the following information is based on a standard volkswagon t5 however the van will be adapted for a wheelchair passenger, 2 rear passenger seats and will have extra wieght of an hydraulic taillift for a wheelchair
which figure is the kerbweight and with the addittions will kerbweight increase or decrease?
I would think it would be similar to the unladen weight. Additions will increase that, but the gross weight would probably have to stay the same, so you will be eating into your payload.
Kerbweight is the unladen weight. Whatever you load, whether it be fixed or temporary, is part of the payload. Unladen weight plus payload = Gross Vehicle Weight which must not be exceeded.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
right i unstand what you are saying,and i am just trying to make sure i understand it all
however it states towing limit is 2200 kg if using 85% rule from kerbweight which would be 1538 kg maximum weight of caravan, would the remaining allowance of towing limit be able to be added to gross vehicle weight as long as total weight of both units didnt exceed the total train weight which is 4800 kg?
would the remaining allowance of towing limit be able to be added to gross vehicle weight as long as total weight of both units didn't exceed the total train weight which is 4800 kg?
Imo No , you must not exceed the stated gross vehicle weight and you can't borrow unused weight allowance from else where . It may be an idea to have the vehicle weighed at a weigh bridge once it has been modified , then imo that will give you the new kerb weight with which you can do your calculations , you will still have to make sure you don't exceed the gross vehicle weight of 2600kg and don't exceed the maximum train weight of 4800kg .
The 85% rule is not a rule it's a recommendation , it would be an idea to stay close to it if you are not an experienced tower , an experienced tower could tow up to 100% of the kerb weight but would still have to make sure they don't exceed the maximum train weight .
kerb weight is normaly the veh with full tank and a driver, unladed is normaly veh empty and tank dry ,as has been stated the ideal thing would be to take to a local weigh bridge once you have it fully modified and get it weighed
The kerb weight is slang, it just means the weight of a vehicle fueled, loaded & ready to go--ie the weight as it stands by the kerb--The weight of your extra fitments are of course added to your unladen weight but the max weight of the vehicle including passengers & luggage + your extra equipment must not exceed the gross weight. as this is a commercial vehicle your max towing weight is high so you can legally tow almost any caravan as long as it aint more than 2.3mtres wide.
Quote: Originally posted by prematurity on 03/1/2008
right i unstand what you are saying,and i am just trying to make sure i understand it all
however it states towing limit is 2200 kg if using 85% rule from kerbweight which would be 1538 kg maximum weight of caravan, would the remaining allowance of towing limit be able to be added to gross vehicle weight as long as total weight of both units didnt exceed the total train weight which is 4800 kg?
or have i got it totally wrong?
You have an unladen weight of 1798kg, nothing you can do will change that, you have a gross payload of 802kg making the maximum weight the vehicle can be without caravan hitched is 2600kg, you must not exceed this no matter what. If your licence will allow it (pre 1997 ) then you can add to this fully laden vehicle another 2200kg as a trailer and be perfectly legal in all circumstances. However whether it would be wise is something else. The 85% is a recommendation only and carries no weight in law so do not apply this figure to rigidly 50kg over is unlikely to make very much difference. If your licence is dated after 1st jan 1997 then your caravan has a limit of 1702kg for it's maximum technical permitted laden mass ( note this is not the actual mass but the manufacturers palted maximum )as this is the weight that would take the train weight up to 3500kg which is the maximum train weight your licence would allow. Mind you if you did this then you could not drive it as you are not included in the unladen mass ( UK definition which is the one that counts )
It's a minefield of restrictions, but unless you plan on towing an extremely large caravan or having an immense load in you vehicle you should have no problems
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Sorry Bill but you are incorrect regarding the post 1997 licence restrictions - the maximum of 3,500 Kgs is based on Gross weights, not kerbweights - the original poster states that the vehicle has a Gross vehicle weight (kg) of 2,600 - thus the maximum MTPLM/MAW of the caravan must be 900 Kgs or less if the driver passed their driving test after 1.1.97 and has not taken the additional B + E test.
------------- Caz
If you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, just keep going till you go round the bend.
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Topic: which one is my kerbweight?
