudden shock will stress some components and fittings to breaking point.

Understanding this, will also help knowing NOT to over stress them when tensioning them. If you need to use extreme force to engage them at your preferred tension, then maybe you need to look at other suspension or loading problems and causes.

I give the example of a boat with a small outboard motor fitted to the rear / transom.

By pushing forward on the top of the outboard motor and pulling back on a part of the motor shaft only 100mm further down try and dip the bow of the boat further into the water.

The stresses are extreme and if using leverage bars, you risk damaging the outboard mounting or transom.

While spring tensions and distances vary, this is about the same as the stress WHD’s puts on the tow vehicle components and fittings to lower the vehicle front suspension.

Now try the same and keep the boat bow at the same position when waves come and hit the front of the boat trying to lift it. This can be like driving over a culvert or gutter with WDH’s suddenly increasing the stress shock on components.

Weight distribution hitches are a popular and safe towing aide when used properly, on the right vehicle, for the right reason and adjusted correctly.

Do not just fit one because your friend has them or the previous van owner used one.

Get a suspension / towing professional to check your particular vehicle and caravan set up to see, if there is a problem, and the correct way to fix the problem and not just hide a symptom.

Check out the web site for more towing tips and advice.

Stay safe
Cheers
Ken Wilson
Truck Friendly caravan road safety program

TARE MASS – WHAT IS IT, AND SHOULD WE WORRY ABOUT IT?
Ken Wilson, manager of the Truck Friendly caravan road safety program reports on confusion around the Tare weight or mass on many caravans.

There are many complaints from purchasers of new and second-hand caravans, that they have weighed their brand-new caravan and it is heavier than the tare weight stamped on the trailer plate.

It is a common complaint and cause for much negative comments on social media and the recent ACCC investigation into the caravan industry.

So, let’s look at the issue, starting with a SIMPLE definition of what is the Tare weight.
TARE MASS is the weight of the caravan as supplied by the manufacturer before any fluids, accessories and load are included. It is established by actually weighing the caravan, or is it?

In the case of your tow vehicle,

TARE is the weight as supplied by the manufacturer with 10 litres of fuel.

KERB WEIGHT on the other hand is the same as TARE but with a FULL tank of fuel. A subtle difference with many vehicle owner’s manuals quoting Kerb Weight. In the case of the Landcruiser with its large fuel tank, the difference can be approx. 100kgs.

Back to caravans.

We contacted several caravan manufacturers and asked how do the caravan manufacturers weigh their caravans?

There are different ways to establish a tare weight.

Manufacturers may weigh each van individually after manufacturer and place that weight on the trailer plate.

However, the manufactures who mass produce caravans many take a random sample of a few caravans of the same design & model, weigh them, and use the average result and put that figure on the trailer plate.

Manufacturers like Evernew and some others, only sell direct from their factory, designed, and built each to the buyers’ individual specifications. They build what could be termed, ‘one off’ vans. In their case they will take the fully completed caravan over the weighbridge and record that weight as ‘Tare’.

This quote from Richard Metcalfe, at Evernew Caravans was included in his answer to my enquiry: -
“Evernew are lucky, we design, manufacture and sell direct from our facility in Ivanhoe, Melbourne. This allows us to design and manufacture our custom-made vans with all customers required features and options prior to physically weighing each and every van at a licensed weigh station. This gives our customers the satisfaction that the tare weight engraved on the ID plate is accurate and verifiable. Our tare weight includes all standard features, all customer requested options that are fixed to the van (either permanently or bolt-on). We weigh vans as per Australian standards requirements Eg: No water & No gas.

Again, we are fortunate to have full control over the entire design process. We are able to allow (in the design phase) what the approximate tare weight will be and then allow an appropriate loading capacity for the size, type and configuration of each van. We design with the appropriate suspension, brakes, tyres and chassis size to accommodate a “more than adequate” loading capacity as well as keeping within the limitations of the designated tow vehicle.” End of quote.

Many people will pick up a caravan from a dealer and complain about it not being at tare weight from the dealer’s lot.

Prior to delivery to the customer, or in many cases prior to placing the van on the lot, the dealer will add any accessories onto the caravan to make it more attractive for sale and add any accessories like extra solar panels, grey water tanks etc. requested by the customer purchasing the van. They will then usually do a predelivery check and add water to the plumbing system and hot water tank for testing. Gas will also be added to the previously empty gas tanks. Awning may also be attached before or after tare is established.

It should be noted at this point that the water in the caravan water tanks is NOT included in the tare, but is actually a weight to add onto the load added to your caravan with all your 'stuff'. (I Litre of water weighs 1 Kilogram)

While I do not for one-minute state that no errors or inconsistencies do exist with the stamped tare weight, it would be very unrealistic to expect a delivered van to be at the exact stamped tare weight.

Hopefully, the new regulations that came into effect this year will bring a more consistent standard of more accurate weights on van plates.

Therefore, I SUGGEST THAT YOU DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TARE WEIGHT.

No driver, to my knowledge has ever been nor could be fined for being over the tare weight stamped on the trailer plate. If you are pulled up, how can they weight it anyway.

So how does tare weight affect the driver of the caravan rig?

Well basically it doesn’t affect the driver at all.

Many people take the stamped Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) and take away Tare Weight to find the load capacity of the trailer. As we have just seen the stamped tare weight cannot be relied upon and often the owner adds other accessories and items. Mattress, storage boxes and pole tubes etc.

Therefore, a whole new weight must be established as a starting point, a new tare if you wish, before you weigh each plate, food, cloths, cooking and camping gear item added to the van. Doing it this way will be time consuming and need to be repeated for each trip and items are added and removed.

The advice from Truck Friendly is do not rely on, nor worry about the tare weight and concentrate on the Aggregate Trailer Mass, (ATM), tow ball weight (TBW) and Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) weights.

ATM is the total weight of the caravan including weight on the tyres and jockey wheel.

GTM is the total weight on the caravan wheels and excludes the weight on the tow hitch which is transferred to the tow vehicle on hook up.

TBW or Tow ball weight for the average Australian van should be approximately 10% of the ATM to help ensure a stable towing experience. It should also be less than any maximum weight that stamped on the tow vehicle tow bar and vehicle plate.

Load your van with all your ‘stuff’, fill your water and gas tanks when you are preparing for your next trip, and take the caravan over a weigh bridge. Compare that with the above ATM and GTM trailer plate figures stamped on your caravan. If over-weight, throw out some stuff. If under those figures, you have done very well.

KEN’S TIP : -Truck Friendly recommend that you use a mobile scales company once a year, as they will weigh each individual tyre, axle and your tow ball’ This will give you a very clear idea on how you are going and where the weight actually sits on your caravan and tow vehicle for better stability and far safer towing.
A weighbridge can also offer various services that will assist in understanding your true and legal caravan and tow vehicle weights.

You will also help stop dangerous caravan sway from having a badly loaded caravan and too much weight in the rear.

Stay safe.
Ken Wilson

‘NOTE - Photo is for sample purposes only’

Is your Trailer Set up Weighing you down?

Do you understand ATM, GTM, TBM, Axle weights, and how the balance of your trailer can affect your tow vehicle and how your set up behaves when you Travel.

We not only weigh your setup but help you get a better understanding & get you setup correctly & balanced to travel safely & legally.

Why not just go to your local Public weighbridge?
Public weighbridges are not set up to provide detailed weight information to travel safe.
They only provide an overall weight of your setup.
They do not weigh individual axles like the Authorities do
You may be within your vehicles GVM/GCM/ATM/GTM limits but if your axle weights are over you do not comply.
They do not aid in Weight Distribution or provide Safety Assessments.

We will assist you with any issues we come across and hopefully sorted on the day, if not we will provide solutions for your safety and a better travelling experience

It is very important to get an understanding of all your weights not just overall as being over on any of your limits may result in penalties or Insurance declined (if involved in an accident)
If you are pulled over for roadside inspection/weight check & found to be overweight you will not be able to travel any further until the issue has been rectified otherwise pay to be towed away.

*If using a Public Weighbridge ensure they zero the bridge before moving forward or some they may tell you to remember the number and just subtract that from your total.

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https://bit.ly/Seasons-Of-East-Arnhem-Land

Photo: Scenebysars on Central Arnhem Road

GVM & GCM Limits & Upgrades

Finding that your vehicle & setup is on its limits or overweight according to manufacturer build plate. Your not alone, its very common these days with more people travelling with bigger trailers and more gear. It doesnt take much and some Crew cab utilities having the least amount of carrying capacity with most being overloaded before they even connect the trailer.

You have options for GVM & GCM Upgrades for most vehicles which with a few upgrades you can legally tow and travel.

We can talk more about this once we meet and weigh your vehicle and trailer.
Call us today to discuss further ☎️0422 892 001

Vehicle Weights
What do these acronyms and the numbers mean?

GVM - Gross vehicle mass-
This is the maximum your car is allowed to weigh

GCM- Gross combined mass -
This is the total your car and its trailer is allowed to weigh

To accurately measure these figures we use professional calibrated scales under each wheel which in turn not only gives us overall weight but a reading for each wheel & axle group.

Our service will aid in assisting people who have or maybe looking at modifying there vehicle or getting a better balance overall whether it be 4x4, Racing, Track/offroad vehicle.

Are you ready to travel? We are here to help
We're in SA & We're Local

Have you modified or made changes to your vehicle or combination & want to know what it weighs?

Do you know the following terms and the legal limits?
Axle weights, GVM, GCM, TBM, ATM, GTM

Vehicles, 4x4s, Caravans, Race cars, Toy Haulers, Work trailers, Plant & Equipment, or anything else upto 6T (on wheels or stationery items)

Book in to check your weights today & discuss any improvements. We also provide many options for upgrades, modifications & custom fabrication.