Weighing your motor home (1 Viewer)

[Steve and Denise]

When we arrived at Newark on Friday morning we noticed the SV Tech were offering a FREE vehicle weighing check, so out of curiosity we decided to get our Motor Home weighed.
First of all we were told to drive our front wheels onto the weighing scales, and that weight was recorded. We then drove each of our other 2 axels onto the scales and each of the axels weight was recorded. To our amazement we were informed that our GVW was recorded at 5340 kgs which was 340 kgs over weight.
SV Tech offered us an uprating service of which there would be a charge.
We were obviously concerned about this, so today we took our Motor Home to a Public Weigh bridge with pretty much the same weight on board, maybe a little bit less water & fuel, and our GVW was recorded at 4780 kgs that is 560 kgs less than what SV Tech recorded on Friday.
Either the scales that SV Tech were using were not giving out correct readings, or the way in which the scales were used was not correct and subsequently giving out in correct reading by over half a tonne.
My own feelings are that raising the axel 50mm off the road surface does not give an accurate and true reading on tag axel vehicles.
If you had your Motor Home weighed by SV Tech, maybe it would be a good idea to go to a Public Weigh Bridge before you spend any unnecessary expenses in uprating your Motor Home.
S & D

 

[Phill D]

560 kgs difference is huge

thats over most peoples full payload...oh:


like.... 100 lites ( full water ) + 100 litres of fuel + 4 / 5 adults.

someting desperately amiss there ... have you thought of phoning svtech and telling them:thumb:

 

[SIFTA SAM]

When we arrived at Newark on Friday morning we noticed the SV Tech were offering a FREE vehicle weighing check, so out of curiosity we decided to get our Motor Home weighed.
First of all we were told to drive our front wheels onto the weighing scales, and that weight was recorded. We then drove each of our other 2 axels onto the scales and each of the axels weight was recorded. To our amazement we were informed that our GVW was recorded at 5340 kgs which was 340 kgs over weight.
SV Tech offered us an uprating service of which there would be a charge.
We were obviously concerned about this, so today we took our Motor Home to a Public Weigh bridge with pretty much the same weight on board, maybe a little bit less water & fuel, and our GVW was recorded at 4780 kgs that is 560 kgs less than what SV Tech recorded on Friday.
Either the scales that SV Tech were using were not giving out correct readings, or the way in which the scales were used was not correct and subsequently giving out in correct reading by over half a tonne.
My own feelings are that raising the axel 50mm off the road surface does not give an accurate and true reading on tag axel vehicles.
If you had your Motor Home weighed by SV Tech, maybe it would be a good idea to go to a Public Weigh Bridge before you spend any unnecessary expenses in uprating your Motor Home.
S & D

I have relayed your message onto Sv Tech.

They ask that you contact Gareth on 01772 621800
to discuss the stated discrepancy. (which I personally would have already done).

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Phill D]

according to one web site your masss in running order is 4330 making your total payload as 670 kgs...

if that is the case THE SVTECH SCALES suggest you were carring over a ton in payload

 

[Steve and Denise]

I have now spoken to Garreth from SvTech and he appreciates This being brought to his attention.

S&D

 

[Mikey RV]

What's involved in up rating your motorhome if you want to and does it affect your weight for towing.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Phill D]

What's involved in up rating your motorhome if you want to and does it affect your weight for towing.

its depends on your chassis capability and plated weights.

i.e. mine is Adria plated at 3500, but Fiat plated at 3650, so for me to go up to 3650 its a fairly simple paperwork exercise and a cost of £50 + vat.:thumb:
if you need to mod your suspension , wheels and tyres then you need deep pockets.

 

[mh2sn]

My own feelings are that raising the axel 50mm off the road surface does not give an accurate and true reading on tag axel vehicles.

You've correctly identified the problem but it isn't restricted to tag axle vans.
A van's weight is of course the sum of its axle weights BUT only when they are at the same level.

What SVtech have given you is not the weight of your van but the weight plus the effort (weight) needed to raise each axle individually above a level plane by 50mm. Very poor show from a company who's business is directly in this area.

If you're driving up onto an axle or wheel weighing platform then the result will never be correct.

 

[Phill D]

You've correctly identified the problem but it isn't restricted to tag axle vans.
A van's weight is of course the sum of its axle weights BUT only when they are at the same level.

What SVtech have given you is not the weight of your van but the weight plus the effort (weight) needed to raise each axle individually above a level plane by 50mm. Very poor show from a company who's business is directly in this area.

If you're driving up onto an axle or wheel weighing platform then the result will never be correct.

hi welcome, interesting first post. whats your experience in relation to your comment please?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mike B]

You've correctly identified the problem but it isn't restricted to tag axle vans.
A van's weight is of course the sum of its axle weights BUT only when they are at the same level.

What SVtech have given you is not the weight of your van but the weight plus the effort (weight) needed to raise each axle individually above a level plane by 50mm. Very poor show from a company who's business is directly in this area.

If you're driving up onto an axle or wheel weighing platform then[HI] the result will never be correct.[/HI]

It will if you put a 50mm plank under the other wheel (on the same axle).

 

[MikeandCarolyn]

er SV Tech were there to get people to use their service,for which they pay,were't they

Mike

 

[mh2sn]

>> hi welcome, interesting first post. whats your experience in relation to your comment please?

Thanks. Physics is my profession. It doesn't have to be motorhome-specific.

>>It will if you put a 50mm plank under the other wheel (on the same axle).

Err.. no.
Drive the first axle of, say, a tag axle combination up onto your (now a pair of) 50mm blocks and the following axle will be unloaded by 50mm transferring a portion of its weight onto the first axle hence increasing the weight of the first axle, which is then recorded.
Repeat for axle 2 and the same happens in reverse, resulting in an exagerated overall weight being recorded.

Weighbridges that claim to be able to give individual axle weights will have an adjoining apron level with the weighbridge surface on which the remaining axle(s) can sit while the individual axle is being weighed, or even better, weight plates embedded into a level surface.

Any weighing process that involves raising any individual part of the item being weighed will not be accurate. Defying gravity has never had much of a track record :-)

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[mike mcglynn]

weighing a vehicle

I used to operate a 60 ton capacity weighbridge and imho the right way to weigh a vehicle is on a proper flat scale even though I have seen Vosa weighing with a single axle scale but they are checking to see if your axles are being overloaded I sometimes used to have to do front and back axle weights by means of placing the vehicle at the end of the scale with the other axle off the plate and if done properly it is remarkably accurate as you add up front and back axles and then gross weight of vehicle they should match closely our weighbridge was checked regularly by trading standards officials and calibrated accordingly and it was only a few quid for a public weigh ,I bet everybody gets a surprise when they get their van weighed for the first time .

 

[Minxy]

er SV Tech were there to get people to use their service,for which they pay,were't they

Mike

... so I'm not the ONLY one who thought that ....

I am always wary of these 'free' checks as the bottom line is that they are there to get into your pockets, like the free battery checks that Halfords do hoping that if one is found to be failing that the owner will be so grateful that they've found out before 'disaster struck' that they'll then buy one from them.

I must admit though that I am VERY disappointed that SVtech 'appear' not to have been aware of this as they have been in the business for a long time! I hope that every owner of a MH they checked which was found to be 'overweight', is subsequently contacted by them and told to get an independent weight check done and WHY this is necessary - this is especially applicable to those who have agreed to have their vehicle uprated!

 

[leeboy]

Vehicle Weight

I used to operate a 60 ton capacity weighbridge and imho the right way to weigh a vehicle is on a proper flat scale even though I have seen Vosa weighing with a single axle scale but they are checking to see if your axles are being overloaded I sometimes used to have to do front and back axle weights by means of placing the vehicle at the end of the scale with the other axle off the plate and if done properly it is remarkably accurate as you add up front and back axles and then gross weight of vehicle they should match closely our weighbridge was checked regularly by trading standards officials and calibrated accordingly and it was only a few quid for a public weigh ,I bet everybody gets a surprise when they get their van weighed for the first time .

Has anyone used, tried or have the Reich caravan/motorhome scales, if so are they any good and accurate?
Regards,
Lee.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Wildbill]

so watt other company's do the same service I was going to get my van done by them are they shysters then

 

[Mike B]

Has anyone used, tried or have the Reich caravan/motorhome scales, if so are they any good and accurate?
Regards,
Lee.

Yes, had a 60kg difference to the weighbridge.

>> hi welcome, interesting first post. whats your experience in relation to your comment please?

Thanks. Physics is my profession. It doesn't have to be motorhome-specific.

>>It will if you put a 50mm plank under the other wheel (on the same axle).

Err.. no.
Drive the first axle of, say, a tag axle combination up onto your (now a pair of) 50mm blocks and the following axle will be unloaded by 50mm transferring a portion of its weight onto the first axle hence increasing the weight of the first axle, which is then recorded.
Repeat for axle 2 and the same happens in reverse, resulting in an exagerated overall weight being recorded.

Weighbridges that claim to be able to give individual axle weights will have an adjoining apron level with the weighbridge surface on which the remaining axle(s) can sit while the individual axle is being weighed, or even better, weight plates embedded into a level surface.

Any weighing process that involves raising any individual part of the item being weighed will not be accurate. Defying gravity has never had much of a track record :-)

So, how about if I put a plank under three of the wheels and the Reich caravan/motorhome scales under the fourth. Thanks for being gentle in the correction.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I used to operate a 60 ton capacity weighbridge and imho the right way to weigh a vehicle is on a proper flat scale even though I have seen Vosa weighing with a single axle scale but they are checking to see if your axles are being overloaded I sometimes used to have to do front and back axle weights by means of placing the vehicle at the end of the scale with the other axle off the plate and if done properly it is remarkably accurate as you add up front and back axles and then gross weight of vehicle they should match closely our weighbridge was checked regularly by trading standards officials and calibrated accordingly and it was only a few quid for a public weigh ,I bet everybody gets a surprise when they get their van weighed for the first time .

That's what happened when I weighed my van. All on the level, front axle, whole van and then rear axle. Surprisingly it all added up and the bonus was 400kg clear even loaded to the gills:thumb:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheCaller]

On a vehicle with two axles, weighing each axle individually & then adding the two together will give a pretty good approximation of the total weight. All other things being equal, the calculated total will be slightly less than the true total because of the weight transfer caused by the axle being weighed being relatively higher than the other one.

But it's a different set if principles when considering a pair of close coupled rear axles. Depending on the way the axles are interconnected & how they are connected to the vehicle body, raising one axle is likely to put more weight on the axle being raised, not less. The amount by which the axle is raised is a significant proportion of the suspension travel, which is the important factor. Once you raise one axle by the suspension travel of the other, all the rear end weight is on the one axle.

 

[Steve and Denise]

On a vehicle with two axles, weighing each axle individually & then adding the two together will give a pretty good approximation of the total weight. All other things being equal, the calculated total will be slightly less than the true total because of the weight transfer caused by the axle being weighed being relatively higher than the other one.

But it's a different set if principles when considering a pair of close coupled rear axles. Depending on the way the axles are interconnected & how they are connected to the vehicle body, raising one axle is likely to put more weight on the axle being raised, not less. The amount by which the axle is raised is a significant proportion of the suspension travel, which is the important factor. Once you raise one axle by the suspension travel of the other, all the rear end weight is on the one axle.

The axels on our van are as you say close coupled It is an Alko chassie therefore the axels are both rigidly mounted with no moving coupling.

 

[timetochill]

Missed the opportunity at Newark to have MH weighed so decided to take to local public weigh bridge near J26 M1 CPL £8 inc vat
Total weight loaded 3530Kgs inc 2 medium (lol) occupants and Thule towbar bike rack with electric bikes and all batteries etc in garage well pleased with the result and piece of mind
Hobby Siesta 65 (2013)registered

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheDogMan]

That's what happened when I weighed my van. All on the level, front axle, whole van and then rear axle. Surprisingly it all added up and the bonus was 400kg clear even loaded to the gills:thumb:

This is the only way you can get an accurate weight so I would not use just home use wheel scales of any type

 

[Minxy]

We went to the weighbridge the other day as we were looking to get a couple of electric folding bikes and wanted to check we would be okay with them just to be safe and found we were around 110kg under our 3500kg limit although we didn't have a full water tank (66kg), so with that full and the bikes we've ordered (19kg each with batteries) we'll be okay ... however once we take the Fiamma awning off (which we have used twice for about 10 mins each time in about 18 months!) that will give us another 35kg back ... hubby will be happy to be able to bring wine back from abroad!!!!!

 

[Steve and Denise]

This is the only way you can get an accurate weight so I would not use just home use wheel scales of any type

This was not a set of diy scales this was a company that sell upgrades for your GVW from about £250 +vat.

I did take the time to contact the company (SvTech) on 'SIFTA SAMS' suggestion and spoke to Garath who said they would put some form of explanation on the this forum but as yet nothing has appered.

May be SIFTA SAM will pass this on, as to give SvTech the chance to explain why there was such a large difference in the weights.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[ludo]

When we arrived at Newark on Friday morning we noticed the SV Tech were offering a FREE vehicle weighing check, so out of curiosity we decided to get our Motor Home weighed.
First of all we were told to drive our front wheels onto the weighing scales, and that weight was recorded. We then drove each of our other 2 axels onto the scales and each of the axels weight was recorded. To our amazement we were informed that our GVW was recorded at 5340 kgs which was 340 kgs over weight.
SV Tech offered us an uprating service of which there would be a charge.
We were obviously concerned about this, so today we took our Motor Home to a Public Weigh bridge with pretty much the same weight on board, maybe a little bit less water & fuel, and our GVW was recorded at 4780 kgs that is 560 kgs less than what SV Tech recorded on Friday.
Either the scales that SV Tech were using were not giving out correct readings, or the way in which the scales were used was not correct and subsequently giving out in correct reading by over half a tonne.
My own feelings are that raising the axel 50mm off the road surface does not give an accurate and true reading on tag axel vehicles.
If you had your Motor Home weighed by SV Tech, maybe it would be a good idea to go to a Public Weigh Bridge before you spend any unnecessary expenses in uprating your Motor Home.
S & D

They were offering the same free service last year at the entrance to the Newark show We took advantage of the free offer and had our vehicle weighed. :thumb:

As is happened, we had been to our local weighbridge that very morning, on our way to Newark, and had a ticket confirming the weight which was bang on 3,500 kg.

Now here is a surprise. The free weigh of our van came out at 2,700 kg. We immediately said "wrong" and presented them with the weighbridge ticket. They reset their scales, and moved them slightly and weighed us again. Result, 2,900 kg. oh: Still way off!!

With regard to the Reich scales, we bought the orange one and found it useless. Each time we weighed the van the result was different. Up to 200 kg different. The supplier went through the entire operation with me and he decided that it was a faulty unit. He replaced it with another new one and the result was the same. He supplied a third one which was still no better so we gave up in the end. All 3 units were returned to Reich!

 

[Floydster]

Missed the opportunity at Newark to have MH weighed so decided to take to local public weigh bridge near J26 M1 CPL £8 inc vat
Total weight loaded 3530Kgs inc 2 medium (lol) occupants and Thule towbar bike rack with electric bikes and all batteries etc in garage well pleased with the result and piece of mind
Hobby Siesta 65 (2013)registered

Doesn't that make you 30kg overweight?
Plus you should consider the individual axle weights as well as the overall weights. We're going through all this at the moment 3300 plated 1750 front 1900 rear, when we weighed it was 3360 o/a 1460 front 1900 rear, so we're looking at an uprate to 3500 and reviewing where we load the heavier items.

 

[TheBig1]

i have posted this before, but no harm in repeating as theres loads of new members. List of public weighbridges, by county
Link Removed

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[chaser]

i have posted this before, but no harm in repeating as theres loads of new members. List of public weighbridges, by county
Link Removed

Not knocking this useful post, but must point out its way out of date, I only know uttoxeter , but it's got acc dairy down , it's been shut at least 5 years, and I personally know 2 in uttoxeter that are not on the list:thumb:

 

[Geo]

We went to the weighbridge the other day as we were looking to get a couple of electric folding bikes and wanted to check we would be okay with them just to be safe and found we were around 110kg under our 3500kg limit although we didn't have a full water tank (66kg), so with that full and the bikes we've ordered (19kg each with batteries) we'll be okay ... however once we take the Fiamma awning off (which we have used twice for about 10 mins each time in about 18 months!) that will give us another 35kg back ... hubby will be happy to be able to bring wine back from abroad!!!!!

Terrible bad news for hubby
Wine is sold in Ltrs Not kg oh:

 

[Floydster]

Terrible bad news for hubby
Wine is sold in Ltrs Not kg oh:

It'll be okay if he's putting the wine in the water tank!!
:thumb:

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}