Gross Vehicle Mass

Whether you’re carrying tools of the trade or packing up the 4×4 for an extended trip, your vehicle can become dangerous and illegal if it exceeds the allocated gross vehicle mass (GVM).

The GVM is the maximum a vehicle can weigh when fully loaded. Everything you place on or in your vehicle adds to the overall GVM such as fuel, accessories, cargo (including passengers), the tray body for cab chassis models, and even the tow ball load applied by a boat or camper trailer.

A legal GVM is set for all vehicles as part of the Australian Design Rules (ADR) approval process. If your vehicle exceeds these limits you could be up for a costly fine, void your insurance and make your vehicle unsafe.

To combat these issues, ARB offers Old Man Emu GVM upgrades in line with ADR requirements for a number of new, unregistered vehicles.

Old Man Emu GVM Upgrades

New vehicle GVM upgrades are only granted by the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Transport after detailed tests have been carried out by Old Man Emu suspension engineers. We ensure that the increase in a vehicle’s GVM following the fitment of a complete suspension system meets the minimum ADR safety requirements.Once the approved suspension system and GVM upgrade compliance plate has been fitted to your vehicle by an authorised Old Man Emu installer,

it can then be registered according to its new, increased GVM. This process ensures that your vehicle is GVM legal in all states of Australia.

Once vehicles are registered, they fall under the jurisdiction of the state authorities. The need for GVM upgrades post registration should be discussed with your local ARB State Office, as regulations differ between states and other requirements may be imposed locally.