Load Capacoty

[Pilko Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close Pilko]

I've just bought a caravan, I am aware of the breakdown towing capacity, but can any one tell me the payload of the vehicle? All I keep getting is the towing capacity.

[amts Ninja Poster. Find all posts View Profile Close amts]

You need to know the weight on the towball and the current weight of the Prado with full fluids and accessories fitted.
Then Prado's Payload = GVM - Prado weight - towball weight

Also another parameter is axle capacity. You need to ensure that the individual axle capacities are not exceeded. This could reduce your payload or affect how you load your Prado.

[Piggy Water pistol pilot. Find all posts View Profile Close Piggy]

The only way to know for sure is to take the vehicle (with full tanks) over a weighbridge, then add up the passengers/driver and anything you are going to put in it, to find out your gross weight, then add towball weight, Likely you'll be going over GVM. Front and rear axle weights should also be known. I would put the van on, and weight the whole lot together, Towball down weight, Vehicle weight, Front and rear axle weights. Those 5 weights will give you a good start point to know "if" you can load any more into the vehicle. How far you are from GVM, GCM etc.

[carco Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close carco]

As you have a 120 you should be fine considering its GCM and GVM. (Unless you’ve got extra batteries, rear bar, twin spares, winch etc etc)
Fill her with fuel, add any passengers, dogs, esky whatever you intend travelling with and put her over the scales.
Then do the sums.
No guesswork needed.

[Piggy Water pistol pilot. Find all posts View Profile Close Piggy]

As you have a 120 you should be fine considering its GCM and GVM. (Unless you’ve got extra batteries, rear bar, twin spares, winch etc etc)
Fill her with fuel, add any passengers, dogs, esky whatever you intend travelling with and put her over the scales.
Then do the sums.
No guesswork needed.

The problem is Toyota seem to "estimate" its figures. We took a brand new 120 Grande out of the showroom, filled with fuel, and straight onto a set of race scales, It was 102 Kilos more than their advertised figures. We then took it to a weighbridge to confirm against the scales. Again 105 Kilos more than factory specs. This naturally lowers the cargo carrying capacity.
Did the same with a 200 series and that was 179 kilos more than the advertised weights. (No driver in either car tested)

[carco Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close carco]

Yep, the only sure way is to put it over the scales.
All new vehicle figures are with 10L fuel. As the 120 has 180L?? capacity, fill it up and there goes about 150kg of carry capacity.
We just bought a caravan, same story. Full gas bottles but no water. Van sellers are notorious for incorrect info so you have to weigh the whole show.
200 series has woeful GVM. Add a steel front bar, tow bar and the 7-seat capacity is impossible unless they’re all babies.