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davemc

davemc

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Oct 29, 2013
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See how you go at Beaufort..
Emptied front tank took 30kg off tow ball around 260kg now.. Removing weber/pegs/air compressor gave me another 10kg.
Although put them back in :) Maybe should downgrade Q200 to Q100 to save 6kg.. although going crazy now :) ha ha

Eyeing off the spot under dinette wonder if I could fit the battery next to water pump :)
 
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Rockape

Rockape

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Nov 20, 2012
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Well I made some modifications to my spread sheet to automatically calculate the following
- Total weight of caravan items and the weight of the items placed in the front, middle and rear of the caravan
- Caravan AGM, Tare
- Ranger GVM and CGVM ( Ranger and Caravan weight combined)
- Remaining available weights in the Ranger and Caravan
My Ranger weighs 2300 Kgs full of fuel with my standard fittings and 80 litre fridge and has a GVM of 3200 Kgs, which leaves a payload of 900 Kgs. Tow ball weight of caravan loaded is 182 Kgs, which leaves a payload of 718 Kgs. The remaining payload of the Ranger must cover passengers, 305Kgs which leaves a payload of 413 Kgs.
The total loaded weight of the caravan with both water tanks full is 2245 KGS ( with 46 Kgs left on plated ATM)
so my CGVM is 5,032 Kgs without using the remaining 413 Kgs payload.
All these calculations can be quite confusing, but at least I know that I am under the Ranger's CGVM and GVM. Also I am under the caravans maximum AGM, Ball Weight and axle loading.
Cheers
Nick
 
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cruza driver

cruza driver

Hercules
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Crusty181 said:
Travelling around the c/parks of populous east coast you could easily get way carrying no water at all or picking and choosing when to top up. But (this is a question for those that have gone before) outback/western travel would be much more difficult to travel and manage water with expectation I can simple grab some water whenever I please ??
Click to expand...
I'll fill you in at Beaufort (no pun intended) ;)
 
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BigSkiddy

BigSkiddy

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May 7, 2013
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So after reading this thread, it would be my summation that if you have a 6 or 7 birth caravan, you won't be able to transport the actual bodies in the tow vehicle.

Hats off to you @Crusty181 in having the balls to put your rig over the scales. I'm a little nervous to do it myself, but at the same time I am keen to know where I stand. Sure you can do your calculations on paper, but the reality of actually weighing it may be different.
 
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Smergen

Smergen

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BigSkiddy said:
So after reading this thread, it would be my summation that if you have a 6 or 7 birth caravan, you won't be able to transport the actual bodies in the tow vehicle.
Click to expand...

It's interesting isn't it. A family of 5 with some average size early teens might have around 300-350kg worth people in the car. Throw in 250-300kg of towball weight on a big van and you're probably 600kg into a payload. Once you put fuel into it, and you're not far off the payload of most cars.

So... the way I look at it, you really need to keep ball weight down... which then basically restricts the size of your van... which means you'd struggle accommodate them if you want the creature comforts of home.

Moral of the story: sell of the kids for fuel money and buy a smaller van.
 
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Dobbie

Dobbie

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Paranoia is catching ...it seems I'm not the only one.

We'll all be ok I think. But we're all paranoid about weight, balance etc etc.

Isn't it amazing when we did what we wanted, without thought, years ago? When I think of the way I stuffed a household of furniture into a station wagon and then drove over 1000km just to save a few dollars I'm surprised I'm even thinking of keeping under weight limits now. Maybe we do gain wisdom as we get older.

Or is it fear?
 
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bigcol

bigcol

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bigcol

bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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BigSkiddy said:
Hats off to you @Crusty181 in having the balls to put your rig over the scales
Click to expand...

Crusty181 said:
They've done their job. Having them removed ... I need that weight allowance
Click to expand...


I weighed the Pooie and the Van on our way home from Manjimup after Xmas - (2 weeks away)
3410kg + 2110kg
pooie is a fat mole, and needs to go on a diet........
but she had both tanks 1/2 full (about 95L) scrub bars, side steps, cargo barrier, rear draws, recovery gear, 2 Engels, 3 people, and lots of crap
so I wasn't too surprised

Van is 16.49.1, and it was still full of crap as well

weighed combined (forgot to write that one down)
Pooie on its own
Pooie & Van drawbar (but wheels and rest of Van were not on weigh bridge) - (forgot to write that one down as well)
Van on its own

so if you add maybe 100kgs extra for Pooie at start of trip, and maybe 150-200 for the Van, I am just under by my thinking
 
bigcol

bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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Crusty181 said:
Travelling around the c/parks of populous east coast you could easily get way carrying no water at all or picking and choosing when to top up. But (this is a question for those that have gone before) outback/western travel would be much more difficult to travel and manage water with expectation I can simple grab some water whenever I please ??
Click to expand...

EVERY major Town in WA has water mate, its only the GST you guys get, not all the water as well

at every Tourist Info place I have stopped at (major Towns), they have Dump points and water
 
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Smergen

Smergen

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Dobbie said:
Paranoia is catching ...it seems I'm not the only one.

We'll all be ok I think. But we're all paranoid about weight, balance etc etc.

Isn't it amazing when we did what we wanted, without thought, years ago? When I think of the way I stuffed a household of furniture into a station wagon and then drove over 1000km just to save a few dollars I'm surprised I'm even thinking of keeping under weight limits now. Maybe we do gain wisdom as we get older.

Or is it fear?
Click to expand...

If anything, this thread, and many like this on here that I've seen are brilliant at raising awareness. It might not change too much for some, but if it makes people more aware of their responsibilities before setting off on the road, then that can only be a good thing.

When younger, people are naturally a little more bold and carefree, but once sprogs and grand-sprogs get on the scene, not to mention just a good dose of maturity, I think (some) people develop a decent amount of social responsibility and risk aversion. There are and always will be cowboys on the road.

I just wish the whole "Weight Debate" was made clearer at times of purchase (difficult when going non-dealer) and that van manufacturers are held a little more accountable for accurate weight plating.
 
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Dobbie

Dobbie

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I still think it's a lot to do with:

...Lack of emphasis of each element of weight by dealers and lack of awareness of most buyers of GVM GCM etc
...idea of weight seems to be confined to "what will my vehicle tow" and "will my van come in under that weight"
...variation in weight of each van depending on options and location of options
...the natural tendency to add more and more and forget to take some things out..I'm guilty and can't believe what we find when we clean out a van when it's sold
...the changing attitude to camping... A house on wheels as opposed to just coping with the elements
...bigger vehicles mean bigger towing and bigger capacity for carrying crap

Advertising....as usual

Solution (imho):

Someone ( dealers, authorities or whoever) develop some EASY to use and understand calculator (or app) or single piece of paper that:

....Allows the owner / buyer to enter all the details for van and for vehicle ...they need to look for the info in vehicle handbooks and investigate with dealers. That raises awareness and some responsibility.
...shows clearly the average weight of most items carried, including in or on vehicle and add ons to vehicle and van
...shows clearly that balance can vary depending on placement of stowed items
...gives a hard copy that can be carried with registration docs and referred to if necessary

Or maybe there's a business opportunity for some sensible knowledgable person to act as a buyers' agent who does all the necessary and can sign off on it.

I spent hours looking for information, weighing stuff and then wrestling with trying to understand it so wish there was, and is, some easier source of coming to some understanding.

Soapbox is now closed!
 
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davemc

davemc

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Also I remember always being told it was best to have a tug with more weight then your van..
honestly been a few articles regarding 3.5 tonne utes that cannot tow 3.5 tonne if close to GVM.it really should not be hidden in fine print.

I never could understand how the Pajero says its 3000 towing when over 2500 you need a 180 tow ball.
A 3 tonne van with a 180 towball does not seem balanced to me.

Then the elephant in the room can your tug safely pull 3000 up a hill :)
I really like a Pathfinder although I chatted to a few people who said not close to 3000 they would not.
It depends on the tug. Some can tow over what they are rated to and some you struggle to get close to max.
All of this does not help when you take a car for a test drive without a caravan behind.
Maybe I should ask the local dealer can I take the car with tow kit need to see how it tows the 22 up a hill :)
 
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