Low towbar rating- case for refund?

[Camtriton]

I have a factory fitted, genuine Mitsu sand plow. Hate the bloody thing but have put up with it for about 4 years.
Anyway long story short I was under there yesterday and noticed the rating on the towbar is only 2700kg yet the vehicle is rated to 3000kg.

Now I have a boat that is 2700kg with about 100l fuel and little else. So I know that generally I will be pulling it between 2700kg and 3000kg. I always thought I would be covered as my vehicl has a 3T capacity and it stands to reason the factory fitted towbar for that vehicle would also be compliant and allow me to utilise that towing capacity.

So my question is- do I have recourse to demand a refund? If so what route would you take and has anyone done this before?

Cheers,

[Cowboy Dave]

I would think it's a question of timing since they were not always rated at 3 tonne. Obviously the 3 tonne rating is only going to be available with a bar certified for that weight. If the 3 tonne thing came after your bar was fitted you won't have a leg to stand on.

[Camtriton]

Sorry forgot to mention the model- it is an MN MY09 purchased Feb 2010. It was purchased based on the fact it claimed 3T towing so I think timing wise I should be ok?

[mitzikatzi]

My dealer fitted tow bar has a sticker near the tyre placard with the ratings on it.

[har05l]

Mine is 2010 MN and only rated at 2700kg's.

I have the TJM rear bar and this is also rated at 2700kg's.

They did decrease the load rating back at that time, not sure why though so really you will just have to be careful how you load the boat. Maybe loading the tub with a bit of gear out of the boat will help.

[SEJ GLX-R]

I have a 2010 MN and it has an ARB towbar rated at 2700kg.

I could be wrong but wasn't the 3000kg rating when the vehicle was fitted with an alloy tray?

[johno]

It was purchased based on the fact it claimed 3T towing so I think timing wise I should be ok?

Was this your observation ? was it mentioned to the salesman when you purchased ?? did they tell you that you would be able to tow 3T with your triton??? and finally...did you get it in writing ????
I think you might have a hard time, regardless of the time frame....
Cheers Johno

[4wd26]

I have a 2010 MN and it has an ARB towbar rated at 2700kg.

I could be wrong but wasn't the 3000kg rating when the vehicle was fitted with an alloy tray?

needed to be a factory fitted tray and bar.

With tub it was 2700kg.

That has since changed to 3000kg across the range, but check your booklet, that will confirm what your vehicle is rated for.

[Belbrook]

I have an October 2009 Mn and it is rated at 2700kg. There is a thread somewhere discussing when they changed to 3t .
I would also be looking at your combined weight.
Towing on the limit can be done but I wouldn't do it regularly. Id be looking at a bigger vehicle.

[biggibbo]

As the other guys said, tub versions were rated at 2700kg due to the chassis extension required to fit the towbar.

The 3000kg limit was for cab chassis models as they took a shorter towbar.

This was very clear from the brochures at the time (mine is a 2010 MN) that they had up to 3t towing capacity with a little * stating the differences

I would say you have no recourse or grounds for a refund

[Lee-thal]

Yep Exactly correct.
With Styleside Tub the 2010 MN Model only had 2700kg tow rating.
If you fitted the Alloy Tray then it was the 3 tonne.

They changed in the 2011 Model to 3 tonne across the range no matter what tub or tray.

But if you have in writing from a salesperson about the towing weight then yeah go back to them.

[wayne85]

just curious. how does the little 2.5 go with 3 tons behind her? are you auto or manual?

[Cowboy Dave]

Ah good to see so many with better recollections than mine. Of course it all comes flooding back to me now.

In answer to Wayne's post - I wouldn't do it. I've towed 2 ton and that was plenty even with upgraded suspension etc. Maybe for a short distance on flat ground? But I wouldn't want to tackle a mountain, up or down, with that sort of weight behind me. Can the vehicle do it? Sure. How safe you feel and how hard you work pretty much everything on the truck is another thing entirely.

[Lee-thal]

I tow 2.5 tonne reasonably regularly,
It can tow it no worries at all, Pulls the boat out of the water in 2wd no issues at all.

Certainly not a power house while towing that load though, at gets a little thirsty at highway speeds.

[Camtriton]

Thanks for the info. I had a look at the manual at lunch and yes it states 3000kg, 2700kg*. The * denoting an "extended tub" which is obviously any tub that isn't ali tray back. Ahh well worth a thought.

It does have me a bit concerned from a legal stand point though. It tows the boat fine but I probably do about a 12km round trip on flat ground and that is all I'm likely to do. The boat usually has a couple hundred litres of fuel, bait, ice , eskies gear etc. Some could go in the back but it will still most likely overshoot the limit.

[Lee-thal]

Its simple on the legal side, if you tow over 2700kg,

ITS ILLEGAL, which means you could be finedand lose demerit points,
But even worse, If you are in an accident, Your Insurance will not cover the car, boat or any injuries,

[Geoff3DMN]

My boat and trailer weight is 1750kg plus fuel, accessories and safety gear for a total of just under 2 tonne.

I tow mine 75kms each way on a single lane highway to get to the water and I really wouldn't want a much higher tow weight behind the Triton (even if the ratings say it's within spec).

As it is I have to engage low range to reverse up my driveway or slip the clutch that much that it smells.

Camitron I'm sorry to say but I think you haven't got a leg to stand on when it comes to getting a refund but it may be possible to get an engineer to re-rate your bar to 3 tonne if there are no physical differences between the pre 2010 and post 2010 tow systems.

[variflex]

As it is I have to engage low range to reverse up my driveway or slip the clutch that much that it smells.

.

Geoff, might be worth you having a look at the low range 2wd mod in the platinum section for when your reversing the boat up your driveway

[RHKTriton]

Most of the manufacturers are pushing it with their maximum tow rates.

Its not as simple as simply being able to move a mass.

There was a good article on one of the caravanning sites, highlighting the various towed and towing vehicle specs.

I would be inclined to keep a trailer/van/boat close to the vehicle weight as a max.

The dealers aren't going to give too much detail away - sales guy is usually hungry for his commission.

[Camtriton]

Yep I know once you go over the limit then it is illegal etc. That's why it is a legal towing limit.

So if the later models are now 3T across the range with no change in the vehicle. Does this now mean that my Triton would have a legal limit of 3T (if I upgraded the towbar to 3T) or would I need to get a compliance plate or engineering certificate?
As mentioned, I just want it to be legal- I only drive short distances on flat ground and rarely above 60km/h so don't feel at all unsafe towing this weight.

[Lee-thal]

Your vehicle is ADR to a certain Spec, and that spec was 2700kg towing. so its dificult to change it easily.

unless you can find an engineer that would approve a GVM upgrade and mod plate accordingly, that may be your only option.

[AnOldFart]

Local Mitsui Stealers up here in Brissy would have given you a good 'trade-up' deal to a latest 3 tonne rated model, just prior to midnight on 30th June. Think you might have just 'missed the boat' by now though 'Cam' ...