payload

[Brian Peters]

Hi all, I have just been to a weighbridge to check on my motorhomes weight, i was shocked at what i found. My motorhome was 60kg over the 3500kg, this was even after a declutter in the garage area. The motorhome is a Burstner t-star 710,2005 model based on a Mercedes Sprinter, when i bought it it had a sat dome fitted, an awning, a solar panel, an electric step, and rear steadies.It looks like my payload has been eaten up by all the accessories.Looking around campsites most vans of my size and weight restriction seem to be carrying a hell of a lot more kit than me, in fact one van the same as mine had very simular equipment and even a scooter in the garage?????? Next holiday it looks like i might have to risk a fine for being slightly over or i just take a pair of pants and a tooth brush. I read somewhere that the police found that 1 in 3 motorhomes were over there weight limit when spot checked, if this is true then there is a major problem and motorhome manufacturers should somehow take this into consideration in there product design or uprate the axles to a higher load capacity as it is obviously a huge problem.

I have managed to get my motorhome just in weight, but i fear that when i go on my next break i may be just over. Its sods law that one of the things i have taken out of my motorhome i will need next holiday. I believe that i could get my motorhome replated for a bigger payload but the issues involved doing this are huge. I am hoping to solve this problem or i may end up having to sell a beautiful motorhome, not ideal. Brian

 

[Southender]

How much do you want for it then ?

[pepe63xnotuse]

As you say Brian, overloaded MHs are not uncommon(..and even if not over their gross, the chances are one of the axle limits will be exceeded)..

 

At least you went to the trouble of weighing yours..a good many just can't be bothered. ..with a "..well it all fits in, so it must be okay.." approach! *-)

 

If you weighed yours with full tanks, could you get by with traveling with less water?(..and fill up on arrival).

 

Ours is plated at 3850kg, which is just as well because in 3500kg form it'd be pretty unworkable...

[lennyhb]

The payload given on your van is 370kg. The extras you have fitted weigh about 75kg bringing your pay load down to 295kg, less probably another 10 or 20 kg for other bits fitted I assume it didn't come with a TV as standard. Also if items like electric pack & aircon on the engine were options these would not be included in the original payload, items like Remis blinds, large fridge freezer unless standard equipment not in an option pack will also eat into the payload.

 

German payloads are normally quoted with 90% fuel, 20 Litres of water, 1 x 11kg Aluminium gas cylinder (about 16 kg) & driver at 75kg.

 

Would we interesting to know how much water, gas & fuel you had on board when you weighed the van.

 

Our van has a low payload 350kg but it is a special edition and all the included extras take a 100kg off the standard van, with the extras we added they reduced it to about 270kg. It's just about liveable with two of us. With bikes on board, about 90 - 100 litres of water 75% fuel, 75% gas (bottles are 2x 11kg steel) we usually weigh in between 3500 - 3520kg. I weigh 74 Kg the boss 44kg. I keep telling her if she lost that stone she has put on over the last few years I would let her take more cloths (yes really used to be 6 stone).

 

Don't forget weighbridge tolerance is +50, -50kg so if you really want to be safe you need to be 50kg under. :D

[colin]

Brian Peters - 2013-08-20 6:23 PM

I read somewhere that the police found that 1 in 3 motorhomes were over there weight limit when spot checked, if this is true then there is a major problem and motorhome manufacturers should somehow take this into consideration in there product design or uprate the axles to a higher load capacity as it is obviously a huge problem.

 

I was thinking about this t'other day as the list of 'essential' items for the family holiday builds up *-)

I strikes me that if the police where to weight every car crossing the Devon/Cornwall on the A30 on a saterday morning they would find similier numbers over the limit.

[bolero boy]

Southender - 2013-08-20 6:41 PM

 

How much do you want for it then ?

Nice first post......straight to the heart ;-)

[silverback]

you will be able to get it replated, its just a paper exercise costs about £250 from sv tech ltd very easy to do

jon

[rupert123]

silverback - 2013-08-20 8:29 PM

 

you will be able to get it replated, its just a paper exercise costs about £250 from sv tech ltd very easy to do

jon

True it is easy but may well not be just a replating exercise. You may need to replace tyres fit air suspension etc, depends on the van, if you contact SV Tech they will give you some idea over the phone, very helpful bunch. Cost for their bit just over £300.

[Brian Peters]

I weighed her with 1/2 tank of diesel, 1/4 tank of water and 2x 6kg gas bottles, one almost empty.

[Brian Peters]

ive heard that insurance company,s can be reluctant to insure you, road tax goes up, getting into HGV territory.Might not be worth the hassle.

[RogerC]

Brian Peters - 2013-08-20 10:17 PMive heard that insurance company,s can be reluctant to insure you, road tax goes up, getting into HGV territory.Might not be worth the hassle.

 

As we are looking to uprate our MH I called the insurers and they said no problem....and no premium increase.

 

[lennyhb]

Brian Peters - 2013-08-20 10:13 PM

 

I weighed her with 1/2 tank of diesel, 1/4 tank of water and 2x 6kg gas bottles, one almost empty.

 

Either not a lot of payload then or you are carrying too much junk.

If you replace to 3850kg you will probably be able to do that without any mods, above that at the very least you will probably have change the tyres. Any up plating will result in a reduction of your road tax.

 

Can be advantageous to stay under 3500kg, over 3500kg speed limits are a lot lower in mainland Europe particularly Germany 80kmp (50mph) on Autobhans. Also a lot of French villages now ban vehicles over 3500kg.

[pepe63xnotuse]

Brian Peters - 2013-08-20 10:17 PM

 

ive heard that insurance company,s can be reluctant to insure you, road tax goes up, getting into HGV territory.Might not be worth the hassle.

 

Bri'...Ours was sold to us as 3500kg(by dealer)and it was only after having a rummage around it at home that I noticed a second weight plate stating that it was in fact already 3850kg..and on notifying the insurance, apart from making note of it they weren't really that bothered..and they didn't increase the premiums...and the VED went down to £165(from the £220ish).

It didn't effect our breakdown cover either.

(..by far the biggest headache was getting Swansea to amend the V5 because at that time we didn't have any documentation to support it being 3850kg,not until we contacted the manufacturer in France).

 

UK speed limit restrictions go off the unladen weight limit (..which I think is/was 3050kg ? ), so you may well be over that already..

 

But as you say, if you can make it work below 3.5, it would be easier..

[Poppy]

These payloads are close to my heart.Keep seeing vans described as cracking 6 berth or 4 berth vans with similar payloads.Completly unworkable.Most of these vans are advertized in the motorhoming press and the CC and the C&CC Club.The motorhoming press usually at least comment on the low payload.

[Sundowner]

Sorry to keep banging on about what a wonderful van our Adria Compact is, but I am feeling rather smug. When we bought the 'van, As one of the conditions of sale was an upgrade from 3300kgs. to 3500kgs.- axle weights, front remaining at 1750kgs. rear raised from 1900kgs. to 2000kgs. This brought the quoted payload up from 595kgs. to 795kgs.

 

I did weigh it when we first loaded the van, but over the years, as you do, piled more and more into the garage. I recently re-weighed it fully freighted (including my wife and myself). With full fuel tank,100 litres of water, all our clothes, food, microwave, television etc., plus the garage contents - bicycle, small mobility scooter, windbreak, chocks, tools, oh and a spare wheel, it weighed off at - front axle1490kgs. rear 1890, and 3380kgs. gross weight. This still leaves enough spare payload for two of our grandchildren.

 

I keep looking at all the new models, but cannot find anything else on the market to beat this. Looking at Adria's brochures, it looks as though the Compact is being reintroduced in the UK, it should sell well !

 

As I said, sorry to sound smug !

[Guest JudgeMental]

A little reading on here and use of the search function and you will easily find the most contentious issue with campers is pathetic payloads. Many simply not fit for purpose and been driven around overloaded which is extremely dangerous as braking, handling etc...compromised.

 

Ignore slick marketing and salesmans BS and insist that a weigh bridge sticker part of contract. These stories of inadequate payloads legion, and it seems that people go into holiday mode when buying a van and common sense flys out the window.

 

It is possible to find vans with decent payloads, the adria example above one.....if its a euro van there is probably in depth reviews with all weights available...For heavens sake this is serious and expensive stuff...do the homework and don't get carried way by the glitz......buy in haste repent at leisure.

[Poppy]

If its any consolation caraving is hitting the same problem and so are 3.5 ton horseboxes.They will claim that there is plenty of room for 2 16.2 hands horses but what they don't state is that the payload will only accomodate one shetland.A decent payload is one of our non negotiables and I would never accept anything less than 450kgs MINIMUM for 2 people and about 100 kgs MINIMUM for any other passengers.Ideally more really.So for 6 people I wouldn't accept anything less than 650 kgs USABLE payload.

[EMS]

I recently weighed our Hymer Van 572 as we had added a few things over the last couple of years, solar panel, bikes on an internal rack, gas BBQ etc.

 

When I weighed it with a full tank of fuel one person aboard, but no water or clothes it was 3.02tons.

 

So my wife can take a second pair of nickers!

 

Well under the limit so should be good for when we reach 70 years of age!

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

Brian Peters - 2013-08-20 6:23 PM

 

Hi all, I have just been to a weighbridge to check on my motorhomes weight, i was shocked at what i found. My motorhome was 60kg over the 3500kg, this was even after a declutter in the garage area. The motorhome is a Burstner t-star 710,2005 model based on a Mercedes Sprinter, when i bought it it had a sat dome fitted, an awning, a solar panel, an electric step, and rear steadies.It looks like my payload has been eaten up by all the accessories.Looking around campsites most vans of my size and weight restriction seem to be carrying a hell of a lot more kit than me, in fact one van the same as mine had very simular equipment and even a scooter in the garage?????? Next holiday it looks like i might have to risk a fine for being slightly over or i just take a pair of pants and a tooth brush. I read somewhere that the police found that 1 in 3 motorhomes were over there weight limit when spot checked, if this is true then there is a major problem and motorhome manufacturers should somehow take this into consideration in there product design or uprate the axles to a higher load capacity as it is obviously a huge problem.

I have managed to get my motorhome just in weight, but i fear that when i go on my next break i may be just over. Its sods law that one of the things i have taken out of my motorhome i will need next holiday. I believe that i could get my motorhome replated for a bigger payload but the issues involved doing this are huge. I am hoping to solve this problem or i may end up having to sell a beautiful motorhome, not ideal. Brian

Brian, what you really need to do is re-visit the weighbridge and weigh the axles individually. If both have good spare capacity you should be able to get the van re-plated with no additional work or cost becoming necessary. However, be warned, most vans run out of payload on one or other axle BEFORE they hit their MAM. If this is the case re-plating may not be a viable option, or may prove quite costly. Best to find out exactly where you stand BEFORE you embark on what may prove a costly wild goose chase. Hopefully not, but forewarned is forearmed. Oh, and don't worry about VED, the current rate for a PHGV is £165, so lower than for a sub 3.5 tonne van. Peverse, maybe, but them's the rules! :-)

[grahamw]

Brian Kirby - 2013-08-21 7:59 PM

 

However, be warned, most vans run out of payload on one or other axle BEFORE they hit their MAM. :-)

 

Brian, I think you raise a very important issue here which is very rarely addressed and can often render what looks to be an extremely good payload figure of little or no use. If one axle is already heavily loaded but it's over that axle where the unused storage is then it can be very limiting. It would be useful if manufacturers were to make available ex-works axle loadings for their motorhomes but I'm afraid it's not going to happen. Ideally the greatest loading capacity should be over the rear axle but this can be a little testing with some front lounge models. Other layouts will also bring their limitations.

 

Graham

[t5topcat]

bolero boy - 2013-08-20 8:00 PM

 

Southender - 2013-08-20 6:41 PM

 

How much do you want for it then ?

Nice first post......straight to the heart ;-)

Us Sarfenders are like that :-D

[t5topcat]

Weighed mine last wek. Empty apart from me,1/2 tank diesel and 3/4 tank water. came out at 3280 which is why I'm going the SV Tech route. Interestingly the back axle was only 1620 with a 2000 limit so I can go to 3700 gross just with form filling.

 

[Brian Kirby]

Then, with respect, I don't think you know whether you need to re-plate or not. Your assessments of the amount of water and fuel can only be based on the respective gauges, which are seldom sufficiently reliable, or pure guesswork.

 

You need two weighings, in both cases with the individual axle loads. The first needs to be with the van empty (no driver, water, gas, equipment, tools etc etc) except for the fuel tank, which should be brimmed. This will tell you whether your van weighs more than 3,050kg unladen. (Diesel fuel weighs approx .85kg/litre, so you can calculate the weight of fuel in the tank and deduct this from the gross weight if necessary.) If less that 3,050kg, the "normal" speed limits apply, if over, the lower limits for commercial vehicles apply. Not particularly relevant to payload in itself, but useful to safeguard your licence!

 

The second weighing should be with the van absolutely full, including gas, water, driver, passengers, pets, all holiday clutter etc etc, again taking the axle weights. If this weighing shows overload on either axle, you have a problem that you may be able to solve by re-distributing load, but will otherwise find expensive to resolve, and will not be remedied by merely increasing permissible MAM. If the van shows overload against plated MAM, but both axles are within limits, then the paper exercise will restore legality, and obviously if both axles and MAM are within limits, then you don't have a problem at all.

 

So, I really urge you to re-weigh, so that you know if you have a problem at all, and exactly what/where it is, before you spend money on what just may be a wild goose chase. It is surprising just how much load we add, including ourselves, and on how that load transfers between the axles. IMO, it is much better to know for certain, than to make assumptions based on measurements that are relatively unquantified. After all, getting the basic information right is the cheap bit!