Do You Weigh Your Motorhome ?

[Wooie1958]

How many of you actually check the weight including axle weights of your motorhomes ?

I uprated mine after trying the " Self Weigh Facility " just outside Stirling a while back.

VOSA was parked up in there having a craft break and one of the guys came over for a nosey.

He said he would have one himself in a couple of years when he retired

I was a little surprised at the figures as i was very very close to the limits i was allowed.

It was legal but, only just !

Several years back at a CC site and chatting about it in the washing up areas that guys are sent to whilst the women just
sit on their backsides watching Emmerdale and Corrie etc.

One fella said his mate had just received a ban for being overweight.

Apparently he got pulled when he slowed down to 20 MPH on a long uphill section of the M4 ? ( i don`t know the area that well ).

After being escorted off the motorway he was taken to a weighbridge and found to be 1.4 Tonne overweight :scared:

The motorhome was impounded and the driver received a 4 figure fine and was banned for 12 months.

 

[Robmac]

As you know Graham, I have bought some pads so I can weigh my own van. (Sorry, never got back to you on that did I). I have used them and they show the van as just under with half a tank of water on board and full of fuel. They are supposed to be accurate within a couple of percent, but I still need to weigh the van on them and compare results with a public weighbridge for peace of mind.

 

[Kontiki]

I went through getting my front axle upgraded, I found that I was over the limit on the front end all the spare payload was at the back. My van was plated to the max. for the chassis of 3850 kgs, rear axle 2000 kgs front axle 1850 kgs. This meant that to use the max payload I had to load the van perfectly. I had the front axle upgraded to 2000 kgs to give me some flexability on loading.
My van is a 7.4 metre A class, there is no way it could be classed as legal on a 3.5 MGW even though it was sold like this, what doesn't help is it has the 3 litre engine which according to Rapido uses an extra 50 kgs on the front end.

Payload/MGW is a big issue, I have just over a year until I reach the dreaded 70, I like the comfort & space of a large van but depending on the medical I might have to downsize to a 3.5 ton van with less payload (also extra road tax). It seems stupid I could buy my current van new rated at 3.5 ton which would give it zero or negative payload, how much extra damage could I do with the extra 350 kgs??? A sensible figure for motrohmes should be 4 ton, this would enable manufacturers to make a decent sized van with an acceptable payload. The current situation means a good majority of vans are being driven illegally over there rated max weight. There should be more weighbridges available to be able to self check your weight.

 

[Wooie1958]

I went through getting my front axle upgraded, I found that I was over the limit on the front end all the spare payload was at the back. My van was plated to the max. for the chassis of 3850 kgs, rear axle 2000 kgs front axle 1850 kgs. This meant that to use the max payload I had to load the van perfectly. I had the front axle upgraded to 2000 kgs to give me some flexability on loading.
My van is a 7.4 metre A class, there is no way it could be classed as legal on a 3.5 MGW even though it was sold like this, what doesn't help is it has the 3 litre engine which according to Rapido uses an extra 50 kgs on the front end.

Payload/MGW is a big issue, I have just over a year until I reach the dreaded 70, I like the comfort & space of a large van but depending on the medical I might have to downsize to a 3.5 ton van with less payload (also extra road tax). It seems stupid I could buy my current van new rated at 3.5 ton which would give it zero or negative payload, how much extra damage could I do with the extra 350 kgs??? A sensible figure for motrohmes should be 4 ton, this would enable manufacturers to make a decent sized van with an acceptable payload. The current situation means a good majority of vans are being driven illegally over there rated max weight. There should be more weighbridges available to be able to self check your weight.

That`s very similar to how mine was, 3,850 Kg max with splits of 1,850 Kg front and 2,120 Kg rear.

It was the rear ( 2.4 metre overhang ) that i was frighteningly close on at 2,100 Kg and it wasn`t exactly full.

The front was fine and being a Low-Profile i can`t get anymore weight further forward than what it is now.

A quick call to SV Tech SvTech - Special Vehicle Technology and i found i could uprate to 4,100 Kg and the rear would go up to 2,300 Kg.

I have since uprated and checked my weights again ( fully loaded ) and i`m 2,140 Kg on the rear, a good 160 Kg under :hammer:

 

[Penny13]

There is a section of the M4 nr Bristol that weighs you as you drive over it !
Rob weighed my bus and I was just over but is there anywhere you can go without the powers that be looking on ?

 

[Debs]

I was very aware of the weight of stuff when I was dismantling my van for rebuild, when I took the overhead cupboards down, I nearly did myself a mischief, and it would appear that they were made before being installed in the van and they sure were heavy. There is still a bit of woodwork to be finished and I am hoping to weigh it when all work is finished, but for now, the thing I have noticed is that the handling has improved considerably, and it nips along a lot better, so hopefully the vans weight will be OK.:rulez:

 

[silverweed]

I don't understand the first post. Being over weight is not an endorsable offence, he may have been chained up until the extra weight had been removed. He in most probability have not been find only warned for a first offence so something else must have been going on. I know theses passed on tails do change with the telling but as a VOSA wife as they say "we have inside info"

 

[Robmac]

I don't understand the first post. Being over weight is not an endorsable offence, he may have been chained up until the extra weight had been removed. He in most probability have not been find only warned for a first offence so something else must have been going on. I know theses passed on tails do change with the telling but as a VOSA wife as they say "we have inside info"

There was a program on TV yesterday and Tameside Council were stopping and checking vehicles. One driver was 1.5 tonnes overweight, and I believe he got a fine and 3 points. (This was a passed on tail from my wife though!)

I had previously believed that this was the jurisdiction of VOSA but apparently not.

 

[Deleted member 3011]

Yes, weigh my rigs at least once during every trip. Regardless of overweight or not, how can you know what pressure to pump the tyres to without wheel loadings

 

[thebigdogsix]

I know Barnsley council have a weigh bridge that the public can use at a cost of a fiver for three weighs. So I'm guessing most councils will have a facility but then again with all the cut backs who knows

 

[Obanboy666]

I know I should do it but to date haven't bothered. I suspect I'm not in the minority and reckon most don't bother.
I travel mainly on my own and have 400kg payload with half full fuel and water tanks and looking at what I carry I should be well within my allowance.
Will get round to it over the winter more out of curiosity than concern about whether I'm legal or not.
Will post on forum when I have had it weighed.

 

[2cv]

I too have used the facility by the M9 at Stirling. I was surprised to find the rear axle on the limit, though total weight ok. On investigation the uprated weight plate had not been applied during the confusion of Bentleys demise, so at least it got me to sort that out.
I have heard in conversation that up to 80% of motorhomes checked are found to be overweight.

 

[st3v3]

There is a section of the M4 nr Bristol that weighs you as you drive over it !

Couldn't find anything about this - where did you get your info?

Sometimes the MOT brake testing machine will give you an axle weight. I was about 2800kg from memory...

 

[Obanboy666]

I too have used the facility by the M9 at Stirling. I was surprised to find the rear axle on the limit, though total weight ok. On investigation the uprated weight plate had not been applied during the confusion of Bentleys demise, so at least it got me to sort that out.
I have heard in conversation that up to 80% of motorhomes checked are found to be overweight.

What facility is that near Stirling ?
I'm travelling up that way in 3 weeks time, do you just pull in and pay for the service ?

 

[Wooie1958]

What facility is that near Stirling ?
I'm travelling up that way in 3 weeks time, do you just pull in and pay for the service ?

It`s a Self Weigh Facility and it`s free, just drive in and follow the instructions on the notice on the lamp post.

It`s off the A84 that crosses the M9 and it`s in the POI`s CR Stirling ( off A84 ) Stirlingshire




The last image shows the Plate that you drive over slowly

 

[Obanboy666]

It`s a Self Weigh Facility and it`s free, just drive in and follow the instruction on the notice on the lamp post.

It`s off the A84 that crosses the M9 and it`s in the POI`s CR Stirling ( off A84 ) Stirlingshire

Many thanks, will probs call in.

 

[Tbear]

I know I should do it but to date haven't bothered. I suspect I'm not in the minority and reckon most don't bother.
I travel mainly on my own and have 400kg payload with half full fuel and water tanks and looking at what I carry I should be well within my allowance.
Will get round to it over the winter more out of curiosity than concern about whether I'm legal or not.
Will post on forum when I have had it weighed.

Another thing that I always mean to do.

Richard

 

[johnmac185]

It`s a Self Weigh Facility and it`s free, just drive in and follow the instruction on the notice on the lamp post.

It`s off the A84 that crosses the M9 and it`s in the POI`s CR Stirling ( off A84 ) Stirlingshire

View attachment 26218View attachment 26219View attachment 26220


The last image shows the Plate that you drive over slowly

i have used the Stirling weigh facility many times, very handy and not far off the route, it is the only one i know of it's kind anyone know of any others anywhere,,John

 

[Wooie1958]

i have used the Stirling weigh facility many times, very handy and not far off the route, it is the only one i know of it's kind anyone know of any others anywhere,,John

Me neither, i`ve traveled the length and breadth of the UK and i can`t think of another.

 

[Polar Bear]

Is there a POI VOSA weigh station?
I know they often stop and weigh vehicles on the A47 between Newark and Sleaford near the roundabout.
I've been pulled and weighed by VOSA with portable weigh pads whilst driving a truck and was within 10ks of being overloaded so no problem.

One thing I wondered about - is they are not allowed/issued with blue lights and stopped me on yellows!
I knew the officer from work so stopped at the first layby but what if I had not stopped.