Weights and payloads

Posted on 22/01/2021 08:41 by

Never been to a weighbrdge  and dont drive myself  mad worrying  about the minutiae of towing, noseweights etc  I just adopt a common sense approach  to loading and carry as much of the heavy kit as possible in the car .  After 40 years and many thousand miles a year I am convinced the answer to stability is use of  the right foot. 

Posted on 22/01/2021 09:28 by Fozzie

Yes as being one of many with the "Failed Axle" and you have overloaded the van with only the very basic stuff in it proves to me the very poor allowances now.

Like DSB now I have two large plastic boxes and all "extra's" like cadac,Avtex TV ramps Awning security locks all travel in the car.

I did have my van weighed with the stuff you cannot do without,like pots and pans,cups,plates and cutlery,extra gas cylinder,aquaroll and waste container.etc ect. only to find I have just 14kg left.

Surprise to me was the weight of the fixed bed duvet bedding pillows and security locks.

This in my mind,is all due to the motor mover eating so much of your payload allowance.

I loathe to say it,but if every van like mine has such low payloads, because a is MM fitted,there must be many many towing over their maximum.

Posted on 22/01/2021 09:35 by cyberyacht

UK caravan payloads are pathetic and totally unrealistic. By the time that a battery, mover and gas has been added, the payload has virtually disappeared. That's before you think about extra toys like solar, aircon, satellite dishes etc. I weighed my previous 4 berth caravan that had been up-plated to give me a theoretical 230Kg payload. It was just about sufficient for two without any aforementioned 'extra toys'. It's less of an issue now I have a MH but even then must be watched to remain within axle/gross plated limit of 3500Kg.

Posted on 24/01/2021 09:16 by ocsid

"UK caravan payloads are pathetic and totally unrealistic."

Spot on CY, but I would add "we" collectively only have ourselves to blame, "we" buy them.

Only if "we" take a positive buying stance will things ever improve.

Posted on 24/01/2021 09:25 by JVB66

And also it is most of "us" who want all the bells and whistles in a caravan that "we" can tow with the cheapest to run tow vehicles ,it can not work and still have larger payloads 

Posted on 24/01/2021 15:55 by cyberyacht

All of the above probably. One wonders how many newbies who have bought these 8ft behemoths realise all is not sweetness and light and sell by the end of the summer.

Posted on 22/01/2021 12:51 by DaveT

I agree with the sentiment of ensuring that your outfit is not over weight, there is just an issue of where you can get your outfit weighed accurately. To the best of my knowledge, public weigh bridges have a tolerance of +/- 5%. So for an outfit weighing 1800Kg, it could read 1710Kg or 1890Kg. If this is the case, it seems a pointless exercise. Have I missed something?