Payload - how much do you REALLY need? (1 Viewer)

[White Rose]

I thought I'd just about cracked it with this motorhome-choosing business, and one of the decisions I thought I'd made was that a payload of 500kg was pretty much adequate for two adults and a young un to mooch for a couple of weeks on the continent, maybe take a couple of friends, bikes, deckchairs, barbie ....

But now I'm starting to wonder whether it's really not enough, especially as a bit of the continental mooching might involve a vinyard or two and consequent sample purchasing

Could someone give me an idea of how much payload they have and whether they find it adequate, please?

 

[georgio]

Hi Erbody,


500 kg is plenty unless you start adding scooters etc..

how much grub can you eat. ??


I f not try a naturist pith and keep the weight down .


georgio

 

[vwalan]

hi, 500kg is not very much and can soondisapear. i am a neliever that 5ton is a good base for a m,home. merc had it right with the 508 van. think going abroad 100ltr wine extra water extra,food .clothes etc gas bott;es soon fill the space . even buying clothes over there mounts up. i,m lucky have a 3ton payload min. could be over 5 ton pay load . but never use it all. think for most a 1ton payload would be great.
cheers alan.

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[Douglas]

Two answers, if you do a lot of longtime or full time then I think 1500kg would be about right but if you are just weekending maybe 500kg might be enough. But don't forget to add up all the extras like awning, gas tanks, extra batteries and so on. Oh! and don't forget the persons aboard! 2 large people with take 200kg out of your allowance

Doug...

 

[White Rose]

Thank you all - In other words, I need to diet, shed my clothes and drink all the wine on the day that I get it

 

[dpick]

Just drink all the wine then you wont be able to worry about weight or anything apart from your poor head next day.

dpick

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[vwalan]

cant see any point in going abroad and coming home without as much as you can carry for your own use. why pay tax on everything. its like going away, best take lots from here at moment as europe aint cheap anymore. and come home with big tanks full of fuel . even if just touring spain and portugal .fill up in gib had enough to get to and through portugal before i got low on fuel .was only 68pence a litre there .far cheaper than sp-portugal. got to make the pennies go as far as you can.
cheers alan.

 

[747]

Hi there,

If the brochure for your van states a payload of 500 Kg, do you believe it?

There have been many instances of false claims by manufacturers and (especially) salesmen.

What you need to do is get your van loaded with fuel, water and passengers and get yourself on to a weighbridge. Then check your weight against the stated figures on the plate attached to your van. It could be that your allowance is quite a bit below 500 Kg.

Ignorance is no excuse if you are pulled over by VOSA.

 

[TonyIsh UK]

Could someone give me an idea of how much payload they have and whether they find it adequate, please?

For two of us, I have 130 Kg in the garage, and this is all our junk, (major items awning, tools, chairs etc), Say another 40 Kg for clothes, food books, cameras, binoculars etc.

Obviously have not included, fuel (85 kg) Water ( 25 to 100 Kg depending how clean you want to be ) 5Kg Fresh water for drinking and brews,

Passengers and driver need to be included .

Others members may add subtract their odds n sods ( Bikes, solar panels etc)

The above is a start !!

Rgds

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[vwalan]

dont forget pots and pans .cups and saucers knife and forks, food ,television ,radio ,first aid box it goes on. weigh it all . soon mounts up. i once weighed a vw camper i was taking abroad it was half a ton over without extra water and fuel ,yes we were going away for 5yrs and carried the kitchen sink . but be ware. cheers alan.

 

[DiscoDave]

Before our recent trip to cornwall I emptied everything out of the van that we didn't need to take, all the tins of food that we weren't going to eat etc etc, then set about loading up.

stuck it on a weighbridge and came in at 120KG over weight! our pay load should be around the 600kg mark, but i've got a kayak and a surfboard on the roof all the time, on board gas, solar panel etc. That will put a big enough dint in the pay load. I did however have a full waste tank, half full toilet (wanted to get an idea for what it could be if we were touring) as well as a railway sleeper (don't ask) and various other items for other people when we got there.

I was pleased with the weigh in because, by emptying the toilet and the wast tank, I was satisfied that i would be within weigh limits, but the worrying thing for me is that at the moment there are only two of us. I fear that with a weigh limit of 3500kgs i may have to sacrifice the kayak in favour of the pram!

our van is a six berth! i've no idea how you'd get on if you had six people in it with all their stuff for a week's holiday!

 

[vwalan]

disco dave .you must have a hell of a big waste tank and toilet if you can lose that amount .1litre 1 kilo.

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[DiscoDave]

a whole 17 litres of the really horrid and 100 of the grey!

 

[vwalan]

well we will let you of then .soon monts up .stop taking the p--s .ha ha cheers alan

 

[White Rose]

cant see any point in going abroad and coming home without as much as you can carry for your own use. .

This is my thoughts exactly - I'm worried that we'll buy a MH that then leaves us having to keep fretting about whether we can bring back an extra case of wine (which I've just read elsewhere weighs about 14 kilos )

If the brochure for your van states a payload of 500 Kg, do you believe it?

There have been many instances of false claims by manufacturers and (especially) salesmen.

What you need to do is get your van loaded with fuel, water and passengers and get yourself on to a weighbridge. Then check your weight against the stated figures on the plate attached to your van. It could be that your allowance is quite a bit below 500 Kg.

Ignorance is no excuse if you are pulled over by VOSA.

Absolutely right, but it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation for a newbie! I have to go by the brochure payload until I've bought the van, and I don't really have much feel for how much our holiday possions will weigh so if I want to make sure I have a big enough payload, I have to trust the brochure. We usually manage fine on two large suitcases for a plane trip, but I've never felt the need to take the barbeque, awning, bikes with me on Easyjet

For two of us, I have 130 Kg in the garage, and this is all our junk, (major items awning, tools, chairs etc), Say another 40 Kg for clothes, food books, cameras, binoculars etc.

Obviously have not included, fuel (85 kg) Water ( 25 to 100 Kg depending how clean you want to be ) 5Kg Fresh water for drinking and brews,

Passengers and driver need to be included .

Others members may add subtract their odds n sods ( Bikes, solar panels etc)

The above is a start !!

Thanks Tony, that is very helpful. I have a faint recollection that the payload figure quoted was after a notional figure for fuel and driver so that takes some back out.

dont forget pots and pans .cups and saucers knife and forks, food ,television ,radio ,first aid box it goes on. weigh it all . soon mounts up.

YOu know, I actually hadn't thought about pots and pans oh: I've got a lot to learn!

as well as a railway sleeper (don't ask)

A railway sleeper?!!!!!

but the worrying thing for me is that at the moment there are only two of us. I fear that with a weigh limit of 3500kgs i may have to sacrifice the kayak in favour of the pram!

our van is a six berth! i've no idea how you'd get on if you had six people in it with all their stuff for a week's holiday

Yes, that's my worry - I figure we should probably be OK whilst there's just the two and a half of us ....? I guess we can't invite extra people and expect them not to bring clothes!

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[GregM]

As far as I am aware the payload includes some water and fuel etc and a driver.

We have a 6 berth, 2 adults and 3 kids and dog, and have a payload of about 530kg and have no problems, taking 3 bikes, deck chairs etc. We have not done more than a week at a time yet so have only had a few days clothes but I am not sure we would take more for longer but would find laundrette. Food is the same, we take for a couple of days and buy as we travel, this is mainly as the fridge is limited in space.

I must admit we were restricted to a 3500kg motorhome at the time as I had a medical restriction on my license which was then lifted by the DVLA a month or so after the purchase so if/when we change we will go for a heavier vehicle so we don't have to worry about the payload.

 

[Chris]

I don't know what the pay load is on my MH.

How do you find out?

 

[vwalan]

hi, somewhere on the vehicle or handbook will be a weight plate. or you may know is it a 3,500kg max?go to a weigh bridge get it weighed .take the figure they give you from the max figure .thats the payload. ideally the van should be empty of all personal and cooking things .
the other way more important is load the van with every thing you think you need +2-3 other people then get it weighed .do the calculation .you may be over .lots are if its a 3,500kg. alot of campers cant carry the weight of enough people the van can sleep never mind clothes food etc.

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[Chris]

Thanks Alan. Yes its a 3500kg maxi chassis.

I had better get it weighed. My wife is a "kitchen sink" kind of girl!

 

[derekfaeberwick]

Burstner technical data

From the Burstner handbook.

"Mass in running order,according to EU regulation 92/21 (+/-5%)and EN1646-2
includes driver,90% filling for fuel, water, gas (2x11 kg. aluminium cylinders),
tools, spare wheel and cable."


Mine is a T Star 680 with the 316 engine,= MIRO of 2,925 kg = 575 kg payload.

Being Germans I tend to believe the figure they quote, but I still run V close to the limit travelling solo, well apart from Wee Burnip.

 

[vwalan]

i,m sure drk is right .so take things out of van that dont come as standard and start weighing. dont foget extra fire exstinguishers ,bike racks ,yellow wedges etc
100kg is 17stone so 3 passengers =300kg. if fat like me. ha ha .
but it does soon add up.

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[Chris]

Alan - I am not quite a 100kg.

About 98 though if my pound - kilo calculation is correct.!:Blush:

 

[vwalan]

so how many berths is the van ?if its 4 berth 400kg is used easily .or could be. there is 6 berth vans on 3.5 what aload of ----. i wish every body would take their van for a weigh. better safe than sorry.

 

[madbluemad]

My van is plated at 6.900 Kilo, it left the factory at 4.600 Kilo with a full tank of fuel and water. I have had it weighed and it comes in at 4.500 Kilo.

In theory I should have around 2.3-4 Kilo payload which sounds a lot, but its very easily eaten into when I start to load all manner of junk in there.

For example I have a tool box in one of the lockers that I could use to build a mh with, the irony of it is that one half of the tools I woudn't know how to use if I wanted to. Suff like this wants chucking out, every body should have a good clear out every now and again.(especially me)

There was a thread yesterday talking about adding another locker, more weight.

Jim

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[lebesset]

the ideal way [ excuse the pun ] is to put in everything you take with you , fuel , water included , all the people and go and get weighed ; then you know exactly where you are

don't forget you need three weightings , front axle , rear axle , total weight

no good being under weight if one of the axles is over the weight which is also marked on your plate

 

[Chris]

Alan - it is 4 berth but there are only 3 of us and one is a "little 'un".

I am going to get weighed though.

 

[Road Runner]

Well 120 kg just for me and 78 kilos for Brunooh:

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