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Privacy PolicyCheck the full towing setup before you buy — not just the headline tow rating.
Start Vehicle + Caravan Assessment — $99A vehicle rated to tow 3,500 kg can still be over payload, over GCM or over its rear axle limit once the caravan is loaded and coupled. Four things need to work together:
The manufacturer's braked tow capacity is a ceiling, not a target. Many vehicles need specific equipment or conditions to reach it.
Passengers, gear and accessories eat into payload. A vehicle at its tow limit may still be over GVM before the van is even coupled.
Gross Combination Mass caps the combined weight of vehicle and caravan. Rear axle load can also be exceeded once the van is hitched.
The caravan's towball mass pushes down on the tow bar. Too much or too little affects stability, braking and axle limits.
Identify the exact Australian-market vehicle year, variant, transmission and modification status. Collect its GVM, GCM, front/rear axle ratings, towing capacity and coupling limits. Ask for the caravan’s plate, fitted-options list, actual loaded mass and measured towball load. Brochure maximum towing capacity alone cannot settle the match.
A vehicle has an entered 3,500 kg braked tow rating and 3,200 kg GVM. Its intended travel load weighs 2,980 kg before coupling. A 3,000 kg loaded caravan with 300 kg towball load produces a 3,280 kg coupled vehicle estimate: 80 kg over the entered GVM despite being 500 kg below the headline tow rating. Rear axle and GCM still need separate checks.
Ask whether quoted caravan tare includes the fitted batteries, air-conditioner, solar and accessories. Request the exact vehicle and towbar ratings, relevant modification approvals and the loading conditions behind any weighbridge ticket. Include your own passengers, water and gear. Unconfirmed figures should remain assumptions rather than being treated as verified capacity.
Start with free tools for individual checks. The $29 calculator/report models load distribution. A $49 Risk Scan provides a preliminary check. The $99 Vehicle + Caravan Assessment brings the proposed combination together; the $149 Complete Vehicle Build Assessment adds broader accessory and modification planning. A report identifies calculations, assumptions and verification needs; it is not engineering certification.
Free tools help you understand individual checks. Choose the report that matches the decision you need to make.
Australian reference guidance: Queensland towing weights and vehicle selection, towing equipment and road authority guidance by state. Examples above are illustrative calculations. Verify the exact ratings and loaded weights for your setup. See our editorial methodology.
You don’t need every figure perfectly — just enough for us to start the review. Gather what you can from the seller, dealer or compliance plates.
No. The tow rating tells you the maximum the vehicle is rated to pull, but it does not account for payload used by passengers and accessories, GCM limits, axle loads or towball download. A vehicle can be within its tow rating and still be over GVM, over GCM or over its rear axle limit once loaded.
GCM (Gross Combination Mass) is the maximum legal combined weight of the loaded vehicle and the loaded caravan together. Even if the caravan is within the tow rating, the total of vehicle plus caravan can exceed GCM — especially once passengers, fuel, gear and accessories are added.
That is common when you are still deciding what to buy. Submit what you do know — proposed vehicle, caravan ATM and your intended use — and we will identify which figures still need to be confirmed. The Vehicle + Caravan Assessment is designed for exactly this stage of the buying process.
No. The Vehicle + Caravan Assessment is an independent, structured automated advisory. It helps you understand the numbers and flag risks before you commit. Final verification should be made against compliance plates, manufacturer documentation and qualified professionals.
Free Tow Match Tool
Quick automated compatibility check
GVM, GCM & Axle Load Calculator
Understand how weights interact
Caravan Weight Calculator
Compare entered weights with caravan ratings; use measured towball load
Free Caravan Measurement Worksheet
Gather ratings and loaded measurements before using the tools
Manual Specifications
Enter specs for unlisted vehicles or vans
Gooseneck Towing Capacity
Understand the limits that govern a gooseneck setup
Towing Regulations by State
Check the official rules for every jurisdiction on your route
We review your proposed vehicle and caravan together and flag the risks in plain English — payload, GCM, towball and axle-load pressure points. $99, generated from the information you provide, with assumptions and verification needs identified.
Start Vehicle + Caravan Assessment — $99