Weights and payloads

I also agree with the payloads, I have on my computer all the weights of equipment in our caravan, motor mover, solar pots & pans so I know how much weight I have left for clothes & a bit of food, most of our food is from Lidl when we get to the site 

When I got my 1st caravan we didn't bother then, you would hitch up, if the car would pull it you where O.K. their was NO weight marked on the caravan, and NO max towing weight in your car registration book 

I don't think the designers are  caravaners, if they where the payload would be more, perhaps they think we get paper cups & plates  when we get their

The tolerance on a weigh bridge i believe is max 20kg. I recall when i took our previous van to a weighrudge the operator said he had never weighed his caravan and just piled everything in...... 

I remember those days.  Years ago we didn't bother.... but then we didn't have collapsed axles!!   I can remember coming back from France with so many bottles of wine stored in the caravan we could hardly get up Jubilee Way in Dover.....  🤣🤣🤣🤣

David

Am a complete newbie. Have an Elddis 120 2009 models. I have had a bike rack added but otherwise everything else is standard. I believe the payload for this vehicle is c725kg. I assume  I add two people - 150kg leaving 575kg. Do other motorhome users advise weighing everything that we now intend putting and leaving into the van? And then working out what extra we add on for each trip like the bikes, paddle board, clothes, food  etc etc. Or am being too cautious?  Many thanks

 

The certain way of checking is to load the van as it will be in holiday mode and take it to a weighbridge to weigh the whole van and each axle load. 

Do continental caravanners use movers as standard? Genuine question, as they seem very common in UK. We have never owned a mover on a van. They seem to account for quite a bit of payload.

I have arranged some plastic crates that will fit into the cupboards in the caravan and carry tinned goods in one, drink in another, and bike stuff in a third. They work a bit like drawers when in the caravan and I transport them in the Discovery where I can check contents easily. They fit nicely in the back with the two others that carry all the Land Rover "stuff" and the blocks etc for a level stay.

On travels I know quite a few places that I pass where there is a weighbridge and will pop in occasionally to check the weight in the caravan is still less than whatever it is that is printed on the sticker beside the door.

For our purposes we do not need a public weighbridge as we are not carrying on a commercial activity.  So many private weighbridge operators are happy for a chat and a ticket.

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Nav, I suggested the weighbridge option as the poster is a new motorhomer and needs to establish what's what. It's a suggestion that has been stated here many times before and is the simplest way of checking weight. 👍🏻

In this month's issue of the German 'Caravaning' magazine they published results of a survey conducted among its readers. Among some other very interesting details, the report listed those features which owners would find most important on their next purchase:

Motor mover - 60%

Electronic stabiliser - 51%

Combined heating and hot water system - 36%

Roll out awning as a factory fitted option - 33%

Underfloor heating - 27%

Larger kitchen - 25%

Continuous flow hot water system - 21%

Plain outer panels (no hammered finish) - 20%

Shower of generous size - 18%

Digital remote power management system - 17%

Oven - 11%

Microwave - 9%

Pull-down bed - 6%

Note that this data applies only to readers of the magazine. It surprises me a little that wireless rear camera system and TPMS don't feature in that list.