Pull Your Weight

Looking forward to working alongside Mornington Police. See you there. 🙂

Join us at the Mornington Homemaker Centre on Sat, 24th Feb between 10am & 3pm for Operation Know Your Limit! 🚓
Get tips from Mornington Police on safe towing practices.

Members will be in attendance to answer your questions and provide advice on safe towing and loading procedures.

Learn about Gross Vehicle Mass, Gross Trailer Mass, Tow Ball Weights etc.🚚

A demonstration vehicle will be displayed to provide road users with a greater understanding of correctly loaded car/trailer combinations.

The Mornington Lions Club sausage sizzle will keep you well-fed.

Open for all - families welcome! 🎉💕 🌭🚗👮‍♂️

BOS Jockey wheels, are 100% Australian family owned and operated. The first in the world to have designed and patented a geared Drilled operated jockey unit.
Call Rich on 0493 475 227 for details.

Its been a while since our last post. Pull Your Weight has been super busy with people wanting to head off to catch some winter sun. Lucky buggers!!
The Great Outdoor and 4x4 Expo, Mornington, was fabulous and we were run off our feet. We even got the kids involved running the stand!
We've also upgraded our own caravan and are excited to be planning our own trip away. Any tips for 8 weeks in WA, with 2 teenagers and a dog would be greatly appreciated!!

This weekend is The Great Outdoors and 4x4 Expo at Mornington Racecourse.
Come and visit us at stand 89.

2 More sleeps to go until the Mornington Great Outdoor and 4x4 Expo. Look out for us at stand 89. See you there .

You've worked hard for that caravan and holiday! Make sure its in good hands when you get it weighed...
Check the reviews
Are their scales used from an approved NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) supplier?
Is there a detailed report following the weigh?
Are identified issues discussed and advice given?

😃If the answers are "YES", you're probably talking to PULL YOUR WEIGHT!! 😃

Santa gets his sleigh weighed before delivering presents. 🎅🏽🎁
Make sure you're OK to Pull Your Weight before heading off for Christmas.
Get your caravan weighed ⚖️

Pull Your Weight Is your tow vehicle, van, or both overweight? We come to you and weigh your car, caravan, boat, jet

'Pull Your Weight' is a mobile caravan weighing service based on the beautiful Mornington Peninsula.
We come to you and weight your car and/or caravan, trailer or boat, which you can load up to your intended driving weight.

Check our website for more details - www.pullyourweight.com.au

Hopefully you're all staying safe and dry. Let us know where you are in Australia... Wet or Dry?? ☀️🌧

When you want to know your precious cargo is safe, call Pull Your Weight. We loved meeting Ollie this week. Not only do we now know the weight of the car and trailer, but the horse as well! If you tow it we can weigh it.

This Mornington family were packed up and ready to head off to beautiful Wilson Prom for the weekend.
No matter how far, or how long you're going for, checking your weight is essential. We also provide advice on weight distribution to keep you and your passengers travelling safely.

Weighed in Mount Martha on Sunday, now well on the way to WA. Safe travels. 😎

Another good read.

WHAT THE SALESPERSON DOESN’T TELL YOU BUT YOU NEED TO KNOW.

The need for all drivers to do their research and sums when purchasing a new tow vehicle or caravan cannot be overstated.
It is vital to know what you can and can't tow with any vehicle. This also varies from driver, and passengers to driver and passengers.

Some of us like to travel light, and others take two kitchen sinks, two air fryers, and other 'stuff' that all has weight that we may not have the ability to legally carry.

With the recent ACCC enquiry on Caravan sales, it might be timely to share this article I wrote on how people can easily be misled by the sales hype around caravan tow vehicles.

We do not always get all the information unless we do our own research.

There is still some confusion of what real life fact and social media and marketing hype is.

In this article I have used the popular dual cab utes as an example, however I have also written similar articles on the 200 Series Landcruiser and it's low 610 kgs load carrying capacity.

While the figurers vary for other types of vehicles the sums are the same.

Many caravanners have purchased a dual cab ute to tow a caravan - me included.

While brands and models vary, most are similar in load and towing capacity. The introduction of the American utes has however, opened the field slightly in recent years but are not immune to the sales hype and drivers over estimating the real life towing capacity and axle loadings.

WHAT YOU MAY BE TOLD IS……..

The vehicle has a 3.5 t towing capacity. Look at this glossy brochure picture and the TV adds….. (Often showing the vehicle illegally towing a large caravan without the legally required towing mirrors, but I digress)

However, the typical Japanese style dual cab ute on the roads towing a caravan will typically have a GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) of approx. 3,200 kgs and a GCM (Gross Combined Mass) of 6,000kgs. (approx.) These include the Ford, Mazda, Holden, Isuzu, VW and others.

So, what does that mean.

It simply means that you cannot legally load your ute to an extent where the ute itself, and the load it is carrying can exceed 3,200kgs as defined by the manufacturers GVM. (Includes driver and passengers)

Your vehicle will be overloaded, unroadworthy and insurance voided if you do.

It also means that you cannot tow any trailer or caravan so that the combined weight (GCM) of the loaded ute, driver, passengers, all accessories including canopy, bulbar, tow hitch etc, and towed trailer / caravan combined weigh is more than 6,000kg, the GCM weight defined by the manufacturer.

The Kerb weight of these ute is typically around 2,200kgs. (approx.) This gives a total load capacity of approx. 1,000kgs. (3,200 GVM minus 2,200 kerb weight equals 1,000) More than adequate for most jobs, except towing.

I was told by a used vehicle salesperson in Bundaberg recently that the Kerb weight included driver and passengers. This is absolute garbage and I told him so.

Note: - Kerb weight includes a full tank of fuel. Tare weight includes only 10 lt of fuel, so we need to use the more realistic Kerb weight, or you will run out of fuel very quickly. No other load, including driver and passengers are included in those figurers.

Bull bars, canopies, tow hitches and any other accessories are not included in Kerb or tare weights.

NOW WHAT ARE YOU NOT BEING TOLD BY THE SALESPERSON?

THIS IS WHERE WE GET INTO THE MARKETING HYPE THAT THE SALESPEOPLE DON’T LIKE TO TELL YOU.

These utes are marketed as being able to tow a caravan / boat / horse float up to 3,500kg, and yes, they can - officially. However, there is usually no mention of other load limits like the often-forgotten (GCM) Gross Combined Mass.

Safe towing practice recommends the tow vehicle should always be heavier than any ‘Pig’ trailer that it is towing. It is very basic physics where a heavier vehicle will push a lighter vehicle around and not the visa versa. So, a 3,200 GVM tow vehicle shouldn’t tow a 3,500kg trailer, but let’s look past this safety point.

The caravans of this weight should also typically have approx. 350kgs of weight (10%) on the tow ball to help ensure good and safe towing practice.

If the Gross Combined Weight (GCM) is 6,000 kgs and you are towing a caravan weighing 3,500kgs then that only leaves 2,500kgs for the total weight of the ute, driver, passengers, accessories, and its load. (6,000 GCM minus 3,500 van weight equals 2,500 left over in the GCM)

Adjust the figures for the weight of your caravan.

THEREFORE: - while towing a large caravan you can only load your ute so that the total weight of the fully loaded ute and all passengers does not exceed the remaining GVM, in this case 2,500kgs.

The legally allowed weight of the ute has now dropped from 3,200kgs to 2,500 kgs a reduction of 700 kgs less load allowed in the ute. (adjust the figures for your own caravan weight etc.)

As the utes actual weight (Kerb Weight) will remain the same, then the reduction in allowed ute weight MUST come off the load that you put in it. In this case the 1,000kg load capacity has shrunk to just 300kg. (1,000 less a 700 kg loss of GCM allowance equals 300)

IN SUMMARY a 2,200 kg (Kerb weight) ute will have only 300kgs left for people, all accessories, added extras (2,200 plus 300 equals 2,500) and load to tow a 3,500kg caravan and leave NO allowance for safety to stay under the 6,000kg manufacturers legally binding GCM. (2,500 plus 3,500 equals 6,000)

Towing a 2,800kg caravan will leave 3,200 kgs left or, the original GVM allowed for the ute, but with no safety margin. The heavier the van, the less in the ute and vice versa.

NOTE: - The van weight when towed will reduce by 350kgs (or actual tow ball weight) as the tow ball weight is attached to the vehicle tow ball. This transfers weight from the towed caravan onto the load of the ute which has a NEUTRAL EFFECT on the GCM weight but adds 350kgs to the load of the ute, so it also needs to be factored in when weighing the utes actual GVM.

REMEMBER: - the 'load' weight includes all driver and passengers, the bull bar, roof racks, and do not forget the f/glass canopy, drawers, and any other accessories. Your fridge, booze, tools, and recovery gear are also load.

These utes have a large tray, and it is extremely easy to see the big space and fill it with ‘stuff’ and easily overload your vehicle.

Overloaded vehicles are unsafe, unroadworthy and your vehicle insurance will exclude cover for both unroadworthy and overloaded vehicles. Read your insurance policy fine print.

The dual cab utes can be a great and very popular vehicle, however, like any vehicle they all have limitations on load carrying capacity. In this case it can be deceptive if you do not do your homework.

As a side note also watch the weight that you put on the rear of any utes as the cab and tray are separate and only joined by the chassis rail. This can be a weak spot and many have cracked the chassis rail when they overloaded the rear and went over bumps etc. A Google search will show many photos of this.

All vehicles have different load and towing capacities. This is just one example of how the advertising hype is often not realistic in the real world.

Please do your sums and get you rig weighed to help ensure that your insurance will pay out in the event of an accident.

Follow us on Facebook and check out the web site for more safe towing advice.

Stay safe everyone.

Cheers
Ken Wilson

Another article on the perils of not being aware of your combined car & van weights.
Remove the complacency by getting weighed, at home, before you set off on your next adventure.

Caravanning is in the Aussie blood, but 'dangerous' ignorance makes for horror holidays After horror accidents and costly fines for drivers, there are calls for stricter requirements and education in a caravan industry that some say has jumped the gun in terms of after-sales service.

Some useful towing hints & tips courtesy of Queensland Police.

https://mypolice.qld.gov.au/news/2022/06/27/dont-tow-the-line-of-safety-when-it-comes-to-your-trip-hints-and-tips-for-towing/

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

Pull Your Weight can weigh your caravan and vehicle . We can also advise on distribution of weight.

'You can't take everything': Caravan crackdown reveals widespread weight problem — ABC News Caravan owners are being urged to weigh their rigs after a recent blitz found most of the vehicles were either over the weight limit or had issues with load distribution.

Is your tow vehicle, van, or both overweight? We come to you and weigh your car, caravan, boat, jet-ski, horse float, in fact, any recreational vehicle that is taken on the road.

Mobile Weighing | Pull Your Weight We come to you and weigh your caravan, boat or trailer along with the towing vehicle, fully loaded. A certificate of weight is provided so you can ensure compliance with maximum towing weights.

https://www.caravancampingsales.com.au/editorial/details/overweight-vans-caught-in-blitz-58605/

Overweight caravans on our roads is a very real problem, which is where Pull Your Weight can help.
Contact us today to find out how we can help with ensuring you're not one of the estimated 60% overweight vans.