With lockdown restrictions now being lifted and the UK on track to open up fully by June 21st, in line with the government’s covid-19 roadmap, no doubt you’re all currently planning your holidays for this year, ready to make up for lost time over the last 12 months or so.
The caravanning enthusiasts among you would perhaps be wise to give your caravans and motorhomes a thorough safety check to make sure they’re still in good working order before you set off on your next big trip.
And a big part of ensuring your safety on the road is making sure that your caravan weight doesn’t exceed its legal limit. If you already know how much your caravan weighs without anything in it, then great, but if you don’t, you’ll need to have it weighed at a weighbridge.
You also need to know what the maximum technically permissible laden mass (MTPLM) of the caravan is – which is the maximum it can weigh in order to remain legal, including all your accessories, food, drink and belongings.
Once you have this information, you can then work out the actual laden weight (ALW) of your van, including all personal belongings and add-on kit, everything from awnings, shoes, clothes and chairs to satellite dishes and air-con units. You must make sure that the ALW doesn’t exceed the MTPLM and you’ll need to remove something if it does.
Another point of consideration is your tow car. You should weigh the tow car (and all regular occupants) and the caravan, including contents, to confirm the combined weight. The idea here is to make sure that the gross train weight limit has not been exceeded. You should be able to find this in your handbook.
Do you need a caravan towing service at the moment? Get in touch with Tourer Tow today.