Weigh in time...

[Hitting the road]

I have booked my van and tug in for a "free" weigh this weekend at Bundaberg. Should be interesting as have always worked on an estimated weight of both the van & tug...how close will I be?

Currently I reckon the van is over by 82kg, (2737kg) with 2 x full 80L water tanks, 160kg, and 20L of water and 20L of fuel on the back...that is based on some estimated and some actual weights. The Tow Hitch I weighed the other day at 230kg after removing some rarely used curtains from the front tool box. The two 9kg Gas bottles up front are probably 2/3 full over all. I based weights on the Compliance Plate tare, with everything else then added on...including the awning, as I don't think that is is included in the factory tare being it is an added accessory, plus the extra solar panels, batteries, electrical upgrades etc etc.

The Jeep I estimate will be over by around 34kg...given the host of accessories fitted with a GVM of only 2949kg...I have taken out some maybe unnecessary tools and the awning...GCM at 6099kg will be fine I reckon, should have around 600kg to spare.

I'll report back...

 

[Drover]

Its always an interesting thing guessing weights ........... I checked the ball weight a few years back and was shocked when it rocked up in the 280/290 zone, double checked with another scale and did some maths, discovered where the extra load came from panel moved to front, AC was heavier than old one (the old dead one now) managed to account for the extra kgs so was easy to do a reshuffle and bring it back to something nicer, going to lithium has improved things by heaps ........................ Im not driving to Bundy for a free weigh in though, cheaper in the end going to the Gympie bridge for me . ..

Be interesting to see how the Jeep goes ..

 

[Hitting the road]

Doing the weigh in Saturday morning, then ducking up to Bargara for a couple of nights...

 

[Drover]

That be nice , we like Elliot Heads but now with a muttly not welcome, price has got a bit over the top anyway...............

Got a few things to do in Marybourgh and The Bay next week or maybe its the week after, thinking of dragging Big Mal up to Showground or Airport so can do the stuff at leisure without having to go like a cut snake in one day, be a last minute decision ...................................... Be able to check out how out the scales are ????

 

[DRW]

Bugga we live in Bargara but the van is completely empty now since our FNQ trip even the A/C filters are off lol. I weighed it at the tip it was chocka block and I reckon the van was 80-100kg over the car seemed fine. I’ll do a proper weight check next year before our lap (if fuel prices ease)!!

 

[Hitting the road]

Speaking of fuel prices...nuts isn't it... I reluctantly got rid of my Hemi Overlander Jeep to do the lap because I figured it would be much cheaper to run a diesel...hmmm...flawed thinking...I found it wasn't really even back in 2023...petrol is now is even cheaper, relatively speaking, and has better availability then diesel...who would have thought...

 

[Drover]

Its sort of just sitting in place, though a variation in prices of nearly 40c between 91 and diesel does make you think hard ................. Filled the HiLux and even though it was 30c cheaper than diesel it was a big bite of the wallet......................... Thing is even with diesel prices there can be a 30c variation not forgetting the Government is grabbing around 30% of that in tax ......
Last run to Canberra I manage to stay under the 2.50/lt, staying off the highways meant I was dodging the high prices ..................

 

[chartrock]

I’m down in Sydney at the moment and have not seen anything under $281.9 / L. We have come all the way on one tank, have about a 1/4 tank left but I am dreading refilling a 100l tank Sunday or Monday. But we had to do the trip and we will use public transport while in Sydney, $2.50 for travel for a day anywhere for seniors. Gotta be some advantages for getting old.

 

[DRW]

I’m down in Sydney at the moment and have not seen anything under $281.9 / L. We have come all the way on one tank, have about a 1/4 tank left but I am dreading refilling a 100l tank Sunday or Monday. But we had to do the trip and we will use public transport while in Sydney, $2.50 for travel for a day anywhere for seniors. Gotta be some advantages for getting old.

It was $3.05 in Bundaberg Ampol this morning

 

[jazzeddie1234]

I've had 3.50 in onslow and 3.20 at a few road houses heading south but Geraldton is 2.65ish and Perth is closer to 2.50 thankfully. My 80l GWM tank and 2 x 20l jerries are skipping the worst of it. It still feels crazy that I can't even fill the jerries for $100

 

[Drover]

Goodness me .@Chartrock, just looked at Petrol spy and down there is horrendous .. Up here Goomboorian and Gympie diesel can be had for $2.67 though local here at Tin Can its $2.80 ............ Had a lookie at my usual places on my off highway route to Canberra, best price $2.67 with the highest at $2.76 so using the back roads is better than running the major highways, Newel and Pacific are a good 10 to 20c more ...................... Hope it drops before we head off again .............

 

[DRW]

Goodness me .@Chartrock, just looked at Petrol spy and down there is horrendous .. Up here Goomboorian and Gympie diesel can be had for $2.67 though local here at Tin Can its $2.80 ............ Had a lookie at my usual places on my off highway route to Canberra, best price $2.67 with the highest at $2.76 so using the back roads is better than running the major highways, Newel and Pacific are a good 10 to 20c more ...................... Hope it drops before we head off again .............

Funny how petrol companies are recording record profits!!

 

[Drover]

Funny how petrol companies are recording record profits!!

The Feds are making more money I reckon, checked out the Gate Price after your post earlier and some certainly are diesel gate price is in the 2.63 area in Brisbane and Gladstone with Liberty and United stations seemingly reasonable but Ampol, BP and Shell seem to be filling their pockets..... Take the 56c excise out of it and we are just over $2 ................
Local shop is 279.9 for diesel so for every $100 I throw over the counter Albo gets nearly $30 ............... thats a bluddy lot.

 

[chartrock]

Managed to find an Ampol at Penrith at $261.9 but cost just under $250. Like MAGA twits say “ Mr Trump is wonderful. My car used to hold only $50 worth of fuel but now it can hold $250. Isn’t that great,”

 

[jazzeddie1234]

Meanwhile Ampol has doubled it's profit for the year. Where is the watchdog when you really need one

 

[Drover]

Meanwhile Ampol has doubled it's profit for the year. Where is the watchdog when you really need one

Why would the Government want to force an issue about rising fuel prices they are making a bigger windfall than the oil companies when you add things up, Chartrocks $250 gave them about $70 so they will just waffle on and do nothing, their snout is bigger ...

 

[Hitting the road]

Me thinks too that we are being suckered by a "green & broke" Government...keep the fuel expensive and reap the GST, they'd also be clapping their hands that people are hurting at the bowser, therefore cutting back on traveling anywhere, so therefore they can continue beating their puny chests about lower "emissions"!

I am currently waiting for my weights report...

 

[Hitting the road]

An update...I thought I'd have my written report by now as they said they will send it when they get back to their Brisbane office...no sign yet.
Anyway, the van was over by 82kg...pretty well a full water tank...I always travel with both 80 litre tanks full for stability and to have full water when arriving at the destination.
I don't generally go on to powered sites if staying at caravan parks so no water hook up, but I could stuff around and carry minimal water and then top up as needed where ever we end up...might be the answer. As an experiment I left the front tank empty when returning from Bargara, but with rear tank full which would have lifted some weight off the ball being the rear water tank is behind the axles....it towed fine no wandering and didn't feel a lot different to having both tanks full.

I had weighed the tow hitch at 230kg before hand, they said it was 250kg which is quite possible as I had put a couple of things back in the front tool box, as well as they calculated that weight by weighing rear axle with the caravan connected, then disconnected, so may also have been a bit of cantilever effect.

So, I am removing some stuff from the toolbox on the front of the van that I just cart around but don't need or use, maybe lose 15kg. Up front there was one full 9kg gas bottle and one at probably 25%. I also had 20 litres of fuel on the back of the van along with maybe 15 litres of water...so probably 40kg with bracketry so a bit of cantilever lift off the tow ball. Depending where I am going whether I'll have two full bottles up front as every kilo counts.

But...the Jeep was over by 100kg...I knew it would be over, but my calcs said maybe 56kg over...way out...don't know that I could get rid of that,. even taking the fridge and full draw set with tools out wouldn't save 100kg... maybe 50kg. Leaving the better half home would assist but wouldn't fly I don't think...lol. The Jeep's axle weights front and rear were ok as was GCM.

There is room to increase the ATM / GTM of the van by a couple of hundred Kg's to bring it under, but that doesn't help the tug at all. If I took the bullbar, front bash plates and winch off I'd likely save 100kg, but that isn't on the table.

The current ratio of van weight / tow ball weight sits at around 8% so there isn't a lot of room to move there...but...if the van can shed a few decent kilos and at the same time get some weight off the ball that will help the cause...I can trim the tools I carry as I could probably do an engine rebuiild on the side of the road!
Probably half a tank of fuel along with fewer tools and some weight off the front of the van I might even get close to legal...
I'll rethink it all once I received my written report...

 

[Drover]

The van I always just run one tank, heater tank depends on time of year if full or not, fuel Jerries on back are only full when way out in the boonies, depending on where the tank is located being empty you can loose a bit off the BW and axle, play around with water cans .... Most off grid camps I can topp up from a tap in town using the Rangers water tank so makes things easier, out in the boonies well everything is filled at last the town ...... scale popper load.

The Jeep I would say the steel bull bar and winch are your problem childs as they would be pushing the 90kg, add the bash plates and there is your extra, mine was over on front axle with just the alloy bar, 30kg and stainless bask plates 35kg, 600kg load cap on the things it vanishes very quickly before bums on seat, even a bog standard add BW 250kg and youve 450left for bars, racks, fridge and bums, hell my tool box is easily 40kgs............. I don't sweat with the Henry now its Load Cap is just over a ton so I have tried not burn much of it off and have only used 200kg of it, leaving a nice amount for bums and gear ....... actually possibly a bit more used as since I scaled it I've added the draw fridge/panel and battery so certainly add 60kgs more but still have elbow room ........

Stay off the highways .................................... you know bigger tyres can add extra 8 kgs or more.

 

[Hitting the road]

Yep, the extras do add weight, but I am a tad surprised at the overall weights...bit more than I thought which is always the way.
In my case the weight is in the bigger rims & tyres, with full same sized spare, towbar & tongue,(say 20kg), Full length Chief Roof Rack, (35kg), Snorkel (8kg), ARB Steel Bull Bar with lower bash plates, (unsure but at least 100kg), HardKorr spotlights (6kg), Smittybilt 10,000lb winch, though rope not wire cable (35kg), Draw set in back weighs 24kg empty, then it has a compressor and tools inside, Fridge weighs 22kg empty, (add wine), lithium battery in back with DCDC charger 15kg...I did have the awning off which is normally attached to the roof rack...so saved a few kilos there. When I was weighed I also had a couple of folding chairs in the back seat which would have weighed maybe 12kg...they can stay in the van once I put it on a diet.

So I am behind the 8 ball before bodies and fuel go in! But, none of thatstuff can come out as it is also there for when I travel without the van...and nothing is easily removed anyway. From recollection I don't think the front axle wasn't over, probably due to the tool box, fridge etc being behind the rear axle. Rear axle was not over with or without the van which was good.

I'd say I'll be travelling with an empty front water tank going forward which should bring the van back to near legal, at the same time also lift a little off the towball...be better able to sort once I get the full report.