GVM and GCM upgrades in Darwin
Suspension and load ratings
4WD GVM and GCM upgrades, fitted and certified
GVM (gross vehicle mass) is the most your vehicle is allowed to weigh, fully loaded. That's everything: passengers, fuel, water, the tray or canopy, drawers, a fridge, recovery gear and the weight on your towbar. Plenty of utes and touring 4x4s are over it before they leave town.
A GVM upgrade raises that limit with suspension rated for the extra load. We fit the upgrade at our Winnellie workshop and arrange the certification, so you drive away with the paperwork done. Where the kit allows, we can raise your GCM too, so you can tow more as well as carry more.
Worth asking about if you
- Run a canopy, drawers or a heavy tray
- Carry water, fuel or a camper setup
- Tow a van or trailer
- Use a work ute fully loaded every day
- Are about to kit out a new vehicle
Why GVM matters
It's the law
Driving over your GVM is illegal, even if the vehicle feels fine on the road.
Insurance
If something goes wrong while you're overweight, it can affect your insurance claim.
Handling and wear
An overloaded vehicle brakes, steers and handles worse, and wears out springs, shocks and tyres faster.
Pre-rego or post-rego GVM upgrades
Pre-registration upgrades are for new vehicles that haven't been registered yet. The upgrade goes in before first rego, so the vehicle is registered at the higher GVM from day one. If you're buying new and you already know it'll carry a heavy setup, this is the time to do it.
Post-registration upgrades are for vehicles already on the road. Once the upgrade is fitted, it's inspected and certified, and the new GVM is recorded for your rego. We arrange that for you.
On some vehicles a GVM upgrade also changes the towing figures (GCM). Where the kit allows, we can upgrade GCM as well. We'll check what's possible for yours before you book.
We do both
- Pre-registration, on new vehicles
- Post-registration, on vehicles already on the road
- Certification arranged for you
- Fitted in our Winnellie workshop
GVM, GCM and the other weights, explained
Kerb weight is the vehicle on its own, with its fluids and a full tank but nobody in it.
Payload is everything you add: people, gear, water, accessories like a bullbar, winch, roof rack or drawers, and the weight pressing down on the towball.
GVM is kerb weight plus payload: the most the vehicle can legally weigh on its own.
ATM is the most a loaded trailer or van can weigh. GTM is the part of that carried by the trailer's own wheels, and the rest sits on your towball.
GCM is the most the vehicle and trailer can weigh together. The manufacturer sets it, and on a lot of utes it's less than the GVM and the towing capacity added together. GCM upgrades are less common than GVM upgrades, and only some kits and vehicles allow them.
A worked example
Say a ute has a 3,300 kg GVM, a 3,500 kg towing capacity and a 6,000 kg GCM.
Loaded right up to its GVM, it can only tow 2,700 kg (6,000 minus 3,300), not the 3,500 on the brochure.
Raise the GVM to 3,900 kg without touching the GCM, and fully loaded it can tow 2,100 kg. That's why we look at what you tow as well as what you carry.
What to check before you choose a GVM upgrade
Not every GVM upgrade is equal, and the differences often don't show up until later.
Is it legal in every state? Some upgrades are certified in a way that's only recognised in the state where they were done. That's fine until you move interstate, or try to sell the vehicle to someone who lives elsewhere. We use nationally recognised certification wherever it's available for your vehicle and kit, and we'll tell you up front if it isn't.
Are you locked in? Some kits specify exactly which consumables have to be used, down to the brake pads, so you end up going back to one supplier for every service. We prefer kits that let you use standard parts, and if a kit does come with requirements like that, we'll tell you before you commit.
Ask any installer
- Is the certification recognised in every state?
- Will I need parts, like brake pads, from one supplier?
- What does it do to my towing (GCM)?
- Who arranges the engineer and the paperwork?
How a GVM upgrade works
1
Tell us what you carry
Make, model, what's fitted, what you carry and what you tow. A trip over a weighbridge fully loaded is the best guide.
2
We pick the right kit
We recommend an upgrade kit that suits the vehicle and how you use it, not one brand for everything.
3
Fitted in Winnellie
Our mechanics fit the upgrade in our workshop, with a wheel alignment to finish.
4
Certified
We arrange the engineer sign-off and the paperwork, so you pick up a certified vehicle.
GVM upgrade questions
What's the difference between GVM and GCM?
GVM is the most the vehicle can weigh, loaded. GCM is the most the vehicle and whatever it's towing can weigh together. A GVM upgrade doesn't always raise GCM, so on some vehicles carrying more means towing less, unless the GCM is upgraded too. We'll check yours before you book.
Do you do Prado GVM upgrades?
Yes. We do GVM upgrades on Prados, including the 150 and 250 series, along with LandCruisers, Hiluxes and most popular 4x4 utes and wagons. We also fit lift kits and suspension.
Do you arrange the certification?
Yes. We fit the upgrade and arrange the engineer sign-off and paperwork, so you pick up a certified vehicle.
Can you do a GVM upgrade on a new vehicle?
Yes. We do pre-registration upgrades on new vehicles, and post-registration upgrades on vehicles already on the road.
How do I know if I'm over my GVM?
Load the vehicle the way you normally drive it and take it over a public weighbridge. Compare that weight with the GVM on the vehicle's compliance plate or in the owner's manual.
Can you do a GCM upgrade?
Yes, where the kit for your vehicle allows it. A GCM upgrade raises the combined limit for the vehicle and whatever it's towing. We'll tell you what's possible for your vehicle before you book.
Is a GVM upgrade legal in every state?
It depends on how it's certified. Some certifications are only recognised in the state where the work was done. We use nationally recognised certification wherever it's available for your vehicle and kit, and tell you up front if it isn't.
Will I be locked into one supplier for parts?
Some kits require specific consumables, like brake pads, from one supplier. We prefer kits that let you use standard parts, and we'll tell you before you commit if a kit has requirements like that.
Enquire about a GVM upgrade
Tell us the vehicle, what it carries and whether you tow, and we'll come back to you about the right GVM upgrade.
Rather talk first?
Call us on (08) 8984 4804 and we'll talk through what your 4WD needs.
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm
- 141 Coonawarra Road, Winnellie