GVM Upgrades

About this range

A GVM upgrade raises your 4x4's legal carrying capacity, so the weight of a canopy, drawers, water, tools and touring gear no longer pushes you over the factory limit. We stock Lovells and TJM GVM upgrade kits for popular platforms including the Toyota LandCruiser 70, 200 and 300 Series, Prado 150, Ford Ranger, Isuzu D-MAX and Mazda BT-50. As an authorised TJM stockist we ship kits Australia-wide, and our Burwood workshop in Melbourne handles the fitting.

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Buying guide

GVM upgrades explained

A GVM upgrade raises the most your vehicle may legally weigh when it's loaded. It's an engineered and certified change, not just stronger springs, so it pays to understand the numbers first.

  1. Know your numbers

    GVM is the maximum loaded mass on your compliance plate. Tare is the empty mass with 10 litres of fuel. Payload is GVM minus tare. Weighing the vehicle loaded for a trip shows how close you really are.

  2. Before or after registration

    A pre-registration upgrade is done to a new vehicle before it is first registered, under federal "second stage of manufacture" approval. After registration, your state's own procedure applies.

  3. Towing doesn't rise by itself

    Raising GVM doesn't automatically raise your GCM or towing capacity, and tow ball weight counts towards GVM. Some kits revise GCM as well, so check the kit's figures.

  4. Licence and tyres

    A car licence covers vehicles up to 4.5 t GVM; above that you need a light rigid licence. Your tyres must be rated for the new GVM, which can mean new tyres and a new tyre placard.

Choosing the right GVM upgrade

Start with real numbers. Weigh the vehicle loaded the way you actually tour, passengers, fuel, water and towball download included. Lovells offers several tiers for the same vehicle, for example the 200 Series LandCruiser at 3800kg, 4000kg or 4200kg, so pick the rating that covers your loaded weight with margin, not just the biggest number. Higher ratings usually mean firmer spring rates and can bring extra requirements around tyres and rims.

Compliance depends on when the kit goes on. Fitted before first registration, a GVM upgrade is federally approved and recognised in every state. Fitted to a vehicle already on the road, it needs state level certification, which in Victoria means sign off by a VASS engineer. Each kit is an engineered package of springs, shocks and hardware certified as a set for one specific vehicle, so fit it complete rather than mixing components. Our Burwood workshop fits GVM kits regularly and can talk you through the certification steps.

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Common questions

What is GVM, and what's my payload?

GVM (gross vehicle mass) is the maximum your vehicle may weigh fully loaded, as shown on its compliance plate. Payload is GVM minus the tare (empty) mass, and it has to cover passengers, fuel, accessories and luggage.

Does a GVM upgrade increase my towing capacity?

Not automatically. GCM (gross combination mass) and towing capacity are separate ratings, and the tow ball weight of your trailer counts towards GVM. Some upgrade kits also revise GCM; others leave it unchanged.

What's the difference between a pre-rego and post-rego GVM upgrade?

A pre-registration upgrade is done to a new, unregistered vehicle under federal second stage of manufacture approval. Once a vehicle is registered, each state runs its own process. In Victoria, a modification outside VicRoads' guidelines generally needs a VASS approval certificate, so ask us how your upgrade will be certified.

Will I need a truck licence?

Only if the upgraded GVM is over 4.5 t. A car licence covers vehicles up to 4.5 t GVM; above that, up to 8 t, you need a light rigid (LR) licence (Road Safety (Drivers) Regulations 2019).

What can a LandCruiser 200 Series go to?

Lovells lists 3,800 kg and 4,000 kg kits for the VDJ200, and a 4,200 kg Platinum kit for models other than the GX, up from a factory GVM of 3,300 to 3,350 kg. GCM revisions may not be available in every state after registration.

How much does a GVM upgrade cost?

It depends on the vehicle, the kit, whether new tyres are needed and how it's certified. Call us with your vehicle and build date and we'll quote it.

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