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Hi SASullivan, Maybe this will help you, though not a Lunar van, I have only got 80kg pay load, as a result of the extras,

Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 09/8/2011

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Greetings,

Can I ask.
Did you weigh the caravan separate to the towing vehicle with the two (four?) tyres and the jockey wheel on the weighbridge.?
If so you may have fallen into the trap of believing that you are overladen when perhaps you're not.
To ascertain the weight of your 'van, it must be weighed on the weighbridge with either,1, the jockey wheel off the weighbridge or,2, the 'van connected to the towing vehicle, itself completely off the weighbridge.
This is because the noseweight imparted on the towing vehicle should not be included in the overall weight of the 'van. That weight is part of the load of the towing vehicle.

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Hi emmitdb, I have tried to do that on weigh bridges, but have found that all the public weigh bridges that would allow van to be weight that way, have closed around my location, and I have to use the bigger weigh bridges for lorries, and the van has to sit in the middle of weigh bridge, and car off it.

Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 09/8/2011

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Greetings,

Can I ask.
Did you weigh the caravan separate to the towing vehicle with the two (four?) tyres and the jockey wheel on the weighbridge.?
If so you may have fallen into the trap of believing that you are overladen when perhaps you're not.
To ascertain the weight of your 'van, it must be weighed on the weighbridge with either,1, the jockey wheel off the weighbridge or,2, the 'van connected to the towing vehicle, itself completely off the weighbridge.
This is because the noseweight imparted on the towing vehicle should not be included in the overall weight of the 'van. That weight is part of the load of the towing vehicle.

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Is that definitely right? Because I had a similar problem to the OP - we were about 150kg over the MTPLM of our van (with the whole van on the weighbridge alone).

I took the awning and wheelclamp out (down to 100kg over) but I'm struggling to find what else to take out - most is large but light (chairs mainly) and I can't physically fit them in the car. However, my noseweight is 90kg, so if I can take that off the weighbridge result, I'm just about OK.

I've seen a manufacturers sticker in the locker of the van that shows the max. gross weight to be 150kg more than the MTPLM, so I'm not worried that I'm damaging the van (and the tyre ratings are fine for that load).

Greetings,

Yes that is "definately right"

The MTPLM of the 'van is the weight that the "VAN" imparts onto the road.

When you are towing, providing that the Train Mass of the entire unit (Car and 'van) is within limits then the weight of the 'van is taken as the load going down on the wheels and not including the towing hitch which for most people will be an additional 80 - 100kgs.

That bit of the load is on the car.

As for taking it off the weighbridge result, can I suggest that you either weigh the van with the jockey wheel off the weighbridge or weigh the van with it attached to the car and make sure the wheels of the car are off the 'bridge. Both will give the identical result as far as the 'van is concerned and that is what VOSA or the Police will check using a pair of 'run over weighing scales.

Greetings once again,

I've only just noticed the JHSW entry re the problem he has on weighbridges.

If that is the case then you can subtract the noseweight from the figure given by such a weighbridge. BUT!!!!

Do not use the noseweight gauges that are currently on sale in caravan stores. Instead buy yourself a cheap pair of bathroom scales together with a piece of wood and a piece of ply to spread the load, cut to the correct length (The height of the top of the towbar minus say an inch for loading ) you will be closer to reality.

A friend of mine has recently rejoined the ranks. He was loaned a noseweight gauge which was at least 20kgs out. This could have had serious consequences had the gauge been believed. The beauty of bathroom scales is that you have got something to judge it againgst (The ones in your bathroom)o

Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 10/8/2011

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Greetings once again,

I've only just noticed the JHSW entry re the problem he has on weighbridges.

If that is the case then you can subtract the noseweight from the figure given by such a weighbridge. BUT!!!!

Do not use the noseweight gauges that are currently on sale in caravan stores. Instead buy yourself a cheap pair of bathroom scales together with a piece of wood and a piece of ply to spread the load, cut to the correct length (The height of the top of the towbar minus say an inch for loading ) you will be closer to reality.

A friend of mine has recently rejoined the ranks. He was loaned a noseweight gauge which was at least 20kgs out. This could have had serious consequences had the gauge been believed. The beauty of bathroom scales is that you have got something to judge it againgst (The ones in your bathroom)o

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Hi thanks for the input, I do use the nose weight gauge, and used the bathroom scales, only made comment to that way of weighing van, as it was not possible to do it that way around my area, I will remind me to check the nose weight after the van is weighed, thanks for reminder.

Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 10/8/2011

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Greetings,

Yes that is "definately right"

The MTPLM of the 'van is the weight that the "VAN" imparts onto the road.

When you are towing, providing that the Train Mass of the entire unit (Car and 'van) is within limits then the weight of the 'van is taken as the load going down on the wheels and not including the towing hitch which for most people will be an additional 80 - 100kgs.

That bit of the load is on the car.

As for taking it off the weighbridge result, can I suggest that you either weigh the van with the jockey wheel off the weighbridge or weigh the van with it attached to the car and make sure the wheels of the car are off the 'bridge. Both will give the identical result as far as the 'van is concerned and that is what VOSA or the Police will check using a pair of 'run over weighing scales.

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Quote: Originally posted by artel on 10/8/2011

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Quote: Originally posted by emmitdb on 10/8/2011

Greetings,

Yes that is "definately right"

The MTPLM of the 'van is the weight that the "VAN" imparts onto the road.

When you are towing, providing that the Train Mass of the entire unit (Car and 'van) is within limits then the weight of the 'van is taken as the load going down on the wheels and not including the towing hitch which for most people will be an additional 80 - 100kgs.

That bit of the load is on the car.

As for taking it off the weighbridge result, can I suggest that you either weigh the van with the jockey wheel off the weighbridge or weigh the van with it attached to the car and make sure the wheels of the car are off the 'bridge. Both will give the identical result as far as the 'van is concerned and that is what VOSA or the Police will check using a pair of 'run over weighing scales.

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Hi,
Can I ask where you sourced this info from please?
Not saying you're wrong but it certainly contradicts anything that I have heard/read previously. I have always been under the impression that MTPLM was the laden weight of the caravan including noseweight.

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Greetings Surfer,

Im afraid we will have to disagree on this one.

I must point out to you that both VOSA and the Police will 'weigh' a caravan without disconnecting it from the towing unit. There is a reason for this and it isn't H&S.