As we all know weight in the van (what we carry) is critical. So, I'm just wondering what people are doing to help reduce weight in the van. Any suggestions welcome.
Here is a couple of things I've done recently.
Tossed out my old steel framed folding chairs and replaced them with two aluminium director chairs from bunnings.
No longer taking the BabyQ. Bought a Gasmate Voyger about 2kg lighter and fits in the tunnel boot when not in use. Same bayonet hose too.
OB,
When we're travelling to families or expecting to stay in parks, our water tanks are empty - except the toilet. 190L out of our allowance of 375kg is significant!
I'm also looking for a sky-hook!
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Warren
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If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
Warren, I do the same, even when bush camping. The weight drop can be significant if travelling lots of k's. I always check where I can fill up as close to a camp site as possible to reduce carting time of water. Sometimes outsmart myself, but usually, servos, show grounds, sports areas, etc. have water available. Just carry a range of tap fittings for your hose. Further outback in dry areas, it is a bit more of a problem.
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2008 Landcruiser single cab chassis, 2.7m tray. (Sad to part with the 2005 Isuzu, tho)
Warren, I do the same, even when bush camping. The weight drop can be significant if travelling lots of k's. I always check where I can fill up as close to a camp site as possible to reduce carting time of water. Sometimes outsmart myself, but usually, servos, show grounds, sports areas, etc. have water available. Just carry a range of tap fittings for your hose. Further outback in dry areas, it is a bit more of a problem.
Yep, same here. But always have minimum of about 60ltres in tanks. Gives us a couple of nights if required and van tows a little better, more stable.
I also travel with minimum water, to save a bit of weight, and fill up closer to a campsite, or when crossing the Nullarbor, or across the top end of WA
I have recently been presented with a Tablet, (by my children), to try and drag me into the 21st Century
I shall save a bit of weight, by no longer carrying reading books, as I can download them from the net, to the tablet
I have one 300 watt solar panel on the roof, and the 160 watt portable folding panel I carry, is very light weight, (about 3 Kg)
I originally purchased this portable solar panel because it had no glass, and does not break when it falls over
When my AGM batteries come to the end of their life, I shall buy lithium ones, to save a bit of weight
I have read on this forum, that if you mark everything in the RV with a red sticker, and remove that sticker only when you use that item
After a period of time (six months?), you can remove any item which still has the red sticker, as you probably do not need it
Interestingly, on my first lap (travelling solo), I was keen to ask questions in the camps I stayed at, and other travelers were keen to answer them
One person said, if you know you are going to be away from a shop for three days, then only purchase three days supply of food
They said to just keep a carton of long life milk, and a few cans of emergency food, it appears this keeps weight down, and you always eat fresh food
Hi, I was very much a novice at this caravaning thing 5 years ago when we upgraded to a full caravan with ensuite with gvm of 2650 kgs.
Friends said you will never have enough water, not enough battery.
On went the 3rd water tank, added a 2nd battery, end result now weighing at gvw of 2760 kgs. Over by 110 kgs.
First big mistake, I listen to the so call experienced caravaners.
We approached our caravan manufacturer, now have a upgraded compliance plate gvm of 2750 kgs.
We have reduce this further by taken out spare linen, a box of plastic b,,, t,,pware, 3 & 4th power leads etc. Saving 25kgs
In a side compartment there was a mount for a tv, will that will never get used, out it come. 7 kgs.
A couple of years ago the ensuite door gave some trouble, now a nice light weight material one. Saving 17kgs.
August last year had battery back down, worked out 1 battery would work for us. Saving us 34 kgs.
Our caravan has a slide out bbq, at times we use it because it there but did not get used on the last 6 week tour.
I rather use my picnic single burner and cast iron skillet which lives in the ute. So out the bbq and slide came. Saving 25 kgs.
We had a pipe for holding the rafters, pegs and stuff. Get what it's now lives in the shed. Saving 15kgs.
The caravan needed tyres, I got rid of the so called off road tyres now have more sealed road oriented with a good speed and weight rating. Saving 3kgs each.
The drop down legs were always a tag long, so over summer break I shortened them, far easier to use now with a small weight saving.
Laying under the caravan I notice the rear bumper where it slide into the chassis has about 360 off rhs doing nothing so thats going to go.
Now I have not weighed the caravan for a while now but I really should just to get a 2021 certified weighbridge ticket.
Ps, my wife keeps asking where is this or that. I just keep smilling.
Work out how long one bottle of gas lasts . Maybe you can leave one home . We did this, just means you have to keep an eagle eye on whats left, easy as . And yes sometimes the bottle is not quite empty when replacing.
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Keep your eyes open so you can see where you are heading
I go through what we are carrying periodically and throw out things we haven't used.
You would be surprised how they creep into the van particularly if I am not watching the missus.
Other than that have you considered Jenny Craig?
I was sitting at the L shaped dinning table last night after having our evening meal and I got to thinking, we can waltz around each other in our caravan to go to the other end of the caravan, so the little bit more would mean we could perhaps do double dip as we dance.
I reckon I could shorten the table top by a good 200 and other 200 down the side.
I will put that plan into action when I get home.
I have a nephew with a sheet metal business, I may commission him to make a aluminium hand basin to replace the ceramic one in the ensuite. While I am in the workshop I will look around to see what coloured aluminium sheet is available and then I will replace the mdf board carpentry around the washing machine. That would be a weigh saving.
Our caravanning set up for us is almost ideal, we are well under the gvm of the caravan and the gcm of car and caravan.
I did go back a step last year when we fitted a diesel heater but it is worth it.
As Dhutime said 1 gas bottle lasts a long time so I am going to change my 2 x 9kg bottles to 2 x 4.5 kg bottles. Have also got rid of our gas lamp as we havent used it for ages.
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Rod.
Ah! The serenity
Tug - Mitsubishi Challenger, Van - Starcraft Outback Poptop..
As Dhutime said 1 gas bottle lasts a long time so I am going to change my 2 x 9kg bottles to 2 x 4.5 kg bottles. Have also got rid of our gas lamp as we havent used it for ages.
Granty hi.
For a while we did have a small gas bottle as the back up bottle but I did find getting it filled or exchanged was very much near the cost of a 9kgs.
We do rely on gas a bit for the frig and cooking.
I find I do not like clutter, anything that makes clutter ends up going.
Oldbloke, I have been on a weight removal process, first to go was my 2nd spare wheel, next was 2 of the 3 solar panels and 1 battery, the remaining 120ah battery which is 6 years old is the next to go, I will replace it with a 75ah one, HWS has been replaced with a 240v only one.
The ute is going on a diet also, gone are the 2 large tool boxes, and a heap of accessories and tools that I never use. The Weber baby Q will be up for sale soon, and the 2nd 9kg gas bottle will get the heave ho, along with a couple of shade ends and a couple of tarps. We have no desire to free camp, preferring to stay in caravan parks, it will be interesting to see the numbers when we get to put it over a weighbridge.
As many here know I did the reverse, built my first van 11x6 ft at 450kg tare, 748kg atm.
Then wanting more room built a 16x7ft van 16x7ft with full ensuite tare 730kg ATM 1000kg.
So, in the context of your post, what weight saving ideas can be adopted from my build?
We have a 30 litre drawer fridge by waeco, 34kg weight, one 9kg lpg cylinder and for reserve one 4.5kg cylinder, a 4x4 awning 3mx3m only weighs 12kg rather than normal caravan awnings that weigh more, aluminium awning poles plus one centre curved rafter rather than steel, a small generator 14kg by Coleman 1000w only for battery charging, no oven just a lido junior 2 burner and grill.
Tony
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Be nice... if I wanted my school teacher here I would have invited him...
Bushtracker is supplied with TWO spare tyres. I've dropped back to one tyre (but would add an extra if I knew I was going to very remote places or using really crook roads...eg: northwest of WA etc). I use a TPMS system that covers all 8 tyres and it has warned me of a slow leak at least 3 times. Those occasions would have ended up with a blown tyre if I hadn't been aware.
As has been stated, LPG bottles are heavy. Bushtracker, in their wisdom, placed 2x 9kg bottles in a difficult-to-reach position between the two spare tyres. We have a compressor fridge and we were finding a 9kg bottle was lasting us around 6 to 12 months just for the stove and hot water. So, I ditched the 2x 9kg and replaced with 2x 4.5kg. I'm not keen on only having a single bottle as you'd be bound to run out at the most inconvenient time.
The van came with 4x 100ah AGM batteries and the people we bought it off had a 2kva generator in the box on the draw bar to assist the power situation. I replaced the 135kg of AGMs with 300ah of lithium @ around 33kg and I leave the generator at home. That has saved me around 120kg on the draw bar.
I do always leave home with 4 full tanks (360 litres) of our own rainwater. I couldn't imagine leaving home without full water...we tend to not stay in paid parks; free camping for us as much as practical.
These SS bowls are surprisingly rigid. It might need some stiffening when you cut a hole through the bottom. Something to cover a larger area to spread loads.
170 grams:
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Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
