Payload for two, occasional three.

[JRT]

Prompted by my threads last night.

What payload allowance do folk look to have for two adults (occasional third, a child).

When carrying a child this would be for short two day local trips only so less gubbins required.

I know what I work to with the caravan but obviously a MH is different as everything goes in the van.

Cheers (and sorry for so many questions).

 

[Lenny HB]

IMO at least 700 kg, I've only had German Vans where everything is extra so it's easy to lose 100 to 150kg of payload with basic options. With a Brit van probably OK with 550kg.

You need to allow for options & extras fitted as they all reduce the payload also most manufacturers make use of the 5% weight tolerance.
Our Hymer was only 16kg over but that is rare you will find most vans are around 130kg over which is quite a chunk of payload.

Our current van has 1360kg payload over MIRO the actual is 1200kg with options fitted and I've added another 190kg of bits leaving 1010kg. and we run with 200 to 300kg spare.

 

[68c]

You can fly off on a two week holiday to the Med with about 30Kg of luggage each. Do you really need all the kit you take in your van? We can easily get by with 500kg payload. Half water, full fuel, two adults, bedding, clothes, food and two electric bikes.

 

[TerryL]

I could increase our payload substantially if I could only persuade 'er indoors that we don't need to be as comprehensively equipped as her kitchen at home!

 

[Lenny HB]

You can fly off on a two week holiday to the Med with about 30Kg of luggage each. Do you really need all the kit you take in your van? We can easily get by with 500kg payload. Half water, full fuel, two adults, bedding, clothes, food and two electric bikes.

Yes, you appear to have missed out loads of essentials e.g. the twin tub washing machine but that's only 13kg but my tools weigh another 20kg then there is the spare wheel 30kg & a full water tank is 160kg.

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[Chris]

My wife once took so much beer for me to Spain that we were seriously overweight.

I had to really drink as much as I could travelling through France to keep us legal

 

[Lenny HB]

I could increase our payload substantially if I could only persuade 'er indoors that we don't need to be as comprehensively equipped as her kitchen at home!

Unloaded our van a couple of weeks ago the kitchen stuff has filled about a quarter of our dining room. The garage & other storage areas has filled about 20% of our double garage, then there is a big pile in the spare bedroom, not to mention all the clothes we didn't know we had.

 

[Onemanandhisdog]

I used to have 2 dogs that combined weighed 110kg, then you carry a couple of 15kg bags of food and other dog stuff, easily 200kgs for the dogs and paraphernalia.
Everyone has different stuff they carry, just need to work it out.

 

[Lenny HB]

Everyone has different stuff they carry, just need to work it out.

There is the problem, most people don't or haven't got a clue.

 

[scotzsue]

I could increase our payload substantially if I could only persuade 'er indoors that we don't need to be as comprehensively equipped as her kitchen at home!

Funnily enough we would be much better off payload wise if I could persuade 'im indoors to take less, unused in 14 years, just in case stuff.
When i was rooting around when away on my own I found 3 different sources of heating, not including that suppled in the van. Can accept 1 for emergencies. We also carry enough cutlery and dishes for the 5 we only are for 5 days a year. Not unusual to be asked to bring our own, when eating with friends so don't see why we can't do the same.
We had a healthy 600kg when we took the grandkids with us and no car, now they are adults, we take the car as well, full of camp beds and their gear.
We don't often travel with much water, our van has a 20% valve, which you are supposed to activate and dump excess water before moving on.
If OP wont ever need to tow he/she could look for a van with a lightweight alko chassis, gives you a lot more payload.

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[Spriddler]

I could increase our payload substantially if I could only persuade 'er indoors that we don't need to be as comprehensively equipped as her kitchen at home!

Ah, that's the beauty of motorhoming. There's nothing as pleasant as getting away from it all.

 

[JRT]

I used to have 2 dogs that combined weighed 110kg, then you carry a couple of 15kg bags of food and other dog stuff, easily 200kgs for the dogs and paraphernalia.
Everyone has different stuff they carry, just need to work it out.

This is a good point. Our JRT is 11kg but is factored into our caravan weight calculations.