Gross Combined Mass revisited

Jay

Carrolls must have a somewhat vivid imagination. I have had discussions with two engineers with a view to increasing the GVM and the issue, according to these guys, is braking capability not suspension.

Andy

Hi,

I contacted Carrolls and spoke to Jim the plant manager. Wasn't able to get to Doug as he gave me the name of Alan. Spoke to Alan and he indicated that it shouldn 't be a problem to increase both the GVM and the GCM; charge $1,760.

If you have a way of reaching Doug and finding John - great!

If GCM is the total of your GVM + your towing capacity then I assume that the GCM of the F250 would be 4219 + 4500 = 8719. If I can simply increase my GVM to 4500 so that the GCM by that definition is 9000 I can definitely live with those numbers.

I simply am trying to find official clarification of the numbers; I have written to Ford Australia - waiting for response.

Jay

Jay i gave you a bum steer the guy's name was "Alan" and i think "Marberg" he wanted the truck for 2 days in the end he did it in the 1 days but did 500k's so ask him how far he needs to take the truck 500 seem a little bit to much testing for me , also cost 1760.00 so must be the same guy, did extensive breaking test laden down with computers etc, said we could go to over 6Tonne if we wanted but we only wanted the 4495 which he did.
Doug i think said he was going on a trip so he could be away i also spoke to Jim on the phone what our GMC says is "Max Tow on Ball 12000lbs which is around 5443 Tonnne what hitch will you go with on the new van.
Regards
Brian

Bingo!

Yes it is Alan Marberg and he sounded very positive.

It is very interesting because Paul has a spec sheet that indicates the GCM is 7369, and my mate has a spec sheet showing 9016!

I wrote to Ford; see what happens.

I am going to ask Alan to give the truck a 4500 GVM and give it a 9000 GCM based upon 4500 + 4500 tow capacity.

My hitch is actually rated at 5500 - I am using the 6000 ring with the pintle from Vehicle Components.

Thanks for remembering!!

Cheers, Jay

Hi Rob,

No I am keeping Big Red to two my luxury Boroma!

Right now I am in discussions with Ford over the fact that the GCM for the 2004 F250 is 7369 and the GCM for the 2005 F250 is 9016.

It seems that although the upgraded the hitch from 3500 to 4500 they did not increase the GCM!

Will keep everyone advised on this site; I have no intention of having anything to do with "his" site after the way I was treated when all I did was try to impart some information about Carroll's.

Cheers, Jay

Stewart, what year is your F250.

This is the email I sent to Ford in response to their "confidential" email giving me the specifications for the 2004 SuperCab - :
Vehicle Weight (kg)
Kerb 3146
GVM 4219
GCM 7369

Hi,

I am sorry to be pursuing this further however the numbers are significant for all of the 2004 owners with upgraded 4500kg hitch receivers.

From 2004 to 2005, other than the fact that the tow capacity was increased from 3500 to 4500 - which I believe should then be added to the GCM since I have a Ford 4500 hitch receiver, were any other changes made to the F250 from 2004 to 2005.

My friend has a 2005 F250, he has the 2005 spec sheet which shows for the SuperCab a GCM of 9071. What occurred from 2004 to 2005 to result in an increase of 1702kg which includes the 1000 tow capacity increase?

A 7369 GCM that does not take into account the fact that the tow capacity was legally increased from 3500 to 4500 makes no sense because when you add together the GVM of 4219 and a tow capacity of 4500 that equals 8719.

The 2005 GCM of 9071 takes all of that into account.

There is no plate on the f250 that indicates GCM; it is only in the spec brochure.

What was done about the GCM for the 2004 F250s that paid for the legal 4500 hitch receiver upgrade?

This subject is very important as I tow a GVM 4499 caravan based upon reliance on the 4500 upgraded hitch receiver; however, if I am legally limited to 7369 that leaves me with a payload of 2869 which is less than the kerb weight.

The plate on the vehicle says that the maximum front axel load is 2241 and the rear axel is 2817 which totals 5058. That substantially exceeds the GVM.

If you are going to tell me that the 7369 is binding, then I would respond that the 4500 upgrade was no upgrade at all because the difference between the kerb weight and the GCM is only 4223 and that doesn't take into account having a driver!

Perhaps this needs to be discussed with the Ford engineers. At the very least my GCM should be 8719, and I would suggest that since the axel capacity is 5058, the GVM should be 4500 so that a light rigid truck license is not required.

Thank you, I will be happy to call and discuss this further.

Jay Gould

Jay,

It is a 2004 but a dual cab and the following weights are what I obtained if I remember was from the Ford web site specification sheet.

I wish I had printed one out now but surely Ford would have some records of these specifications.

Weights/Capacities
GVM 4200kg
Kerb Weight 3198kg
Payload 1002kg
GCM includes braked trailer 9071kg
Conventional Towing Capacity 4500kg
Front Axle Load(max) 2241kg
Rear Axle Load(max) 2760kg

So going by these we sould have a 9071kg GCM thats why I have not bothered with obtaining an engineers certificate.

Cheers
Stewart

Jay,

Sent email to Ford to send me a specification sheet, of which they did but the GCM was listed as 7369.

Can you let me know the procedure and contacts that you went through so I can do the same.

Cheers
Stewart

Well done Jay. I'll be very keen to find out the procedure as well...

Peter

Thank you Jay for doing the leg work and passing the info on. I have made a copy as you suggested.

Ditto, Thanks Jay