Well, we are ow caravan owners as of yesterday! I am Mum to a Sterling Eccles Sport 564!!!!
It is our first ever van and we are still a little unsure about unladen weights.
The van has an unladen weight of 1290kg and a laden weight of 1443kg, so I understand that we can put 153kg personal bits in, which would include motor mover etc.
The caravan came standard with a microwave, aerial, table, toilet etc. i would assume that anything the caravan came standard with is included in the unladen? It also has a spare wheel. I don't know if this was an optional extra, which I would assume would then come outof our payload?
The details state that one gas bottle is included in the unladen but I am not sure about tools like the one to operate the steadies. Surely that would have been included with the van?
I would appreciate any advice here. I was going to take the van to my local weighbridge but then heard that they have a 1% margin for error, which on our van would not make it worthwhile taking it as we would still be none the wiser.
Many thanks
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
To put things in perspective, your 153kg is 3 hundredweight bags of coal so you would have to go some to exceed that with normal gear. As for whats included in unladen weight, it depends how old your caravan is, but if its new, spare wheel & mover are part of payload & gas bottle & a few other bits & pieces are included in unladen weight.
Weighbridges are calibrated by weights&measures & are accurate. Load up caravan with your normal gear & weigh it.
Hi you are correct the unladen weight is for your van with all fixtures and fittings excluding your own personal bits and pieces so yes you have about 153kg to play with but that would bring your van up to its max landing weight limit. Where possible try and carry the heavy stuff in the tow car and keep the van weight down. I tow with a range rover that has a 3 ton tow limit pulling a 1750kg max weigh van but still try and load up the car as much as possible.
The other key point is where you put the loads in your van keep everything heavy on the floor across where the wheels are, medium weight stuff can be low to mid height and the light stuff can go in your over head lockers. If you can get a nose weight gauge and play about with loading up so you get the right amount of weight on the hitch you will be surprised how little you have to move something back or forward to make the difference.
yep agree with the two posts above ,your worrying far to much ,it would be hard to exceed a 153kg payload with normal stuff ,take sufficient clothes but not to much ,do your shopping when you get to destination ,put heavy items in the car ,that mondeo will swallow a awning and poles easily .ensure the van is loaded properly so it tows easily i.e heavy items over the axle and slightly nose heavy ,make sure you inflate your tyres to the CORRECT PRESSURE (good article on tyre pressures on the repairs section) taking into account tyre type and caravan max load .ensure you have two towing mirrors fitted to your car <now a legal requirement > and then get out and use it
We also picked our new caravan up yesterday, and today we took it back to the dealer for it to be fixed as there are things not right with it. So far the dealer has been good this will be a good test of their service. Will be off to a weighbridge when we get it back to make sure we are not overweight. Motor mover would not have been standard so take off 40 kgs for that. Enjoy your new purchase it was one of the best things we done!
------------- Easter - Burford
May - WoodFarm Dorset
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Plus many more weekends at every possible chance!
Quote: I was going to take the van to my local weighbridge but then heard that they have a 1% margin for error, which on our van would not make it worthwhile taking it as we would still be none the wiser.
Err... 1% of 1290kg = 12.9kg
Spending £5 at your local weighbridge is well worth it IMHO. Mine told me that they would be accurate within 20kg, but I have now weighed my caravan at 3 different places, and each came up with the precisely same result.
Manufactures seem to vary regarding what they include within the unladen weight. Some will include the leisure battery, a gas bottle, a hook-up lead and some water. Freedom caravans don't include any of these, and even deem the fridge, bathroom equipment, heating and hot water systems to be 'accessories' that eat into your payload.
you'll be amazed at just how fast the weight creeps up, I was told by coachman that my vans empty weight excluded gas bottle and battery & spare wheel, these weights are acurate and if you notice we don't even have any clothes in yet the section that says quilt in x4 & pillow and sheets
I disagree that 153kg is hard to reach with normal stuff. We've just changed vans and have a much reduced payload so I'm weighing everything that goes in. Our spare wheel is 23kg so that's come off along with the holder.
29kg on motor mover, 23 kg on battery, 21 on gas bottles, 11 on aquaroll and wasteaster and 4.6 for hook up cable. Nearly 90kg and thats before we've put any living equipment in it.
I am going to the caravan tomorrow and I am going to start a weighing everything in sight mission!
I don't feel it is much to play around with at all. I have found the details for the motor mover and it says it weighs "approx 34kg"!
I will go to a weighbridge soon. I don't know what I was thinking about the 1% being alot higher! I am ashamed to say that I passed many of my accounting exams but must have had oneof my terribly dizzy moments! How embarrassing!!
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
I think the spare wheel is standard on that model.
Suggest you join up on Swift Talk forum and ask Swift directly what your weights include.
What model year is it?
Basically, the MRO includes everything delivered as part of the van, so includes winding handle. Also EHU cable and step.
This statement is for a 2013 model....
2 Allowances for essential equipment (e.g. gas cylinders) previously allowed for in the user payload are now contained within the MRO. A provision for a leisure battery which used to be within the essential equipment payload has now been included within the personal effects payload allowance. Although the method of calculation has changed, the overall effect is that the amount of payload available to the customer has remained the same, it is just calculated in a different manner.
As far as packing goes, we find the best plan is to pack the van as you will use it, so clothes, bedding, cooking stuff, food etc all in the appropriate places.
Anything heavyish in lower cupboards or under beds, lightweight stuff in upper lockers.
Awning and outside furniture/stuff in the car. We carry the Aquaroll in the car, the Wastemaster in the front locker.
153 kg is not a huge payload. If you plan to fit a mover, you will need to pack carefully.
Thank you Jennifernn. It is a 2012 model. I didn't know about Swift Talk, I will look into that, thank you.
Just ne more quick question which goes slightly off subject. The van had it's first service last Friday. The damp report shows most areas as 9 but there is one area showing at 18!!!! It is the front window. This has caused alarm with me as I can't believe such a young van should have any damp already??
Is it because it has been closed up most of winter? I feel a bit disappointed by this.
Thanks
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
18 is nothing much to worry about, but keep an eye on it. Where exactly did it give that reading?
I trust you have had the manufacturer's warranty transferred to you? This is very particular on servicing dates, so read the conditions carefully. The 6 year water ingress warranty is worth preserving.
It was at the bottom of the window at the front of the van by the hitch. The rest of the window scored 9.
We certainy will check the warranty. The chap who sold it to is advised us that it had a ten year warranty but we looked into it and found out that ony the first owner would have ten years, any subsequent owners would get six.
We will check this out and I think I may get the damp tested again possibly in a couple of months, unless you thnk it may be worth retesting sooner?
When we use the caravan, we will make sure we air it regularly and cook with the windows etc open. We will still use the showering facilities on site so hopefully keep any damp down there.
------------- Center Parcs April 2015
Chestnut Meadows Bexhill August 2015
Once in lifetime trip to Florida Oct 2015!!!
Under the 'new' way of calculating payload then 153 is not bad and I wouldn't worry too much
If I deduct the stuff that would be included from my spreadsheet I'm on about 80kg without clothes and awning.
We don't take anything like as much as other vans I see on site though which makes me think that there are a lot of overloaded vans on the road. It amazes me that we pare everything right down to the minimum, decanting toilet chemicals for example, and it still weighs 80kg.
I could cut down a bit by using manual toothbrushes not the electric ones, or not taking a separate container to mix flush chemicals but part of the reason we got the van was so we could have an easy time. If I wanted to rough it I'd go back to a tent.
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Topic: What is included in my unladen please?
the section that says quilt in x4 & pillow and sheets
I am ashamed to say that I passed many of my accounting exams but must have had oneof my terribly dizzy moments! How embarrassing!! 
