Guest JudgeMental Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Visited the weighbridge on the way for DVLA inspection yesterday. Some of you may find this interesting… My camper is rated as 3050kg in driving condition (including driver/ water/ fuel/gas) With a maximum of 35000kg. Front axle 1750. Rear axle 2250 Have had the following extras fitted: Cab a/c. roof 12v/230v a/c. HEKI. Awning. Bike rack. Twin gel batteries. 2 x extra windows. With no water, and me at an embarrassing 110kg! 2 gas bottles & fuel. Camper weighed 3120kg. Front axle 1580kg. Rear axle 1680kg Looks easy to reach front axle max figure rear looks better with 570kg spare capacity Leaving us with a user payload of 380 kg for everything. As we had all equip boxed up for trip to France I weighed it - this is what we found. Wife and 2 children 170kg Clothes 40kg Bedding & pillows 170kg Kitchen equipment 15kg 4 x bikes 50kg Table and chairs 17kg Ancillary equip, leads, hose etc.a 15kg Books. Laptop. GPS. 13kg Food and drink 20kg barbecue 10kg TOTAL 360kg This means we can carry 20 litres of water to stay legal and no heavy lunches! Will carry 50litres – half a tank and be prepared to empty tank if pulled. I think I heard that you be 2% over (70kg in my case) but I guess this depends on who stops you! I may now go for 2 x 6kg refillable bottles instead of the planned 2 x 11 kg. will these save much in weight or be more of a hindrance when winter camping? Will return to weighbridge before we go away fully loaded to get a definitive figure and check axle figures. But all in all I am reasonably happy that we can just about stay within the law and travel comfortably with all the extras! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Well, Eddie, your van is quite heavy and there's four of you, so I think you're doing pretty well! Our added load, for just one passenger, runs between 480 and 520Kg, discounting any booze etc, but including 130 litres of water. Subjectively, I'd have said a family of four would need somewhere near 600-650Kg of payload, to include full fresh water tanks at around 100 - 150 litres.And that doesn't include things like motor scooters. Now, how do folk fit one of those within the MGW of a 3,500Kg motorhome? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisey Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 1 x 11kg bottle may be a better option than 2 x 6kg. Possibly less weight and probably cheaper, no need to buy bottle to bottle hose etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Newell Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 I'm with Brisey, go for one 12 KG bottle and win back some locker space. OK its the gas locker but that don't mean you couldn't put levelling ramps, hookup lead etc in there, just don't block the vent holes. I'm going for a single 12 KG bottle from MTH for just £160 to include all the fittings required. D. In Edit: sorry that last bit should read a single 27litre bottle for £210 with all the required fittings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W3526602 Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hi, Am I right in believing you can drive to the (nearest) weighbridge,without being vunerable to prosecution. Idle thought. If you filled the back of your van with helium baloons, your mass would increase slightly, although the weight would decrease. So mass and weight are not the same thing....how desperate would you need to be to use that as a defence in court? I mean, how do you measure mass? I'll get my coat. 602 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david lloyd Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-04-11 1:47 PM ..........As we had all equip boxed up for trip to France I weighed it - this is what we found. Wife and 2 children 170kg................ Judge - it's surprising just how heavy corrugated boxes are - try taking the wife and kids out of theirs and weigh them again - I bet you'll save a few KG's! Regards, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jana Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hi there, one thing I'm wondering about, the weight of your bedding is 170kg ? Is that correct ? Seems very heavy to me that the bedding weighs the same as two children and an adult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Jana - 2007-04-11 8:13 PM Hi there, one thing I'm wondering about, the weight of your bedding is 170kg ? Is that correct ? Seems very heavy to me that the bedding weighs the same as two children and an adult. Jana, a typing error 170 = 17 kg. and it is a new van so for initial weigh in was completely empty of camping equipment. David, what's more frightening is my teenage children are the same height as me and i weigh considerably more then both of them combined... regards gas, locker space not a consideration as we have an enormous garage that we will not fill. more concerned regards capacity for winter camping. suppose 2 x 6 kg are not as good an idea as 1x 11kg but would be worried regards having enough gas. maybe summer camping carry one and winter two as we will not be carrying bikes to the Alps, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jana Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Lol Judgemental I was mentally weighing our bedding and wondering if I could get away with spending more money on extra. Our payload is less of a worry than space to store things. Did you do a Spring clean and get rid of everything not used recently ? with ours it only led to an ice cube tray (which got put back in) and some leaflets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hey Judge So how are you going to get your duty free back to the UK then? Are you going to jettison the wife or kids? (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Mel B, Funny how we all still call it 'Duty Free' isn't it? It is not of course free of either duty or VAT - just that the duty rates in most of the rest of Europe are a lot lower than ours! As for Eddie's load problem, it isn't really surprising: the weight of roof aircon, an awning and 2 large gas bottles is humungous!! Solutions: Only one I can think of is to try the new lightweight GRP gas bottles which weigh next to nothing - the only problem is they do not have auto shut-off when you fill them; you have to do it by eye (they are see-through). One point, Eddie: you are extremely unlikely to overload the front axle since it's almost impossible to place a load near enough to it for its full effect to be on the front axle. Most internal loads will share their effect between front and rear axles. Which makes it much easier to overload the rear axle. Even in a garage, for example, the 4 bikes at 75Kgs will add around 80Kg to the rear axle, and the same will apply to gas bottles or anything else in the garage, simply because they are behind the axle so their actual weight is exxagerated by leverage. If you want a copy of my calculator (Excel-based), let me know . . . And you started with quite a generous load capacity! Just goes to show what I've always thought: most garage models on single rear axles finish up overloaded at the back. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g4oip Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Looking at your problems I now more than ever am glad I looked at a 'garage' model with both sides open and I realised that the fresh air i was looking at costs about 10K and weights and balance for good drivability go out the window to say nothing of the legality of the unit on the road - many caravanners in france are also finding this out the hard way. The same size space can be purchased for 1K in the form of a roller door trailer with a glass-fibre roof and white body and can swallow all the junk in the world and leaves you with a nice handling van that is small enough to drive around in when on sites that you want to spend longer in the area and leave excess baggage behind-not the wife?? We use a self erect type awning with side if req'd and cook and eat in this and this suits us best we have found but may not suit everyone of course, but does mean that you can ignore all reference to van loads. Alec :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Tell the kids that unless they lose weight they can't come with you - and limit what you let them take!! Didn't one of them call your beautiful machine "the Beast?" Sounds like a candidate for leaving at home! Tony PS Don't suppose you could move the bike rack onto the front end, to make a REALLY dangerous bull-bar? That'd use some of the spare capacity on the front axle instead of overloading the back .... PPS (edit) Looking at G4OIP's post reminds me how different we all are!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olley Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Hi just another good reason to buy an RV :-D :-D Olley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Mel E - 2007-04-12 10:51 AM One point, Eddie: you are extremely unlikely to overload the front axle since it's almost impossible to place a load near enough to it for its full effect to be on the front axle. ==== Depends on how many croisants and coffees the Judge and the front passenger consume I suppose!!! I'd be extremely wary of travelling so heavily laden and close to the limit, surely there's some junk (aka 'things you just might need ... but never have') you can jettison, how about leaving your wig at home???? (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Mel B - 2007-04-12 7:57 PM Mel E - 2007-04-12 10:51 AM I'd be extremely wary of travelling so heavily laden and close to the limit, surely there's some junk (aka 'things you just might need ... but never have') you can jettison, how about leaving your wig at home???? (lol) Madam, the wig and night stand plus the black cap accompanies me every where. my man servant stays at home. I am tea total, Mrs Mental gets alcohol on prescription (for having to put up with me) 3500kg is not particularly heavily laden and well within vehicles capacity the 4 bikes are lightweight and total 50kg the whole point of this post, was to show that with planning, its possible for 4 to travel in comfort in a fully winterised (double floored) camper with 2 king size permanent beds. large garage/ large bathroom and reasonable lounge area and still be legal. the list, I consider essentials - no dead weight. the extras like roof A/C likewise, as I want to me able to get down to southern Europe in height of summer and still be comfortable. a lot of people are oblivious of the law and choose to ignore it. for 2 people in a low roof camper this is easier to achieve but still easy to overload. most campers are at least 2900 - 3300 empty, that's why most hightops are 3850kg. not a choice for me as restricted to 3500kg as I am Diabetic. the children are unlikely to come with us in a few years time so will have more capacity then. will most probably go for a low roof model as well... will post back with definitive report when we visit weighbridge fully loaded! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 UPDATE Visited the weighbridge yesterday fully loaded as left van packed after French trip last week. Actually managing to get family same spot at the same time for this as well! Plated Spec : 1750 2250 3500 Empty: 1580 1680 3120 Loaded: 1620 1960 3580 So whilst overweight this is with 100 litres of water. So I will carry half a tank and if we get pulled will only have to empty tank and not need to leave equipment or children behind! I think I remember reading that they normally tolerate a small percentage of overloading – is this correct? The rear axle has a lot of spare capacity so that was a relief. I must say after trip to Brittany the New Ford is an excellent vehicle and I am glad I went for it. and as gas finally sorted thats us ready to go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 One thing is for certain YOUVE got to lose weight. :D :D chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 chas - 2007-06-10 11:20 AM One thing is for certain YOUVE got to lose weight. :D :D chas in your avatar picture of your camper, the back looks a bit Low to the ground? - where you having a snooze in the back at the time? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icelander Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 What is the cost at the weighbridge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 In Croydon, s/w London its free - provided you don't want a ticket... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Keats Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 A23 northbound at Handcross Sussex its unmanned and free, just drive on and read the display Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 JudgeMental - 2007-06-10 10:48 AM ... not need to leave equipment or children behind! I think I remember reading that they normally tolerate a small percentage of overloading – is this correct? In my experience it's almost impossible to overload teenagers. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted June 10, 2007 Share Posted June 10, 2007 Hey Judge- I was taking the photograph ! It was the wife who was having a snooze, She wants a word with you..... ;-) chas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted June 11, 2007 Share Posted June 11, 2007 Tony Jones - 2007-06-10 2:57 PM JudgeMental - 2007-06-10 10:48 AM In my experience it's almost impossible to overload teenagers. Tony Especially with the contents of one's wallet. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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