Calculate Your Precise payload

[Gellyneck]

We're off looking a couple of replacement motorhome options today.

As per another thread credit card is under the dog's bed and he's been told to guard until tea time!

First exercise on our return will be this!

Much appreciated, gaffer, but could you make everything, at least, three times the weight it is so the credit card can remain there (permanently)!

 

[Neilh]

I want to re-do our work on average motorhome payloads. We last did this over ten years ago, when no one used lithium and most people travelled with full tanks.

I need to know the average payload of the average couple or the average family. So I've designed a calculator you can go through it adding everything you carry.

There's a section at the end where you can add item that I've forgotten to add. Pet Snake, Fish Tank etc.

If I've got any weights wrong, you can correct them. Once you've done that, let us know in this thread how much weight you required, and we can then start working out what a 2026 average is. Many Thanks.

My calculator is a work in progress, so if you break it, do let me know.

IMPORTANT: The calculator will only work after you have added two weights. your MAM and your MIRO or unladen weight).

A Bar will stick to the top of the page giving you essential info as you add inventory.

I look forward to seeing how much weight some of you are actually carrying.

Click> The Calculator is here

Thanks for the calculator, 505kg used. 2 people 1 medium dog, 3 solar panels, 2 gas bottles and heavy sliding bike rack.

 

[MalcMc]

Great resource often thought about it, I have 200kg to spare which I am happy about, thanks Jim

 

[Jim]

I've refined the entries a little, now the spare wheel defaults to 25kg. I've upgraded ebikes weight to include the charger. I've added an 30L underslung tank (full) As well as a Towbar and electrics and a levelling system.

Given the ability to adjust the weight of any item and add custom items. I think we've just about covered everything.

Quick point to note that once you have added a custom item and it drops down below that section, make sure you check it, otherwise it won't add to your payload.

 

[buzz1]

It’s a great asset, very useful but don’t like results
Mam 4250 miro 3650 . Available payload 600,
After adding everything up im left with 36 kg ,
But allowed for 3 lightish adults ,
Normally just two of us .
Large dog 67kg .
But the im not sure what’s included in the miro .
Sat dish ? Awning(fixed to side of mh ) solar panel ? Fuel ?
So need to visit weigh bridge to get a true reading . But I know im under weight now .
Compared to
When I first got our van and did our first 3month tour with 3 people + dog fully loaded,
Weight on weigh bridge was 4150 , fully loaded with fuel and water .
This was before we up- rated van ,
So was well over then .
So had to travel without water and made other adjustments.

 

[Jim]

it’s a great asset,

Thanks. Glad you found it useful

 

[Barchetta47]

Great idea. We used 684kg of our 880kg. I didn’t add the water in, we always travel full with 140 litres so even allowing for that we are under. I’m very impressed how ‘light’ some people travel!! Just think how much more I could get in if I had a garage

 

[Jim]

Using some Funster feedback, I have now updated the payload calculator. A few changes that have been made: You can now add individuals at their particular weight, so your petite wife and your lumpy self with your precise weights.

There are now also two tabs at the top, so when you enter the calculator, it asks whether you already have a motorhome. If you do, you can add your MAM and your MIRO, and it'll show you how much payload you have left, etc. Or, you can tell it that you do not have a motorhome yet, and it'll just work out your payload requirements.

I hope you find it useful. >Payload Calculator

Please post your payload weights so we can start working out what 2026 average payloads are. Thanks.

 

[Broadway]

This excellent, thank you.
Payload 1105, Used 655, Remaining 450.

I added a custom item, Thule Velo Slide bike carrier in the garage which supports two electric bikes, weight 20kg.

Is there a way a summary sheet could be printed out?

 

[Jim]

This excellent, thank you.
Payload 1105, Used 655, Remaining 450.

I added a custom item, Thule Velo Slide bike carrier in the garage which supports two electric bikes, weight 20kg.

Is there a way a summary sheet could be printed out?

I've been working on a summary. I'm testing it now. It will definitely be added, but probably not today.

 

[Jim]

Is there a way a summary sheet could be printed out?

Check out the bottom of the calculator. You can print a summary (save as pdf). View. or copy to clip board for pasting into notepad or word etc. See if it works OK. Its hit and miss for me right now.

 

[Jim]

If it works OK you should have a summary something like this

 

[TheMachMan]

Thanks for this. We’ve a new van on order so quite timely. Looks like we’re gonna be very tight to stay under 3.5T.
Available payload 382kg
Calculated weight 332kg
Spare 50kg
It’s possible to replate to 3.8T but not investigated the implications.

 

[Broadway]

Check out the bottom of the calculator. You can print a summary (save as pdf). View. or copy to clip board for pasting into notepad or word etc. See if it works OK. It’s hit and miss for me right now.

Works perfectly on the iPad, printed out first time and saved to “Documents” as PDF.

Excellent resource, thanks.

 

[TwistNShout]

Thanks Jim, quick run through gives me 485KG "load", but we're both on a diet so should improve

I just need to check the van weights now, I'm pretty sure we're well within permissible from my calculations when we bought it but would be nice to check.

One question, how does a full tank of diesel factor in - is that allowed for in base vehicle weight?

 

[hja]

I think I have something very wrong somewhere. It says remaining payload 281kg. Took the van to the weigh bridge the other day and it weighed 3260kg. So that's its Mass in Drivable Condition (2960) (minus 20l water allowed, because we were empty) plus some of what was on the calculator list, but not everything. That gave us 240kg left for mainly food, clothing, bedding, electronics. So that 240 is less than what the calculator says we have left having apparently added everything else. I think I will start again when I have weiged everything else that is going in!

 

[Revolvor]

jim
A useful tool, and a great interface. However I feel that one thing that is missing is the ability to define where the item is, so that it's not just the gross weight, but also the individual axle weights. The Weight Calculator I put in Resources is not as sophisticated as this, but does show the axle weights varying as loads are added/removed

 

[Broadway]

Check out the bottom of the calculator. You can print a summary (save as pdf). View. or copy to clip board for pasting into notepad or word etc. See if it works OK. Its hit and miss for me right now.

Hi Jim, I’ve just noticed a glitch on printing / saving PDF. This is on an iPad.
If I copy to the clipboard and then paste into notes I get the full document. However if I click the Print/Save PDF button I again see the full document in a well laid out format but clicking the Print/Save PDF button at the bottom of that page results in the last section of the document not appearing. Six pages are shown to print but that ends part way through the Entertainment and Tech section.

To summarise 6 pages work in copy to clipboard but 7 are necessary to print using Print /Save PDF.

Apologies if a little convoluted

 

[Jim]

jim
A useful tool, and a great interface. However I feel that one thing that is missing is the ability to define where the item is, so that it's not just the gross weight, but also the individual axle weights. The Weight Calculator I put in Resources is not as sophisticated as this, but does show the axle weights varying as loads are added/removed

It's a pretty intense form-fill as it is, so I think that would make it a bit too complicated, specifying where each item is. Though I did rework an axle weight calculator here.

How Much Weight Can I Put in My Motorhome Garage Without Overloading My Rear Axle?

Your motorhome has 400kg payload but only 150kg usable in the garage. Calculate your limits, and avoid illegal overloading.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[CAB96]

Can anyone plead the 5th amendment?

Only if you have an American RV

 

[Revolvor]

It's a pretty intense form-fill as it is, so I think that would make it a bit too complicated, specifying where each item is. Though I did rework an axle weight calculator here.

I was starting from a different place, as I weighed mine in full "Holiday mode" with individual axle weights, which became the base-line.

From there I was just adding or removing items so the amount of extra information required wasn't very extensive at any one time.

My main aim was to know the change to axle weights so I could determine tyre pressures.

 

[buzz1]

It's a pretty intense form-fill as it is, so I think that would make it a bit too complicated, specifying where each item is. Though I did rework an axle weight calculator here.

How Much Weight Can I Put in My Motorhome Garage Without Overloading My Rear Axle?

Your motorhome has 400kg payload but only 150kg usable in the garage. Calculate your limits, and avoid illegal overloading.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Fantastic
The axle calculator works well with the payload calculator,
As I can just tick each subject that actually goes in to the garage and internal stuff like clothes that are in the internal lockers over rear axle
as I don’t have a large garage due to rear lounge and adds it all up
then I just add weight for actual rear axle calculator if that makes sense.
Thank you

 

[Jim]

Hi Jim, I’ve just noticed a glitch on printing / saving PDF. This is on an iPad.
If I copy to the clipboard and then paste into notes I get the full document. However if I click the Print/Save PDF button I again see the full document in a well laid out format but clicking the Print/Save PDF button at the bottom of that page results in the last section of the document not appearing. Six pages are shown to print but that ends part way through the Entertainment and Tech section.

To summarise 6 pages work in copy to clipboard but 7 are necessary to print using Print /Save PDF.

Apologies if a little convoluted

View attachment 1172996

I think Ive fixed that

Click> The Calculator is here

 

[Jim]

I've done the final fixes to the calculator, and it appears to be working really well. The print outs are handy and can almost turn into a checklist. Maybe that's something I'll look at next time.


But for now, I'm payloaded out, I don't want to hear or type the word payload for at least a week. . Have a great weekend


Click> The Calculator is here

 

[Broadway]

I think Ive fixed that

Click> The Calculator is here

Yes works perfectly now. Well done, cheers!

 

[Rozzer]

A useful calculator, thank you!

No disrespect intended but this set me thinking that we talk a lot about payload but has any Funster been pulled over and been weighed in UK or Europe?

 

[Whippet93]

That reminds me E- bike chargers, bike panniers & don't forget the Lycra.

Maybe do forget the lycra...

 

[Jim]

A useful calculator, thank you!

No disrespect intended but this set me thinking that we talk a lot about payload but has any Funster been pulled over and been weighed in UK or Europe?

Yes, it happens both sides of the channel. It's not too prevalent, and the fines are not too high. But it's the unloading at the roadside that is the bummer many members have reported.

It's just nice to know you are on or very near the limits, compared to the worry, of being illegally overloaded, especially abroad.

 

[Whippet93]

Sometime last year, I found and downloaded a spreadsheet for doing motorhome weights, with cells to input distance in front or behind of the rear axle and custom weights for any item.
I've found it really useful to be able to virtually chop and change items carried, and where they're carried to see the effect on loading, as the calculations are done to account for the way the load on each axle alters depending on the location of the load.
So far the only way I've "overloaded " ( on laptop) our 3850kgs is by having a full tank of water to set off with, in addition to our usual kit.
I will give this a try to see how it compares.

 

[Jim]

Sometime last year, I found and downloaded a spreadsheet for doing motorhome weights, with cells to input distance in front or behind of the rear axle and custom weights for any item.
I've found it really useful to be able to virtually chop and change items carried, and where they're carried to see the effect on loading, as the calculations are done to account for the way the load on each axle alters depending on the location of the load.
So far the only way I've "overloaded " ( on laptop) our 3850kgs is by having a full tank of water to set off with, in addition to our usual kit.
I will give this a try to see how it compares.

Try this

How Much Weight Can I Put in My Motorhome Garage Without Overloading My Rear Axle?

Your motorhome has 400kg payload but only 150kg usable in the garage. Calculate your limits, and avoid illegal overloading.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk