Recent content by Lutz

The MTPLM can never be greater than the maximum permissible axle load, that's true. That's a safeguard to prevent the noseweight to be used as a margin of error, but the MTPLM can be less than the sum of the permissible axle loads, and it often is. That is to allow for a limited variation in...

One never refers to axle loads because they have their own limits on the same plate. An MTPLM is an MTPLM and an axle load an axle load. Don't confuse the two.

Or, as I said, you weigh the car first when it's hitched to the caravan and again after it's unhitched. The difference between the load on the towball and that on the jockey wheel is minor and can, for all intents and purposes be neglected as it's within the accuracy of the weighbridge.

Of course the total weight is the same, but how would you know what portion of that weight is acting on the towball without unhitching and putting the jockey wheel on the scales? Alternatively, you could weigh the car when it’s hitched to the caravan and again after unhitching. One can then add...

The biggest confusion seems to relate to some people being under the false impression that by taking the load off the jockey wheel and placing it on the towball, the caravan suddenly becomes lighter. Strange logic!

The issue, and that is a peculiar UK one, is that many UK built caravans display two MTPLMs, one on the label by the door and another different one on the statutory plate and their owners are unsure which of the two applies. To cover themselves in case of dispute either they stick to the lower...

Yes, in fact in current legislation it is always called MTPLM, not only for caravans but for all road vehicles. Strictly speaking, the term gross vehicle weight is obsolete.

On UK built caravans, the label next to the door seldom displays the true MTPLM that the manufacturer had type approved for your particular caravan. More often than not it's a value for marketing purposes only and the true MTPLM will be found on the statutory weight plate that must be present on...

Legislation refers to both axle weight and total weight. Gross train weight, a legal limit, is the sum of all axle weights of the combination, i.e. those of the car and of the caravan. Gross vehicle weight of the car, again a legal limit, is the sum of its front and rear axle weights, also when...

In that case you would not be weighing the caravan but only its axle load. The noseweight, which is part of the total weight of the caravan, would be missing.

Your understanding is correct except that the caravan on its own must not exceed 2000kg, not should not exceed that value. In that case, if both the car and the caravan are within their respective limits, you would obviously not exceed the gross train weight limit.

The police would primarily be interested in whether the combined weight of car and caravan exceeds the plated permissible gross train weight which is presumably 5025kg (2625 + 2400). If they suspect that the caravan may be overloaded, they may also check the caravan's axle load, too, without it...

Most likely the car doesn't weigh 2118kg when it's empty. After all, Mass in Service is not the actual weight of your particular car, but that of the car without any factory fitted options that the manufacturer submitted for type approval. As RogerL says, the result sounds pretty plausible to...

Our very first caravanning holiday took us up there back in 1990. We relied entirely on the ACSI Eurocampings directory.

Yes, there’s undoubtedly more going on in the Calpe region, but of course it’s quite a way from there to your friends in Puerto Lumbreras. I‘ve only ever passed through Calpe on my way south so I can’t make much of a comment, but as you say, you’ve been there before so you already have a good...