LoadMate Onboarding Guide: Section 2 - Caravan Specifications

Section 2: Adding Your Caravan

Welcome to the next step of our onboarding guide. Here, we're going to delve into the details of how to establish your caravan's specifications in LoadMate. If some information isn't available on your caravan's compliance plate, don't worry, we've highlighted the mandatory fields to ensure you have the necessary information.

Caravan Description

First, provide a description of your caravan. This will be for your personal reference.

Tare Weight*

Tare Weight refers to the weight of your caravan as it leaves the factory, with empty water tanks and gas bottles. Keep in mind, if you're purchasing a second-hand van, previous owners may have added extras not included in the listed Tare weight. These additions can be anything from spare wheels to solar panels and suspension upgrades.

When buying a new caravan it's crucial to confirm with the manufacturer whether additional options or fittings will be included in the Tare weight.

Manufacturers may label certain items as "optional extras" that are not part of the standard equipment or options of the caravan, such as bike racks, jerry can holders, or generators.

Always be cautious as some manufacturers quote Tare weight before options are fitted or an average weight of vans produced rather than the weight of your specific van.

Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) - No US equivalent

Also known as the total weight that the caravan places on its wheels and axles when hitched. It excludes the tow ball mass, which is taken into account under Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM).

It is important to keep in mind that the GTM is determined by the payload at the time, which means that it can change depending on how the caravan is loaded.

Note this differs from the U.S. Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), which includes the tongue weight. If you are from the US, please leave the GTM blank.

Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) or Gross Trailer Weight Rating (GTWR)*

The maximum weight your fully-loaded caravan can have when unhitched from the tow vehicle. This includes the tare weight and the weight of everything you put into your caravan. The payload of your caravan is the difference between its ATM and TARE weight.

GTWR in U.S. standards represents the maximum safe loaded weight of the trailer, including the weight transferred to the tow vehicle via the hitch (tongue weight).

It is also essential to note that you must not exceed your caravan's manufacturer-stated ATM, even if your car's tow ball can support more weight.

Max Permissible Ball Loading

The maximum load, as specified by the caravan manufacturer, that can be exerted on the tow bar.  In Australia, the legal limit is 350kgs which we will use as a default if left blank.

Ball Loading at Tare

This is the ball load of the empty caravan as supplied by the manufacturer. While it can serve as a base for determining the ball load of a laden caravan, actual weight measurements are the most accurate. Without actual weight measurements (which we’ll capture later), we'll use the ball load at tare and add on the calculated nett effect of your additional loads. Remember, there is no substitute for knowing your actual weights.

Axle Group Load Capacity

The axle load limit on a caravan in Australia is determined by the Vehicle Standards Bulletin 1 (VSB-1), which sets guidelines for trailer construction and performance.

Axle load limits are generally based on a safety factor, ensuring the load carrying capacity of the trailer is not exceeded. This safety factor may vary, but a 120% safety factor is a common benchmark. In other words, the group axle load limit is typically 120% of the Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) rating.

Axle load limits are relevant to caravans, as they help to ensure safe and stable towing. Compliance plates on caravans should display the axle load limits, along with Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) and ATM limits.

If the axle load limit is exceeded, it is likely that the GTM and ATM limits will also be breached.  

In some cases, the axle group may not be rated high enough to carry the full aggregate mass of the caravan itself. This can be a difficult situation, as it relies on a certain amount of ball weight to bridge that gap.

In this situation you can only legally tow the van if the ball is loaded to a certain point, alternatively you will need to sacrifice load capacity (reducing the ATM).

Measured Tare Weights

While manufacturers' base weights can be used for calculations, actual tare weights from a professional weight check offer more accuracy. Do note that manufacturers often label certain items as "optional extras," which are not part of the standard equipment and hence, are excluded from the tare weight.

Provided below are fields for you to input the relevant data:

• Actual Tare Weight
• Actual Axle Group Tare Weight
• Actual Ball Weight at Tare
• Date of Tare Weigh Service

In conclusion, capturing the correct specifications and weights of your caravan not only boosts the accuracy of LoadMate's calculations, but also aids in ensuring a safe caravanning journey. Now that we have all this information, we can move on to the next part of our guide - inputting your vehicle and caravan's dimensions. Stay tuned!