Car & Caravan Mobile
Weigh Station
Serving South East QLD

Weighing your vehicle and caravan ensures they meet legal weight limits, keeping you safe, improving performance, and protecting your insurance coverage. Overloading can harm braking, stability, and handling, endangering you and others on the road.

Exceeding weight limits may void insurance, lead to fines, or cause costly damage. Our weighing service provides a clear report, helping you adjust your load before traveling for safe, legal towing.

It’s not just about total weight. Several weight metrics matter, and each has its own limit:

• Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM): Total weight of your loaded vehicle.
• Gross Combination Mass (GCM): Combined weight of your vehicle (GVM) and trailer’s axle load (GTM).
• Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM): Total weight of your loaded trailer.
• Gross Trailer Mass (GTM): Weight on the trailer’s axles.
• Tow-Ball Load: Weight on the tow hitch.
• Axle Loads: Weight on front or rear axles.
• Towing Capacity: Braked or unbraked limits for safe towing.

You could be under GVM and ATM but still exceed GCM, overload an axle, or surpass tow-ball limits without knowing. Our detailed report covers all these metrics, highlighting any issues so you can rebalance or lighten your load for safe, worry-free travel.

If your car or caravan is found to be overweight at a roadside check, enforcement officers can take several actions depending on the severity of the breach and the risks posed. These can include:

• Grounding: Your vehicle may be grounded — meaning you cannot legally continue your journey until excess weight is removed or redistributed.
• Fines and Demerits: Expect fines and potentially demerit points against your licence if you're found non-compliant.
• Legal & Insurance Risks: Repeated offences or severe overloading can lead to legal action, and your insurance may be invalidated in the event of a claim.

If this happens, it’s essential to get a proper weigh-in and a clear breakdown of where you're over so you can correct the issue and avoid repeat problems.

A mobile weighing service like Weighed is designed for convenience, accuracy, and safety — with none of the hassle of visiting a weighbridge. We come to you, whether you're at home, storage, or a caravan park, saving time and avoiding the risk of driving an overloaded setup.

• Convenience: No need to search for a public weighbridge or wait in line — we weigh your vehicle where it sits.
• Accuracy: Our scales measure individual tyres, axles, and tow ball weight with precision to 1 kg, unlike weighbridges which typically round to 20 kg increments.
• Detailed Compliance Checks: You'll receive a report that includes GVM, ATM, GTM, GCM, axle weights and TBW — with clear pass/fail status.
• On-the-Spot Advice: If your weights are out of spec, we show you where and explain how to fix it immediately.
• Safer & Smarter: You avoid unnecessary travel in a potentially illegal or unsafe configuration, which could attract fines or insurance issues.
• Education: Learn how weight affects handling, braking, and compliance — so you tow with more confidence going forward.

It's the easiest and most thorough way to make sure your car and caravan setup is safe, legal, and ready for the road.

Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) is the maximum allowable weight of your vehicle when fully loaded, as specified by the manufacturer. It includes the vehicle’s kerb weight, passengers, cargo, accessories, fuel, and any tow-ball load transferred from a hitched trailer.

Gross Combined Mass (GCM) is the combined weight of your fully loaded tow vehicle (GVM) plus the weight carried on the trailer’s axles (GTM).
GCM = GVM + GTM

Staying within your rated GVM & GCM protects your engine, transmission, brakes, chassis, and suspension from overload. Exceeding these limits can lead to mechanical damage, reduced performance, and voided warranties or insurance.

During our weigh-in, we measure your loaded GVM and GTM, then calculate your combined mass and show you exactly how close you are to both your GVM and GCM limits.

Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) is the total weight of your trailer or caravan when fully loaded and uncoupled (not hitched). This includes the trailer’s tare weight, cargo, full water tanks, gas bottles, and any gear on board.

Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) is the weight carried by the trailer’s axles when hitched.
GTM = ATM − Tow Ball Weight (TBW)

ATM must never exceed the manufacturer’s plated limit. Exceeding GTM can overload your trailer axles, leading to tyre failures, suspension damage, and unsafe handling.

We measure your ATM and TBW during our mobile weigh-in, calculate your GTM, and provide clear pass/fail results so you can adjust your load and stay within legal limits.

The key difference between ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) and GTM (Gross Trailer Mass) comes down to how the trailer is positioned and what part of the weight is being supported.

ATM is the total weight of the trailer when fully loaded and unhitched — it includes everything: the trailer itself, water, gas, cargo, and any accessories. It represents the entire load the trailer is carrying, including the portion that will be transferred to the tow vehicle's tow ball once connected.

GTM is the maximum load the trailer's axles can support when it is hitched to the tow vehicle. It equals ATM minus the Tow Ball Weight (TBW), because part of the trailer’s weight is being carried by the vehicle at the tow point.

During a weigh-in, we calculate both ATM and GTM to make sure you’re not overloading either the trailer axles or the tow vehicle — both of which are critical for safe towing.

Front Axle Load (FAL) is the maximum weight the front axle of your vehicle can carry, including passengers, engine, accessories, and any tow-ball load transferred when hitched.

Rear Axle Load (RAL) is the maximum weight the rear axle can carry—this includes cargo, rear-seat passengers, and the tow-ball weight from a hitched trailer.

Overloading either axle (exceeding your FAL or RAL) can impair steering, braking, suspension, and tyre life. Our mobile scales measure both FAL & RAL so you can redistribute load and stay within safe limits.

Braked Towing Capacity (BTC) is the maximum mass of a trailer or caravan you can tow when its own brakes are connected and functioning. It assumes the trailer’s braking system assists your vehicle’s brakes.

Unbraked Towing Capacity (UTC) is the maximum mass you can tow if the trailer has no brakes of its own—your vehicle’s brakes must handle the entire load, so this limit is always lower.

Exceeding either your BTC or UTC can compromise stopping distances, overload your chassis, and void insurance. We compare your actual setup to both BTC & UTC to keep you compliant and safe.

Tow Ball Weight (TBW) — also referred to as Tow Ball Mass (TBM) — is the vertical weight applied to the tow vehicle's tow ball by the trailer or caravan coupling when hitched. It’s a critical part of your towing setup, affecting how your vehicle handles, brakes, and balances.

TBW is included in the trailer’s ATM but also counts toward the tow vehicle’s payload and Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM). Too much TBW can overload your rear axle, cause poor handling, or lead to suspension sag. Too little can result in sway and loss of control at speed.

We measure TBW accurately during our weigh-in and calculate its percentage relative to your ATM — ideally between 10% and 12% for most caravans. We also assess whether it's contributing to any GVM or axle overloading issues on your vehicle.

Tare Weight is the weight of an empty vehicle or trailer with no passengers, cargo, or accessories fitted. It may include minimal fluids (like a small amount of fuel or coolant), but it typically excludes a full fuel tank. Tare is most commonly used when referring to caravans and trailers as listed on their compliance plate.

Kerb Weight, on the other hand, is the weight of a standard vehicle as it sits on the road ("kerb"), including all standard equipment, necessary operating fluids, and a full tank of fuel — but still excluding passengers, luggage, or aftermarket accessories.

The key difference is that Kerb Weight includes fuel and fluids, while Tare Weight often does not. Understanding both is crucial when calculating your available payload and staying within your Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) and towing limits.

We help clarify the difference during your weigh-in and show you how these figures influence your real-world towing capacity and compliance.

Correct load balancing and tow ball weight (TBW/TBM) are critical for safe, stable towing. An unevenly loaded caravan — especially with too much weight at the back — can lead to dangerous sway, poor handling, unpredictable braking, and increased tyre wear.

The ideal tow ball weight is generally around 10–12% of the trailer’s ATM. If TBW is too low, the trailer becomes unstable and prone to sway at speed. If it’s too high, you risk overloading your vehicle’s rear axle or exceeding your GVM.

During our weighing process, we precisely measure your tow ball weight and assess how your load is distributed across the axles. If it’s unbalanced, we show you exactly what to shift — and where — to fix it.

Balancing your load isn't just about legality — it's one of the most effective ways to prevent sway and ensure a smoother, safer towing experience.

Below is a list of commonly used car and caravan accessories along with their average weights. This table can help you calculate your vehicle's GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) and ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) for safe and legal towing. For accuracy, it is recommended to weigh individual items where possible.

Tip:

Weigh individual items using home scales and label them with stickers to help you keep track of each item's weight.

Note: These weights are provided as a guide only. Always check and weigh individual items to ensure your vehicle remains compliant with legal GVM and ATM limits.