MRO

[Bri2]

Hi All,
Bailey caravans and I think all the others, now include certain equipment weighs in the MRO. The total user payload on my present van is 247kg, out of that I had to take weights such as, battery, gas bottles, mover, spare wheel and carrier before I could load the van. Can any one tell me what is now included upto the MRO weight which leaves quite a few vans with a user payload in the region of 145kg.

Thanks Bri

 

[Lutz]

The regulation which defines the content of MIRO covers motor vehicles including motor homes, but does not extend to cover caravans. It is therefore up to each caravan manufacturer to decide which is included and what is not and many have their own different interpretations. With the advent of EU wide homologation of caravans some are applying the same conditions to caravans as to motor vehicles and, for instance, including a 90% full water tank and a water-fiilled heating system if these are fitted. Batteries, spare wheels, movers, etc. should only be included if they are ex-works fittings, but not if fitted by the dealer.

 

[Bri2]

Thank's for the reply Lutz,
I knew I could rely on you. So, realy what your saying, if the van has a spare wheel and carrier fitted and a battery and a gas bottle as standard, these would be in the MRO (MIRO). Anything fitted after, exworks, comes off the user payload and or the optional equipment weight. So to find the real weights involved, we need to contact Baileys or weight the new van as collected and compare MRO and MTPLM to assertain how many awnings we can stuff inside before we overload.

Certainly batteries don't come as standard as also gas bottles. So is MRO interpreted by each individual manufacturer, in the case of caravans, or should it be or is an EU standard??

Bri

 

[colin-yorkshire1]

hi Bri.
the description of MIRO as stated by Lutz is correct as usual, however this is not the whole story a range of vans all the same will have the same MIRO and MTPLM as in a state they left the factory, not an individual MIRO unique to a particular van so it is possible for a ex works van to have a higher or lower weight than it's stamped MIRO allthough the MTPLM will be the absolute max the MIRO can vary so have a higher or lower true user payload.
it would be handy if all vans came with their equipment ex works and the weight calculated within the MIRO so one knew exactly how much user payload one had to play with things like batteries EHU cable spare wheel and gas bottles (one or two full) water and waste containers and a mover if fitted, sadly this is not the case. As you can see the added weight of the above equipment may or may not be calculated within the MIRO so the weight has to come off the user payload if you add the weight of a awning into the senario some vans will have very little user payload indeed.
The best way to make sure exactly how much spare capacity you have is to get the van weighed on a weightbridge this is common practice amongst seasoned vanners with lots of equipment and low user payloads, if your van is new (ex works) or with dealer extras collect all the equipment required for the van "items as above" and weigh it empty but with the equipment in. take this figure as your assumed new MIRO deduct this from the MTPLM and you will have a accurate user payload. after loading the van with clothes tv and all the other stuff one takes away. have it weighed again to make sure you have not exeeded the MTPLM if its under your laughing if not some of the payload will have to be removed or carried in the car.
it may seem like a lot of hassle to start with but will reap rewards afterwards when you find other things to take with you and well worth the effort.
sorry if this reply seems long winded but it really is worth knowing as 1kg over weight makes the unit illegal.

colin.
ps. I have purposely not mentioned the noseweight in the calculations as this has been covered well in other threads on the forum.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Bri,

With manufactureres haveing free reign to decide what to include, the only way to know for sure what is or is not included is to ask for as wrtten confirmation from your caravan dealer. They sold you the caravan , they should know EXACTLY what they are selling.

Failing that (and I think you might find that even the deaelrs may not understand the new figures), then ask them to get a defintion from the manufacture.
You should not have to ask the manufacture directly, though I suspect you might need to.

 

[Lutz]

Even if you contact the manufacturer I think he would be reluctant to commit himself to a figure. Even here in Germany where things are usually well regulated and caravans have their own registration book similar to the V5c certificate in the UK, the entry under MIRO shows a range. In the case of my caravan, it is 1250-1410kg, a range of 160kg which, of course, is quite large, as is of little use to me. As MIRO has no legal implications, the manufacurer can simply quote a figure which applies to the lightest version of that model without any factory fitted options and the heaviest with all possible options. Otherwise he would have to quote a specific MIRO for each caravan as it comes off the line, which would require each caravan to be weighed. However, caravans are rather special in that they include a lot of insulating material which can absorb moisture. Even without exhibiting any signs of damp a caravan can weigh up to 50kg more after a really wet spell compared to after it has been standing out in the sun for weeks. Experience with MIRO of cars as they leave the production line showed that production tolerances alone, such as the thickness of underbody coating, paint and sheet metal thicknesses, etc. can account for variations of approximately 15kg.

 

[TD42]

I realy think the best way is to take your van to the weigh bridge totaly empty except for the battery,mover(if fitted),& 1 full gas bottle.& spare wheel
Its what I did & found that the weight was 1220kg as against the plated MRO of 1160. I then deducted the new weight from the MTPLM (1350kg) to get my payload .It realy does not matter what the manufactorer does or does not include in the MRO its what the difference is between the actual empty weight & the MTPLM that matters

 

[Surfer]

MIRO figure is basically irrelevant as the MTPLM is what counts if you get stopped. MIRO could be 1000kg, higher or even the same as the MTPLM, but you cannot exceed the MTPLM. Never know VOSA to ticket any one becasue they are under the MIRO of the caravan.