New Cruiser

[bigcol]

mate, I could not tell you

I have a 100 series (with 3rd row taken out)
and
a GU patrol (with 3rd row taken out)

wouldnt have a clue if you can take them out of the 200.........

 

[yabbietol]

So spoke to the guy from ultimate suspension today. He was saying that if you have an 8 seater car, then you have to allow 80kg per seat even if no one is in them. So that's 640kg off a 600kg payload before we even tow anything! Does anyone know this to be true? His feeling was that if we wanted to tow the van we would have no choice but to get the lovells kit as it gives an extra 450kg and the ultimate only gives us an extra 280kg. I can't seem to find any information on this.

I am also not sure if this is correct, before I did anything else I would contact Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and check with them if that is the case. We only normally carry 2 people and most of our gear in the caravan and the GX is a 5 seater with a higher load than the GXL, VX, etc.
Good luck in finding out.

 

[straydingo]

Not sure if this is correct, but we actually remove the 3rd row of seats from our 100 series when we travel, so that will give you 240kg's back

I took the third row out of the 200 - wouldn't've been more than 40kg

 

[Bellbirdweb]

I took the third row out of the 200 - wouldn't've been more than 40kg

I was more referring to the 80kg per seat for load

 

[Lonnie]

Called RMS, and they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I'm however not sure if it was because they just couldn't understand my question or if it is not true??

 

[straydingo]

So spoke to the guy from ultimate suspension today. He was saying that if you have an 8 seater car, then you have to allow 80kg per seat even if no one is in them. So that's 640kg off a 600kg payload before we even tow anything! Does anyone know this to be true? His feeling was that if we wanted to tow the van we would have no choice but to get the lovells kit as it gives an extra 450kg and the ultimate only gives us an extra 280kg. I can't seem to find any information on this.

No thats not correct.
At the end of the day the vehicle has a maximum load rating - the GVM of 3350kg. This cannot be exceeded (without secondary approval - ie gvm upgrade). To come up with the figure, the theory is the manufacturers allow for 80kg per seat, added to the kerb weight. However I think there are also ifs and buts, such as: "the third row seat isn't for adults therefore a reduced weight applies on those". So it might be 5x80kg + 3x50kg.

But when it comes to compliance it is a real measured weight, not a fictional weight based on possible passengers.
If you got pulled up for a weight check with two passengers, then it is weighed with two passengers. They don't then add another 6 at 80kg.
If that was the theory then the car wouldn't be driveable off the dealers yard - it would always be over limit with no passengers, just by the 80kg x8 allowance. Likewise, I just loss 30kg (woo hoo) and the bull bar doesn't get counted.
The GX variant has another 100kg payload allowance as it last less fruit to weigh it down - particularly a third row and KDSS, so it is just lighter to start with than a GXL/VX. The limit is still the same.
So taking the third row out gave me back 40kg or so, adding the front bar lost me 80kg or so.

For what its worth, I weighed mine;
on pickup: 1480kg front axle, 1300 rear total 2780kg
after bull bar added, and rear seats removed, drawers in: 1580kg front, 1300kg rear, total 2880kg
fully loaded for a trip (drawers full of junk and fridge) and cvan hitched: total 3260kg (and a combined total of 5480kg)
All with full tank, no passengers.
Add another 350kg for the family, and I'm 190kg under the lovells gvm of 3800kg.
With out the Lovells, I'd be 260kg over

Apologies if I misunderstood the question.

 

[yabbietol]

Called RMS, and they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. I'm however not sure if it was because they just couldn't understand my question or if it is not true??

I am disappointed in your response from RMS, a couple of years ago before we bought our van, I contacted RMS and got through to a technical area. The person I spoke to was most helpful and explained a van weights and associated stuff quite clearly. Maybe try getting through to a technical knowledgable person at RMS. The first people you speak to often are just front office or call centre.

I think what @straydingo said above is really good advice. I used Align Right in Queanbeyan for my suspension and they had some good advice, maybe give them a call - (02) 6297 8833. I am a bit disappointed in the response you got from Ultimate suspension. Maybe try Ian's Autoshop in Goulburn, he is most helpful, (02) 4821 6055, his workshop did a good job fitting my catch can and I know he does LC200 suspensions.

 

[Lonnie]

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice. It has helped immensely! So after many phone calls we have decided to go for the Lovells upgrade. Just don't want to leave ourselves short in the long term. Kids are only going to grow bigger and get heavier. Now just deciding on where to go. The price differences between places seem quiet significant. Has anyone on here ever dealt with Mitchell Bros in Brookvale? They are the cheapest by more than $1000. I have come to learn over the years though, that cheapest isn't always best.