2010 Lunar Quasar 525 weights

[CaravanChris]

Hi,

I've been trying to work out from the handbook exactly what is included in the M.R.O of a 2010 Lunar Quasar 525.

Does anyone know or is it a case of add averything I put in the van such as gas bottles, fittings, battery and personal effects together?

Thanks

Chris

 

[Buckman]

Hi,

I've been trying to work out from the handbook exactly what is included in the M.R.O of a 2010 Lunar Quasar 525.

Does anyone know or is it a case of add everything I put in the van such as gas bottles, fittings, battery and personal effects together?

Thanks

Chris

On a 2010 caravan nothing is included in the MIRO. Basically the payload is the difference between the MIRO and the MTPLM. Payload would include battery, gas cylinders, motor mover if fitted, cutlery, crockery, pans etc plus personal effects. You just need to ensure that you stay within the MTPLM.

 

[CaravanChris]

Thanks Buckman.

Thats exactly what I thought, off my rough calculations we are within the MTPLM.

Chris

 

[Lutz]

Don't rely on any MIRO figure. At best it's a generic value that doesn't necessarily apply to your particular caravan, but to a random caravan of the same model that the manufacturer had weighed, but which could have had a slightly different specification. It's always safest to have the unladen caravan weighed, regardless of what the manufacturer states as being included in the MIRO or not.

 

[CaravanChris]

Does this include the plate above the wheel arch?

Chris

 

[otherclive]

Does this include the plate above the wheel arch?

Chris

Yes but as Lutz says best to start with your known “ empty” which will include battery and may include the mover. Then you know where your starting point is. Make sure though if towing the “ empty” van that your noseweight is okay as unladen vans can be too heavy or too light noseweight.

 

[Lutz]

Does this include the plate above the wheel arch?

Chris

Don't expect the manufacturer to make up a label specifically for your particular caravan. The same label with the same figures will be applied to all caravans of the same model produced.

 

[CaravanChris]

When we pick it up on saturday it will be empty other than battery, awning, gas fittings, aqua roll, waste master and carpets. But I will take my nose weight gauge with me as the minimum for the van is 50kg and I beleive maximum tow ball is 75kg.

Chris

 

[Buckman]

When we pick it up on saturday it will be empty other than battery, awning, gas fittings, aqua roll, waste master and carpets. But I will take my nose weight gauge with me as the minimum for the van is 50kg and I beleive maximum tow ball is 75kg.

Chris

With those items already in it, it is a bit pointless rushing off to have it weighed "empty". Gas fittings but not cylinder and carpets should be include din the MIRO. Remember your MIRO could be under or over the figure on the plate so allow about 20kgs either way. It is highly unlikely that even if you were slightly over weight that you could be pulled over by the police as they have better things to do. It is also unlikely that you will get a fine or points on your licence, but you will nto be able to proceed until the caravan has bean made lighter and this can be done by putting some stuff in the car. Always best to try and stay within the MTPLM though.

 

[CaravanChris]

I haven't been able to get hold of a local weighbridge yet. We won't go above the MTPLM as everything that goes in other than stabiliser, gas fittings and carpet will be weighed prior to going in once its at the storage facility and I've set a maximum weight to 1350 kg of plated MRO and what we put in which brings us 45kg under.

Chris

 

[CaravanChris]

I have a thought in the back of my mind that I will be a target for the Police due to my age.

Chris

 

[otherclive]

I have a thought in the back of my mind that I will be a target for the Police due to my age.

Chris

It is not pointless to weigh it with some basic kit in it. I did it with mine. It doesn’t give you ex works , the older method, neither does it give you MIRO as you will have battery or mover etc. What it does give you is your baseline that you can work from when deciding what kit to carry on your trips. Mine was weighed like this by the dealer and they had removed carpets. So when I got it home I took out the bunks weighed them and knew exactly what effect they had in my “ dealer weighed weight”. It all about establishing your baseline from which to work. So if you add things like different mats, or add shock dampers a simple adjustment to a spreadsheet is all that is required to keep tabs on your payload and it’s inventory.

 

[Buckman]

I haven't been able to get hold of a local weighbridge yet. We won't go above the MTPLM as everything that goes in other than stabiliser, gas fittings and carpet will be weighed prior to going in once its at the storage facility and I've set a maximum weight to 1350 kg of plated MRO and what we put in which brings us 45kg under.

Chris

Remember that the weigh bridge can have a tolerance of between 2-5% so for example if the plated MIRO is 1200kg the weigh bridge can be out by as much as 60kg at 5%. We took a Lunar Delta TI to a weigh bridge near us and found that we exceeded the MTPLM by 100kg.
We stripped the caravan bare with exception of battery as we knew the weight of the battery. We then weighed everything that we put back into it and wehad have had a margin of nearly 60kg. We invested in a Reich scale and this showed us to be well under the MTPLM.
I no longer trust the readings of a weigh bridge due to the high tolerances as it must be remembered that the weigh bridge was probably designed to accommodate vehicles weighing several tons or more so 100kg would not make any difference. The only reasonably accurate weigh bridges are those managed by the DVSA and I am told that even those are not spot on.
This is my own personal experience and others may differ however a good starting point for someone new to caravans to try a weigh bridge.

 

[otherclive]

Remember that the weigh bridge can have a tolerance of between 2-5% so for example if the plated MIRO is 1200kg the weigh bridge can be out by as much as 60kg at 5%. We took a Lunar Delta TI to a weigh bridge near us and found that we exceeded the MTPLM by 100kg.
We stripped the caravan bare with exception of battery as we knew the weight of the battery. We then weighed everything that we put back into it and wehad have had a margin of nearly 60kg. We invested in a Reich scale and this showed us to be well under the MTPLM.
I no longer trust the readings of a weigh bridge due to the high tolerances as it must be remembered that the weigh bridge was probably designed to accommodate vehicles weighing several tons or more so 100kg would not make any difference. The only reasonably accurate weigh bridges are those managed by the DVSA and I am told that even those are not spot on.
This is my own personal experience and others may differ however a good starting point for someone new to caravans to try a weigh bridge.

All public weighbridges listed on the UKGOV website come under the auspices of county Trading Standards and have to be periodically calibrated and can be checked at any time by Trading Standards. Like all kit there will be tolerances but in my experience in using them the operators are normally willing to show their certification results.
Whilst they are used for weighing heavy vehicles there are a number of plattens. So it’s not just a 1200 kg caravan on a 40000 kg weighbridge.
The Reich personal scales are a useful piece of kit but once you’ve weighed the van “ empty” then fully loaded fir three weeks holiday in Scotland everything else is likely to fall between those weights. Then all you need is some self discipline to stop weight growth with time.

 

[Lutz]

It's still risky to rely on a stated MIRO. That for my caravan is shown as 1412kg, but with all permanent fittings and before loading up with clothes, bedding and food, it weighs 1735kg. However, that figure does include all the kitchen things because they are always left in the caravan and obviously permanent items such as the motor mover, sat dish, battery, inverter, and retrofitted ATC.

 

[CaravanChris]

The personal scales are a good idea I just don't have £300 to spend on them

Chris

 

[ProfJohnL]

I have a thought in the back of my mind that I will be a target for the Police due to my age.
Chris

I presume by this comment you are perhaps a younger driver? If so then there is another concern which you should be made aware of, and it depends on when you passed your driving test, and the changes to the licence introduced in Jan 1997.

If you passed your test before Jan 1997 then you will have Cat "Be" on your licence which allows you to drive any car and tow a trailer within the cars technical specification.

But if if you passed after that date, then you won't have cat "Be" you will have just Cat "B". and this restricts you to driving a car and trailer of combined MAM not exceeding 3500kg.

You tell us your caravan has an MTPLM (MAM) of 1350kg which if you only have Cat "B" means your car must have a GVW (MAM) not exceeding 2150kg. (3500-1350) .

Just to be clear MAM stands for Maximum Authorised Mass, so its the maximum weight limit of the vehicle from the vehicles data plates, not what it actually weighs. Many quite modest cars of will have GVW's in excess of 2150kg.

You can take the "E" extension test to remove the combined MAM limit above 3500kg.

 

[Beachball]

Reich caravan weight control -Orange 1500kg Homestead caravans £172.95

 

[CaravanChris]

I presume by this comment you are perhaps a younger driver? If so then there is another concern which you should be made aware of, and it depends on when you passed your driving test, and the changes to the licence introduced in Jan 1997.

If you passed your test before Jan 1997 then you will have Cat "Be" on your licence which allows you to drive any car and tow a trailer within the cars technical specification.

But if if you passed after that date, then you won't have cat "Be" you will have just Cat "B". and this restricts you to driving a car and trailer of combined MAM not exceeding 3500kg.

You tell us your caravan has an MTPLM (MAM) of 1350kg which if you only have Cat "B" means your car must have a GVW (MAM) not exceeding 2150kg. (3500-1350) .

Just to be clear MAM stands for Maximum Authorised Mass, so its the maximum weight limit of the vehicle from the vehicles data plates, not what it actually weighs. Many quite modest cars of will have GVW's in excess of 2150kg.

You can take the "E" extension test to remove the combined MAM limit above 3500kg.

Yes I am a younger driver, passed my test post 1997.

I am aware of the restrictions on my licence. I will be looking and getting the E extension next year.

The towing car has a MAM of 2050kg and the MTPLM of the caravan is 1395kg witch leaves us 45kg below that limit.

Chris

 

[ProfJohnL]

Yes I am a younger driver, passed my test post 1997.

I am aware of the restrictions on my licence. I will be looking and getting the E extension next year.

The towing car has a MAM of 2050kg and the MTPLM of the caravan is 1395kg witch leaves us 45kg below that limit.

Chris

Thanks for responding.
With your present outfit as you point out its 45Kg under the magic 3500kg Cat B limit. Unless you intend to change your outfit and go for a bigger combined MAM, there is no need to do the E test.

I won't knock the E test but it doesn't specifically focus on caravans, its all type of trailers. If you are looking to improve your caravan towing skills you might consider enrolling on one of the caravan specific courses run by either the CAMH or CaC clubs. - and there's no exam at the end!

 

[CaravanChris]

Its fine I hope it didn't come across in the wrong tone.

I'd like to do the E test as I have a Focus that can't pull the caravan (its maximum tow limit is just above the given MRO weight so i won't take a chance trying).

When my car does give up I want a bigger car that can tow but not be limited to a certain number of makes and models if that makes sense.

I may in the future consider a caravan upgrade and want a freedom of choice.

I looked at the CaCC and CaMC and will do one of those courses aswell as I'd always want to improve.

Chris

 

[ProfJohnL]

Its fine I hope it didn't come across in the wrong tone.

Not to me at least.