# Vehicle Weights



## philmccann (Jun 14, 2005)

Hi there 

Heading for Holland, Germany and maybe Switzerland at the end of July. Let the dust settle after the footie!!

Just to get my head straight (difficult I know) about vehicle weights before I go.

Looking at my rating plate there are four sets of numbers: 

3500kg 
4500kg 
1 1850kg 
2 2120kg 

The first is the max laden weight, the second is train weight i.e with a trailer. So, am I right in thinking that with all stock on board i.e. water, fuel, etc, it should weigh no more than 3500kg. Is that with personnel on board or what are the rules?

I hope to hit Switzerland too, but have I heard that you need to buy a weight ticket or similar to drive on the roads. What is the griff with this.


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi Phil 3500kg is the maximum you can weigh, if you are stopped they will weigh you as you are, without anybody getting out, if your over!

I believe its over 3500kg that you have a different ticket than cars in switzerland.

Olley


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## philmccann (Jun 14, 2005)

Thx Ollie

Suppose I had better book myself a weigh-in. I don't carry anything excessive (I don't think, apart from the wife!!). However, I have absolutely no idea of how near or far I am from the limit.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Weight*

Hi Phil

I agree with Olley - 3500 kg is the most the van can weigh including you, passengers, water, gas, diesel, clothes etc etc

Make sure you take your log book with you showing the weight. If under 3500kg you can buy a motorway toll at the Swiss border (40 SFR or 30 Euro). Show them the log book as evidence of the weight.

If over 3500kg - eg RV, Besscarr 700 etc, you "pay by the day" - with a document where you can specify the numbers of trips etc etc

Enjoy your trip

Rapide561


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## 96962 (Dec 16, 2005)

philmccann said:


> no idea of how near or far I am from the limit.


Phil

just make a spreadsheet of all the things you carry with a weight estimate next to them and add it up: Include any awnings and bike racks, so for instance

Bikes 25Kg
bedding 10Kg
telly 5Kg
awning 20Kg

etc.. etc.. It doesn't make up for actually going to a weighbridge but it's going to give you an indication of how much you're carrying and of course bear in mind where it all is. If your water tank is forward but everything else is back that might balance out your axle loads but if it's all at the back then you might have a problem. I did the very same thing for our van to give me an idea of what I carried. It was useful but scary, especially when I added in the 40 bottles of wine!! (only joking)


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

philmccann said:


> The first is the max laden weight, the second is train weight i.e with a trailer. So, am I right in thinking that with all stock on board i.e. water, fuel, etc, it should weigh no more than 3500kg. Is that with personnel on board or what are the rules?


Hi Phil,

the first one is indeed the max. laden weight, officially called "Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass" (MTPLM); and the second is the train weight. Number 3 is the maximum front axle load and number 4 the max. rear axle load.

The rule is that all these weights are measured with _everything and everybody on board._ So when the motorhome is fully laden and manned, none of these 4 weights may be exceeded.

In Switzerland you need to buy a "vignette" (valid one year, costs CHF 40.-) to use motorways and national roads with your van.


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## philmccann (Jun 14, 2005)

Thx guys

Great advice as usual. I'll be going out within the next couple of weeks for a shortish trip, so should be fully laden, or as near as dammit. Will try to find a weighbridge and get an accurate measurement then.

Last question, promise!!!

To measure the axle weights, do you just drive the front wheels on first and then the rear? or is it more technical than that?


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## 96560 (Oct 22, 2005)

My son got pulled over this week with his Transit pick-up. He did not realise that his load limit was 750 kg, ie, less than a pallet of building blocks. He was booked for being 1% over the 10% tolerance limit, so it seems that they will allow you 110% of rated weight (his was 111%). It's made me stop and think about my camper load!


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

philmccann said:


> To measure the axle weights, do you just drive the front wheels on first and then the rear?


Hi Phil,

yes, it is as simple as that. You should just follow the weighbridge staff advice regarding the position of the front wheels on the bridge. Some weighbridges do not work correctly if the load is off-centre.

You do not even have to measure the rear axle separately, according to the laws of gravity :wink: it is sufficient if you measure full weight, front axle weight and then compute the difference.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## 99043 (May 4, 2006)

Forgive me for butting in on your thread Phil.

May I ask, where will I find what the weight should be? I've looked in my log book, nothing. So where should I look next?

Gillian


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## philmccann (Jun 14, 2005)

No probs, Gillian

There should be a plate somewhere on your van. Mine is in the driver's side step (LHD). As said above, it has four weights on it. The plate will be supplied by the convertor e.g. Swift etc. I say this because you may find one by the base vehicle manufacturer as well. Make sure it the correct one you use.

Hope this helps


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## Maverick (May 9, 2005)

Funny this should come up now as I finally got round to taking our Benimar to a weighbridge this morning. Full tank of diesel, two 13kg gas bottles, full water tank (125 litres) and approx 75 litres of waste water. Only a few items of clothing and virtually no food other than day to day bits like tea and coffee.

So I was quite stunned to see it weight 3580kg 8O , but glad we have had it uprated to 4100kg  . Interestingly I wasn't in the 'van when it was weighed so that will be a bit extra with me and the wife on board!

Generally we don't travel with waste water if I can help it but had left it in to compensate for the lack of food & clothing. I can go back whenever I like and only have to pay when I want a print out so I might pop back in when we are fully loaded for some of our longer trips. Then again maybe I won't, it might be too scary......


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## 99043 (May 4, 2006)

philmccann said:


> No probs, Gillian
> 
> There should be a plate somewhere on your van. Mine is in the driver's side step (LHD). As said above, it has four weights on it. The plate will be supplied by the convertor e.g. Swift etc. I say this because you may find one by the base vehicle manufacturer as well. Make sure it the correct one you use.
> 
> Hope this helps


Brilliant, thank you - I'll go and take a look


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## 97270 (Jan 14, 2006)

By the way the other two values are maximum axle weights (front and rear)


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## 94969 (May 1, 2005)

Dear All. I went over a weight bridge on Friday, half a tank of fresh water, full deisel and food/booze no wife or rabbits, SHOCK, HORROR.!! 3.760kgs. it's easy with a big m/h to just to keep putting more and more things in the van.
How do I go about up rating it to 3.800 kgs. is it via. DVLA or Min. of Transport :?: 

Roy.


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## philmccann (Jun 14, 2005)

Hi Roy

I was thinking exactly the same. I haven't even been near a weighbridge yet but I fear the worst. Contacted my local Trading Standards this morning and they are sorting me out with the nearest weighbridge.
However, I fear I will need to upgrade if this is at all possible.

Anyone got any further info on how to go about this?


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## olley (May 1, 2005)

Hi go here >>>here<<<

They will tell you what you can and cannot do.

Olley


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## boskybee (May 12, 2006)

Funnily enough my weight is something I need to worry about too...!
I have had a look on the weighbridge directory but can't find anything in the Hants/Dorset area, does anyone know of one in this area or around this region please?

Many thanks
Boskybee


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi all,

We weighed ours about three weeks ago at our local quarry weighbridge.
It came in at 4170kgs. That leaves us 330kgs.

That was with all tanks full (except waste) and loaded up for a trip away, but no bicycles (50kgs).

Plenty of allownce for the beer and wine. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

J & R


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Boskybee,

Hampshire and Dorset weighbridges are here:

http://www.hants.gov.uk/regulatory/images/publicweighbridges.pdf
http://www.dorsetforyou.com/media/pdf/8/5/PublicWeighbridgeSites_1.doc

Dave


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, Boff 

Do you or anyone else know of any instances in France/Germany etc. where a MH has actually been weighed, the reson i ask is that while we were in France recently i took a great interest in looking at the MTPLM weights shown on a lot of German MH's and never saw one that was over 3500kg albeit some of the Hymers etc, were 7.4 + metre with every consevible extra fitted ?. 

The reason i was looking was because the French appear to be putting up a lot of signs stopping vehicles over 3.5 tons going down along the senic routes and i was becoming very worried that if i was stopped and they did check the plate it would be immediatly obvious that i was over the 3.5 tons so they wouldn't need to weigh my MH, (Plated 4000kg MTPLM)

I was therefore wondering if the Germans just have every MH plated at 3500kg and don't worry about been stopped for excess loading if you see my point ??. as this would allow them to use the (3.5tone) routes and use the Austrian and Swiss autoroutes cheaper ??


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## Boff (May 10, 2005)

Hi Enodreven!



Enodreven said:


> Do you or anyone else know of any instances in France/Germany etc. where a MH has actually been weighed, the reson i ask is that while we were in France recently i took a great interest in looking at the MTPLM weights shown on a lot of German MH's and never saw one that was over 3500kg albeit some of the Hymers etc, were 7.4 + metre with every consevible extra fitted ?.


So far we have not yet been pulled out for weighting, but this may only be because we usually travel against the main stream during holiday season. I have seen motorhomes and tuggers being pulled out on the other side of the road and I know several people who have been weighted. So it does happen.

Nevertheless I do believe that many of the German motorhomes you have seen were actually rated above 3500 kg. There is no requirement to display the MTPLM on motorhomes in Germany or France, even if above 3.5 tons. So looking into the registration papers or under the bonnet is the only way to find out.

There are theoretically four main reasons why German motorhomers would want to have their van not rated above 3.5 tons, however that has changed recently:
1. In Germany motorhomes above 3.5 tons until 2004 had to keep lorry speed restrictions, which meant a maximum of 80 kph on motorways. Since then however the limit has been increased for motorhomes to 100 kph, so no problem anymore. 
2. Other lorry restrictions, for example overtaking bans, are however still in place for motorhomes. (Which leads to the ridiculous situation that you may travel fully legal at 100 kph on any stretch of motorway where overtaking for lorries is banned. But as soon as you come up to a lorry driving 80-90, you have to stick behind it. German bureaucracy at its best!
3. The motorway toll in Austria: Austria is a very popular holiday resort for Germans. But if you are rated above 3.5 tons you have to go for all that fuss with the "Go-Box" and pay significantly more than if below. On the other hand in Switzerland you may even be better off with more than 3.5 tons.
4. Up to 1999 the general German driving license for passenger cars allowed to drive vehicles with an MTPLM of up to 7.5 tons. Since then it has been restricted to 3.5 tons. As more and more people who made their license after 1999 now become potential customers, the motorhome manufacturers provide an increasing number of models below this limit. However to achieve that goal they sometimes compromise the payload.



Enodreven said:


> The reason i was looking was because the French appear to be putting up a lot of signs stopping vehicles over 3.5 tons going down along the senic routes and i was becoming very worried that if i was stopped and they did check the plate it would be immediatly obvious that i was over the 3.5 tons so they wouldn't need to weigh my MH, (Plated 4000kg MTPLM)


The signs in France stopping vehicles over 3.5 tons are normally intended to keep off lorries, and I am not even sure if they apply for motorhomes. I positively know that in Germany they do and in Austria they do not, so there is room for speculation. Unfortunately for you, having a van plated for exactly 3.5 tons I have never bothered to investigate so far.



Enodreven said:


> I was therefore wondering if the Germans just have every MH plated at 3500kg and don't worry about been stopped for excess loading if you see my point ??.


As said, many German MHs are plated above 3500 kg. However there are some people who have theirs downplated and simply take the risk of getting caught. But they did it mainly because of the speed limit, so this reason is now obsolete.

Best Regards,
Gerhard


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## Steptoe (Nov 8, 2005)

Hi Roy,

I found myself in exactly your position; van plated at 3200, weighed in at 3300 before wife, grandchildren, and effects! The previous owners have fitted lots of heavy accessories which nibble away at the payload.

I emailed SvTech (google for website) with my van details and they can replate me to 3500 with no mods or 3700 with air-rides.

Obviously whether an uprate is easily possible for you depends on your chassis ( mine was Fiat 14 LWB ) but you could enquire.


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## Enodreven (Aug 29, 2005)

Hi, Gerhard

Thank you for that info it was very useful, however as for the plating the majority of those that i looked at had the plates very obviously displayed on the outside or otherwise i wouldn't have made the comments, but i take your point that some don't

Brian


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