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Newly converted Custom to Campervan

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Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby DIGGER73 » Sun Oct 22, 2017 9:34 am

Hello everybody, does anyone know what tyre pressures to recommend for my SWB Transit Custom Campervan conversion now that it's been professionally converted?
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby hectors-tranny » Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:55 am

Always worth weighbridging it, then you can look in the manual and adjust the tyres according to load. Plus you'll then know how close you are to your GVM after the conversion.

Hope you get the solvent smell sorted btw - it's bound to go eventually on its own I guess.

HT.
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby DIGGER73 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 11:29 am

Thank you for the reply. Never thought of that option at all! What is gvm?
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby hectors-tranny » Mon Oct 23, 2017 3:03 pm

GVM = Gross Vehicle Mass. This is the maximum permissible legal weight of the vehicle plus EVERYTHING in it - including passengers and fuel etc. If your total weight is ever over the GVM of your vehicle, you're not legal (or safe, probably!)

Your vehicle GVM is therefore an assigned LIMIT, and it should be printed in your manual or on a plate somewhere on the vehicle itself.

Your load carrying capacity is therefore the GVM MINUS the weight of your empty camper after its conversion (kerb mass). A camper conversion adds a surprising amount of weight, so its always a good idea to know what it all weights after conversion, so you can work out how much stuff (people and luggage) you can legally carry.
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby DIGGER73 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 5:09 pm

Ah I see, thank you for that information. I'm in at a weighbridge on Friday to find out the van weight.
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby DIGGER73 » Fri Nov 03, 2017 3:39 pm

Weighbridge came in at 2.28t empty.
Manual and plate gives the following:
2900kg gross vehicle weight.
4600kg gross train weight.
1550kg maximum front axle weight.
1575kg maximum rear axle weight.

Now i'm confused:
What's the maximum I can carry - including passengers now?
How do I know what tyres to buy to ensure i'm weight legal?
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby ned » Fri Nov 03, 2017 4:36 pm

That's 2280kg empty so deduct that from 2900kg so your payload is 620kg. N
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby Beaker » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:18 pm

as Ned says, you can carry 2900kg maximum, which includes EVERYTHING you take with you. So with a full tank of fuel, full water containers, food, clothes, bedding, cooking equipment, full gas bottle etc. etc. AND INCLUDING the weight of yourself and passengers, it must be under 2900kg.

You have 620kg maximum payload available - including passengers, so if you have three people in at 10 stone each, that's just about one third of your weight allowance gone. Even after that, 400 or so kilos is quite a bit to be honest.

Go over this weight and you can and will get fined and points on your licence - particularly on the continent where getting pulled over to be weighed is much more common than here in the UK.

I strongly suggest you pack everything you concievably need for a holiday in the van, fill the fuel tank to the brim, load up your passengers and go and weigh it again just to be on the safe side. If you are under weight then no problem. If you are over weight you will at least know how much by, and can then work out what you are going to have to leave at home.

This is a very common issue with pro conversion campers as the furniture and fixtures they use tend to weigh a lot, resulting in you being very close to your weight limit, even when "empty".

The gross train weight refers to the all up weight of the van and a trailer or caravan, so you can ignore that one.



With regard to tyres, I think the specified tyres for a Custom are 104 load rating, and you ought to stick to that. In theory, you don't need C (commercial) rated tyres if it is now a campervan, but again I would be looking to find C rated tyres for their extra strength as you are going to be close to your weight limit when fully loaded.
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Re: Newly converted Custom to Campervan

Postby DIGGER73 » Fri Nov 03, 2017 6:57 pm

Thank you for all the replies.
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