Whether you are traveling Australia towing a caravan or just packing
your tools in the work Ute, knowing your weights and limits is imperative.
But firstly, knowing what all this refers too is just the start of the journey.
GVM or Gross Vehicle Mass is the maximum weight a vehicle is allowed, this includes driver & passengers luggage and the tow ball weight. This is set by the manufacturer of the vehicle when it is released in Australia.
Tare weight is the vehicle empty with 10 litres of fuel.
Kerb weight is the same as tare however with a full standard tank of fuel.
Think of it as the vehicle parked on the kerb with a full tank of fuel.
However, this doesn’t include driver, passenger or any of the vehicle’s accessories
ie:bulbar, roof racks or long-range fuel tank.
Your Payload is the GVM less the kerb weight. For example, your vehicles GVM is 3000kg and the Kerb weight is 2600kg your payload is 400kg. But once you take off the caravan’s towball weight of 120kg your only left with 280kg for driver, passenger luggage and vehicle accessories.
GCM or Gross Combination Mass refers to the maximum allowed weight for vehicle and caravan/trailer as specified by the vehicle manufacturer. This is when it is important to know the Caravans total weight or Aggregated Trailer Mass and your vehicles GVM.