thanks Tony E,

Maybe I wasn't very clear with the question that I was asking, I think that have a grasp on the difference between the Tare weight, the ATM and therefore the maximum allowable load. If I am correct the van's tare is 2225kg the ATM on the plate is 3200kg therefore theoretically the maximum load would be 975kg. The question I was asking, hoping to gain from the experience of others in what they are carrying around with them is - am I being realistic in estimating a 400kg to 500kg payload taking into account the things that I mentioned. The reason I ask this is that I need to keep the load to around 2700/2800kg to stay within the the tug manufacture's guidelines on the GCM (if I had the tow vehicle loaded to its 665kg maximum payload).

Don't forget to deduct the van's ball weight from your tug's payload.

The Belmont Bear wrote:

---

Sorry everyone I am probably becoming a bit of a pain by asking some pretty basic questions but we are soon to become first time caravan owners. Can anyone give me a rough estimate on how many KGs they think that I should be allowing as a load for the van. The Tare weight quoted by the manufacturer is 2225kg, the van is fitted with 2 x 95ltr fresh water tanks and 2 x 9kg gas bottles. Other things that we are planning on carrying will be our Webber baby Q, privacy screens and a floor for the annexe. I was thinking about 400kg to 500kg should cover it am I being realistic ?

---

Dave,  The type of travel and Your psyche will have some bearing on the  amount of stuff You "need". I regularly go walkabout for 2-3 months & 500kg would be more than enough, Just back from 5 weeks away 300 kg would of probably pulled it up. Some Guys take their workshop & half the spare parts dept. & the Cook takes the sewing machine etc. Lot,s of kitchen gear can add a fair bit. Obviously full time live in owners have a different requirement. One rule of thumb is if it,s not used on two trips chuck it.

Mike.

macka17 wrote:

---

Hey.
With a Pajero "sport".
Basically a Pajero cab on a challenger chassis.

Actually, its an updated version of a Challenger cab on a Triton chassis.

---

 

Regarding loading and weight INSIDE vans.

After 50 plus yrs you tend to get it down to a fine(ish) art.

I've been from a 28ft static (truck transported) to a 22ft.
which really did have the kitchen sink and everything else.
to a 12 ft 6in rear door which you could virtually tow with your push bike. (Wellll. ALmost)

The last 4 vans have never been loaded more than about 1\3rd to half of capacity for 3 plus month trips
with tinny. the lot. Apart from water weight.
never more than 250 kg's max.
and that incl foodstuffs.

Liveaboard different kettle of ----.

Young, starting out. you have zilch. Easy.
At other end of life. you have accumulation of 50 yrs of crap. then some.

You really NEED Family\Mates storage, or a container somewhere.
Otherwise you overweight b4 you step out of front door.

Short term/seasonal different.

Kitchen gear. Bedding. clothes to suit areas you going. TV etc.
Tools in car. Fishing gear. Push bikes?. Whatever you and missus do to occupy mind/hands.
EVERYTHING else. Basically is overweight items.

OH. Most importantly.
2 VERY COMFORTABLE chairs.. We find the "upright "steel frame/Canvas back,
the most comfortable for long term sitting.
And being able to stand up again afterwards.

2 single beds. with ply sheets to make double when somebody frisky.
Gives access to full length of van, not just half of it.

How many ACTUAL hrs do you spend IN that space wasting double/queen bed
taking up half,and more of the van?.
and get rid of that fixed table. THAT really opens up interior of van.

Small mobile folder inside, for playing cards, eating.
Normal folding table outside for everything else/visitors
THEY can bring their own chairs etc.

Everybody carry's a min of 3 times more than they need.
Trouble being it takes some, ten yrs and more to realise it.
Some never.

We have van permanently fitted with living gear that never comes out.
Stainless cutlery. Correlle crockery and GLASS glasses.
Kitchen. bedding, amusement etc.

Load food, clothing, fill tanks and fuel
Fishing gear in car. tinnie on top and away.

What most need to do is mark EVERYTHING they don't use. After EVERY trip for first coupla yrs.
And ALWAYS remove.

Not the "well. Maybe next trip I might", syndrome.

You'll find that.
Apart from the Household lady who CAN'T do without everything.
and shouldn't really be travelling anyway.

There's a thing called "divorce" for them chuckle??. (Did I say that)

You DON'T really need all that much.

I virtually "divorced" my first one when I bought a house and they stopped travelling with me.
Long weekend at home every 6 weeks work in those days, after that.
7 days a week Take no holidays for first 10 yrs or so.

Great life but not for a marriage. Mine lasted 3 weeks short of 30 yrs in numbers.
Probably 5 or 6 physically.

If people WANT to get/keep their weights comfortable and LEGAL.
they have to be cutthroat for first few yrs.
After that it natural after you realise how little you really DO need.
When working from a home base...
Then.

FLASH. BINGO....
What the hell am I doing dragging this huge. heavy clumsy.
cumbersome box trailer everywhere for.
There is NO need then for such huge vans.

Bin ther'. Dun that.
But never the size the MFG's are conning people into buying nowadays.
6.5m MAX.

But . there again.
I'm only an old 75yr old.
What do I know hey.

have a gud one.
From the bloke that don't sleep much or often.

-- Edited by macka17 on Saturday 3rd of September 2016 06:18:25 AM

Thanks explorer and Macka17, in response to both of your very informative replies. I read the linked article on towing capacities and have become even more confused about who is right when advising on vehicle towing capability -

1) Mitsubishi says that the Sport should be capable of towing 3.1T,
2) "The National Caravan & Recreational Vehicle Towing Guide" quotes the 1998 national regulation "If the manufacture has not stipulated a recommended tow mass the vehicle may tow one and a half times its unladen mass if the trailer has brakes". In the Sports case this would equate to 3067.5KGs.
3) The 1 for 1 rule would suggest that I should not exceed 2710kgs.
4) The link you sent quotes an Australian 85% guideline which would mean with a 2700KG loaded tug the ATM of the trailer should be no more than 2300kg.
5) The weight of experience on this site tells me that my vehicle having a similar capability to the MUX should not exceed the 2.5T.

Macka17 the advice you gave me on payload also suggests 250kgs should be what I aim for as a maximum. To sum up if I stick to this 250kg , try where possible to fill my fresh water tanks closer to the destination then my ATM when travelling should be 2225 + 250 = 2475kg approx.

By the way I happen to be one of those inexperienced old farts with no previous experience towing a van although I have driven all sorts of vehicles including 4x4s,light trucks and towed boats /trailers in remote Australia and in countries scattered across 4 other continents including 3rd world Africa (sometimes in conditions that would give you nightmares). I intend to do the government accredited training course on towing and believe me I will be taking it very easy until I can gain some of that valuable experience that you guys must have once had to learn. I have also had the pleasure of driving on the autobahn in Germany and the autoroutes of France. It's no wonder that they err on the safe side - the speeds that they are travelling especially in extreme weather conditions means that any mishap could be catastrophic and even result in a chain reaction involving lots of other vehicles.

For you non Mitsubishi owners & experts I have nothing against either the Challenger or larger Pajero but the Sport actually has a different motor, 8 speed transmission, rear suspension set up, extra safety/passenger features and body so I guess you are right other than that its probably exactly the same as both of them..

Thanks Macka,

Great advice I will try to keep the load to a max. of 2.5T by being a bit more sensible about what we take with us. I will also transfer some of the things I was planning to carry in the van to the tug in order to get it's weight up to nearer to its 2.7T GVM. I also worked in South Africa 95/96 and Mozambique in 2003/4 did a fair bit of driving both on and off road but not with anything behind me. I know what your saying about the autobahn and autoroutes I would normally cruise at around 140ks in one of the middle lanes and get passed like I was standing still. You see the big engined sports cars coming up behind in your rearview mirror and you can tell by the way that they sitting flat on the road they are really motoring. You are taking your life in your hands driving in the fast lane because you haven't got a real lot of time to get out of their way if you happen to see them late.

Ftiar.

I said the only Safe vehicles on Aust Market for that size.
without going to truck and US Ute size.
Are basically the large Toyota and Patrol Manual.
Maybe a Range Rover but that one not at NORMAL persons wage levels.

But the rest I know of Euro, and Jap/Thai. are only around 2.5t.
A lot of them less.
Regardless of figures MFG's state on paper.

The physical veh weight comes into it.
along with wheeelbase, Tyre size. chassis length and Gearing.

The Disco comes under that title too. What others pray???

The Safety clause for actual driving.
is tow NOTHING that weighs more than your tugs physical weight
and hopefully around 400kg less.

The Practicality has always been 80/85% of veh. gross,
at the actual time of the tow.

What car licence drivable vehicle Euro, or UK cames into that please.
Let us all know hey. with price ranges, availability.
It would help all with more choices.

With the exception of the lack of reliability of most Euro veh's to date.

Merc about the only one I'd touch.

Even the Audi (my perenial favourite, I've had 2)

have bad electronics since VW took the helm..

-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 4th of September 2016 12:06:26 AM

The Belmont Bear wrote:

---

thanks Tony E,

Maybe I wasn't very clear with the question that I was asking, I think that have a grasp on the difference between the Tare weight, the ATM and therefore the maximum allowable load. If I am correct the van's tare is 2225kg the ATM on the plate is 3200kg therefore theoretically the maximum load would be 975kg. The question I was asking, hoping to gain from the experience of others in what they are carrying around with them is - am I being realistic in estimating a 400kg to 500kg payload taking into account the things that I mentioned. The reason I ask this is that I need to keep the load to around 2700/2800kg to stay within the the tug manufacture's guidelines on the GCM (if I had the tow vehicle loaded to its 665kg maximum payload).

---

 Keep asking questions, get it right from the start and you should be fine. 

Have a look at my weights blog page below, you may find something you haven't thought of

https://chrisanddiannesultimaadventure.wordpress.com/educational-links/weights-explained/