I'm worrying about weight now..... (2 Viewers)

Luvin156

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......and I hadn't even got a MH yet.
I am restricted to 3500kg due to MH licence and after reading a few posts on here it looks like I may have to reconsider what I'm looking for.

I'm looking for at least a 4birth I will be travelling with my wife, teenager and 8 year old. I'm about 100kg on my own☺️ (Might have to go on a diet) From what I can gather I will be using half the payload on us, leaving very little for water clothing and the rest we will be needing.

Has anyone else had these issues and how do you he over them? Oram I looking at it all wrong?

Thanks for any advice

Paul
 

f6c

Nov 7, 2010
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Paul your right its all pay load bedding knifes forks water the lot, I would say you will need 500kg payload minimum. Good Luck in your search.

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Apr 13, 2012
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Being realistic you have very few options that will legally cope (y):(

Appreciate your concerns but will you ever be weighed?...... I never have.............. has anyone? and if so what penalty?

If you feel you are over up-rate your suspension, safety should be your main concern....4 seat belts for instance

others will disagree..............
 
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Steve101uk

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I don't see many options for a family of four in a 3.5 ton van, your likely to be over before you set off. Don't trust anything the dealers say about weight either. Weigh the van at a weighbridge is the only way to know, then do the maths including luggage people etc. I would look at getting the C1 on your license and buying something bigger if you can, otherwise maybe a caravan.
 
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Jul 29, 2013
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I reckon you may struggle to get something with enough payload under 3500kg to carry everything, wouldn't even consider driving overweight ignorance is no defence if the law catches you.

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Feb 24, 2013
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Appreciate your concerns but will you ever be weighed?...... I never have.............. has anyone? and if so what penalty?

If you feel you are over up-rate your suspension, safety should be your main concern....4 seat belts for instance

others will disagree..............

Interesting concept, I think you maybe right, being caught overweight (may never happen) is certainly better than driving a vehicle outside of the licence limits
 
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Judge Mental

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No you are doing it the right way round....worrying about the issue before buying not regreting going an unsuitable purchase! You are best going for a lightweight van like a Hymer Exsis-i etc...keep it a reasonable size with a MIRO of around 2800kg....it can work at 3500 believe you me! Keep length to around. 6.5 as well. Give us sa list of wants and budget and will see what we can do:)

Don't worry it's do able
Travel with minimum water and fill when you arrive for a start....its a steep learning curve
Eddie

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JeanLuc

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Apart from the trailer option, you might be better off taking a C1 (+E) test and up rating your licence - assuming there is no medical reason to prevent you.
 
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Jan 8, 2013
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You will have to join the rest of us at weight watchers.
Don't carry any unnecessary crap (many do).
Also traveling with the water tank only half full (or less if you are heading to a site) will help.
You can ask a friendly local weigh bridge guy to give you an indication before you set of on a trip.
My local factory is happy to weigh me for free - £10 if I want an official ticket.
My Burstner T660 is exactly 3000Kg with out water and with half a tank of fuel.
The two of us weigh 160Kg - 340Kg for everything else --- its enough --- if you are careful.
Caravans also have the same problem.

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Feb 24, 2013
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Noooo I don't want a caravan.

I may have to look into the c1 licence (I hate tests)

The MH I'm looking for states it has 543kg payload. Before I looked into it I thought that was loads.

My head is spinning now just when I thought I had nailed it.

you will find that it is criminal what is not included in the weight of the van, even down to oil in the engine if some the tales are to be believed, they certainly haven't allowed for properly fed grown men, like myself, or their dogs, let alone water, gas and beer (y)
 
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Luvin156

Luvin156

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you will find that it is criminal what is not included in the weight of the van, even down to oil in the engine if some the tales are to be believed, they certainly haven't allowed for properly fed grown men, like myself, or their dogs, let alone water, gas and beer (y)

Oh yea I forgot about the essentials (beer) lol
 
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Badknee

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Interesting concept, I think you maybe right, being caught overweight (may never happen) is certainly better than driving a vehicle outside of the licence limits
Have a look on here, there have been a few units pulled. Four adult passengers could be your total weight allowance if you buy the wrong Moho.

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Feb 24, 2013
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not long enough
Have a look on here, there have been a few units pulled. Four adult passengers could be your total weight allowance if you buy the wrong Moho.

?? have a look where Paul ?? I have mine already, even been uprated to 5.5t got 1.2t payload now, the diet can do one :LOL:
 
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Lenny HB

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As Eddie @Judge Mental says one of the new Hymer Exsis may be workable if you travel light but we just uprated our Exsis to 3850, I'm average weight 75kg and the boss is 45k. We do like to travel with a full water tank and carry an extra 40 lt in the garage and have e-bikes.

You will often get a higher payload in a budget van as they are more basic without a lot of the frills. The Hymer groupes Corado have good payloads around 750kg on some models, also Ford Transit based vans often have higher payload than the same van based on a Fiat.
 
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Judge Mental

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Noooo I don't want a caravan.

I may have to look into the c1 licence (I hate tests)

The MH I'm looking for states it has 543kg payload. Before I looked into it I thought that was loads.

My head is spinning now just when I thought I had nailed it.
No need! 3500 manageable. I'm diabetic limited to 3500 and managed fine for over 20 years with a family of four. Just stick with quality well constructed German vans..and not be over ambitious on the size front. Our kids where always happier in a tent on the pitch..


You don't realise how refreshing your post is as most get carried away with the big shiny boxes on wheels and are clueless about the realities and legalities of motorhoming..so cheer up this is refreshing!:)

Budget?

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Aug 30, 2012
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I assume you have read my post about being weighed in Spain and yes if I had not updated our van from 3.5 to 3.85 ton I would have been fined and had to loose 250 kilo off weight before being allowed to move on so not good
In my humble opinion your options are

Buy a 3.5 ton van and live with it not good

Tow a trailor upto 800 kg Ok but trailers can be a pain

Take your lgv test up to 7 ton this is I think your best option
Plus No more worrys ,cheaper tax on van
And a bigger choice on van selection
Plus with the age difference between our genenaration that got 7 ton when we passed our test before the mid ninetys
as we sell off or die of that's one hell of a lot of over 3.5 ton vans that like yourself the younger ones can't drive
wonder how that will affect prices in about 10 / 15 years time

with the changes in tech now available in road construction the highways agency is fitted load cells into major road surfaces that weigh your vehicle on the move then automatic number plate readers identify or vehicle 2 seconds of computer power and the fine is on its way Welcome to so called smart roads

our van with all our bits like extra batterys solar panels a full tank of water tow bar bike rack and 2 gaslow bottles and me weighs 3.39 ton
Leaving 110kgs for pay load
That would not even take Elaine and her shoes let alone alone a full load of food and clothes when out for a long trip

Think carefully choose carefully and think long term
Do your test and its sorted long term
 
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JeanLuc

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I don't think anyone else has mentioned this yet, but if you decide to stick with the 3.5 tonne limit, make sure you have any candidate van weighed empty before you buy (ask the dealer to take it to a weighbridge with you). Manufacturers are allowed a +/- tolerance (cannot remember whether it is 5% or 10%) so the actual MIRO may be greater than the stated figure.
Also, the stated MIRO rarely, if ever, includes optional accessories where fitted. These can eat into the payload quite significantly. As an example, here are some 'extra' weights on my 2003 Hymer: larger than standard engine and automatic gearbox - 66 kg; factory fitted cab aircon - 30 kg; 3 metre awning - 25 kg; second leisure battery - 25 kg; satellite dome - 10 kg; solar panel - 14 kg. That little lot totals 170 kg!
 
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I was thinking of up rating but no tag and lower speed limits in France.........am I right?

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tonka

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The MH I'm looking for states it has 543kg payload. Before I looked into it I thought that was loads.

.

Be aware. any quoted figure on brochures or from when the van was new may not be the same if it's a used van and previous owners have added extras.. Ex Batteries, awnings, bike rack, solar panels.. Anything like this will take away from the payload..

There has been a few threads on Facebook about families wanting 3500kg vans and 4-6 belted seats.
Some vans I would not give the time of day and saw one with 280kg payload !!
However I was surprised that some of the Italian brands claim to take up to 6 people in belted seats and have 500kg of payload, so maybe worth a look there..
Good luck with the search and as said at least you are aware of the issues..
 
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Jul 5, 2013
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Also, the stated MIRO rarely, if ever, includes optional accessories where fitted. These can eat into the payload quite significantly. As an example, here are some 'extra' weights on my 2003 Hymer: larger than standard engine and automatic gearbox - 66 kg; factory fitted cab aircon - 30 kg; 3 metre awning - 25 kg; second leisure battery - 25 kg; satellite dome - 10 kg; solar panel - 14 kg. That little lot totals 170 kg!
A good point about the factory fit options. The ones on my Hymer (over specced by dealer) weighed in at 375kg. The most surprising one was the grey metallic paint which supposedly weighed an extra 30kg! Luckily we still had 800kg of payload because it is on a 4500kg chassis.

The other thing to think about is that as well as overall payload you will need to consider each axle's load limit. If a lot of your weight is at the back of a motorhome with a long overhang and big garage then you may well exceed the rear axle limit before you exceed the overall payload.
 
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andy63

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Manufacturers are allowed a +/- tolerance (cannot remember whether it is 5% or 10%) so the actual MIRO may be greater than the stated figure.
I was looking at this the other week... my understanding was that it's + or - 5% ..and if it happens to come in on the + side and nearer the 5% then the stated payload of say around 500kg is reduced considerably and the manufacturers are still ok supplying that... which I thought was shocking...
Andy.
 
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Lenny HB

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The other thing to think about is that as well as overall payload you will need to consider each axle's load limit. If a lot of your weight is at the back of a mororhome with a long overhang and big garage then you may well exceed the rear axle limit before you exceed the overall payload.
Yep, although we uprated to 3850 we are right on the limit on the rear axle, not helped by the fact our Hymer is very light at the front.

I was looking at this the other week... my understanding was that it's + or - 5% ..and if it happens to come in on the + side and nearer the 5% then the stated payload of say around 500kg is reduced considerably and the manufacturers are still ok supplying that... which I thought was shocking...
Andy.
Both the Hymers we have had have been under, and I know others with Hymers that have been under, never come across this with other brands nearly always over.

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Judge Mental

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I was looking at this the other week... my understanding was that it's + or - 5% ..and if it happens to come in on the + side and nearer the 5% then the stated payload of say around 500kg is reduced considerably and the manufacturers are still ok supplying that... which I thought was shocking...
Andy.
Just insist on a weighbridge ticket? Only way to know if any van works is to weigh it...
 
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Judge Mental

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Yep, although we uprated to 3850 we are right on the limit on the rear axle, not helped by the fact our Hymer is very light at the front.


Both the Hymers we have had have been under, and I know others with Hymers that have been under, never come across this with other brands nearly always over.
Yes but yours not a short van. Keep length around 6.5 and all is possible
 
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Aug 18, 2011
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Appreciate your concerns but will you ever be weighed?...... I never have.............. has anyone? and if so what penalty?

If you feel you are over up-rate your suspension, safety should be your main concern....4 seat belts for instance

others will disagree..............

First time we got done for overloading was in an Escort van,,,300 kg over,,cost us £900 ...Been prosecuted a couple of times when we had trucks,,both times axel overload,,with a solicitor in court (£500) fine was £300 both times.
 
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