Weights, Terms and the Pedders GVM Upgrade program.

30th Oct 2018

The Effect Of Weight On Your Vehicle

Weights and Measures

Tare Mass – the vehicle mass in running condition with 10 litres of fuel
Kerb Mass (Unladen Mass) – as per Tare Mass but with full tank of fuel
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) – maximum permitted mass including vehicle in running order, full fuel tank, occupants and cargo, as well as any imposed load from a trailer – ie the tow ball download.
Towing Capacity – the maximum amount that the vehicles can tow via ball coupling attached to a towbar. This is the total trailer mass (ATM) of the trailer when disconnected from the vehicle. This mass includes the tow ball
Gross Combination Mass (GCM) – this is the total that the rolling COMBINATION of the vehicle and trailer can weigh. This is measured by summing the axle loads for the vehicle and trailer. The tow ball download is only included once. Where there is no GCM quoted, then it is calculated as the GVM + Towing Capacity

The Pedders GVM Upgrade Program

With the rise in popularity of the use of four-wheel drives and dual cab utes to carry loads or tow, Pedders has now found that many vehicles coming into our workshops are operating either close to the GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) limit or well over. It might be a dual cab ute run a by a tradesman which carries tools and parts for the task at hand. Or it might be a fleet vehicle with stock on board for daily deliveries. It could even be a family that tows a caravan for the holiday season. Consumers and fleet managers expect vehicles to carry loads, tow and to perform better than ever. But the problem is – most vehicles are not designed to consistently carry heavy loads every day.