I have a River Dominator van with a 2150 Tare and 2750 ATM.
can someone clarify whether waste water tanks are included with water tanks (whether full or not) are added to the overall mass of the van.
If so I may disconnect the waste water tank so it doesn't contribute to the weight.
Peter_n_Margaret said
06:34 PM Feb 22, 2018
They will weigh the mass supported by the wheels. Everything that the wheels support will be included.
If you are overweight, they won't care if it is water or cheese that you are carrying.
Cheers,
Peter
Divingbobby said
08:20 PM Feb 22, 2018
Thanks for your reply.
I heard also that although you may have empty water tanks, the capacity of the tanks is added to the weight.
In other words the van weight is the measured weight plus the potential weight of your storage tanks, which most probably includes your grey tank As well.
regards Robert.
Peter_n_Margaret said
10:21 PM Feb 22, 2018
That is like saying they WILL fine you because your car COULD break the speed limit.
It does not work that way...............
Cheers,
Peter
diggerop said
10:50 PM Feb 22, 2018
Any water in the grey tank has been transferred from the water tanks so it will not add more weight. Unless you're not emptying the grey water but filling the water tanks which would be a bad way to manage things.
Brenda and Alan said
11:57 PM Feb 22, 2018
This question seems to recur frequently, and people get paranoid about weights. The authority for heavy vehicles (Trucks over 4.5 tonnes) in most states ( except NT & WA} is the "Australian Heavy Vehicle Authority". Their accepted weigh bridge accuracy for legal prosecution on a single weighing on a class 1 weigh bridge is +/- 250 Kgs. If it takes more than one weighing to get the overall weight or the individual weight (such as tow ball weight) then the error allowance doubles (ie 500 Kgs). No authority in Australia will prosecute or penalise you if you are over weight within these margins. Get over it.
If you are so over weight that this becomes a problem then you deserve whatever penalty you get.
Alan
deverall11 said
01:24 AM Feb 23, 2018
Brenda and Alan wrote:
SNIP
If you are so over weight that this becomes a problem then you deserve whatever penalty you get.
Alan
X2
Desert Dweller said
05:56 AM Feb 23, 2018
Our relatives have just got rid of a fairly new ''off road'' caravan that they had built with extra tanks, solar panels & 4 batteries!
Despite towing it with a late model Land Cruiser Sahara it was basically illegal with just their socks and jocks in it.
Pamela G said
08:18 AM Feb 23, 2018
They could have upgraded the Lc to 4 ton with a suspension upgrade from Lovells and had the suspension of the van changed . this solves the problem of not enough payload
Desert Dweller said
10:14 AM Feb 23, 2018
Pamela G wrote:
They could have upgraded the Lc to 4 ton with a suspension upgrade from Lovells and had the suspension of the van changed . this solves the problem of not enough payload
They downsized to a smaller new Avida caravan & haven't looked back since.
yobarr said
10:55 AM Feb 24, 2018
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
That is like saying they WILL fine you because your car COULD break the speed limit. It does not work that way...............
Cheers, Peter
Hi Peter...What an absolutely brilliant analogy!
Cheers.
yobarr said
10:59 AM Feb 24, 2018
Pamela G wrote:
They could have upgraded the Lc to 4 ton with a suspension upgrade from Lovells and had the suspension of the van changed . this solves the problem of not enough payload
What a great idea! Spend $7000 to make the whole rig even less stable than it already is when towing 3500kg.
Paull said
04:31 PM Feb 24, 2018
-- Edited by Paull on Saturday 24th of February 2018 04:32:58 PM
-- Edited by Paull on Saturday 24th of February 2018 04:34:29 PM
Paull said
04:33 PM Feb 24, 2018
Desert Dweller wrote:
Our relatives have just got rid of a fairly new ''off road'' caravan that they had built with extra tanks, solar panels & 4 batteries!
Despite towing it with a late model Land Cruiser Sahara it was basically illegal with just their socks and jocks in it.
I bet they didn't bother to tell the new buyers this, I have just been caught out with the same thing, which has ruined the plans i had, to go camping and fishing in the time i have left. People who do this to others are just rip offs.
Ron-D said
05:32 PM Feb 24, 2018
Am I wrong I believe if your pulled over and the van is weighed without water in the tank ,thats the way you choose to travel and that is the weight there waying when tested,they cant assume water weights and add things that are not in the van that would be ridiculous....
rockylizard said
06:42 PM Feb 24, 2018
Ron-D wrote:
Am I wrong I believe if you're pulled over and the van is weighed without water in the tank, that's the way you choose to travel and that is the weight they're weighing when tested, they can't assume water weights and add things that are not in the van that would be ridiculous....
Gday...
This was posted previously in this thread to a question similar to yours -
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
That is like saying they WILL fine you because your car COULD break the speed limit. It does not work that way...............
Cheers, Peter
Cheers - John
Divingbobby said
02:31 PM Feb 26, 2018
Thanks for all your comments regarding roadside weight inspections.
It's good to see commonsense prevails.
There is a lot of paranoia out there on this topic. It just goes to show not to believe all what you hear.
I will run the van over the weight bridge before I embark on a big trip to make sure I'm on the right side of the law and I am travelling within safe limits.
I have a River Dominator van with a 2150 Tare and 2750 ATM.
can someone clarify whether waste water tanks are included with water tanks (whether full or not) are added to the overall mass of the van.
If so I may disconnect the waste water tank so it doesn't contribute to the weight.
If you are overweight, they won't care if it is water or cheese that you are carrying.
Cheers,
Peter
Thanks for your reply.
I heard also that although you may have empty water tanks, the capacity of the tanks is added to the weight.
In other words the van weight is the measured weight plus the potential weight of your storage tanks, which most probably includes your grey tank As well.
regards Robert.
It does not work that way...............
Cheers,
Peter
This question seems to recur frequently, and people get paranoid about weights. The authority for heavy vehicles (Trucks over 4.5 tonnes) in most states ( except NT & WA} is the "Australian Heavy Vehicle Authority". Their accepted weigh bridge accuracy for legal prosecution on a single weighing on a class 1 weigh bridge is +/- 250 Kgs. If it takes more than one weighing to get the overall weight or the individual weight (such as tow ball weight) then the error allowance doubles (ie 500 Kgs). No authority in Australia will prosecute or penalise you if you are over weight within these margins. Get over it.
If you are so over weight that this becomes a problem then you deserve whatever penalty you get.
Alan
X2
Despite towing it with a late model Land Cruiser Sahara it was basically illegal with just their socks and jocks in it.
They downsized to a smaller new Avida caravan & haven't looked back since.

Hi Peter...What an absolutely brilliant analogy!
Cheers.
What a great idea! Spend $7000 to make the whole rig even less stable than it already is when towing 3500kg.
-- Edited by Paull on Saturday 24th of February 2018 04:32:58 PM
-- Edited by Paull on Saturday 24th of February 2018 04:34:29 PM
I bet they didn't bother to tell the new buyers this, I have just been caught out with the same thing, which has ruined the plans i had, to go camping and fishing in the time i have left. People who do this to others are just rip offs.
Am I wrong I believe if your pulled over and the van is weighed without water in the tank ,thats the way you choose to travel and that is the weight there waying when tested,they cant assume water weights and add things that are not in the van that would be ridiculous....
Gday...
This was posted previously in this thread to a question similar to yours -
Cheers - John
It's good to see commonsense prevails.
There is a lot of paranoia out there on this topic. It just goes to show not to believe all what you hear.
I will run the van over the weight bridge before I embark on a big trip to make sure I'm on the right side of the law and I am travelling within safe limits.