Welcome to the PC Forum, where you will find answers to all your problems, however small you think they are, just fire away!
With a heavy caravan, you will find a motor mover invaluable and for us it's one of the most important pieces of kit we've got on our van. We have just had the latest Powrtouch mover fitted on ours and can thoroughly recommend it.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club website has all sorts of lists covering everything concerning caravanning and it's well worth joining for use of their sites and CL's (Certificated Locations, licensed for only 5 caravans or motorhomes on their sites). They also do a Premium Insurance, whereby if you are ever incapacitated and are the only driver who can tow, they will provide a driver to get you home. Their overseas insurance cover seems to be second to none, too, if you go abroad with your van. Everyone who has ever been on one of their towing courses, speaks highly of it, especially recommended if you are a first time tower.
Many years of happy and safe caravanning to you!
With a heavy caravan, you will find a motor mover invaluable and for us it's one of the most important pieces of kit we've got on our van. We have just had the latest Powrtouch mover fitted on ours and can thoroughly recommend it.
The Caravan and Motorhome Club website has all sorts of lists covering everything concerning caravanning and it's well worth joining for use of their sites and CL's (Certificated Locations, licensed for only 5 caravans or motorhomes on their sites). They also do a Premium Insurance, whereby if you are ever incapacitated and are the only driver who can tow, they will provide a driver to get you home. Their overseas insurance cover seems to be second to none, too, if you go abroad with your van. Everyone who has ever been on one of their towing courses, speaks highly of it, especially recommended if you are a first time tower.
Many years of happy and safe caravanning to you!
Hi Dave.
I am the mentioned newbie in a similar situation to you. We have our handover this Thursday so I’ll report back with any info I gain. We are also having 2 nights at a nearby campsite to try it all out so stay tuned and ask away.
I guess I’m like the stuntman going first.
I am the mentioned newbie in a similar situation to you. We have our handover this Thursday so I’ll report back with any info I gain. We are also having 2 nights at a nearby campsite to try it all out so stay tuned and ask away.
I guess I’m like the stuntman going first.
I ste ,not long now mate , this will probably drag ! Someone says it's forecast for snow this weekend so take a few extra warm bit of clothing , we are also away this weekend down to Knaresborough , I hope it chucks it down with snow !!
( but nice dry weather & sun shining for you ste for your first trip out )
( but nice dry weather & sun shining for you ste for your first trip out )
Good luck! Look forward to hearing how it goes and if anything flags up that you hadn't thought of.
I've spent my weekend planning a trip to France and a trip to the British Grand Prix next year with a caravan I don't even own yet and it's flagging some other questions in my head - it's neverending!
I've spent my weekend planning a trip to France and a trip to the British Grand Prix next year with a caravan I don't even own yet and it's flagging some other questions in my head - it's neverending!
Ste6t9 said:
Spending you first few nights close to home is a good idea as you can easily go home for the bits that you have forgotten.
Hi all - another question, this time on weight and payload.
On looking at the Swift borchure for the Sprite Super Quattro DB it notes the following:
Miro: 1486kg
MTPLM: 1711kg
Total user payload: 225kg
Personal effects payload: 180kg
The narrative alongside the table talks about a 10kg allowance for gas in the miro as well as it assuming that the water tank, toilet flush tank and water heater are empty. It says the personal effects includes a 20kg leisure battery allowance.
So....
Does this mean that if I had a leisure battery of 20kg and gas of 10kg then I still have another 180kg I can load up without needing to include anything for gas and battery (unless they are bigger of course)? Why is both 225kg and 180kg even quoted? What is the 45kg difference - is that the expectation of what the water weight would be if the various tanks/heaters were filled up?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
On looking at the Swift borchure for the Sprite Super Quattro DB it notes the following:
Miro: 1486kg
MTPLM: 1711kg
Total user payload: 225kg
Personal effects payload: 180kg
The narrative alongside the table talks about a 10kg allowance for gas in the miro as well as it assuming that the water tank, toilet flush tank and water heater are empty. It says the personal effects includes a 20kg leisure battery allowance.
So....
Does this mean that if I had a leisure battery of 20kg and gas of 10kg then I still have another 180kg I can load up without needing to include anything for gas and battery (unless they are bigger of course)? Why is both 225kg and 180kg even quoted? What is the 45kg difference - is that the expectation of what the water weight would be if the various tanks/heaters were filled up?
Thanks in advance for any insight!
DaveHart said:
I share your frustration at the need to quote two payload figure. It is symptomatic if the way the industry tries hard to complicate what should be s straightforward issue.
You have done the right thing in trying to sort out what is what. To my mind there are only two key figures. One is MRO and the other is MTPLM. When I obtained my van I wrote to Swift to ask what was included in MRO and from memory it was 1 10 kg gas bottle, EHU cable, step, water inlet pipe, empty tanks and toilet, and all manuals and documentation. Battery wasn’t part of the MRO.
Knowing what comprises MRO then allows the owner to decide how to best apportion the payload up to MTPLM.
Hope this helps you to understand what shouldn’t be s difficult subject.
What you've said is effectively a simpler and more concise version of what I was reading the manual as saying!
Thank you!
Thank you!
The MIRO is not guaranteed to be accurate and can be out by a fair bit. The only way to be sure of the weight is to take the caravan to a weighbridge and get it checked out.
We wanted to weigh everything we were going to put in once we bought it but didn’t have time. I’m thinking though before it goes away for the winter, stripping it back to the basics it arrived with and weighing it.
The MIRO on our plate seems to be a little heavier than the published weight and I’m wondering if this is because it includes the motor mover that it came fitted with.
Can anyone help on this point?
The MIRO on our plate seems to be a little heavier than the published weight and I’m wondering if this is because it includes the motor mover that it came fitted with.
Can anyone help on this point?
Ste6t9 said:
No motor mover comes out of your payload and isn’t part of MIRO. It’s important that you weigh everything as you will be astonished at how quickly you use up payload. Your mover will be around 30-35 kg, battery 22kg, extrs gas bottle 10kg etc etc. The more important weight to check on a weighbridge is MTPLM.
I keep a spreadsheet with equipment and other stuff listed. They can then be tailored to suit different types of trip ranging from winter weekends to long summer trips. They give some discipline also into what goes in van, car or roofbox when fitted.
Thanks for that. I’m assuming the best weighbridge a dynamic axle one? Where I can drive over slowly and just pick up the weight of the van axle?
Ste6t9 said:
I couldn't say what type of weighbridge is best as I have only ever used ones where the car was detached from the van. That was also the type used by VOSA when I was pulled over by the Police and escorted to a roadside testing station fora random spot check. Surely if you use a dynamic one then the load cells will not record the noseweight taken by the car's towball and only axle weight. MTPLM is set by the maker and is the total weight of the caravan which includes the axle load on the road wheels and the weight on the jockey wheel too.
I will now dive for cover as the debate regarding axle specification versus MTPLM, with and without noseweight may now start afresh
Hello Steve And Clive.
A dynamic weigh bridge will only record the weight on each axle. But because the total weight of the out fit is supported by the sum of the axle loads, the noseloads is accounted it's not lost. If you want to know what the nose load actually is, the in hitch the caravan and drive the unhitched tow vehicle over the weigh bridge. The difference in the sum of tow vehicle axle loads from the hitched and unhitched passes will be the true nose load.
BUT the figures generated on one visit to a weigh bridge will not be same for every trip, as how a caravan and car are loaded will vary trip to trip.
A dynamic weigh bridge will only record the weight on each axle. But because the total weight of the out fit is supported by the sum of the axle loads, the noseloads is accounted it's not lost. If you want to know what the nose load actually is, the in hitch the caravan and drive the unhitched tow vehicle over the weigh bridge. The difference in the sum of tow vehicle axle loads from the hitched and unhitched passes will be the true nose load.
BUT the figures generated on one visit to a weigh bridge will not be same for every trip, as how a caravan and car are loaded will vary trip to trip.
Great answers both of you. I have got both type of bridges relatively nearby. Therefore I may do a bit of tinkering and do it both ways.
Obviously no big trips are booked in so it’s not urgent. Do any of you weigh the van empty to check the MIRO or do you trust the plating? As I said, mine is higher than the published, but having a couple of extras fitted may mean I should weigh it empty to check.
Obviously no big trips are booked in so it’s not urgent. Do any of you weigh the van empty to check the MIRO or do you trust the plating? As I said, mine is higher than the published, but having a couple of extras fitted may mean I should weigh it empty to check.
Ste6t9 said:
When I bought my caravan the dealer fitted the mover and installed battery. They had a nearby weighbridge and weighed it there for me which was useful in determining my starting point for payload calculations. Really the only weight that matters is MTPLM. But if there are weighbridges local to you weighing empty will help you to determine MIRO but is yours like mine with battery and mover fitted? Don’t forget to check noseweight with the van empty before you go, as mine is well over the cars allowance when the van is empty and just its mover and battery. It’s a nose heavy caravan.
Definitely think I’m going to do this, also, sorry to the original poster for hijacking this thread little bit.
Before the weather gets too bad I’m going to empty the van back to the dealer condition, I think that may include the gas bottle in the MIRO. I leave the battery in as well and then measure the noseweight and take it to a weighbridge.
I’m also using a spreadsheet as advised to weigh everything I’m going to put in it.
Before the weather gets too bad I’m going to empty the van back to the dealer condition, I think that may include the gas bottle in the MIRO. I leave the battery in as well and then measure the noseweight and take it to a weighbridge.
I’m also using a spreadsheet as advised to weigh everything I’m going to put in it.
Ste6t9 said:
If you have any doubts as to what’s included in MIRO ask Swift they were very good in supplying me the info. From memory mine included 1 10kg bottle, electric cable, step, documents, no fluids in water tank or toilet system, plus water pipe/submersible pump as appropriate. Battery and mover definitely not included. Spare wheel was within caravan specification so was included.
Ste6t9 said:
Ste ,
Don't get too worried about this as you have a massive 6 berth caravan which there is only you your wife and two kids so you're not kitting it out for 6 plus if you take out the table like i did to that you get in your cupboard for eating and the spare bed stuff that you don't use you'll gain a few kilograms there , but I have not done a spreadsheet on everything that I have , I've weighed it once or twice together over a rolling axle weight bridge which measures each axle and combined came out at about 34oo kg , and that was the four of us in the car packed ready for a weekend away ! Plus I got the bike rack on the back but i'll not get into that conversation
Craig
As CO has said the only critical weight limits are the MTPLM .and the nose load.
I cant see the need to empty the caravan completely, You will always have your battery, and motor mover (if fitted)
so why remove those? surely all you want to know is how much capacity you have for your variable luggage.
MIRO is not a very precise figure, so why bother trying to prove it?
I cant see the need to empty the caravan completely, You will always have your battery, and motor mover (if fitted)
so why remove those? surely all you want to know is how much capacity you have for your variable luggage.
MIRO is not a very precise figure, so why bother trying to prove it?
ProfJohnL said:
He’s not trying to prove anything in terms of MIRO. Having now established the criteria for the MIRO, he is going to weigh the additional contents of his van, including both the battery and mover, neither of which are accounted for as part of the MIRO, to make sure he doesn’t exceed the “critical” MTPLM.
Ste6t9, rather than empty your caravan, why not just take it with what you have in it to the weigh bridge, then you will know how much weight you have left to add extra stuff into the van, be prepared not to fill the under bed space too much, it can cause really bad balance problems.
Hutch.
Hutch.
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