This is a question that has come our way a number of times, and I thought I would do some research to try and get some answers. Back to the start – What is a GVM upgrade A Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) upgrade is designed to legally allow you to increase the maximum amount your vehicle can weigh fully laden, from the manufacturer specified weight. It is often necessary for people that heavily accessorise or modify their vehicle because it otherwise exceeds the manufacturer GVM, which is illegal and can have serious implications for you if caught, or if you have an accident. When is it nationally approved, and when is it state approved? There are two ways to conduct a GVM upgrade, with different legal implications. If you get the GVM upgrade done prior to the initial registration of a vehicle (IE when new), then your upgrade can be conducted using a process called Second Stage Manufacturing, which makes it legal in all states in Australia because it actually gets a federally approved compliance plate that states the upgraded GVM as standard. If you upgrade your existing registered vehicle, you will get a mod plate that confirms the upgrade, but it is only legal in the state that it is registered in. I.E – If you have a GVM upgrade in NSW, and then move to QLD, you will need to complete the process again. This is because pre-registration, vehicles conform to the national legislation, but once registered they are subject to state legislation. Why the concern about Axle weights and GVM? The concern comes from the fact that a number of the GVM upgrade kits available from suppliers exceed the maximum axle loads as specified by the manufacturer. Now some of these kits (and I’ve heard Nissan mentioned) require bracing to the axle to be fitted as part of the upgrade. But others sound like they are simply increasing the max axle weight by writing on a placard a new weight which exceeds the manufacturer recommended limit. And this raises a number of questions. Is this legal? Who is responsible if this fails? Is this right? See below for a quick table on weights and GVM upgrades available – please note it is not exhaustive. Make GVM Max Axle weight GVM upgrade Ford Ranger PX 3200KG 3330KG 3500KG Nissan Navara NP300 2910KG 3020KG 3070KG Mitsubishi Triton MR 2900KG 3200KG 3200KG Toyota Hilux KUN26R* 3000KG not confirmed 3500KG Toyota Landcruiser 3300KG 3580KG 3800KG Isuzu Dmax 3050KG 3220KG 3600KG *Note: the Toyota figures are not confirmed in any brochure, so I had to do some digging to get them. In all cases except the Triton above, the GVM increase exceeds the manufacturer stated max axle weight. How is the upgrade possible, when in most cases it appears that the upgrade doesn’t actually strengthen the axle? I spoke to my local Pedders outfit and asked them about the outcome, and I also went to Lovell’s springs website to see what information they had. The Pedders guy said that on the Nissan kits they strengthen the axle, but on the others they simply put a new placard on the vehicle. While that seems ludicrous, his explanation was that independent engineering testing has been done on the axles of each vehicle to determine that the axles can take the additional weight, and then these new weights have been certified as safe through government channels upon provision of the test data, and then Pedders licensed to perform the upgrade. Similar information was available on the Lovell’s site, which stated that they had completed independent testing to receive certification to complete the upgrade. Lovells went one stage further to say that they would cover warranty for any axle issues experienced, which raises a very good point about responsibility – What if my axle fails? It appears that independent testing has confirmed that most axles are capable of taking more weight than manufacturers specify, and that they apply significant safety margins here, which would explain why no mods are needed to increase the loading for most vehicles. The burning question though, is what happens if your axle fails under a load that exceeds the manufacturer specification after the upgrade. I’m reasonably confident that a manufacturer would not cover warranty because you’ve exceeded their maximum stated specification. But from your point of view, you’ve received certification that the vehicle can legally carry more weight! The truth is that you would have to chase the person that performed the upgrade and certified it, and then prove that you didn’t exceed their maximum loading. Not impossible, but there is definitely not an easy road here, unless you have had someone like Lovells state they will honour warranty. And what about my insurance? As part of the GVM upgrade, your vehicle will get a new GVM mod or compliance plate, and revised axle loading placard too, which means that your vehicle is legal, at least in your home state. The issue that will likely arise is that you’ve now modified the vehicle from its standard specifications, which may means that it falls outside the underwriting guidelines for a regular insurer. In laymans terms, it may make your vehicle un-insurable with a normal insurer – you’ll need to talk to them about whether they cover this sort of modification to confirm.
Conclusion To seek clarity on the issue, we’ve reached out to the national body for comment, and will update you with their response. It does appear though, that the axle weights get an increase legally as part of the upgrade, regardless of whether any work is done to them. I’d recommend asking about warranty if they fail though, because a manufacturer will likely only warrant the vehicle to the Original Equipment specifications. And don’t forget to make sure that your insurer will still cover the vehicle after it is modified (unless you are with Club 4X4, in which case you should call us to add the cost of the upgrade to your sum insured). Would love your thoughts, comments or experience on this matter below. Aiden
You must understand basic cargo safety rules to get a CDL. If you load cargo wrong or do not secure it, it can be a danger to others and to yourself. Loose cargo that falls off a vehicle can cause traffic problems and others could be hurt or killed. Loose cargo could hurt or kill you during a quick stop or crash. Your vehicle could be damaged by overload. Steering could be affected by how a vehicle is loaded, making it more difficult to control the vehicle. Whether or not you load and secure the cargo yourself, you are responsible for:
Study sections 2.19 and 2.20 if you can't answer all of these questions. If you intend to carry hazardous material that requires placards on your vehicle, you also are required to have a hazardous materials endorsement. Section 9 includes information necessary to pass the hazardous materials test. As part of your pre-trip inspection , make sure the truck is not overloaded and that the cargo is balanced and secured properly. Inspect the cargo and its securing devices again within 25 miles after beginning a trip. Make any adjustments needed. Check the cargo and securing devices as often as necessary during a trip to keep the load secure. A good habit is to inspect again:
Federal, state and local regulations of weight, securement, cover and truck routes vary greatly from place to place. Know the regulations of where you will be driving. 3.2 Weight and BalanceYou are responsible for not being overloaded. Following are definitions of weights:
Legal Weight LimitsYou must keep weights within legal limits. States have maximums for GVWs, GCWs and axle weights. Often, maximum axle weights are set by a bridge formula, which permits less maximum axle weight for axles that are closer together. This is to prevent overloading bridges and roadways. Overloading can have bad effects on steering, braking and speed control. Overloaded trucks must go very slow on upgrades. Worse, they may gain too much speed on downgrades. Stopping distance increases. Brakes can fail when forced to work too hard. During bad weather, in mountains, or unique roadway conditions such as driving on gravel or sand may not be safe to operate at legal maximum weights. Take this into account before driving. Do Not Be Top HeavyThe height of the vehicleʼs center of gravity is very important for safe handling. A high center of gravity (cargo piled up high or heavy cargo on top) means you are more likely to tip over. It is most dangerous in curves or if you have to swerve to avoid a hazard. It is very important to distribute the cargo so it is as low as possible. Put the heaviest parts of the cargo under the lightest parts. Balance the WeightPoor weight balance can make vehicle handling unsafe. Too much weight on the steering axle can cause hard steering and damage the steering axle and tires. Underloaded front axles (caused by shifting weight too far to the rear) can make the steering axle weight too light to steer safely. Too little weight on the driving axles can cause poor traction. The drive wheels may spin easily. During bad weather, the truck may not be able to keep going. Weight that is loaded so there is a high center of gravity causes greater chance of rollover. On flat bed vehicles, there is also a greater chance that the load will shift to the side or fall off. Figure 3-1 below shows examples of the right and wrong way to balance cargo weight. Figure 3-1 |
What can happen if you dont have enough weight on the front axle?
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