Payload

[Jonno1103]

I believe that the 'standard' tank size for vehicles which use AdBlue is 80 litres, leaving 10 litres for the AdBlue tank = 90 litres in total.

The standard tank on a Ducato motorhome chassis now is 60 litres. Until the launch of the 6d engine for 2020 Ad Blue wasn't needed.

For the new 120/140/160 etc 6d engines the Fiat has a 15L Ad Blue tank.

Ford MH chassis have a 60L fuel tank & a 20L Ad Blue tank.

The new Pug 6D is about the same, it has a 18L Ad Blue tank.

Lowering the fuel tank volume and now ditching the spare wheel is all about payload.

 

[Minxy]

The standard tank on a Ducato motorhome chassis now is 60 litres. Until the launch of the 6d engine for 2020 Ad Blue wasn't needed.

For the new 120/140/160 etc 6d engines the Fiat has a 15L Ad Blue tank.

Ford MH chassis have a 60L fuel tank & a 20L Ad Blue tank.

The new Pug 6D is about the same, it has a 18L Ad Blue tank.

Lowering the fuel tank volume and now ditching the spare wheel is all about payload.

Strewth ... 60 litres is stupid! I'm so glad we have a non-Ad Blue MH, it was one of the first questions I asked when we were looking at Carthago MHs as I didn't want one.

 

[RandallC]

Rapido tech stuff says!

Light chassis has 75l tank Heavy Chassis has 90l tank

AdBlue is 19L for both

Light chassis has NO extension so can't fit tow bar ect without extra extension. Also max plate with 16"wheels is 3850Kg. Heavy chassis is standard at 4400Kg

ALKO chassis 16" wheels

light rear axle 2000 front 1850 standard plate 3500, max 3580

Heavy rear axle 2500, front 2100 standard plate 4400, max haven't bothered to ask, perhaps speculate at near 4600. However would depend on tyre ratings etc. Would be a Q for SV Tech if needed.

 

[Brockley]

When did anyone ever buying a new motorhome (or second hand for that matter) hear the salesperson mention the word payload. I’ll stand corrected but my quest into this area only came about because our new Chausson offered a rubbish aerosol puncture repair kit that wouldn’t be any use whatsoever in the event of anything other than a pinhole puncture. A partial shread (which I once experienced), forget it.

I asked our salesman why there wasn’t a spare and jack, he said it was to save weight. He didn’t go on to mention that as soon as you put the minimal amount of possessions onboard you can forget carrying useable water or much fuel (essentials for wild camping and longer trips).

Ok, VOSA has been taken over, but as recent as 2013 they declared that 80% of motorhomes stopped were overweight, that must mean they checked and with the advent of smart roads I really don’t want to take risks now our needs are moving towards longer trips.

My guess is that this will become a much bigger problem as long the popularity of this ‘lifestyle choice’ appears to be accelerating and attracting so much more media attention. Thanks Covid!

 

[Brockley]

What really p***es me off is that we both have C1‘s to accommodate our uprating, but anything could happen to either of us at any time that might remove that privilege. Motorhome dealers should be made to explain all of this before selling, particularly as the majority of people buying new motorhomes are closer to losing a C1 than they are gaining one?

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[Jonno1103]

Strewth ... 60 litres is stupid! I'm so glad we have a non-Ad Blue MH, it was one of the first questions I asked when we were looking at Carthago MHs as I didn't want one.

Yep, mad isn't it? Coachbuilders started to use the smaller tanks around 2017. Our 2012 Tracker had a 90L tank, the difference is very noticeable.
If your van is bit under powered meaning you need to use the right pedal a bit more you're really going to notice the tank emptying.

 

[Minxy]

Yep, mad isn't it? Coachbuilders started to use the smaller tanks around 2017. Our 2012 Tracker had a 90L tank, the difference is very noticeable.
If your van is bit under powered meaning you need to use the right pedal a bit more you're really going to notice the tank emptying.

Our last 2 PVCs, both Globecars, had the long range 120L fuel tanks which were great so 'only' having 90L on our Carthago is a 'downwards' step but that's far enough ... no way would I want anything less.

I wonder how long it will be before they reduce the water tank maximum capacity to something silly like 30L, rather than just 'recommending' owners not to fill them as some do already. Next thing will be a toilet cassette capacity reduction!

 

[nicholsong]

Our last 2 PVCs, both Globecars, had the long range 120L fuel tanks which were great so 'only' having 90L on our Carthago is a 'downwards' step but that's far enough ... no way would I want anything less.

I wonder how long it will be before they reduce the water tank maximum capacity to something silly like 30L, rather than just 'recommending' owners not to fill them as some do already. Next thing will be a toilet cassette capacity reduction!

Well N&B have just launched their new isMove with a max weight of 3.5t and a water tank with 200lt.

Geoff

 

[Pausim]

I think the difference between the water tank and the fuel tank is that the water tanks have a travelling position which drains down to about 20 litres, which is what they count into the MIRO. Not so easy to dump diesel fuel and anyway you need it for the journey, so it all counts for the MIRO including the metal tank.

 

[Minxy]

Well N&B have just launched their new isMove with a max weight of 3.5t and a water tank with 200lt.

Geoff

Yeah I know, obviously meant to be used on sites where you fill the tank when you arrive and empty when you leave ... it will be interesting to read what their MIRO says.

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[Pausim]

Yeah I know, obviously meant to be used on sites where you fill the tank when you arrive and empty when you leave ... it will be interesting to read what their MIRO says.

The MIRO on your Carthago only allows for 20 litres of water (the travelling position on the drain down tap) so I guess N&B will do the same. They all should follow the same directive, ordinance (EU) no. 1,230/2,012 when compiling the MIRO.

 

[Lenny HB]

Strewth ... 60 litres is stupid! I'm so glad we have a non-Ad Blue MH, it was one of the first questions I asked when we were looking at Carthago MHs as I didn't want one.

You would have been OK Mel, Carthago have the 90 Lt tank even on the Compactline.

 

[roadwarrior]

despite our ducato manual saying our 2017 apache has 90ltr tank im shocked to find it has a useless 60ltr, tank, now as the shiny brochure proclaims payload includes full tank of fuel, is this yet another sneaky way of increasing payload by 30 kilos ?

 

[Pausim]

despite our ducato manual saying our 2017 apache has 90ltr tank im shocked to find it has a useless 60ltr, tank, now as the shiny brochure proclaims payload includes full tank of fuel, is this yet another sneaky way of increasing payload by 30 kilos ?

Yes

 

[Jonno1103]

despite our ducato manual saying our 2017 apache has 90ltr tank im shocked to find it has a useless 60ltr, tank, now as the shiny brochure proclaims payload includes full tank of fuel, is this yet another sneaky way of increasing payload by 30 kilos ?

It is. The 634 has grown in length over the years, it's name is derived from it's original length - 6.34m - the same as the Imala 625. It's now 7.3M but has still maintained the standard 3500kg, something has to give.

Another example, the 2020 Tracker EKS has had it's kitchen drawers removed, replaced by a small single internal one behind a simple cupboard door similar to the Imala 615... it's all about payload.

Our new Tribute weighed in at 2886KG prior to adding external options. On board at the time, 60L fuel, 20L Ad Blu, 2x 6kg Flo Gas (13kg Calor won't fit in the locker) + the missus. Oh and spare wheel.

2945KG with the air con & awning. We have just over 420kg of payload when my adonis like 135kg is added. Which as the van is for holiday use is very exceptable.

On the weighbridge in Harrogate, loaded and ready to go with no compromises + a water reading of 25% she came in at 3466kg.

... and just for curiosity sake...
After two weeks in France and now another week in Devon we've just emptied the first of the 6kg gas bottles. Gas used to power the fridge overnight at ferryports, 50/50 split for hot water 24/7, extensive use of the plancha and lots of boiled kettles!

I'm quite pleased with that.

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[Vipar]

Just weighed. 3.065kg. Full fuel and water and bits and bobs. Just have to weigh the wife? Leaves me 435 kg payload less the wife.
Council charge £11:00 per Axle at Crayford recycling centre

 

[roadwarrior]

just wanna say Jonny and viper I hate you both.... I much prefer my lardy arsed Apache with 200k to play with.. boo hoo......

 

[gus-lopez]

60 litres is stupid!

Utter waste of space.

 

[roadwarrior]

having now bought the van of our dreams I will say the van is nice and everything we hoped for, but the nasty surprises Like payload and stupid fuel tank size is pathetic. Surely it would have been better to reduce the water tank rather than fuel, but then in the relentless pursuit of payload a metal fuel tank is more than a plastic or fibre glass water tank eh. I may not get another autotrail. it will make the eventual French trip stops more about fuel stops than food and water stops, and will mean different thinking on journeys.

 

[Minxy]

Utter waste of space.

Me or the fuel tank?

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[eurajohn]

I think the difference between the water tank and the fuel tank is that the water tanks have a travelling position which drains down to about 20 litres, which is what they count into the MIRO. Not so easy to dump diesel fuel and anyway you need it for the journey, so it all counts for the MIRO including the metal tank.

Fuel tank is actually plastic not metal.

 

[jonasw19]

having now bought the van of our dreams I will say the van is nice and everything we hoped for, but the nasty surprises Like payload and stupid fuel tank size is pathetic. Surely it would have been better to reduce the water tank rather than fuel, but then in the relentless pursuit of payload a metal fuel tank is more than a plastic or fibre glass water tank eh. I may not get another autotrail. it will make the eventual French trip stops more about fuel stops than food and water stops, and will mean different thinking on journeys.

60 litres would take you 250 miles at 25mpg with 1/4 tank reserve. 5 hours minimum.
Hardly useless.
Jon

 

[Jonno1103]

I think the difference between the water tank and the fuel tank is that the water tanks have a travelling position which drains down to about 20 litres, which is what they count into the MIRO. Not so easy to dump diesel fuel and anyway you need it for the journey, so it all counts for the MIRO including the metal tank.

Not all vans come with a 20 litre travel limit. One of the reasons why we sold our Pegaso after just 6 months was because I couldn't see the point of all that wasted energy putting my hand into a water tank after having to strip the dinette down to the bare bones to get to it when all I had to do was stop filling the tank at 25%.

If the tank was full due to tank cleaning etc I needed to put my hand into 100L of cold fresh water to empty it. Daft.

 

[Jonno1103]

60 litres would take you 250 miles at 25mpg with 1/4 tank reserve. 5 hours minimum.
Hardly useless.
Jon

For me I think it's reasonable to suggest that van builders could communicate the fuel tank size in the sales brochure. I doubt it would make a difference, afterall people buy vans with, for me anyway, uselessly sized grey water tanks and double beds.

 

[Jonno1103]

having now bought the van of our dreams I will say the van is nice and everything we hoped for, but the nasty surprises Like payload and stupid fuel tank size is pathetic. Surely it would have been better to reduce the water tank rather than fuel, but then in the relentless pursuit of payload a metal fuel tank is more than a plastic or fibre glass water tank eh. I may not get another autotrail. it will make the eventual French trip stops more about fuel stops than food and water stops, and will mean different thinking on journeys.

Didn't you have a play on their website first? Specification clearly states 60L fuel and a MIRO of 3300KG. You could have had it up plated to 3650KG free of charge before it left the factory.

Just checked... Our Tribute has a 70L fuel tank which makes me feel even better about our weighbridge numbers.

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[roadwarrior]

no i didnt look at the website as its for new vans and i reasoned the 3 year old one i just bought would be quite different, maybe not eh..

 

[gus-lopez]

Me or the fuel tank?

the tank.

 

[roadwarrior]

ok

60 litres would take you 250 miles at 25mpg with 1/4 tank reserve. 5 hours minimum.
Hardly useless.
Jon

i will compromise for your benefit, how about almost useless. that is a days travelling, i dont regard filling up every day as a good thing, my bolero did 30 mpg and had a 90 LTR tank, a small tank is a pain in the arse unless you dont use it much. I will concede some dont, the 3 yr old apache i just picked up had done 1500 miles.

 

[roadwarrior]

has anyone ever fitted a bigger fuel tank to the apache i wonder ?

 

[Lenny HB]

Was there not an option for the 90 Lt tank all the new vans I've looked at the spec with a 60 Lt tank have had the 90 Lt tank as an option.
As for reducing the water tank unless it has a huge tank I wouldn't want to do that, I wouldn't want a van with a water tank of less than 150 Lt.

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