The rising popularity of four-wheel-driving and caravanning has led to the introduction of standards to safely increase maximum weights, known as Gross Combination Mass (GCM) and Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) for light vehicles in Western Australia.
The WA Government acted on the issue following calls from the state’s motoring industry.
The Department of Transport (DoT) worked in conjunction with the Motor Trade Association of WA and the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) to develop and release to the public Vehicle Technical Bulletins VTB-180A and VTB-181A.
These define the DoT standards for safely increasing the GCM or GVM rating of an eligible light vehicle that does not exceed 4,500 kilograms, and are based on Queensland’s modification code of practice and DoT’s current internal practices.
New standards to safely increase maximum weights have been introduced in WA. PIC: Cizza
Only DoT approved modifiers and their preferred agents will be authorised to undertake and certify the re-rating of a vehicle’s GVM or GCM.
Minister Assisting the Transport Minister, David Michael, said the move follows the release of Queensland’s code of practice for GCM re-rating in 2023 and formally defines WA’s procedures to re-rate and certify the GVM and GCM of a light vehicle.
“The increased uptake of four-wheel drive vehicles, caravans and trailers in recent years has linked directly to the interest in re-rating vehicle GCM and GVM,” he said. “And I believe these standards will be welcomed by industry and the wider community.”
Motor Trade Association of WA Group CEO, Stephen Moir, said the new guidelines provide a clear pathway for industry to safely increase the Gross Combined Mass (GCM) of a registered light vehicle in WA.
“Safely increasing the GCM is important to 4WD owners and caravanners that carry extra weight in their vehicles and still want to tow the maximum tow capacity,” he said.
Further information is available from DoT Vehicle Safety and Standards.
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The re-rating or upgrading of utes is a dangerous path to tread.
It defies logic to legalise carrying or towing weight greater than that the vehicle was designed to carry. All of the vehicle’s componentry was specifically designed to rigid standards to be compliant to safety and legal criteria – to exceed design parameters can be dangerous to the point of creating a fatal event.
Notwithstanding the fact of exceeding design limits to create failure/s of critical componentry, simple “Physics” dictates that the towing vehicle mass must exceed the mass of any towed object in order for the vehicle to have total control of the combination.
Interesting how does a road train go legally?
Can’t see an issue if suspension is upgraded compliance plates are to Australian safety standards not to vehicle capability
A road train is NOT a pig trailer … absolutely no comparison
Great reply ian
Why not limit the size of new caravans to 20ft in length?
How much space does a couple of wrinkly oldies need?
That would hurt peoples egos and the 200 club would have less bragging rights about how much their rig cost at 5 o’clock drinkies!!!
You are spot on with reply.
Not everyone is like that tone it down a bit fellas
We have a 21ft van which is our home ,we are permanently on the road working as we travel (we are in our 60s ) IF YOU SET UP YOUR TOW VEHICLE FOR TOWING ,GVM UPGRADE AND A BRAKE UPGRADE AND KEEP THE VAN UNDER GVM AND PACKED PROPERLY IT IS SAFE
I’m a wrinkly oldie,don’t insult us. Older people
So am I, but I wasn’t insulted, I laughed as I thought it was quite funny, my years have
taught me not to get offended at every little comment, just have a laugh..
More tails wagging the dog
Give me a heavier tug anytime
Weighbridges are the most practical for me but there are none close to me, the mobile people need a good surface to work with which means towing your van somewhere if your drive is uneven, so not very practical so it‘s back to the bathroom scales and weigh everything !
Totally agree with possom, how about more regulation in the caravan industry from makers to sale yards. People want to have big heavy vans at 3/3.5 ton, buy the right tow vehcile not some light weight SUV. Shock horror even your must have landcruiser is not upto it.
Well said. An LC200 can never safely tow 3500kg if the generally accepted 10% towball weight is adhered to. Rear axle carrying capacity is the problem, and the much vaunted GVM does almost nothing to help, and generally is a waste of money. Fact.
,
This is madness, upgrading GVM does not in itself make the vehicle safe. In short, if towing a pig trailer (e.g. a van) the kerb weight of the vehicle should be more than the weight of the van. If simply increasing the GVM with some springs and shocks is safe AND within the vehicles capabilities then why wouldn’t manufacturers offer it just as an option. Good luck to anyone with a warranty claim if they tow in excess of the manufacturers limits.
What a load of crap. The WA DOT are not releasing the required information for completing the VTB-181A despite having it. More red tape.