GVM upgrades

[NAGG]

Hey all

6 months ago I bought myself a new Nissan Navara STX & replaced the tub with a nice Norweld tray - Very nice .

The intention was always to fit a Norweld canopy - which was a jack off giving me the flexibility to have the canopy & the tray back ute when required.
This will be a sweet set up for my long distance trips away …… lots of room (all wired to run fridges etc) - very happy.

I'm still a month away from fitting the canopy but I've started to think about the GVM …… I'm lead to believe that the canopy / tray will add about 250kgs over the cab chassis ( with tub removed) …… & it's here that I've started to consider the payload . I've worked out that once the canopy is fitted , me inside & a full load of fuel Ive got just 400kgs of payload left

today I bought myself a Hayman reese towball weight scale & low & behold …. there is another 180kgs that the Barcrusher adds … leaving me 220 kgs …. add a deckie = 120kgs .

120kgs has to cater for all of my camping gear ( Engel weighs 40kgs empty) … tent , poles & pegs @ 80kgs .& I've blow the budget . So need to go for a GVM

Has everyone one done their weights ? …….. most of us think about what we tow , but who gives too much thought to what they carry … or the extra weight via bull bars , tow bars , canopies …… gear & how many people in the car

It's a horrifying exercise …… but necessary if you want to keep your insurance in the advent of an accident

chris

[shortthenlong]

I don't have a boat of any weight so it isn't currently a problem for my 100 series but there is plenty of info out there particularly on 4wd/caravan sites. It will do your head in and then they start trying to "discuss" the difference between GVM and GCM. Anyhow is there a GVM upgrade available for the Nav? Most only give you an few hundred extra KGs but that is usually enough to get you out of trouble otherwise put the deckie on a diet?

Cheers Matt

[Homer_Jay]

I have a Lovells GVM upgrade on my LC Ute.
just keep in mine the GCM isn’t increased, so if you are towing on your maximum tow capacity you will still have problems.

if your near Sydney, look up Utimate Suspension, have had their setup on Hilux Ute and it was a great set up for the money.

[scottar]

Yep - no increase in GCM so max towing is an issue. Rules vary from state to state and between pre and post rego. Also beware of the fact you are giving the car company a big out if you have any warranty issues. "You have overloaded the vehicle" will probably be the phrase used.

[NAGG]

I don't have a boat of any weight so it isn't currently a problem for my 100 series but there is plenty of info out there particularly on 4wd/caravan sites. It will do your head in and then they start trying to "discuss" the difference between GVM and GCM. Anyhow is there a GVM upgrade available for the Nav? Most only give you an few hundred extra KGs but that is usually enough to get you out of trouble otherwise put the deckie on a diet?

Cheers Matt

I went to Pedders yesterday & got a quote for their GVM upgrade for the coil sprung Navara …… $3930 for just an extra 160kgs increase So while I'm not excited - it will be adequate

I don't have to worry about the GCM as I'm towing around 1.8 tonne .

The next thing will be to weigh the boat (fuelled up) & see what wiggle room I may have for cartage of some of my gear ….. or possibly move the axles & take some weight off the towball. (last resort)

Chris

[NAGG]

Yep - no increase in GCM so max towing is an issue. Rules vary from state to state and between pre and post rego. Also beware of the fact you are giving the car company a big out if you have any warranty issues. "You have overloaded the vehicle" will probably be the phrase used.

It's the stuff you learn after the fact . I should have had the work carried out prior to registration as a new car - The car would then comply nationally & probably saved me a grand as well. No doubt I'm going to have to watch the weights carefully .

I'm even going to go to the length of weighing what I normally carry & put it on a spreadsheet for easy calculations for trips away .

Chris

[Dignity]

Chris, try some of the 4wd outlets for a quote, the prices can vary significantly. Last time I got a quote from Pedders I found that it was excessive compared to other companies including ARB and Opposite Lock. There is a suspension place on the sunshine coast that is very reasonable.

[Sheik]

I don't have a boat of any weight so it isn't currently a problem for my 100 series but there is plenty of info out there particularly on 4wd/caravan sites. It will do your head in and then they start trying to "discuss" the difference between GVM and GCM. Anyhow is there a GVM upgrade available for the Nav? Most only give you an few hundred extra KGs but that is usually enough to get you out of trouble otherwise put the deckie on a diet?

Cheers Matt

Better still, put the deckie on the transom to reduce the towball weight?

[NAGG]

Better still, put the deckie on the transom to reduce the towball weight?

I had to laugh …. Yesterday I was checking the weights on my own & I wanted to see what difference weight distribution made - guess what , I stood on the transom ( video taped the change) - that made a 30kg difference to the tow ball weight

Chris

[Chimo]

The way things are going it will be cheaper and easier in the long run to forget the available utes and simply just buy a truck such as a petrol or diesel RAM or Ftruck of GM version.

A mate of mine just sold his HiLux and bought a 1500 RAM 5.7 lt V8 petrol. The thing turns off 4 cylinders when cruising and is quite economical not to mention that it sounds really good too........

The other interesting thing is that apparently the demand for RAMS in Aust is such that they are going to build them RHD in North America (Mexico?) so the conversion costs and headaches could also be a thing of the fast as early as 2020.

Another mate had his Toyota 200 upspeced to tow his off road van but even with the upgrade he was not legal when the family got into the Toyota. His solution was to buy a 2500 Mega Cab RAM with 6.7 lt diesel and RAM side boxes etc. Big $s but a nice ride.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...gType=Showcase

C
C

[Sheik]

I had to laugh …. Yesterday I was checking the weights on my own & I wanted to see what difference weight distribution made - guess what , I stood on the transom ( video taped the change) - that made a 30kg difference to the tow ball weight

Chris

I reckon I would put a bigger dint in it than that.

[Sheik]

The way things are going it will be cheaper and easier in the long run to forget the available utes and simply just buy a truck such as a petrol or diesel RAM or Ftruck of GM version.

A mate of mine just sold his HiLux and bought a 1500 RAM 5.7 lt V8 petrol. The thing turns off 4 cylinders when cruising and is quite economical not to mention that it sounds really good too........

The other interesting thing is that apparently the demand for RAMS in Aust is such that they are going to build them RHD in North America (Mexico?) so the conversion costs and headaches could also be a thing of the fast as early as 2020.

Another mate had his Toyota 200 upspeced to tow his off road van but even with the upgrade he was not legal when the family got into the Toyota. His solution was to buy a 2500 Mega Cab RAM with 6.7 lt diesel and RAM side boxes etc. Big $s but a nice ride.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/det...gType=Showcase

C
C

And they would probably go over the top of all but the biggest channel country reds, so no need for a bull bar.

[seastrength]

Hey all

6 months ago I bought myself a new Nissan Navara STX & replaced the tub with a nice Norweld tray - Very nice .

The intention was always to fit a Norweld canopy - which was a jack off giving me the flexibility to have the canopy & the tray back ute when required.
This will be a sweet set up for my long distance trips away …… lots of room (all wired to run fridges etc) - very happy.

I'm still a month away from fitting the canopy but I've started to think about the GVM …… I'm lead to believe that the canopy / tray will add about 250kgs over the cab chassis ( with tub removed) …… & it's here that I've started to consider the payload . I've worked out that once the canopy is fitted , me inside & a full load of fuel Ive got just 400kgs of payload left

today I bought myself a Hayman reese towball weight scale & low & behold …. there is another 180kgs that the Barcrusher adds … leaving me 220 kgs …. add a deckie = 120kgs .

120kgs has to cater for all of my camping gear ( Engel weighs 40kgs empty) … tent , poles & pegs @ 80kgs .& I've blow the budget . So need to go for a GVM

Has everyone one done their weights ? …….. most of us think about what we tow , but who gives too much thought to what they carry … or the extra weight via bull bars , tow bars , canopies …… gear & how many people in the car

It's a horrifying exercise …… but necessary if you want to keep your insurance in the advent of an accident

chris

Hi Chris

I went through a similar exercise when my wife and I started long distance travelling around Oz in our BT50 / slide on camper combo some years ago. After realising the slide on camper weighed 720kg empty (despite being told under 400kg by the manufacturer) we decided to go with a Pedders TrakRyder GVM upgrade. This included replacement shocks, coils and springs to increase GVM from 3.2 to 3.5 tonnes at $3349.00. We hoped this would easily cover the additional weight of a fully loaded camper. However, the weighbridge weight with myself on board, full fuel (130litres diesel), 90 litres water, 2 house 120amp AGM house batteries, empty fridge and freezer, esky, recovery gear, tool kits, compressor, poles for side awning, full 9kg gas cylinder and assorted odds and ends for bedding, cooking, clothes and fishing was 3.44 tonnes! This only left 60kg for wife, food and beer! What to do next? Ended up reducing payload by one battery and carrying less water on each trip.

My understanding from other 4WD forums is that insurers will not cover the vehicle in an accident, if deemed to be overloaded. They pick up all the broken pieces and take them to a weighbridge to check your weight after any accident. I hope that the fuel and water tanks are not full if we have an accident on an outback road as we will go close to our 3.5 tonne GVM limit on occasions.

On another note, Scottar is dead right about suspension modifications "voiding" warranty. I had paid for additional 2 years on the standard 5 year Mazda warranty with local servicing only to be told that they would not replace a front AC joint at 2 years and 26000 klm (apologies if this is not the correct term as I am not mechanical) because the suspension had been "lifted". This was not the case as I had carefully measured the chassis height before and after the upgrade and they were no different. However, I did upgrade to 265/70R16 Toyo AT tyres which were slightly bigger diameter than the standard Dunlop AT tyres that came with the vehicle. Despite my contacting Mazda head office and repeated explanations, they would not cover the AC joint replacement. Be warned!

By the way, my 6.2M alloy CC comes in at 1.7 tonnes fully loaded with fuel, ice and fishing gear, somewhat similar to your BC. Which means, I cannot tow the CC with the slide on camper on the tray. I justust have to manage with a swag on the tray.

I have been thinking of replacing the Mazda BT 50 but cannot find a suitable vehicle without spending the extra dollars on a GVM upgrade. I will be interested to hear how you go with the Navara. I know the standard Ram and Ford utes will do the trick, just not sure if this is the way to go into the future with fuel prices going up.

Cheers SS

[NAGG]

Hi Chris

I went through a similar exercise when my wife and I started long distance travelling around Oz in our BT50 / slide on camper combo some years ago. After realising the slide on camper weighed 720kg empty (despite being told under 400kg by the manufacturer) we decided to go with a Pedders TrakRyder GVM upgrade. This included replacement shocks, coils and springs to increase GVM from 3.2 to 3.5 tonnes at $3349.00. We hoped this would easily cover the additional weight of a fully loaded camper. However, the weighbridge weight with myself on board, full fuel (130litres diesel), 90 litres water, 2 house 120amp AGM house batteries, empty fridge and freezer, esky, recovery gear, tool kits, compressor, poles for side awning, full 9kg gas cylinder and assorted odds and ends for bedding, cooking, clothes and fishing was 3.44 tonnes! This only left 60kg for wife, food and beer! What to do next? Ended up reducing payload by one battery and carrying less water on each trip.

My understanding from other 4WD forums is that insurers will not cover the vehicle in an accident, if deemed to be overloaded. They pick up all the broken pieces and take them to a weighbridge to check your weight after any accident. I hope that the fuel and water tanks are not full if we have an accident on an outback road as we will go close to our 3.5 tonne GVM limit on occasions.

On another note, Scottar is dead right about suspension modifications "voiding" warranty. I had paid for additional 2 years on the standard 5 year Mazda warranty with local servicing only to be told that they would not replace a front AC joint at 2 years and 26000 klm (apologies if this is not the correct term as I am not mechanical) because the suspension had been "lifted". This was not the case as I had carefully measured the chassis height before and after the upgrade and they were no different. However, I did upgrade to 265/70R16 Toyo AT tyres which were slightly bigger diameter than the standard Dunlop AT tyres that came with the vehicle. Despite my contacting Mazda head office and repeated explanations, they would not cover the AC joint replacement. Be warned!

By the way, my 6.2M alloy CC comes in at 1.7 tonnes fully loaded with fuel, ice and fishing gear, somewhat similar to your BC. Which means, I cannot tow the CC with the slide on camper on the tray. I justust have to manage with a swag on the tray.

I have been thinking of replacing the Mazda BT 50 but cannot find a suitable vehicle without spending the extra dollars on a GVM upgrade. I will be interested to hear how you go with the Navara. I know the standard Ram and Ford utes will do the trick, just not sure if this is the way to go into the future with fuel prices going up.

Cheers SS

Good read there SS - That's an interesting question on Warranty after doing a GVM upgrade . My understanding is that if it is done properly through someone like lovells / pedders etc with an engineers certificate - you wont void the warranty …….. but it is something that I will check .

Chris

[GBC]

The 1500 Ram has less payload than both the Navara and the Mazda mentioned above having issues with GVM already. Need to go to a 2500 to carry anything substantial.