Help - M.T.P.L.M

[Gazza1]

Hi all,

We have recently purchased a Bailey Ranger series 5, its MTPLM is 1298kg.

Having loaded all of our necessities, waste master, Aquaroll, awning and being very conservative with kids toys, into the caravan. Including an under slung, Alko spare wheel carrier and wheel, not forgetting my shiny new kojack. I took the van down to my local weighbridge and was gobsmacked to find the van weighs in at 1300KG, recently adding to that a Cadac BBQ. After a bit of head scratching I have removed a few items and hope now that the van is at 1298KG.

My question is what does the, Maximum Technically Permissible Laden Mass actually mean? and if it was found that my van was over this weight (there was a 5kg plus or minus on the weighbridge accuracy) would the Police/vehicle inspectorate have a field day with me?

I would also like to fit shock absorbers to the van but this would also increase the weight again, meaning I would have to take out something else out.

Being very safety orientated I need to get this correct for my own piece of mind!

Ps, Looking at all the stuff other vanners take away with them, I am pretty convinced that there are a lot of us, who are either knowingly or more likely un-knowingly exceeding their vans MTPLM. Or more scarily am I in a minority who actually cares?

Thanks for any help/ comments.

Cheers

Gazza

 

[Lutz]

As you rightly suspect, the MTPLM is an absolute limit that must not be exceeded. Usually however, the police will allow a degree of measurement error, but this is really to cover possible error in their own equipment. I have heard that 3% is about the norm in the UK. This equates to around 39kg for your caravan but it would be risky to rely on being able to use it all as an additional allowance. As I mentioned in another thread a week or so ago, the insulation in the caravan can absorb up to 15kg of moisture on a wet day without it actually being damp, so if the police were to check weights on a rainy day, you'd already have to deduct 15kg from the 39kg.