Weighbridge

[Ringy]

Having read up on Weights and Payload I’m taking my 2004 CI Carioca 625 to be weighted tomorrow, in advance of my first ever Motorhome Trip at the end of the week. VIN plate tells me max load of 3400 Kg......so I’ve loaded it with full tanks of fuel and fresh water, empty grey waste, few bottles of water, some cans of food/coke, two gas bottles, two sets of golf clubs and two bikes on the back. No idea what to expect - is this a reasonable way to proceed?

 

[Vipar]

Don’t forget your navigator

 

[mike mcglynn]

You will soon find out ,

 

[Ringy]

I’m might be daft, but I’m not stupid - certainly won’t be guesstimating Navigator’s absorption of payload on a public forum!

 

[Abacist]

If it were me I would remove the tins and bottles of water as you can weigh that sort of stuff into the van each time you go.

Do you really want to travel with full fresh water? Surely you can fill up on site? Perhaps take a small measured amount in case you need some en route?

How much will your passenger weigh? Remember clothes, toiletries, towels, bedding, coats etc. in your calculations.

2 sets of golf clubs are heavy if full sets in big bags - if you are too heavy then just take a half set each and small bags.

Weigh the whole van and then each axle to make sure you do not exceed axle limits, especially the rear which is likely to be the problem one.

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

 

[Ringy]

Thanks Abacist - good points. Just trying to get a realistic position in my head - if too heavy I’ll ditch some water etc.

 

[cmcardle75]

Having read up on Weights and Payload I’m taking my 2004 CI Carioca 625 to be weighted tomorrow, in advance of my first ever Motorhome Trip at the end of the week. VIN plate tells me max load of 3400 Kg......so I’ve loaded it with full tanks of fuel and fresh water, empty grey waste, few bottles of water, some cans of food/coke, two gas bottles, two sets of golf clubs and two bikes on the back. No idea what to expect - is this a reasonable way to proceed?

Take what you think will pass to the weighbridge. Any adjustments are, then, more accurate, if necessary.

 

[DavidG58]

I will be very surprised if your gross weight comes inside 3400kg, but if it does and leaves enough for you other half, very well done you

my guess will be 3670 although I don’t even know what chassis your MH is on you must have 80kg of golf clubs I would guess? Then same again in bikes

best of luck

 

[jongood]

Fyi water is 1kg/litre and Diesel is about 850grammes

 

[2x2camper]

you must have 80kg of golf clubs I would guess? Then same again in bikes

Don't know about the missus but your muscles must weigh a bit with that lot

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

 

[Podney]

Yes,you are doing it the right way.

Are you going to check each axle as well?

We await the result with eager anticipation!

 

[Twos company]

Is there any leeway on weight is 3500 3500 or is it 10%

 

[Ringy]

.....the results are in!! First thanks to L.C. Smales &Son (Organic Arable Farm with a Public Weighbridge) at Thornton, Near Berwick upon Tweed, who did the whole job for £8 including VAT! Overall weight was 3,020 Kg, Front Axle 1240 and Rear 1680 (noticed that this does add correctly - generally they just do the whole vehicle weight, which will be spot on, but for front and back I guess it is affected by how far up/down the ramps you are??) ) Vehicle limits are 3400, 1750 and 1900 respectively. Decided against having the bikes for our first jolly. Will need to re-assess if I’m ever to get a Scooter on the back! Thanks for all your comments and observations.

 

[tonyidle]

Thanks Abacist - good points. Just trying to get a realistic position in my head - if too heavy I’ll ditch some water etc.

I've always done it fully kitted for hols with the van containing everything as I prefer it regarding water etc. In fact I normally do it whilst headed out on a trip. I find it easier to consider what, if anything, needs to be removed than to weigh items as I add them. Fortunately, although close to the wind on occasions, I've always been within the limit of the vehicle. Just so you know most weighbridges want you to drive on front wheels first followed by whole vehicle. You subtract one weight from t'other to arrive at rear axle weight. If optional it can be cheaper without them completing an (irrelevant) certificate.

 

[Ringy]

Cheers!

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

 

[DerryW]

We do exactly the same as tonyidle, a day or so prior to our first significant trips abroad each year. We only carry sufficient fresh water (c25-30%) to get us out of trouble, and stop the low level warning buzzer going off every time we go round roundabouts. We are very fortunate as there is a public weighbridge less than 4 miles from home, so if we do encounter an overweight or weight distribution issue its pretty easy to correct it before setting off. Some may say this is a bit over the top, but for the sake of 8 miles and £10 its peace of mind.

We don't bother with weighing when going on short breaks in the UK, mainly because we don't tend to take all the stuff (including the "just in case" stuff) that we take when traveling abroad.

Back to the OP Ringy. Hope everything goes okay at the weighbridge today and you get the result you're hoping for.

 

[tonyidle]

We do exactly the same as tonyidle, a day or so prior to our first significant trips abroad each year. We only carry sufficient fresh water (c25-30%) to get us out of trouble, and stop the low level warning buzzer going off every time we go round roundabouts. We are very fortunate as there is a public weighbridge less than 4 miles from home, so if we do encounter an overweight or weight distribution issue its pretty easy to correct it before setting off. Some may say this is a bit over the top, but for the sake of 8 miles and £10 its peace of mind.

We don't bother with weighing when going on short breaks in the UK, mainly because we don't tend to take all the stuff (including the "just in case" stuff) that we take when traveling abroad.

Back to the OP Ringy. Hope everything goes okay at the weighbridge today and you get the result you're hoping for.

I don't now do mine regularly. If I suddenly choose to take bikes or a scooter then I would. Once weighed you know how much headroom you have and whether any small extras would make any difference. I've a fair bit to play with (5.4 tonnes plated) so I don't need to worry too much. When I didn't used to have that luxury then like you I weighed at least annually. My local (12 miles) weighbridge doesn't charge unless you want paperwork (I don't).

 

[Nasher]

I did mine once, had 600kgs spare so haven't bothered since!