Towing guides for Australia

Why Your Caravan Needs Its Own Odometer and Service Log

A caravan has no odometer, yet its bearings and brakes wear by distance and its tyres age by date. Why your van needs its own count and a dated log.

Gross Combination Mass (GCM): The Limit on No Plate

What gross combination mass means, why you can't add GVM and ATM to find it, where it hides, and when a GCM upgrade pays — an Australian towing guide.

When to Reweigh a Caravan: What's Changed Since Your Last Weigh-In

A caravan weigh-in is a snapshot, not a certificate — it goes stale the day you add a drawer, solar or water. When to reweigh, and what's changed since.

Caravan Weights Explained: GVM, ATM, GTM, TBM & GCM

All the caravan weight terms in one place: GVM, ATM, GTM, TBM, GCM, tare, kerb and payload — plain-English definitions, formulas and a worked rig.

vehicle

GVM caps the load

caravan

ATM = GTM + TBM

combination

GCM caps the lot

Weight Distribution Hitch Setup and Front-Axle Restoration Explained

What a weight distribution hitch does, how to set one up, the front-axle weight it restores, and why it never raises your GVM, GCM, ATM or tow ball limit.

How to Weigh a Caravan and Tow Vehicle at a Weighbridge

Weigh your caravan and tow vehicle at a public weighbridge: the drive-on passes that read GVM, GTM, ATM, GCM and tow ball mass, and what each one costs.

How to Read a Mobile Caravan Weighing Report

Read your mobile caravan weighing report line by line: wheel weights, GTM, ATM, tow ball mass, and the manufacturer limit each figure is read against.

Braked Towing Capacity Explained: A Legal Ceiling, Not a Target

What braked towing capacity means, why 3,500 kg is a ceiling rather than a target, and a June 2026 towing capacity chart: GVM, GCM and payload by model.

the rating

max braked trailer weight

the catch

GCM usually bites first

the Ranger

rated 3,500 - real 3,050

Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) Explained: Meaning, Formula & Upgrades

What ATM means, how it splits into GTM and tow ball mass, how to check your van's real weight, and how ATM upgrades work — for Australian caravanners.

what it is

max loaded van weight

the split

ATM = GTM + TBM

payload

ATM - tare

Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) Explained: Meaning, Calculation & Upgrades

What GVM means, what counts towards it, how to calculate yours, and whether a GVM upgrade is worth it — a plain-English guide for Australian towing.

what it is

max loaded weight

payload

GVM − kerb

when towing

tow ball mass counts

10 Common Caravanning Mistakes: A Caravan Towing Checklist

The 10 most common caravanning mistakes — tow ball mass, loading, water, tare and rear axle limits — and the pre-departure checks that catch each one.

the pattern

weight mistakes

ball mass

8-12% of the van

the fix

check before you hitch

Caravan Water Tanks: Size, Days of Water & Weight Explained

How long a caravan water tank lasts, what the water weighs (1 L = 1 kg), what size you need, grey water rules and free-camping tips for Australian vans.

the weight

1 kg per litre

how long

4 days on 180 L

the limit

counts towards ATM