The importance of adhering to your ATM

[TramcarTrev]

I notice all of a sudden (maybe a blitz) that RMS inspectors are inspecting vans particularly on the Hume and Burley Griffin Way. If your GVM is 4500kg or over they can do this. If they suspect you are not loaded correctly or are over weight they can do this, if they think your van is over the weight allowed by the towing vehicle they can do this….
In 35 years towing a van I have been checked twice then in the last month I have seen the checking being done at roadside stops on the HUME and Burley Griffin Way….
Not sure what the fines are but you can bet its not going to be irrelevant….

[TramcarTrev]

I am amased. Am I to believe that manufacturers can increase the atm without any modifications to the van? If so, why dont they do this in the first place? Sounds like the sunday school luck dip!

Perhaps I am missing something?

There was one Van RETAILER in Echuca selling vans without compliance plates on them. He would supply a compliance plate to fit the van buyers spec…..
A mate and I were looking at his vans and said we could not see the weights on them and his (or the salesmans) response was that he could supply a van within the weight capacity to suit your vehicle….
Dont be to amazed….

[GerryP]

I certainly agree with OT in that sales is the influencing factor here. I have had two van’s ATM upgraded with little or no modification. The actual limiting factors are chassis spec’s, brakes (no off & size) and tyres. As OT states, the ATM is often reduced to just below 2500 or 3000, to increase the potential range of legal tow vehicles.

Gerry

[J.REEVES]

Hi Zal,
I must agree with OT,
Van manufacturers sometimes grade the ATM to fit into the popular tow vehicles. I have even seen some just go under the 2tonne so they don’t need to fit a breakaway brake system.

With a family of four I would be looking for a van that can carry a payload of 600Kgs to reach the ATM value so if a van has say a TARE of 2.2 tonne the ATM would best be 2.8 tonne. You have already lost about 200 to 250Kgs in water and gas.

Many manufactures are way out on their TARE weight so what is marked at say 2200Kgs could be really 2250Kgs or even higher and once you have the van it is your problem.

JR

[TramcarTrev]

Hi Zal,
I must agree with OT,
Van manufacturers sometimes grade the ATM to fit into the popular tow vehicles. I have even seen some just go under the 2tonne so they don’t need to fit a breakaway brake system.

With a family of four I would be looking for a van that can carry a payload of 600Kgs to reach the ATM value so if a van has say a TARE of 2.2 tonne the ATM would best be 2.8 tonne. You have already lost about 200 to 250Kgs in water and gas.

Many manufactures are way out on their TARE weight so what is marked at say 2200Kgs could be really 2250Kgs or even higher and once you have the van it is your problem.

JR

If you are buying a van it should come with a weigh bridge certificate which would have the correct weights on it.

[dieseltojo]

I can say with a pretty good certainty that the makers of my van will tell their customers to go and get xxxxx— lost.
They wouldn’t give you the time of day, let alone help with these sort of things. Believe me I did ask.

I am on the limit van wise and pack accordingly so, though I used to worry about it , I don’t any longer and just stick to my limits. In my case van weight is more about braking and handling than the vehicle as my Toyota is covering that issue.

Interestingly OT I just went to the Royal Melbourne show grounds to the caravan show, and was happy to see vans sold as “Prado Happy”
But it was still on the owner to know if overloading. I think it was the Cell brand with that caption.

If it wasn’t for the huge tanks I have, I would romp in any weight contest, so I only fill to the required limits.

[J.REEVES]

If you are buying a van it should come with a weigh bridge certificate which would have the correct weights on it.

Hi Trev,
Yes I agree but I don’t no how many times I have see on forums that people find out the stamped TARE weight is way out.
Many vans TARE is taken before extras are added so when you pick your new van with an awning, extra solar and batteries and air con and so on often this is not included in the TARE but it should be.

JR

[masterplumber]

If you are buying a van it should come with a weigh bridge certificate which would have the correct weights on it.

Hi Trev,
Yes I agree but I don’t no how many times I have see on forums that people find out the stamped TARE weight is way out.
Many vans TARE is taken before extras are added so when you pick your new van with an awning, extra solar and batteries and air con and so on often this is not included in the TARE but it should be.

JR

In the latest C & M mag it tells you to weigh your van and expect the Tare not to be surprised if it is out by around 100Kg. I know mine was.

So your 300 or 400 payload is already diminished.

Gerry

[TramcarTrev]

If you are buying a van it should come with a weigh bridge certificate which would have the correct weights on it.

Hi Trev,
Yes I agree but I don’t no how many times I have see on forums that people find out the stamped TARE weight is way out.
Many vans TARE is taken before extras are added so when you pick your new van with an awning, extra solar and batteries and air con and so on often this is not included in the TARE but it should be.

JR

In the latest C & M mag it tells you to weigh your van and expect the Tare not to be surprised if it is out by around 100Kg. I know mine was.

So your 300 or 400 payload is already diminished.

Gerry

Ok let me check out the legality of selling a van where the compliance plate does not conform to the data on it. “Factory” (read dealer) fitted accesories should all be included because as you are all saying you could buy a van that is say labled as 2500kg to tow with a vehicle with a 2500kg allowance and end up being way overweight. Now if you are pulled over and inspected and you are overweight you can expect to be fined… This is where the weigh bridge cert comes in, I thought Trailers had to be weighed at a weigbridge as part of the rego process, I have the certificate in with my original rego paperwork… Its slightly less ( 1995kg) than the 2100kg marked on the Compliance plate and when I stripped out the Dinette and replaced with recliners it got 5kg lighter again….
I’m not sure what the tolerance for weighbridges are these days now that they are electronic one would expect them to be on the button…

[masterplumber]

[/quote]
Ok let me check out the legality of selling a van where the compliance plate does not conform to the data on it. “Factory” (read dealer) fitted accesories should all be included because as you are all saying you could buy a van that is say labled as 2500kg to tow with a vehicle with a 2500kg allowance and end up being way overweight. Now if you are pulled over and inspected and you are overweight you can expect to be fined… This is where the weigh bridge cert comes in, I thought Trailers had to be weighed at a weigbridge as part of the rego process, I have the certificate in with my original rego paperwork… Its slightly less ( 1995kg) than the 2100kg marked on the Compliance plate and when I stripped out the Dinette and replaced with recliners it got 5kg lighter again….
I’m not sure what the tolerance for weighbridges are these days now that they are electronic one would expect them to be on the button…[/quote]

TT,
I even rang Queensland Transport about it because as far as I was concerned, someone must have made a false declaration. Was told that the Tare on the VIN plate was what they go by.

When I first got the van I got the manufacturer to increase the ATM by 84kg to the max.
2000 kg axle and spring capacity + 176 manufacturer’s Ball load and that would have done us except, the TARE wasn’t correct.

The sales yard argued that by having the extra 84kg that I still had close to the “Industry Standard” 300 Kg for a single axle van.

Being a free settler from European decent, I would have gone the legal route.

The Mrs didn’t want the stress so we forked out 2k and had a axle and spring upgrade and now have 2500 Kg ATM.

However, unlike yourself, I an a Licensed Plumber/ Gas Fitter and successfully argued that neither the Gas or Hot water was compliant, so I got some satisfaction that way.

Gerry