Chassis Compliance Plate Weight

[Racer]

Hi all, a number of people here seemed to have capped their ATM for their vans.

I have ordered a new 17.56 2 OB and will be towing it with a 150 series Toyota Prado with a tow capacity of 2.5t. Like others my concern will be the old 'what if' scenario with insurance in the event of a collision or incident with the van or vehicle.


I've approached the salesman about this topic and he told me it couldn't be done 'capped compliance plate'. All I am asking is it for to be 2500.

Can those who have had it done let me know how you went about it, feel free to PM me if you don't want to post on this thread.

 

[achjimmy]

Hi all, a number of people here seemed to have capped their ATM for their vans.

I have ordered a new 17.56 2 OB and will be towing it with a 150 series Toyota Prado with a tow capacity of 2.5t. Like others my concern will be the old 'what if' scenario with insurance in the event of a collision or incident with the van or vehicle.


I've approached the salesman about this topic and he told me it couldn't be done 'capped compliance plate'. All I am asking is it for to be 2500.

Can those who have had it done let me know how you went about it, feel free to PM me if you don't want to post on this thread.

Maybe a bit late if you have ordered it. But it goes like this with a sales person.

"I'll give you an order if you have the compliance plate ATM max at 2500kg"

On our last van my order stipulated 375 kg payload in writing. When the van turned up with the incorrect compliance plate the dealer couldn't get to changing it fast enough, otherwise I walked.

 

[S&k]

would that make the van unroadworthy and void the insurance? at the end of the day if that car doesn't have the ability to pull the van would it be better to get a bigger car or smaller van?

 

[Racer]

We are talking an estimate of 50 or so kgs. Also it is the ATM, not tare weight.....

We wanted a larger van however given the specs as per the brochure and Jaycos allowance we fitted under the 2500kgs which met what we wanted.

Reading on here many people with the same or less accessories are exceeding the 2500 mark.

 

[achjimmy]

This has already been discussed in another thread. The authorities deam that the actual ATM of the van must not exceeds the tow vehicles allowance. Others think this is not good enough for insurance and that you must have a van plated under vehicles capabilities. It's your call, if the dealer lets you tow it away at pickup they must believe in the former. You have to be comfortable in what you are doing. Just keep in kind you van gains weight very quickly when you start loading up. It's very hard to keep the weight down. Somewhere on here long ago I posted up the weights of everything I put in my first van and it was scary.

 

[twscoot]

My decision to go to a bigger van meant a new vehicle. I looked at many options around the 2500kg ATM but it was all too line ball for me. I loved my Pajero but the decision to move to a car capable of pulling 3500kg gives me some comfort.
Jim is right. The weight is put on very quickly.

 

[Ligedy]

IMO: forget the 'what if' factor most 'think' the insurance companies will aim to wipe you for based on placarded ATM. They have to prove your over it first - very easily countered.

Be more concerned and be safer by towing based on your ACTUAL ATM thus not exceeding what your vehicle is designed to do and thus not contravening transport rules.

I agree with bigger towing capacity the better, but there's more to towing than numbers - driving to conditions and vehicle capability goes a far way.

Tell me - would you really load the van differently with a 2500kg stamped ATM plate or just adjust the best estimate by +/-50 kg before hitting the road?

Take your van and Prado over a weigh bridge to confirm it. Get a print out for your insurer and you'll be sweet if your worried about that aspect. In which case your insurer may look for another contributing factor for wiping your claim... (For the pessimists ).

You'll be surprised how quick everything adds up van and tow vehicle.
My 17.56-2OB with plenty of fruit maxes out the 2590ATM with ease but now it's packed with no room for excess crap and weights are balanced just the way I want it. Pity I can't say the same about a great majority of the cars n vans I see loaded to the max. I just think people are generally unaware as to how quick cargo adds up.

Ps. I recently saw an LC+Expanda pulling out of a van park as I was entering - it was sagging so much it caught my attention but then I saw a novel way to store the 2kva generator... sit it on top on tool box (because the cruiser's roof racks were full) and strap with a tie down over the top of it to the sides of the tool box.

I reckon the driver left the wagon area clear to keep an eye on it. Pity his kids in the back seat could wear it in the back of the head if old mate is unfortunate and has nose to tail an accident...

 

[achjimmy]

A just a tale about insurance companies for this and the other thread. We were discussing this at the mechanics who does a lot of suspension work for us last week. He had a large commercial trailer there that had broken a spring and rolled over. He said insurance accessors turned up noticed the safety chains weren't welded to the drawbar but looped around and started to make noises about it being a deniable claim! The mechanic just told them to pull there head in, the spring broke the safety chains held because it ripped the tow bar of the tug.

 

[millers]

Every case with insurance companies seem to be different, so you need to be comfortable with what you have and what you are doing. If you are arguing something that you thought was wrong then you are on the back foot. I do not have the problem that the van will be too heave for the car. I need to make sure the van is not overloaded. For both cases though I would be listing the items in the van and having it weighed so that I can show that it was legal. The additions would be the only discussion point.

 

[bigman0510]

Its a touchy subject, but we had a few extras on our 17.56-2OB and it weighed in at ATM 2456kg so you might be lucky.

 

[Racer]

Its a touchy subject, but we had a few extras on our 17.56-2OB and it weighed in at ATM 2456kg so you might be lucky.

Sure is @bigman0510 Plenty of armchair experts.