In this post I will share what I have learnt about load limits, with reference, particularly to the Landcruiser 300. You might be surprised to discover that by throwing 3 or 4 mates, a few blocks of VB, a stack of fishing and camping gear and a few jerry cans in your 4WD that you might be approaching being overloaded! What’s the big deal about these load limits? An overloaded vehicle can be affected in the following areas:
- Performance, handling and braking will decrease.
- Insurance claims might be affected.
- More wear and tear on your suspension.
- Possible Traffic Infringement notice
Drive.com summarises relevant information in the following table (pay particular attention to Rows H&I):
https://www.drive.com.au/news/2022-toyota-landcruiser-300-series-towing-capacity-by-the-numbers/
A few definitions:
- Gross Combined Mass (GCM): is the total allowable combined mass of the vehicle and trailer/caravan being towed including occupants, fuel & cargo.
- Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM): is the total allowable combined mass of the vehicle, including occupants, fuel and cargo.
- Kerb Mass (or Kerb Weight): is the mass of the vehicle in running order unoccupied and unladen with all fluid reservoirs filled to nominal capacity, including fuel and with all standard equipment.
In summary – towing a large caravan will limit the amount of cargo and passengers you can safely carry. With a lighter van or camper trailer you will have more room for extra cargo and passengers (in my case, with a Cub Escape camper, I can carry an extra 188 kg). Landcruiser 300 owners also need to recognise that their maximum roof load including the weight of the roof rack is limited to 100kg (Landcruiser 200 vehicles can carry 200kg). When in doubt regarding maximum loads – get weighed at a public weighbridge.
Note: You do NOT have to add the weight of your fuel in your cargo calculations as it is already accounted for in Kerb Weight.