Caravan Weights

[jclures]

I see to police did a road side stop on caravaners up here on the weekend.
Just giving advice at this stage but it will only be a matter of time before it will be for real.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10227047844127570&set=gm.837299626871398

[BBull]

I'm not sure how this advice thing works. Be interesting to see if there was an accident down the road and the police let these people go knowing they were not legal at this time.

[jclures]

I don’t know how that will go, but at least they are being proactive about weights.
I would think the nomads up here might need to check their weights as well as the locals.
I have put my Nissan and camper over the weigh bridge a couple of times to get me weights right. I found I needed to trim some weight out of the Nissan though.

[Bird]

I don’t know how that will go, but at least they are being proactive about weights.
I would think the nomads up here might need to check their weights as well as the locals.
I have put my Nissan and camper over the weigh bridge a couple of times to get me weights right. I found I needed to trim some weight out of the Nissan though.

Anyway you look at it - its a good service they are doing... I bet 50% of these people got a real shock on the weights.
I remember them doing it here in Victoria too while back.

[manchu]

I'm not sure how this advice thing works. Be interesting to see if there was an accident down the road and the police let these people go knowing they were not legal at this time.

I'd like to think if there was a legitimate safety issue they wouldn't be allowed to drive off until it's rectified.       
   

I remember them doing it here in Victoria too while back.

I read an article about a recent vic one.    It was interesting to hear the policeman say they not only get the owners to redistribute their weight if there's issues,  but also check the chassis plate to see if there's any extra capacity compared to to what the van manufacturer states.       

[Bird]

the one I was mentioning is on Darcys site
http://rveethereyet.com/a-turning-point-in-towing-safety/

To put this into perspective, you have to look at the results from the Newmerella operation itself:

• 71 caravans were weighed across 2 days.
• 2 drivers knew all their ratings.
• Most had an idea of what their maximum allowable weight was (ATM) but were confused about how to manage weights.
• 3 knew what they actually weighed.
• 41 were overweight in one or more ratings (ATM, GTM, Ball weight).
• 5 were overweight by more than 20%.
• The majority of those spoken with were surprised at how heavy they were and had under estimated their actual weight.

and another
http://rveethereyet.com/police-caravan-weight-safety-checks-newmerella-victoria/

handy link
http://rveethereyet.com/weighbridges-australia-download/

[Rodt]

On a slightly left aspect to this. I was at the Maitland Caravan and Camping show last Friday basically window shopping in regards to our preferred design. When I started talking weights though they all only wanted to talk about Tare. When I started talking about ATM, GVM and GCM in relation to ensuring that the tow vehicle was right they all basically glazed over and didn't really want to talk about it. One did though to advise me that they towed all their vans about with dual cab utes (won't say what brand) but when i mentioned that this would have been at the Tare weight and not the ATM they tried to deflect the conversation. One said to me in a quiet voice (I imagine so others wouldn't hear) the words "what can we do".
To a degree I understood the statement because people can do what they want with their own property but also was thinking that it is unethical to not educate those that are looking to buy a van because they obviously don't have enough knowledge on the topic.

Buyer beware is always the mantra 

[manchu]

• The majority of those spoken with were surprised at how heavy they were and had under estimated their actual weight.

I wonder how many were truly surprised and how many were playing dumb. 

[HEM19X]

We put our setup over the weighbridge. 2014 BT50 with 19'6" Van, with the tug fully loaded and full of fuel plus all 3 water tanks full on the van and 2 x 20l jerrys full, we were fine on all counts and GCM 5980kgs [6000 allowed]...

Since then we have changed vehicles & have upgraded GVM and GCM to 7000kgs - not weighed yet - still adding stuff.

[Rodt]

Hem out of interest was the upgrade done pre-registration or post?

Have read that if done after different states don't recognise and go off the original plate

[HEM19X]

Hem out of interest was the upgrade done pre-registration or post?

Have read that if done after different states don't recognise and go off the original plate

Mate, yes it was done prior to 1st rego... I have also heard conflicting information regarding changes afterwards.

Hem

[Rodt]

Thanks mate I might send you a pm

Cheers

Rod

[doc evil]

Quite informative, once JC gets to the point.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HbYdHu9Qis

[chester ver2.0]

Best thing they could do is get rid of TARE weight and just to to 1 figure the ATM

Basically then you can put what ever you want in it but you cant weigh over XXXX

At the moment with TARE, ATM, GTM, Ball weight and sometimes and Axle loading weight stamped on the Chassis that says something different you need a slide ruler and access to the deep blue server to do all the calculations

[Pete79]

Quite informative, once JC gets to the point.........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HbYdHu9Qis

Yep, just skip to 16 and a half minutes and play that last bit on a loop…

[HEM19X]

Best thing they could do is get rid of TARE weight and just to to 1 figure the ATM

Basically then you can put what ever you want in it but you cant weigh over XXXX

At the moment with TARE, ATM, GTM, Ball weight and sometimes and Axle loading weight stamped on the Chassis that says something different you need a slide ruler and access to the deep blue server to do all the calculations

Would make things easier but I have seen off road vans advertised with less than 200kgs payload, given that they have 270l water capacity.... I think we need TARE & ATM as a minimum.

Hem

[#jonesy]

Would make things easier but I have seen off road vans advertised with less than 200kgs payload, given that they have 270l water capacity.... I think we need TARE & ATM as a minimum.

Hem

Unfortunately each one has it purpose.  About the only one that you could ditch is GTM,

[Fizzie]

Would make things easier but I have seen off road vans advertised with less than 200kgs payload, given that they have 270l water capacity.... I think we need TARE & ATM as a minimum.

That's what we've got

Tare 1600, ATM 1800, GTM 1960 kg.

Van has an 80l water tank, & provision for 2 x 4kg gas bottles, so if we fill those, before we even think about food, drinks, clothes, seats, BBQ, firewood, tools etc etc etc, we're down to only ~110kg available!

I can see that tare includes the empty water tank & gas bottles, but does it include a spare/s & the van battery

I really think that this all needs to be landed back on the manufacturers that the tare is measured with everything full eg water, gas, spare, battery etc

[#jonesy]

That's what we've got

Tare 1600, ATM 1800, GTM 1960 kg.

I think you have ATM and GTM mixed up.
GTM is the weight at the the axle.
ATM is the whole weight of the van (weight at the axle PLUS the towball weight)

[Fizzie]

I think you have ATM and GTM mixed up.

Oops!

Yes, you are correct

[prodigyrf]

So how many owners would actually invest in one to get it right? 
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362817035688

[GeoffA]

So how many owners would actually invest in one to get it right? 
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362817035688

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362817035688

They claim to have sold 82 at the time of this post....

They also have a 1500kg version, which would be more appropriate for caravans.

 

[Fizzie]

So how many owners would actually invest in one to get it right? 
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362817035688

Yes, have had my eyes on one (1500kg version actually), although I've read that there is a bit of an artform in using them correctly

An alternative that I've also thought about is https://www.eziweigh.com.au/about-us/ or similar, for about the same $.

But the problem with both (& weighbridges as well for that matter), is that yes, they tell you what you weigh, right now, but only in your current configuration.

How many of us pack the van / CT absolutely 100% identically every time we go away

Going to a powered site for a weekend is going to be a very different load, & weight, to a bush camp for a week; Summer v Winter will also change due to different clothes; are the kids coming along, or have they decided that camping with Mum & Dad is boring ...

[Bird]

So how many owners would actually invest in one to get it right? 
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/362817035688

They'd cost $2.00 out of china??

If they were $50 they'd sell 10 times as many - most people would buy 2

[prodigyrf]

They also have a 1500kg version, which would be more appropriate for caravans.

You reckon your cara/camper has any point of contact with the ground (including the tow hitch) greater than 1000kg 
What you got and what you towing it with BIG BOY?