Clarification of gross combined mass and towing capacities is needed for second stage manufacturers, the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association says.
“Second stage” manufacturers performing Gross Vehicle Mass upgrades on yet-to-be-registered vehicles are seeking clarity from regulators for the purpose of fitting aftermarket suspension and improving handling.
The AAAA asking the Federal Department of Transport to make the Australian Design Rules governing the system clearer.
Second stage manufacturers (SSMs), with the advocacy of the AAAA, say they need answers around how vehicle limits can be safely modified in order to fit shock absorbers, suspension and handling components to vehicles in order to safely reach and operate under the GCM, GVM and towing capacities set by OEMs.
In a statement this morning, the AAAA says in June this year, the transport department issued a document which stated the “towing capacity of a light vehicle expressed as Gross Combination Mass (GCM) rating or Rated Towing Capacity or Maximum Braked Towing Mass rating must not exceed the value set by the first stage manufacturer”, ie. carmakers.
Further, the department tells SSMs, on never-registered vehicles, and those modified under new or amended federal approvals, they “are not permitted to increase the towing capacity as part of a Second Stage Manufacturer Approval that results in a GVM upgrade”.
The Aftermarket Association says it “will not place itself in the position of representing some members over others on this issue”.
But it does want to make clear to the industry it “believes that the key issue is not whether a GCM upgrade on a particular vehicle is safe or unsafe, but the fact that there is no agreed method of validating this.”
The AAAA says it is developing a “viable pathway” for SSMs to perform GVM upgrades under the Road Vehicle Standards Act which will be in full effect by 2020.
“We acknowledge that some AAAA members are unhappy about the current situation in relation to GCM re-rating in combination with GVM upgrades,” executive director Stuart Charity says.
“There are a range of options to consider going forward, including the potential to develop a commercially viable testing regime to support GCM upgrades,” he explains.
“But this can only occur after the industry enters into a discussion and the AAAA can represent the majority view.”
The AAAA will hold a Gross Combination Mass discussion forum at its national office on October 4, “where all Second Stage Manufacturers and other industry stakeholders will be invited to attend and discuss the issues in a constructive environment and to engage in dialogue about the next steps,” Charity concludes.
“We have an undeniable track record of supporting our industry…in order to provide certainty to manufacturers, distributors, technicians and consumers alike.”
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