Payloads

[AngieandNick]

Hi All

We bought our first motorhome, a 2004 Auto Trail Cheyenne 632SE, last Saturday and are spending every waking hour trying to find out info.... All was going along quite well until the question of our payload was brought up. Our maximum load is 3300kg, I believe(??) and the payload is about 2900. Does this include water and fuel, the driver? Can't quite get my head round it and have looked all over the net - can anyone help?

Many thanks

Angie and Nick

 

[pappajohn]

hi angie and nick,

i think your confusing gross weight and unladen weight.

if the van weights 3300kg that is the total weight (MAM) when loaded

the 2900kg refers to the unladen weight (the weight as it left the factory)
this should include the driver and fuel but not passenger ect.

the differance between the two is the payload (400kg)



if you look on the plate under the bonnet it will show the MAM , the unladen weight and the individual axle weights (which when axles are added together will be more than the MAM) this is for weight distribution tollerances but you should never exceed the MAM.

it may also show the TRAIN weight, this is the maximum it can weight with a trailer attached.

have a look at this link Link Removed(scroll to post 9) to see a plate. this will give you some idea...the top figure is the MAM or gvw, the next is the max train weight then the two axle weights. this nplate doesnt give an unladen weight.

hope this helps a bit.

john.

 

[moandick]

Well explained Pappajohn, like it.

Whatever else you do - DO NOT EXCEED YOUR MAM because that is the weight your brakes are set to cope with. Exceed your MAM and you simply won't stop in time!

Dick

 

[pappajohn]

Well explained Pappajohn, like it.

Whatever else you do - DO NOT EXCEED YOUR MAM because that is the weight your brakes are set to cope with. Exceed your MAM and you simply won't stop in time!

Dick

and the ministry will make you unload stuff and dump it if you cant get below your axle weights :Angry::Angry:before you can continue your journey if you get a roadside pull.:Sad:

another reason to tow a small trailer as you can put stuff in there as well.

 

[highwayman]

Hi angie&nick
Once you've got your weights sorted, load your van as you would for going away and take it to your local weighbridge.
Weigh front axle, then rear axle then both together, that way you can check your individual axle loads easily. :thumb:
If you find you're close to fully laden and want to bring some vino-collapso back with you then a phone call to SV Tech will get your MAM uprated and your wallet lightened. You'll be able to uprate to 3500kg without modification to anything and 3850kg if you have suitable tyres. The brakes won't need modification as they're the same brakes as used on the 4000kg chassis. :thumb:
Our van was plated at 3200kg which left us such a slim margin that we happily spent the £200 and got uprated to 3500, we stayed at that so our sons could borrow the van if they wanted-to. With our tyres we could have gone straight to 3850.

regards....nige

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[AngieandNick]

Thanks everyone.... we've just filled up with 3/4 of a tank of fuel and gone to the local weighbridge. With no luggage, no water and no kids (I was on board and weigh 80kg) and obviously Nick was driving(!) no telly, no microwave, no bikes etc - in fact no bike rack as yet...etc etc... the weight was 3240kg and our MAM is 3300! In effect that means we cannot travel... we have dogs and kids that would like to come with us - it is a 6 berth after all. It just all seems a bit odd.

 

[Geo]

Seems like a cracking excuse for getting away on your own, "love to take you with us kids But"
Seriously though you will be as i suspect as are most Europeans are, over weight as soon as you hit the road, I say most because although some folk are keen and well informed enough to check and adjust their weights, the vast majority don't.
The question remains why do they build them so that your almost certain to be over weight from the word go, that said, its no different from RVs that are down rated to 7.5 Tons and leave little or no payload
Geo

 

[Wilbury]

Well explained Pappajohn, like it.

Whatever else you do - DO NOT EXCEED YOUR MAM because that is the weight your brakes are set to cope with. Exceed your MAM and you simply won't stop in time!

Dick

Hi moandick,
This is a little misleading.
You are giving the impression that there is a sudden transition in the brakes effectivness if the MAM is exceeded.
What happens when a vehicle's MAM is uprated?
Wilbury

 

[highwayman]

Hi angieandnick
SvTech - Special Vehicle Technology
Ring them today and with a bit of luck you'll have your uprated plate for the weekend :thumb:

Fingers crossed for you


regards...nige

 

[moandick]

Hi Wilbury

As far as I am aware the vehicle MAM is set so that a certain 'set' pressure on the brake peddle - on a dry road - would ensure that the vehicle would stop within a certain 'set' distance.
Increase the MAM = increase the braking distance OR increase the braking effort (bigger brakes).
In other words - overload the vehicle and you will not be able to stop within the required distance.

I think that if you read my post again, you will see that I didn't say there would be a sudden transition - I said that if you overload your vehicle you simply would not stop in time.

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[moandick]

Uprating your plate weight.

Hi Angie and Nick

You have probably already thought of the consequences about uprating your weight rating but just to re-inforce what someone else has already posted - unless you have a C1 licence you cannot drive a vehicle over 3½ tons - so be careful about how far you uprate.

I do so agree with Geo when he questions why manufacturers produce vehicles which are overweight as soon as you put an average adult in the driving seat - and I am not just talking about European motorhomes. I full time in a 36ft Monaco Cayman that weighs in around 12 tons - and we are still hunting around for weight-saving (especially with Mo's wardrobe requirements!)