Skip to main content
When your region is set to Australia (in More -> Settings -> Region & Units), loadmate uses Australian towing terms throughout the app. The labels you see match what is stamped on your vehicle compliance plate (the metal plate in the engine bay or door frame), your trailer plate, and your manual, so you can read a number off the document and enter it into the matching field without translating it in your head. Use the labels on your vehicle plate, trailer plate, manual, and measured ticket. Enter the matching loadmate field using the AU terms shown in the app.

​
Common terms

loadmate shows these Australian terms when your region is Australia. Each one names a figure you can read off a plate, a manual, or a weighbridge ticket.
  • GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) — the maximum loaded weight of your tow vehicle, stamped on the vehicle compliance plate.
  • GCM (Gross Combination Mass) — the maximum combined weight of the tow vehicle and the loaded trailer together.
  • ATM (Aggregate Trailer Mass) — the maximum loaded weight of the trailer or caravan when it is not coupled to the vehicle.
  • GTM (Gross Trailer Mass) — the loaded trailer weight carried by the trailer axles when it is coupled to the vehicle.
  • Tare weight — the empty, unladen weight of the trailer.
  • Tow ball mass — the downward weight the coupling puts on the tow ball. This is the most safety-critical figure in the app, so getting the label right matters.
loadmate also uses Australian spelling and metric units in this region: kilograms (kg) for weight, litres (L) for tank and fuel volumes, kilometres (km) for distance, and kPa for tyre pressure. Spelling follows the Australian set, such as tyre, kerb, and colour.
In the United Kingdom and the United States the same physical figures carry different names. For example, tow ball mass (AU) is nose weight (UK) and tongue weight (US). loadmate swaps the whole set when you change region, so you only ever see one market’s terms at a time.

​
Common mix-ups

  • Do not confuse ATM with GTM. ATM is the loaded trailer when it is not coupled. GTM is the weight carried by the trailer axles when it is coupled.
  • Do not put trailer ATM into the vehicle GVM field. Vehicle limits come from vehicle documents.
  • Do not use tare weight as the loaded limit. Tare is the empty reference weight.
  • Do not treat tow ball mass as the whole trailer weight. It is only the downward load at the coupling.
  • Do not copy a brochure value over the plate if the two disagree. Check the physical plate first.

​
Where to find ratings

Most of the numbers loadmate asks for come straight off a document you already have:
  • Vehicle compliance plate — GVM, GCM, kerb weight, and the braked towing capacity for your tow vehicle.
  • Trailer or caravan plate — ATM, GTM, and tare weight for the trailer.
  • Tow bar and coupling labels — the maximum tow ball mass your hardware is rated for.
  • Owner’s manual — figures that are not on a plate, and the recommended tyre pressures for your load.
  • A measured weighbridge ticket — the actual loaded weights and tow ball mass once your rig is packed.
Enter each figure into the field with the matching Australian label. When the app’s label agrees with the document in front of you, you can be confident the number is going in the right place. Adding your own trailer and saving these Australian ratings against it is part of setting up a rig. See Add a tow vehicle and Add a trailer to enter your plate figures.

​
Use this with source documents

loadmate compares the figures you enter against the ratings on your plates and tells you where you stand against those limits. It uses the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) terminology as the national reference for Australian towing. For state-level road rules or permit questions, check the current official source for the place you tow. For measured weight evidence, use a certified weighbridge.
loadmate helps you work from the numbers you enter. Keep your source documents handy, and use a weighbridge, truck scale, or local authority when you need official evidence.