Weigh-bridge Shock

It's not strictly an upgrade then. It's only to bring it into line with something that was approved already.

Yes very true.  It’s the reason why I kept my 7 seater which has a load capacity of 880 kg which I know even with the four of us in the car doesn’t go anywhere near the max capacity.  What’s good is that although the van the car ratio is dead in 85% when Car is empty, when loaded the ratio is far less

Question because I don’t know the answer.  When you get a new caravan in with the documentation is do you get a certificate of compliance that is inline with “gas locker” mptlm or do you just get one with the lower NCC value?

I know my comment may seem a little controversial and may even offend some ( no offence intended) but isn't this post a warning for us to think about taking less away with us, not simply how to move it around the bus?? I'm sometimes amazed what people carry when they unpack, and that's the stuff we can see outside the van 😊

We've recently downsized to a small 2 berth van and we've been really strict with what we've packed. I know the modern vans aren't great at payload but also think about what you NEED to what you have packed away, I think many will be surprised!

Happy camping!

We have a large twin axle with upgraded MTPLM, we pack only what we need on long tours (2-3 months)  and still have empty locker space and empty space under the seats and bed.  If we were to fill up all the space we would be well overweight!

We do not take a lot of outside furniture....no relaxers, no large awning etc, and any outside stuff and heavy things like my tools are carried in the car (VW Touareg) , rear seats down and heavy things loaded well forward.

It can be amazing what some people carry in their vans.....one we saw in Sweden unloaded a BBQ, a large rabbit hutch ( the 2 rabbits travelled in the car), a large table and 6 chairs, and 2 bicycles.

There is no doubt that some doubt that some people load stupid amounts into their caravans however I think that there is a tendency for victim blaming going on here. 

The OP stated that the headline MPTLM of his caravan is 1723kg.  So working backwards I would guess his declared MRO will be arround 1550kg. This would give a payload of 173kg.  First problem the MRO is paper work exercise ie it is calculated value no vans are actually weighed.  Second problem, does anyone really know what is included in  their  MRO?   If you can find it at all it’s in the smallest of small print.  Third problem a caravan at MRO isn’t useable, To make it usable you need to add a battery ( 25kg)  most often motormovers 30kg for a SA.  Twin axle  60kg.

So potentially for a twin axle caravan like a Bailey. Barcelona you could have an extra 85kg added to the MRO before you have loaded so much  as a packet of crisps.  Fourth problem there is a allowance of +/- 5% so a caravan with a declared MRO of 1550kg could actually weigh “legally” 1627.5kg.  So add on to that your 85kg  You are upto  1712.5kg.  This leaves a spare 10.5kg to use as you want.   

Of course you might find your van is 5% lighter than delcared, but remember lower weights are a selling point, so you might also see Lord Lucan pitched next to you on a club site.   I am sure that a number of you will tell me that they can caravan without a motormover, a disposable cigarette lighter for gas and a AAA battery. Good for you!   Personally when I go away if prefer to pack just a little bit more than a change of underpants and a pot noodle to keep the weight down.  

I have used the op’s Van as an example but really this apples to more or less all makes and models.

In my view trying not to overload a van you are playing a crooked game!

Stop press:   I guessed the declared MRO of a 2015 Barcelona as 1550kg I just checked and it’s actually 1560kg if you do the calculations as I did before ie MRO plus 5% plus 85kg for mover and battery it comes to exactly 1723kg.  Which is where we started.  Sometimes you just can’t make it up unless it is a caravan payload. 

Neither controversial nor offensive - this is exactly the exercise I am going through. However, bear in mind that my original post stressed that there was very little in the van by way of 'extras' - and it was still overweight (no clothes or food, for example). We use very little gas but I have now bought a Safefill and the two steel gas bottles will be binned.  Likewise with the Alko jack - it's useless with an AWD motor mover obscuring the jacking points and I have Lock 'n Level anyway.  Plus, chances are I would call out Mayday if I had a flat. Alko wheel locks will go in the car, and the Milenco nose level guage will be left at home (I never check on site for the return trip).

This is a 'once only' exercise - I'm not going to faff about checking every time we go away - but once having determined a sensible loading regime, will stick to that every time.

I have also found a similar problem at weighbridge not overweight but close.  

BTW they only allow for one gas bottle in MRO.

I stripped everything out and weighed it back in trimming down to a minimum on all items. It can be done but I fear that as we go through a 4 week trip we are adding weight mostly food, bottles, books and other purchases.

10 or more years ago many vans had a load margin near 300Kg and a more reasonable MRO allowance, now its more like 150Kg with 30Kg MRO kit if you are lucky

My last caravan, a 2007 model with a 50Kg upgrade ended up with a 230Kg allowance after a weigh bridge check. Even with just two of us, it is surprising how it gets even up with battery, gas, movers etc. before you start with the domestic stuff. Aquaroll and awning went in the car and we were still close to the limit with just a folding table, waste master and two reclining chairs in the rear underbed locker.

I have now ruthlessly stripped everything out of the van that we either don't need or can physically fit in the car, although packing the car on Wednesday is going to be a challenge!  I have managed to get within 20kgs of the gas locker plated weight (including clothes in the hanging locker and food in the freezer etc) which, although I know I'm kidding myself, is within the level of accuracy the local authority said the weigh-bridge was at.  I can't see how I can do better than that.

It strikes me that the 'killer' in all of this is the AWD motor mover at 60 kgs but how on earth can the manufacturers expect anyone to move such a van - especially at our age - without one?

"Get a smaller van", some will say - but why should we have to?  We like the space and the facilities the Barcelona gives us - which is why we bought it. 

Might I suggest that it is yet another example of caravan designers never having actually used one in the real world.