Australia
Towing guides for Australia
Practical loadmate guides for weights, towing safety, setup checks, and the Rig Score.
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The main caravan and vehicle weights, how they fit together, and the mistakes worth avoiding first.
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, with plain-English definitions, formulas and a worked rig.
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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.
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Weights explained
What each limit covers and how to check it, plus what your water adds.
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.
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Aggregate trailer mass (ATM) explained: Meaning, formula & upgrades
Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) is the maximum loaded trailer mass, including coupling load. Learn how to weigh your caravan and what an ATM upgrade changes.
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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.
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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.
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Caravan water tanks: Size, days of water & weight explained
Plan caravan water by litres, trip length and payload. Work out what full tanks add, where the weight sits, and which travel and storage advice applies.
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Weighing, setup and upkeep
Measure the real rig, set up the hitch, and know when it is time to check again.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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