[Wizz954]

The rear axle weight is the single biggest limitation. With 280kg towball weight, me in the car with 3/4 tank of diesel, I have 62kgs of available payload in the rear. That’s a small person or a Waeco full of food.

 

[dragline1570]

I don't believe if you got pulled over nobody is going to check individual axles weights ?
GVM, GCM, Ball weights yes but not individual axle load on your car

 

[Wizz954]

I don't believe if you got pulled over nobody is going to check individual axles weights ?
GVM, GCM, Ball weights yes but not individual axle load on your car

Don’t they have the same type of scales to measure axle weight? I’ve seen pictures of police measuring at the side of the road not at a weighbridge?

 

[dragline1570]

Yes but all my conversations with caravaners from mainly QLD the checks involve just check caravan weight vs rated spec, actual ball weight vs ball weight rating on vehicle and CCM of the setup.
individual axles loads for every tow vehicle is probably info that is not easily obtained ( just note how hard it is for owners on here) I could be wrong but at this stage I am backing that thought.

 

[Wizz954]

That gives me some hope then. GCM is well under, I have 2 tonnes in hand! More importantly what will happen if the rear axle is truly overloaded, will the suspension detach from the body 😳
Has anyone been unfortunate enough to find out?

 

[Black Grouse]

Yes but all my conversations with caravaners from mainly QLD the checks involve just check caravan weight vs rated spec, actual ball weight vs ball weight rating on vehicle and CCM of the setup.
individual axles loads for every tow vehicle is probably info that is not easily obtained ( just note how hard it is for owners on here) I could be wrong but at this stage I am backing that thought.

Portable roadside tests do each wheel/axle and then some arithmetic no reason not to check individual axle loads.

 

[dragline1570]

Yes I completely understand the ability to do that with individual scales just don't believe the checking goes to that level on the road side

 

[Black Grouse]

Yes I completely understand the ability to do that with individual scales just don't believe the checking goes to that level on the road side

I've no knowledge of normal practice in Australia - but in the UK the DVSA and police have annual safety campaigns at holiday times, pulling over caravans and weighing them with portable devices - any axle overload would be immediately obvious and require rectification before being allowed to proceed.

This isn't an issue for Touareg owners in UK/EU (or any other SUV) because caravans are much lighter and have lower % noseweights (tongueweights) - indeed Touareg here has a 140 kg noseweight limit so plenty of payload left without overloading the rear axle - the hitch and A-frame on my 1500 kg gross caravan are themselves limited to 100 Kg.

 

[Wolfy]

Yes I completely understand the ability to do that with individual scales just don't believe the checking goes to that level on the road side

There are recent reports from QLD of greatly increased roadside caravan / tug weight checking, and they specifically mention checking tug axle weights

 

[rgh0]

Rear axle overload will result in excessive squat at the rear with standard steel suspension This will result in the rear suspension hitting the bump stops more often and harder which may result in some damage depending on how hard and how often. Less of a problem with air suspension as the suspension will stay at a constant height despite the overload until the air pressure reaches its limit. If the rear axle overload is due to tow ball weight or other weight behind the rear axle then the front axle will also lose weight on it, leading to the steering becoming more vague and increased understeer in corners

 

[2013 4xmotion]

Still Love my Touareg, I'd rather sell the van and get a lighter one!
Authorities seem to be increasing their monitoring of GVM, GCM and rear axle loading especially on the East Coast of Australia

I have the Adria adora 612 pt slider 2018
ATM 2120 Tare 1850
Tows very well with my 2013 4xmotion

 

[Wizz954]

Rear axle overload will result in excessive squat at the rear with standard steel suspension This will result in the rear suspension hitting the bump stops more often and harder which may result in some damage depending on how hard and how often. Less of a problem with air suspension as the suspension will stay at a constant height despite the overload until the air pressure reaches its limit. If the rear axle overload is due to tow ball weight or other weight behind the rear axle then the front axle will also lose weight on it, leading to the steering becoming more vague and increased understeer in corners

I have uprated my coilovers so hitting bump stops not a problem. I heard on GVM upgrades for Landcruisers etc they upgrade the suspension mounts too. That’s my main concern is whether the body around the rear shock mounts can take the extra weight as opposed to impact from hitting bump stops.

 

[gatkins]

I have uprated my coilovers so hitting bump stops not a problem.

You probably need to find an engineering company (Pedders) that will issue an upgraded GVM certificate else your rear axle max loads are unchanged from factory

 

[dragline1570]

There are recent reports from QLD of greatly increased roadside caravan / tug weight checking, and they specifically mention checking tug axle weights

Well if that is correct (I would love to hear from someone that has had this check done !) with the current trend from owners and manufacturers to be having these fully decked out extremely heavy off road vans the touareg will no longer be a suitable tow vehicle for these. Every one will have to get a RAM etc or a GVM upgrade landcruiser or one of the current uses and get a GVM upgrade on that.

 

[Wolfy]

Well if that is correct (I would love to hear from someone that has had this check done !) with the current trend from owners and manufacturers to be having these fully decked out extremely heavy off road vans the touareg will no longer be a suitable tow vehicle for these. Every one will have to get a RAM etc or a GVM upgrade landcruiser or one of the current uses and get a GVM upgrade on that.

This Facebook post is from late July in Woodford QLD.
In the photo you can clearly see the scales beside both caravan axles and both tow vehicle axles https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...Bo4i8M5FHG0dmvck8Ldffhb6b2ihuInaA&oe=62FC3F95

 

[gatkins]

There were several news items published on local TV showing use of wheel scales in roadside checks. Touareg’s unfortunately are not mass market vehicles in OZ in comparison to Toyota, Isuzu, Ford, Mazda, Nissan, thus access to certified GVM upgrades for a Touareg is all but non existent.

 

[Wolfy]

Maybe the market for poorly balanced vans that can't be towed legally without a truck will dry up as awareness of stricter compliance increases and caravan makers will improve their engineering and design. Oh look, a flying pig!

 

[Wizz954]

You probably need to find an engineering company (Pedders) that will issue an upgraded GVM certificate else your rear axle max loads are unchanged from factory

I spoke to an engineering company and they said you can’t do GVM upgrades to Touareg as they are monocoque chassis. Uprated springs or not we are stuck with factory specs 😥

 

[dragline1570]

This Facebook post is from late July in Woodford QLD.
In the photo you can clearly see the scales beside both caravan axles and both tow vehicle axles https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...Bo4i8M5FHG0dmvck8Ldffhb6b2ihuInaA&oe=62FC3F95

Good info
Scales on all wheels would be needed to get vehicle weight, but that doesn't mean they would be checking axle weights.
I read that post pretty carefully and one person had the same question as i have where do they get the axle weight specs for all vehicles? do they have a data base somehow?
Quick quiz google check what is the rear axle rating on a 2017 Jeep Cherokee?
Same for a 2013 Touareg without looking in your handbook?

 

[gatkins]

Not just axle weights, where do they get GVM, GCM from for a Touareg, because as discussed previously the placard doesn’t show the values at all. Thus as per when I had my setup professionally weighed, they asked for the owners manual which has axle weights as well. I would imagine it is safe to presume that the police have access to the info (I hope I’m wrong)
From my calcs, with 2 passengers and 100 litres of fuel there is only 240kg of tow ball available (I would prefer to have all 280kg and some)