A Guide To GVM Upgrades
Driving an overloaded vehicle or driving a vehicle, that does not meet the minimum GVM, is one of the most dangerous, and illegal things you can do. If caught, you face heavy fines your vehicle could be impounded by the police or transport authorities. And any insurance claims can be rejected by your insurer. So how do we legally overcome this?
Firstly, we need to understand -
What is a GVM rating?
A GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) is the maximum weight of your vehicle. This is the maximum your vehicle can weigh when fully loaded as specified by the manufacturer. You will usually find this GVM figure on the vehicle's weight placard (generally found in the driver's door opening) or in the owner's manual. So GVM is the Kerb Mass plus all accessories (bull bars, roof racks, winches etc) and payload.
What's needed to upgrade your vehicle's GVM?
A GVM upgrade varies for each vehicle, but generally includes shock absorbers, strut shock absorbers, coil springs, leaf springs, and u-bolts for almost all 4x4's.
Types of GVM upgrades -
Brand New Vehicles
For a brand-new vehicle (Pre registration) this is when a GVM upgrade kit has been installed to a new vehicle by a trained technician. With an additional compliance plate displaying the upgraded GVM rating fitted. One of the benefits of getting your new car upgraded before it's registered means it can now be recognized to legally carry its new gross vehicle mass in all states of Australia.
Used Vehicles
For vehicles that have already been registered, you will need what's called a "post-registration" upgrade this entails that your vehicle will need to be inspected, and approved by a state-authorized automotive engineer, and issued with a compliance certificate. The main drawback, for this type of install, is that your car is now only GVM upgraded in your current state. To check out your state standards please click here.
At 4x4 Extras Kilmore we can legally raise the GVM on some cars as we are a registered GVM upgrade facility for Pedders and Ironman 4x4.
As with anything in 4x4, there are no defined rules, and anything can and will be customized.
To find out more about our GVM upgrade our specialists for your 4×4, get in touch with the team on (03)5734 3970 or request a quote below.