Volvo Community Forum. The Forums of the Volvo Owners Club

Forum Rules Volvo Owners Club About VOC Volvo Gallery Links Volvo History Volvo Press
Go Back   Volvo Owners Club Forum > "Technical Topics" > Towing and Caravan Topics

Notices

Towing and Caravan Topics A forum for all towing/caravanning related topics

Information
  • VOC Members: There is no login facility using your VOC membership number or the details from page 3 of the club magazine. You need to register in the normal way
  • AOL Customers: Make sure you check the 'Remember me' check box otherwise the AOL system may log you out during the session. This is a known issue with AOL.
  • AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net users. Forum owners such as us are finding that AOL, Yahoo and Plus.net are blocking a lot of email generated from forums. This may mean your registration activation and other emails will not get to you, or they may appear in your spam mailbox

Thread Informations

Are you over weight

Views : 4136

Replies : 20

Users Viewing This Thread :  

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old Mar 4th, 2020, 18:03   #11
JEFFBOND
New Member
 

Last Online: Jan 20th, 2023 17:35
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Chesterfield
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tannaton View Post
If the caravan is on a weigh bridge it will read the same regardless of nose weight.
Not if hitched to the car and the car is off the weighbridge which is quite normal. The weighbridge is then registering the axle load/weight
JEFFBOND is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to JEFFBOND For This Useful Post:
Old Jun 16th, 2020, 23:30   #12
Rustyfrog
Grumpy Pond Dweller
 
Rustyfrog's Avatar
 

Last Online: Mar 12th, 2024 16:01
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Chorley
Default

My brain hurts!
This is getting a little confusing. I can see the argument and the reasons for the answers. I already have a problem in that I only have a payload of 123kg to play with.
After taking off 31kg for the mover, that dosent leave a lot for other things.

However my question is, how do the powers to be determine if your c/van is overweight?
Caravan attached or unattached?
__________________
2022 '72 XC40 B4 Ultimate Dark. Sage Green, Blonde Interior. Google Maps.
ex V90, S60x2, V40 + loads of other mnfrs. over the years

.................................................. ..
I thought that growing old would take a little longer
Rustyfrog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jun 17th, 2020, 09:59   #13
IainMcL1970
Junior Member
 

Last Online: Apr 22nd, 2021 12:25
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Edinburgh
Default

I have upgraded the weight plate on my past 4 or 5 Swift group caravans, easy enough to do when ordering the 'van ... or can be done for a small cost afterwards.

The extra payload depends on the caravan ... one of mine could go up by 100Kg, the current one just 25Kg.

I travel pretty light compared to other people I see on site but worth looking into.
__________________
2020 Volvo XC60 B5 Diesel R Design - Winter Pack, Tempa Spare Wheel, Towbar and Mud Flaps
Towing a 2018 Swift Elegance 580
IainMcL1970 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jun 17th, 2020, 10:59   #14
Whyman
Premier Member
 

Last Online: Yesterday 10:21
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Newark
Default

I have also upgraded my Swift van only gives an extra 27kg but who knows when it will be needed.

I think I travel reasonably well loaded but when on site I can see enormous amounts of kit appear from some vans and wonder if they are overweight?

I could go to a weighbridge but usually start on a Sunday and most are closed.

If you were stopped on the road I would assume that you would just roll over portable scales with the van still attached to the car so the weight on the axle.
__________________
XC60 2013 D5 215 SE Lux Nav geartronic

Last edited by Whyman; Jun 17th, 2020 at 11:02.
Whyman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jun 17th, 2020, 12:37   #15
hennabm
Senior Member
 
hennabm's Avatar
 

Last Online: Mar 22nd, 2024 19:53
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Edinburgh
Default

It's not just caravans that have such a low payload.

A friend of mine recently bought a year old motorhome on a Ford chassis. It had been fitted with a tow bar, side awning and spare wheel.

With a full tank of water, half tank of diesel, one gas bottle on board and just the driver and one passenger, the payload left, to remain legal was only 20kg. So less than a suitcase allowance on some airlines.

This rendered the thing unusable as it was. The manufacturer disclaimed any responsibility. "It was legal when it left here mate" was the basis of their response. Surely it must be their responsibility to build something that is actually fit for purpose.

This seems to be the same with caravans as well.
__________________
1989 240DL estate
1982 323i
2012 Punto Easy 1.4
2010 116d
2011 X3 3.0d
hennabm is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to hennabm For This Useful Post:
Old Jun 17th, 2020, 13:24   #16
TeamG
Master Member
 

Last Online: Today 10:03
Join Date: Nov 2019
Location: CARDIFF
Default

As a retired magistrate, I have seen such cases come through the courts. These tend to be when grossly over the allowable weights, but then the penalties are much higher. The ones I have seen involved the police escorting to a weigh bridge and separating towing vehicle and trailer when the overall weight of either is in question, or measuring each axle when connected. The driver and passengers must remain in the vehicle when weighed.

Penalty starting points are valid up to 10% over the axle weights, then increase by 10% for every additional 1% of overloading. I have seen an axle weight overloaded by 160%. The sentencing guidelines are available to all and in the public domain.

If it’s a weight, distribution or position of load offence, the starting point fines are greater than an axle load offence. If it’s a second offence, there is a mandatory minimum 6 month disqualification.
__________________
_________________________________________
2017 XC60 D4 AWD R Design Nav
2011 V70 1.6 DRIVe SE (sold)
2008 V50 2.0D SE (sold)
TeamG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jun 18th, 2020, 23:00   #17
Father Ted
Master Member
 

Last Online: Feb 28th, 2023 21:25
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Wirral
Default

I contacted VOSA to ask if the weight was for the van off the car (ie including noseweight) or when it is on the car, so deduct the 90Kgs.
They would not answer. The only confirmation I got was that it is tested "in use". I took this to mean connected to the car.
I note that when I had my van uprated, it went to the max axle weight which would also suggest the MTPLM is the weight across the axle with the caravan in use.
__________________
2003 V70 2.4SE Auto. Gone now.
2003 XC90 D5. Auto.
Father Ted is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Father Ted For This Useful Post:
Old Jun 23rd, 2020, 13:01   #18
Tannaton
Bungling Amateur
 
Tannaton's Avatar
 

Last Online: Today 11:17
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Beverley, East Yorks
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Father Ted View Post
I contacted VOSA to ask if the weight was for the van off the car (ie including noseweight) or when it is on the car, so deduct the 90Kgs.
They would not answer. The only confirmation I got was that it is tested "in use". I took this to mean connected to the car.
I note that when I had my van uprated, it went to the max axle weight which would also suggest the MTPLM is the weight across the axle with the caravan in use.
I've got a very dim view of VOSA based on my limited interaction with them - not many of them know or understand the rules they are there to enforce.
__________________
2011 XC90 D5 Executive
2003 C70 T5 GT
2012 Ford Ranger XL SC
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
1976 Massey Ferguson 135
Tannaton is online now   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Tannaton For This Useful Post:
Old Jul 20th, 2020, 14:13   #19
DarkendViper
Junior Member
 

Last Online: Jun 15th, 2022 17:09
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Preston
Default

Well i'm quite lucky on my van,
MIRO of 1025kg and MTPLM of 1300kg leaving me with a 275kg payload. This was factory weight for the van.

I've been loooing into getting a reich weight control that you drive over and measures each wheel but they seem to be rare now.
DarkendViper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old Jul 20th, 2020, 22:56   #20
37 RUBY
Master Member
 

Last Online: Feb 15th, 2024 19:41
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Chesterfield
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkendViper View Post
Well i'm quite lucky on my van,
MIRO of 1025kg and MTPLM of 1300kg leaving me with a 275kg payload. This was factory weight for the van.
Our previous Elddis van when taken to the weighbridge empty apart from battery and gas bottle after collection from dealer was 80kg over the MIRO.
Bear in mind that MIRO is gas bottle, battery, EHU cable, water system full to capacity, waste and water containers, spare wheel etc, basically all it leaves the factory with.

Unless you have weighed your caravan you shouldn't base your calculations on the plated MIRO.

Quote:
Originally Posted by DarkendViper View Post
I've been loooing into getting a reich weight control that you drive over and measures each wheel but they seem to be rare now.
I have one of these. Bought it as a result of the over weight Elddis MIRO.

Good piece of kit. Needs to be on a nice flat surface for accurate consistent readings.

Just took delivery of an Adria. Without any water in the system, on the Reich scales it showed 9kg under the plated MIRO so quite pleased at that.

My mates think I'm sad for taking so much care with loading but it so much safer and easier to tow with a correctly laden caravan.
37 RUBY is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:07.


Powered by vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.