watch your weight

[robcaz]

Hi all,

I am a little concerned at the practice by some imported camper trailer resellers that are weighing the trailer only & stamping this weight on the VIN plate before the canvas or other accessories are added.



The example above shows the campers TARE or unloaded weight as 450kg, when in fact the combined weight of the trailer & camper top is actually 720kg. This only allows you a 30kg payload before you require brakes by law, however the camper trailer owner thinks they have a huge weight limit of 300kg to load their camper up with gear.

It is not just a simple matter of throwing on a set of brakes. The camper has been manufactured to a specific ATM ie 750kg, so the chassis rails & components, such as wheel bearings, suspension & axle are all rated to match. By putting a 2000kg axle on with compatible bearings could place undue strain on other components, finding a failure of course in the most out of the way place.

I was talking to a member yesterday who has just bought a new imported camper trailer. He had taken it to a weighbridge partly loaded & found it to weigh 1600kg with a ball weight of 200kg.

He was a little stunned as the manufacturers specs said the Tare (the weight as delivered by the manufacturer with no payload or accessories) was 800kg with a GTM (Gross Trailer Mass, the total permissible weight recommended by the manufacturer when fully loaded) at 1500kg. Going by the manufactures specs buyers would assume they had a whopping 700kg payload.

At the above weighbridge weight the ball weight falls within the 10% to 15% of the trailers weight rule of thumb which is 160kg to 240kg.

Also please keep in mind your vehicle's towing capacities when looking at buying a camper trailer, particularly with the lighter weight SUV's. You will find an article on the campertrailers.org tech tips page outlining the law to towing weights & limits http://www.campertrailers.org/balancing_act.htm

Don't take the word of the manufacturer if you suspect the camper to be heavier than it is, ask for the camper to be run over a public weighbridge before purchase so you can check the weight & the suitability to your vehicles towing limits.

[andrewdale]

Hi all,

I am a little concerned at the practice by some imported camper trailer resellers that are weighing the trailer only & stamping this weight on the VIN plate before the canvas or other accessories are added.



The example above shows the campers TARE or unloaded weight as 450kg, when in fact the combined weight of the trailer & camper top is actually 720kg. This only allows you a 30kg payload before you require brakes by law, however the camper trailer owner thinks they have a huge weight limit of 300kg to load their camper up with gear.

It is not just a simple matter of throwing on a set of brakes. The camper has been manufactured to a specific ATM ie 750kg, so the chassis rails & components, such as wheel bearings, suspension & axle are all rated to match. By putting a 2000kg axle on with compatible bearings could place undue strain on other components, finding a failure of course in the most out of the way place.

I was talking to a member yesterday who has just bought a new imported camper trailer. He had taken it to a weighbridge partly loaded & found it to weigh 1600kg with a ball weight of 200kg.

He was a little stunned as the manufacturers specs said the Tare (the weight as delivered by the manufacturer with no payload or accessories) was 800kg with a GTM (Gross Trailer Mass, the total permissible weight recommended by the manufacturer when fully loaded) at 1500kg. Going by the manufactures specs buyers would assume they had a whopping 700kg payload.

At the above weighbridge weight the ball weight falls within the 10% to 15% of the trailers weight rule of thumb which is 160kg to 240kg.

Also please keep in mind your vehicle's towing capacities when looking at buying a camper trailer, particularly with the lighter weight SUV's. You will find an article on the campertrailers.org tech tips page outlining the law to towing weights & limits http://www.campertrailers.org/balancing_act.htm

Don't take the word of the manufacturer if you suspect the camper to be heavier than it is, ask for the camper to be run over a public weighbridge before purchase so you can check the weight & the suitability to your vehicles towing limits.

Hi Rob,
On loading up the Chinese camper the other day, I found, with only an empty 50 litre fridge and a few kitchen items, that the towball weight was 198 kgs, with all the available 14 0z canvas as provided, and sitting this on top of the massive A frame storage cupboards, it increased the ball weight to 220 kgs and this with a depleted water tank.
Filled the water tank 98-100 litres and also the backup 20 litres at the rear and sat the canvas on the hard bed/ camper top as far to the rear as possible, merely as a test and got the 198 kgs back. carrying gear up there and not over the cupboard space not a good look. I feel tempted to mount the bike carrier and bike on my rear recovery point, and see where that goes. Yes I do have a bike and look after it by not using it too much, but that's another story. Can you buy helium these days? A few balloons at the front of the A frame may be helpful.
The pole box has sufficient, but heavy poles to set up all the canvas, something I will never need as a single camper, unless ten lovely, but quite mad women are looking for a place to stay. Fat chance!
I can see now, that buying this goliath at my age was not the wisest move, but based entirely on the great price. I can see difficulty all the way, the canvas only erected once at a friends place with younger help, and a fly over the top the easiest option for rain and shade. The Cub Kamparoo 1981 still sits forlornly in the carport, looking all dejected. Perhaps I should give it another chance, even though the mattress is past its use by date and a new zipper for the annexe/ tent connection overdue.
I've digressed, back to shuffling weight again. See you next week, if the scalies let me pass.
Cheers Andy.

[WomblingFree]

Not just a problem with imported units, the Ozzie made stuff can be just as bad.
Our $30K QLD made camper (not a Chinese kit) supposedly weighs around 850Kg empty. Its 100s of kilos more than that with an empty ball weight of some 20-25%.
Unless the manufacturer can show test results for the physical unit you are looking at, I wouldn't believe any of them.

[Coxy68]

I agree Wombling! I know for a fact that some Aussie manufacturers register the trailers before the canvas & extras are added in an effort to save rego costs etc. Not a good practice.

[dlncooke]

Gee this sounds bad, I can see somebody having a major accident and someone getting sued over illegal weights and compliances.
I'm about to get mine weighted and test the ball weight to be sure/safe.

Is that a Chinese Kilo or an Australian Kilo !!!

Just checked mine, very strange it is marked in the correct weights. mine is a "Nomad" camper trailer.

Cheers
Dave

[Ern_Reeders]

My brother got stung with this. It was a locally made unit, Aussie trailer but Chinese canvas. The tug was a Forester and the extra weight wasn't welcome though there was still plenty of leeway for loading.

I would make a satisfactory weighbridge statement a condition of the contract of sale.