Help me to understand my weights please.

[Bognor Saint]

I have an Autotrail Tracker EKS (2013).
The handbook states that the Max Gross weight is 3500kg. The Mass in running order is stated as 3215kg and "includes a 75kg allowance for the driver and 90%full fuel tank, gas bottles and water tank".
Does this mean that I can add a further 285kg?
Thanks.

 

[chaser]

@old-mo's new 66 plate 3.5t Moho has a fixed bed & at least a half decent payload of circa 612kg

3.5T on 6M, 3 berth, 740Kg payload, and a realistic overhang, Chausson 515, works for us

Our prev 6 m van was 3.5 and had about 800kg payload. But now i am worrying that our hymer 554 uprated to 3850 might be too heavy at the back

These are all weighed weights are they?

 

[pyro]

That's why I used the term "payload", to bring the weight up to the rated 3.5T

 

[Bognor Saint]

Well, I think I have changed my mind about the type of cycle rack I will get. I was going to get the tow ball type but the over hang will make matters worse. Image below: I will now consider the other type of tow ball fitting where the bikes hang.

 

[Lenny HB]

Our prev 6 m van was 3.5 and had about 800kg payload. But now i am worrying that our hymer 554 uprated to 3850 might be too heavy at the back

After uprating our Hymer we are on the limit on the rear axle, doesn't help our water is behind the rear axle and we carry another 40lt in the garage.
All solved on Tuesday new Hymer on a 4500kg chassis, 1300kg payload.

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[Minxy]

After uprating our Hymer we are on the limit on the rear axle, doesn't help our water is behind the rear axle and we carry another 40lt in the garage.
All solved on Tuesday new Hymer on a 4500kg chassis, 1300kg payload.

... so long as it hasn't got a heavy bottom!

 

[Minxy]

@old-mo's new 66 plate 3.5t Moho has a fixed bed & at least a half decent payload of circa 612kg

... allegedly ....

 

[pappajohn]

I'm only 74kg and the boss is 40kg

My God, you married a child

 

[pappajohn]

I am hoping/praying it is the same in France and should i be stopped and they want to see it i can show them something. Insurance, copy of V5, copy of certificate of uprating, the VIN uprate.

Documents carried in Europe MUST be originals.....but you can use copies, with the original if asked for.
Anyone with a bit of computer savvy can scan and alter a document to whatever they want.

 

[Lenny HB]

My God, you married a child

All 4'10" of her.

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[Spidey]

These are all weighed weights are they?

We checked ours out at a weigh bridge.

 

[Spidey]

After uprating our Hymer we are on the limit on the rear axle, doesn't help our water is behind the rear axle and we carry another 40lt in the garage.
All solved on Tuesday new Hymer on a 4500kg chassis, 1300kg payload.

We were going for the heavy one as well then saw this one. Tbh did't really think of the axel weights at the time. Saw the weight with extras from the factory on the paperwork. Then up rated it to get a payload of over 700. But our water is roughly in the middle and we don't have big heavy things in the garage ( its not big enough for that). We are removing a few things that we don't use. Wooden show stand, hinged corner of the french bed, heavy jack. Our lockers up front can hold all our wine/beer. We should get it weighed really.

 

[Lenny HB]

New one is a B678DL, water tank in the middle much longer wheelbase 4400mm & shorter overhang with 1300kg of payload shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Bognor Saint]

I have now visited a weighbridge.
I weighed the van with empty water tanks and quarter tank of fuel.(plus the tow bar).
The kitchen utensils etc were all on board plus myself.
2 6kg gas bottles also on board.
The weights were:
Gross: 3100
Front axle: 1340
Rear axle: 1760

How does this look?
I feel happier now but should I!

 

[suavecarve]

So you now have 400 kgs to play with and If I remember rightly your wife was 3 foot 2 and 4 stone dripping wet.

You can add the stuff up now as you put it in. Use the same style as if you weighing a boa constrictor. Weigh yourself then weigh yourself with boa !
If not struggling to breathe too much take one away from the other and place in van.

You still have to have an idea about your axle weights though but rudimentarily you ll be close.

400 kgs is doable for 2 but not ideal. Go careful and take what you need

Remember to drop wife off in order to bring back wine.

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[Sue]

I do have C1
No solar panels.
No extra battery
There is an awning fitted but it seems integral.
I do have a tow bar and to that I will be adding a bike rack.
No other heavy items and it will just be the 2 of us. But it all adds up.
@TheBig1. you are right, I can go to the weighbridge in Chichester.

What is the process for uprating?

Contact...Jr consultancy...see details attached.

 

[Minxy]

I have now visited a weighbridge.
I weighed the van with empty water tanks and quarter tank of fuel.(plus the tow bar).
The kitchen utensils etc were all on board plus myself.
2 6kg gas bottles also on board.
The weights were:
Gross: 3100
Front axle: 1340
Rear axle: 1760

How does this look?
I feel happier now but should I!

What weights are shown on your weight plate?

 

[Bognor Saint]

What weights are shown on your weight plate?

Motorhome is back in storage so I will check next week.

 

[Reallyretired]

V5 is also needed if you require any repairs in France. It's the first thing a garage asks for.

 

[The2i's]

Mercedes Sprinter owners take note! This has all been an education to me, so off we went to the weighbridge with our Lunar Sprinter lwb PVC. Two of us in the front (maybe we could shed a few pounds, but I'm under 14 stone), full fuel tank and all of the general stuff we take away, but no water (fresh, grey or black), food, wine, beer, clothes, dog or bikes. The van has a towbar fitted.
The weight was 3,480kg - legal but leaving only 20kg for all the above. So I know what to do next thanks to the great help from all on here.
The shock was that we were overloaded on the front axle by 20 kg!
There isn't much that we can move rearwards, putting the bikes on the back should relieve the load at the front a bit, but we don't always carry them. Reading a couple of business forums, this is a common problem on Sprinters / VW Crafter (same base vehicle) vans as people, not surprisingly, place loads towards the centre of the van when they should really be at the back, over the rear axle. In our case, we have the potential to carry another 300+kg on the rear axle, although we have little in the way of storage back there.
I contacted SV tech and the reply suggested that they believe there is a design fault. They have uprated the front suspension, a very expensive job, on over 200 VW vans because of the problem.
So, Sprinter / Crafter owners, get your front axle weight checked as well as the gross.

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[Bognor Saint]

What weights are shown on your weight plate?

1: 1850kg
2: 2000kg

 

[Bognor Saint]

We are now on site in Holland. Before we left yesterday we went via a weighbridge. Overall weight was 3440 kg. both axles within target. This trip we had bikes, when not taking bikes we will have the dog. Full tank of diesel, 25% water. Also included was a cadac and outside chairs. I feel much relieved having spent a lot of time worrying whether we had made a mistake and having inadequate payload.