# Weighing MH at a weighbridge



## DaveJM (Dec 29, 2008)

This might be a very naive post but having read another current topic about MH weights I thought I would enquire at my local council weighbridge as to the best time to take my MH.

"Sunday morning when we're not too busy" the man in the kiosk said. OK I said "I would like to weigh the whole MH and then the front and rear axle weights separately - would that be OK.

No he said we will just weigh the whole vehicle - that's it. I said but I need to know whether I am possibly overloading the axles so I would like to weigh each axle separently. No he said we can't be farting around - we will just weigh the whole vehicle. In any case he said weighing each axle won't be accurate.

Never having taken a vehicle to a weighbridge am I being naive in not knowing what to do or ask for or is this guy a "jobsworth on a Friday afternoon"

Any thoughts?


David


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

I have weighed our M/H twice now, at a local mill that has a weighbridge.
I just drive on and then go to the office where they log-on to their 'puter and get the total weight, then I drive forward so that the front wheels are clear of the bridge. That gives them the weight of the rear axle. Take one from t'other and you've got the weight of the front axle.
They input the reg. no and print it all out on an official looking piece of A4 and I give them a tenner and get change. 
All done by a friendly and smiley bunch in around 4-5 minutes..............but this is in Suffolk, so it's what we expect.
Simples!

Landyman.


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## inkey-2008 (May 24, 2008)

A lot of the people at weigh bridges do not understand the maths. 

The council one you are taking about only want to know how muck rubbish is on the truck they do not care if the front or back axles are over weight.


I had trouble trying to explain that my scooter puts more weight on the back axle when it is on the rack than standing on the weigh bridge.

Andy


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Definitely a jobsworth.
I took mine to a local quarry and they couldn't have been more helpful.


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## ingram (May 12, 2005)

As I understand it, from having read peoples comments on this forum previously, weighing the individual axles won't be accurate if the drive on / off the weighbridge is not level: i.e. if the vehicle is not level when only part of it is on the bridge; other than for that reason I don't see why it shouldn't be accurate enough.

If you were really told that they 'can't be farting around' go somewhere else.

Harvey


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

Insist on them weighing each axle or go elsewhere - it is particularly important that you can be satisfied that both axles are within their respective limits - the rear is normally the problem. I am fortunate and am midway (5 miles) between two free council owned 24 hour self service weigh-bridges. They show you the individual axle weights and then the combined total. So if you find yourself driving through West Sussex.......


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## OwnedbyCollies (Dec 7, 2009)

It pays to shop around. I approached a local skip hire place and was quoted £15 for a ticket and unsurprisingly they would be very happy to do total weight plus each axle weight with a ticket for each!!!!

"Not on your nellie says I' and trundles off to the local tip. 

Extremely helpful bunch of chappies - I was offered an official ticket for £10 or if happy with it written on a slip of paper the operative would do it for free!!! He explained that as it was a drive on and off platform it was difficult to do each axle accurately as the van would be on a slope and the weight not well balanced but we managed to perch on the edge of the scale as its only a smallish van. The back wheels just off first, for front axle weight, and then fully on the platform for total weight, then with the front wheels just hanging off the front for the back axle weight (sorry if its too much glaringly obvious info for all of you seasoned weighbridge users!!)

We were absolutely delighted with our little free 'slip of paper' which then allowed us to work out our tyre pressures more accurately.


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## olympus (Jul 26, 2010)

*weighbridge costs*

Just to add to the topic of the costs etc. I had rang round several council numbers to try and get an address to get the MH weighed. Eventually spoke to a very nice lady who went out of her way to find the best weigh to do it (pun intended) So off i went to Thompsons my local Scrap metal dealers and asked them. Sure Sir was the reply we do the whole thing and then the back axle and then print it off for you and sign it. How much I said. £1 a weigh, So £2 then, The guy said. so after picking myself off the floor, I SAID I WILL BE BACK SHORTLY. Just goes to show what people will charge if they can get a way with it.


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## oilslick (Oct 3, 2007)

*waht did it weigh??*

Hi Landyman,

So what were your figures?

As a general point I think the weigh bridge / sorounding ground will have to be very uneven to make a difference. Say it is 5 degrees, (which is a lot!) the cosine is 0.996, (0 degrees the cosine is 1) So you are going to get less than 1/2% error!

However I think it is wise to check both axles, and the total, to make sure there is no error.

Thanx,
Grant


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Mornining all,
The mans at osser go somewhere else,
I go to the local trading standards which is self weigh open 24/7.
The approach and departure angles should and usualy are level to get an accurate reading .

I seam to recall aweighbridge just of the m25 at woking turnoff.



norm


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## ingram (May 12, 2005)

peribro said:


> two free council owned 24 hour self service weigh-bridges. They show you the individual axle weights and then the combined total. So if you find yourself driving through West Sussex.......


..... as I did last week. Stopped off at the Handscross one. I expected it to be 'un-manned' but no, he explained how it worked and 'walked' me through it.

I have been meaning to get weighed for ages but no bridges convenient near home.

We were very slightly less loaded than we sometimes are but I was delighted to have a spare 270kg on the front and 260kg on the rear, giving a spare total of 530kg 

Harvey


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

We had our MH weighed last week at the local quarry. Needed to make sure the back axle wasn't overloaded as we have added a custom made tow bar and various other things. I phoned up the quarry as we were on our way home from a long weekend away and the chap said, no problem. Cost was £5 for each axle and a total weight and the chap was friendly and helpful. Any quarries where you are, as they seem to be very helpful


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

This is exactly what happened to me at our local council's weighbridge. I asked for separate axle weights just to be jotted down on the certificate. I was happy to pay the £10.00 for the overall weighing and for the certificate.

The jobsworth told me that I'd have to have three certificates at a cost of £30.00. I declined after politely telling him that his attitude was totally unreasonable, but he wasn't moved!

I went to a local haulier's yard and for just over £6.00 he noted the front as I went on, then the whole and then the rear as I drove off. I got one certificate for the total weight with the axle weights jotted down on it, which was all I needed for tyre pressure purposes.

And the axle weights totalled to the same as the gross weight!

Unfortunately, there's a growing number of people who are either too thick or too obstreperous to use a bit of common sense, both in large private enterprises as well as in the public sector.

Witness the idiotic girl in a supermarket who refused to supply a soldier, just back from Afghanistan, with some booze, because he was in his uniform!


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## impala666 (Oct 26, 2007)

*Overload*

We are just going through this saga of weight on our 04 Nuevo ES back axel . When loaded for touring, with towbar towbar rack and two electric bikes we are now about 150 kg within the 1850 kg limit.

The big question is .... Have any members been stopped and weighed by the police whilst travelling in uk or abroad ? What happened ?

Brian


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## MorrisMotorhome (Mar 4, 2009)

I was stopped just south of Berlin last year. The police carried scales and I was asked to drive my rear wheel onto it.

I was found to be overweight by 100 kilo on the scale. As I wasn't much overweight I was told to move some contents forward to the the front axle and was allowed to carry on my journey. I was fined 15 euro.

The whole experience was extremely unpleasant. The police were unpleasant, obviously not helped by a language problem.

I have since changed my van for one with much more payload.


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## Landyman (Apr 3, 2010)

*Re: waht did it weigh??*



oilslick said:


> Hi Landyman,
> 
> So what were your figures?
> 
> ...


Total weight was 3400Kg, rear axle was 1800Kg, which means that the front was 1600KG.
That was with full to the brim fresh water, fuel and gas and SWMBO in the pax seat plus clothes etc. ready for a long weekend away.

Landyman.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I am fortunate in that my local council (Richmond-London) give a free 'Verbal' ( Yeah I know, it should be 'Oral' but who is argueing if it is free!)

What I do not understand is why anyone wants a Certificate.
Who asks to see it? Not much use when your are overweight on a VOSA weighbridge two weeks after it was issued.

I weighed just before this trip: 200kg under total and 120kg under on rear axle, with full water, fuel and gas, but empty waste.

I am travelling solo so I am very pleased I up-plated - just in case I find the odd hitch-hiker (but not too odd please) !

Geoff


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## emmbeedee (Oct 31, 2008)

nicholsong said:


> What I do not understand is why anyone wants a Certificate.
> Who asks to see it?
> Geoff


One reason you may need the certificate is to verify the tyre pressures you are using. For instance I use 43 psi front & 50 psi rear, figures supplied by Continental based on weights on my certificate. These are much lower pressures than shown on the door sticker applied by Ford, for a fully laden Transit. If plod wants to know why I am running such low pressures, at least I have written evidence to support my case.


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Afternoon all,
The reason you are offered a weighbridge ticket is that if you are stopped and ordered onto a weighbridge you have done everything possible not break the law . This is mainly for commercial vehicles who carry various loads day in day out

The only case I have heard of someone being stopped was in France


When you have eatablished the weight there is no need for any further weighs because you usually carry the same stuff anyway


norm


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

ingram said:


> We were very slightly less loaded than we sometimes are but I was delighted to have a spare 270kg on the front and 260kg on the rear, giving a spare total of 530kg


Err ... I don't think it works like that. You can't use the allowances from each axle for overall payload. You need to check each axle individually, and you can shift some weight from one to t'other if necessary, but you still need to be within your _overall_ MAM (Maximum Allowable Mass). I'd be very surprised if you still had 530kg allowance in "cruising trim".

P.S. For the self-serve weighbridges, do you need to take the weight readings at the machine terminal? Does this mean the weights measured do not include one of the humans on board, who is operating the machine?

Gerald


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## TDG (May 26, 2009)

Hobbyfan said:


> ....I asked for separate axle weights just to be jotted down on the certificate. I was happy to pay the £10.00 for the overall weighing and for the certificate.
> quote]
> Got exactly this from the w/b at the North Devon County Council site in Barnstaple a few weeks ago with no problems and lots of smiles
> Mind you, the site and, I think, the staff were so new they hadn't got round to unpacking the jobsworth hats :lol:


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

After having each axle weighed my OH emailed Michelin to ask what pressures should be in the tyres solo and when we are towing. They came back with a very comprehensive answer. Worth doing


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Evening all,


No gerald you stay in the vehicle and drive over very slowly and the weight come up on a board in front, I always have pen and paper ready to jot down the numbers. thats what happens at j.27 gildersome in west yorkshire..


norm


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## ingram (May 12, 2005)

geraldandannie said:


> ingram said:
> 
> 
> > We were very slightly less loaded than we sometimes are but I was delighted to have a spare 270kg on the front and 260kg on the rear, giving a spare total of 530kg
> ...


Yes it does Gerald.

Figures here and yes, both of us in the 'van: drive slowly over the 'bar' display shows first front axle, then rear, then total.

My figures:-
Front max:----1850
Front actual----1580
Spare--------- 270

Rear max:------ 2300
Rear actual------2040
Spare ----------- 260

MAM ------------4150
Total actual------3620
Total spare -------530

be surprised then ..... 

Harvey


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## oilslick (Oct 3, 2007)

*Please clarrify?*

Please can someone tell me the exact requirement regarding people?

I have seen it written "essential habitation equipment plus driver" or words to that effect.

What if two people are travelling in the vehicle? Should we both be in it when weighing?

Thanx
Grant


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## ingram (May 12, 2005)

*Re: Please clarrify?*



oilslick said:


> Please can someone tell me the exact requirement regarding people?
> 
> I have seen it written "essential habitation equipment plus driver" or words to that effect.
> 
> ...


The "essential habitation equipment plus driver" ( or words to that effect ) is usually included in the manufacturers figures for their stated payload.

If you weigh your 'van it is best to have it in it's normal fully loaded state for holidaying including however many people you carry. Then you know how much payload you have left, if any and if you are within weights for the total MAM and each axle.

So, a shorter answer to your question is "yes". 

Harvey


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## geraldandannie (Jun 4, 2006)

ingram said:


> Yes it does Gerald.
> MAM ------------4150 Total actual------3620 Total spare -------530


Hi Harvey

Ah!! That's cheating (MAM = 4150kg) :wink:

Sorry for doubting you. I mistakenly assumed you were rated at 3.5t :roll:

My bad (as they say these days)

Gerald


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

Manufacturers' weights are, as stated, usually for one person and the water tank and fuel tanks around three-quarters full (I think).

I took mine to the weighbridge, fully loaded, before our last trip.

Unfortunately, I was 60 kg overweight, so I had to make harsh decisions about what should go.

It wasn't easy to discard what I did, as we've been quite happily married for some time now.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

emmbeedee

I agree one should know one's weight for tyre pressures and I agree that contacting the tyre manufacturer is sensible, but from other posts on other threads it seems that Continental are happy to answer an e-mail stating the weights - after all they cannot be held responsible if you quote the wrong weights.

Unfortunately Michelin are not so cooperative - see my posts re VOSA and DfT

So why the need for a 'Certificate'?

Geoff


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

I can think of a good reason for a certificate. If you have a major accident and your motor-home is a write-off, a certificate proving that it was not dangerously overloaded is one extra weapon in your battle with the insurers.

Apart from which, responsible motor-homers surely have their vehicle's weight checked occasionally and most weigh bridges will issue a certificate as a matter of course, and there's no point refusing it!


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Jodi1

I have had similar experience trying to get definitive answer out of Michelin.

So I decided to approach those responsible for vehicle safety in UK.

After several e-mail exchanges to both VOSA and DfT I am still waiting for a definitive answer. Their previous answer was 'ask the tyre manufacturer', but in the case of Michelin they refuse to answer.

Tyres come with all sorts of info embossed on them, incl max loading.

Some body (Thatcham?) must have tested them and they should know what the stress levels are above/below that max rating, otherwise how did the get to that rating?

Watch this space.

Geoff


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Hobbyfan, hello

Of course a responsible MHer will get the MH weighed ( I did just before this trip - well-in) 

However, a Cert will only prove the weight at that specific time, before loading wife, 3 kids, tank of fuel etc.. Mr. Plod, or any other authority, may be suspicious of the owner of a vehicle owner proffering a certificate.

I agree, weigh the MH but, if the Certificate is charged for and the oral response is free, go for the free one because I cannot see where the certificate is needed.

Geoff


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## TR5 (Jun 6, 2007)

Would it not be correct to assume that, two different makes of tyre of the same size, and of the same maximum load, would require the same pressure for a given weight.

If one manufacturer refuses to quote, maybe another with the same spec tyre will quote more readily.

Only a thought!


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi all,

I've recently had dealings with my local VOSA testing station, who assisted me greatly in uprating our MH from 4,500Kgs to 5,000Kgs, and issued a Design Weight Certificate too, although technically the vehicle is exempt.

Also, they offered me a weigh in at my nearest VOSA roadside weighbridge, which weighed all three axles. To get an accurate reading, they weighed axle 1 & 2, then I had to drive over the plate and reverse axle 3 back on. The MH was fully loaded for our MHF German trip, with full diesel, water, gas and petrol (generator) tanks, and bikes. Only SWMBO, her clothes, and our food were still outstanding.

The operator issued me with a ticket displaying all weights, and the total, signed and dated, and jokingly informed me that I had enough payload left to carry a packet of sandwiches and a can of Coke. :lol: 
He assumed my fresh water tank was empty, and was surprised to know that it was full, (140 ltrs) I still had 137Kg left of my 4,500. Now it's 5,000kgs, I won't even get close to it.

Contact your local VOSA and ask what dates they are operating your nearest weighbridge. It's free.

HTH

Jock.


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## Hobbyfan (Jul 3, 2010)

If I were a police officer or an insurer I would assume that having a certificate is proof of a responsible attitude. If you are prepared to go to the trouble of having your vehicle weighed it conveys a certain message.

If you have no proof that you've taken the trouble to have your MH weighed it's one less weapon in your armoury.

Personally, I'm that that bothered about spending about £6.00 to get that piece of paper and, whilst your weight may vary slightly from trip to trip, it won't vary much as most of us tend to take the same kind of stuff every time.

Just imagine if you have a major accident and, some time later, the insurer raises the question of whether or not your vehicle may have been overloaded. "Er, well, I've never actually had it weighed to check" is not going to help your case. Neither is "Oh yes, I have had it weighed but I've no proof."

For a few quid I'm not taking the chance! Others may obviously do as they wish and that's fine, but not for me!


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Afternoon all,


A recent survey by vosa recorded that 80% of motorhomes were overloaded.

It is far better to approach a weighbridge after being directed there by vosa or the police with big smug grin on your face knowing that you are within the law than coming away with a fine hanging over you.

Tomorrow we set off for France and tonight I am tanking up ( with diesel that is, not booze) and then off to the tading standards weighbridge for a check weigh although I have a good idea what it will be. 

Trading standards was once called weights and measures.


norm


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## TDG (May 26, 2009)

*Re: Please clarrify?*



oilslick said:


> Please can someone tell me the exact requirement regarding people?
> 
> I have seen it written "essential habitation equipment plus driver" or words to that effect.
> 
> ...


Can't see the point of the question Grant :roll: 
Whatever you include or exclude when you weigh in, the fact is that when driving, all the vehicle weights must be within the plated limits 8)


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Of course, if the 4 Balkans do a runner before the weighing they cannot come into the weighing equation!


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

nicholsong said:


> Of course, if the 4 Balkans do a runner before the weighing they cannot come into the weighing equation!


 :lol: :lol: :lol:

Jock.


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## faceache (Feb 19, 2009)

Well, we're off to Germany this weekend so had the motorhome weighed. Full tank of fuel and almost full fresh water. Waste tank empty. 
Plate reads 3400kg
5200kg
(1) 1690kg
(2) 1750kg
(3) ----------
Van weighed 1430 front axle and 1750 rear total 3180.
Without the misses the dog and clothes I think a fair bit of fresh water and I need to part company!
Not that I intended to travel with more than a quarter of a tank anyway but it sure feels good to know what i am up against. 
Regards, Chris.


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## olympus (Jul 26, 2010)

*weighing the Motorhome.*

Hi Being new to this game of motorhoming I hesitate to add my six pence worth. But, i feel that because I am new to it I should do what is reasonable for the safety of my family and the vehicle, Plus of course other road users. Having the vehicle weighed is not for the benefit of the police or VOSA but for my own. 
Having the printed certificates to relate to once I know I am in normal running trim for how I intend to use my vehicle is, I feel, worthwhile. I now know within a reasonable margin the safe operating level of my motorhome so ergo I am less likely to fall foul of any officials who may want to check if I am overloaded. Plus I am using the Motorhome the way the designers intended. 
I intend getting it done at least every year so that I can show i do watch this issue, I do accept that it does not prove anything to as to how the vehicle was loaded prior to any insurance claim but anything is better than nothing. 
I have to say though, if I was being charged £30 I would not be so sanctimonious about this. Whatever the rights and wrongs of this issue lets hope we all stay safe as we enjoy our pastime.


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## MicknPat (Jul 18, 2005)

I took our American RV for its first MOT in order to get it UK registered and the brake test machine also weighed ALL four corners of the RV.

This was a brake tester for trucks and i have no idea if this facility is also available on ALL brake test machines truck & car?

Mick


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