Weigh bridge blues
Comments
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The weight plate is definitive. When you upgrade you get a new plate that replaces the old one. Some upgrades do not require any alteration as the original weights are actually a downgrade.
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snap, PG
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Great minds BB,
If stopped by VOSA and weighed they will check the results against those on the VIN plate. If any plated weight is exceeded then an offence has been commited. This could result in you not being able to continue your journey and a fine.0 -
Do you really need a trolley jack, a full tool kit and an electric drill? Oh, of course you do, you have a Land Rover.
Yes. But they are carried in the Land Rover so they are available at any time and not just when the "storage unit" is in tow!
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Just to be clear, I am not advocating stuffing caravan to gills! The MTPLM is useful to judge what you're carrying and for towcar matching.
However my gut feel is the MTPLM is lower than the actual weights the chassis can cope with. I suspect this is done to not deter caravan buyers and to stick within the 85% ratio generally recommended.
There are various other discussions around this subject and people have found other weight limits stamped on axles and chassis. When I get the time I'll have a crawl under van to have a look!
Without a weigh bridge visit I can't be 100% sure I'm within MTPLM, but based on old van weight and what was transferred I'm pretty sure I am.
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Just to be clear, I am not advocating stuffing caravan to gills! The MTPLM is useful to judge what you're carrying and for towcar matching.
However my gut feel is the MTPLM is lower than the actual weights the chassis can cope with. I suspect this is done to not deter caravan buyers and to stick within the 85% ratio generally recommended.
There are various other discussions around this subject and people have found other weight limits stamped on axles and chassis. When I get the time I'll have a crawl under van to have a look!
Without a weigh bridge visit I can't be 100% sure I'm within MTPLM, but based on old van weight and what was transferred I'm pretty sure I am.
Whether the MTPLM is lower than the chassis can take is immaterial. If the caravan weighs more than what is stated on the plate you are breaking the law. And personally, I wouldn't argue with VOSA! Drivers who have usually ended up in court. And that is not a good way to start or end a holiday.
Write your comments here...
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Well, we have got there but we had to empty out practically everything in the van, just as well we have an MPV with lots of room. I suspect from this experience that most caravans are being towed around totally over their MTPLM limit and I am really glad
that we took the van to the weighbridge now. One thought I did have was with all the motorhomes we have had in the past I wonder how many of those were overweight when we were travelling.
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People may say that I'm sad but I know the weight of everything in my caravan to within a few kg for the total contents weight. The empty caravan straight from the dealer was checked on a weigh bridge and was actually about 12kg less than the plated MiRO
figure. I've created an xl spread sheet with all the weights on which is self totalling. Things like clothes and food are an average as they will be different each time but still much the same each time. All the miscellaneous bits and bobs were a reasonable
estimate. If anything significant is changed then the weight is amended on the spreadsheet. It's called having peace of mind.0 -
People may say that I'm sad but I know the weight of everything in my caravan to within a few kg for the total contents weight. The empty caravan straight from the dealer was checked on a weigh bridge and was actually about 12kg less than the plated MiRO
figure. I've created an xl spread sheet with all the weights on which is self totalling. Things like clothes and food are an average as they will be different each time but still much the same each time. All the miscellaneous bits and bobs were a reasonable
estimate. If anything significant is changed then the weight is amended on the spreadsheet. It's called having peace of mind.Write your comments here...Commendable, but how have you overcome the normal insccuracy of weigh-bridges? the weight displayed for a typical caravan at say 1500kg may be 30Kg out. If a weighbridge was calibrated to be accurate within +/- 3% this would be
45Kg. Even though a weighbridge may display in 10Kg graduations, they are not that accurate.0 -
Well, we have got there but we had to empty out practically everything in the van, just as well we have an MPV with lots of room. I suspect from this experience that most caravans are being towed around totally over their MTPLM limit and I am really glad that we took the van to the weighbridge now. One thought I did have was with all the motorhomes we have had in the past I wonder how many of those were overweight when we were travelling.
for us, weight isnt an issue....we have around a tonne of payload (miro around 3250kg on a 4250kg chassis) but there will be many 3.5t vans that will be illegal.
whilst they might be a shade under the MTPLM limit, its likely that any longish van (7m or more) with a longish rear overhang will be vulnerable on the rear axle limit.
add in a towbar and the noseweight of what its there to tow/mount (car, trailer, bike rack) and some will be scarily close or over.
so, surely these owners will have weighed their vans to ensure their legality?
somehow, i doubt it.....
so, is it ignorance of the rules on axle weights, or something else?
ps....my previous van which was on a 3.5t chassis, was weighed at a VOSA station...i assumed this would be accurate enough to be used in court.
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People may say that I'm sad but I know the weight of everything in my caravan to within a few kg for the total contents weight. The empty caravan straight from the dealer was checked on a weigh bridge and was actually about 12kg less than the plated MiRO
figure. I've created an xl spread sheet with all the weights on which is self totalling. Things like clothes and food are an average as they will be different each time but still much the same each time. All the miscellaneous bits and bobs were a reasonable
estimate. If anything significant is changed then the weight is amended on the spreadsheet. It's called having peace of mind.Write your comments here...Commendable, but how have you overcome the normal insccuracy of weigh-bridges? the weight displayed for a typical caravan at say 1500kg may be 30Kg out. If a weighbridge was calibrated to be accurate within +/- 3% this would be
45Kg. Even though a weighbridge may display in 10Kg graduations, they are not that accurate.Write your comments here...I would have assumed that public weighbridges are sufficiently accurate for their figures to be used in a court of law. That said, I used the plated MiRO as my baseline knowing that I have a few kg extra to play with. Allowing
for clothes for a three week holiday I know that I am a minimum of 40kg under the MTPLM. For shorter breakers I know that I will be under by an even greater figure.0 -
The OP does not state make and model of van. Some can be uprated, for instance my Bailey Peg 462 has a MTPLM of 1326Kg but for £60 for a new label and record amendments it can be changed to something like 1490Kg - the exact figure escapes me at the moment.
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No one has mentioned the elephant(sic) in the room. Perhaps more attention should be given to the MIRO of the passengers.
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No one has mentioned the elephant(sic) in the room. Perhaps more attention should be given to the MIRO of the passengers.
Write your comments here..How on earth can MIRO be influenced by passengers?
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No one has mentioned the elephant(sic) in the room. Perhaps more attention should be given to the MIRO of the passengers.
Write your comments here..How on earth can MIRO be influenced by passengers?
Presumably on a motor home (like a car) the kerb-weight/MIRO only makes a nominal (often not enough) allowance for a driver… none for the passengers - all that will contribute towards payload.
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The OP does not state make and model of van. Some can be uprated, for instance my Bailey Peg 462 has a MTPLM of 1326Kg but for £60 for a new label and record amendments it can be changed to something like 1490Kg - the exact figure escapes me at the moment.
Write your comments here...I think you meant 1390Kg.
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I assume MH manufacturers are all the same, my Rapido states:
When purchasing a RAPIDO, theunladen weight includes the weightof the vehicle's standard equipment.The unladen weight of camping-carsis determined in compliance with thelaws currently in force and includesthe vehicle in working order, thedriver (75kg), the gas bottle, freshwater and fuel tanks up to 90 %of their capacitywith a tolerance of+/-5 % (in accordance with EuropeanDirective EC 92/21).So I read that as 90% fuel, water & gas (only 1 bottle), (and a lightweight driver).
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As a former HGV class 1 driver, you could expect to get a tug for a vechicle check over from VOSA at there checkpoints every now and again, it just goes with the job.
Now depending on what we happened to be carrying, you knew if you had a problem our not !!!.
26 pallets of something like Aunt betsys yorkshire pudding you would be fine, well under our max @ 44 tons.
But if we had 26 pallets of processed peas on board, you would be right on the limit, and i mean the limit. Once in Norfolk on the A17, and also 1 time on the M6, i was 200KGS over carrying peas. Both times the VOSA staff said that they had to give a 3% tolerence, due to the difficulty with getting an absoluty correct weight. Luckly for me both times i was stopped it was raining which can add 50KGS to the weight on the weightbridge.
So the moral of the story is go to your local weightbridge, get your van weighted, and then work out how much you need to leave at home, so you can get it down to the correct weight.
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No one has mentioned the elephant(sic) in the room. Perhaps more attention should be given to the MIRO of the passengers.
Write your comments here..How on earth can MIRO be influenced by passengers?
Presumably on a motor home (like a car) the kerb-weight/MIRO only makes a nominal (often not enough) allowance for a driver… none for the passengers - all that will contribute towards payload.
the MIRO on a MH will include just the driver, at a nominal 75kg (a shade over 11st 11lb) which is considerably more than either I or OH weigh....
..some may say this is unrealistic, i might agree and say its too much
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.. MIRO on a MH will include just the driver, at a nominal 75kg (a shade over 11st 11lb) which is considerably more than either I or OH weigh....
..some may say this is unrealistic, i might agree and say its too much
I't's been a while since I was only 11st 11lb
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.. MIRO on a MH will include just the driver, at a nominal 75kg (a shade over 11st 11lb) which is considerably more than either I or OH weigh....
..some may say this is unrealistic, i might agree and say its too much
I't's been a while since I was only 11st 11lb
lol, ive never been 11st 11lb and ill wager that i'll never be that weight....for me, it would be like carrying round an extra 25lb suitcase of luggage
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well, I was yesterday when i weighed myself....
front of the class for maths, Alan
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