Weight and loading capacity

[Mike Maguire]

Btw ... No one has mentioned the extra weight of 4motion Drive! At least for my old girl, an 08 174 dsg the handbook advises no 5th Seat if 4motion due to weight issues. And yes, the 5th seat is HEAVY!

 

[Sp0_0k]

Weighed our beach on a last Norwegian trip. 3100kg
Need to cut some weight. And I've thrown away heavy awning and don't take bike rack.
I am seriously considering throwing away 2 seater bench and building my own one, lighter and more flexible one. Any idea how much it weighs?

 

[Sp0_0k]

If anybody curious just got info that 2 seater bench weighs 86kg.
We definitely plan to throw it away as 2 people in a van.

 

[Stoneybroke]

Hopefully not throw it away completely?

 

[Sp0_0k]

Have to pass the technical inspection each 2 years. No idea why but they go apesh.t. if seats are missing
So will be some heavy lifting from time to time.

 

[B J G]

Have to pass the technical inspection each 2 years. No idea why but they go apesh.t. if seats are missing
So will be some heavy lifting from time to time.

I'd assume that the vehicle must be to the same specification as it was on first registration. In UK you'd have to change the number of seats/passengers that can be carried with the DVLA who would issue a new registration document. Probably an expensive process with your Authorities.

 

[andyinluton]

I'd assume that the vehicle must be to the same specification as it was on first registrIn UK you'd have to change the number of seats/passengers that can be carried with the DVLA who would issue a new registration document. Probably an expensive process with your Authorities.

Thats not right in the UK . you just can't carry more passengers than there are seats listed on the V5 . Nothing at all to stop you taking seats out. especially on a vehicle that has sliding removable seats.

 

[B J G]

Thats not right in the UK . you just can't carry more passengers than there are seats listed on the V5 . Nothing at all to stop you taking seats out. especially on a vehicle that has sliding removable seats.

Never mentioned carrying more passengers than seats, obviously not legal or safe.

If seats removed they would have to be refitted for an MOT Test as the Tester would be required to test the number of seats listed on the V5 including the seatbelts. That is the same as in Belgium it would seem.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Our 7 seater was tested in December with the 2 seats removed. Passed MOT with no issues.

 

[Louis II]

My van has just been through it's 3rd MOT. Each one has been at a different garage. The V5 says 5 seats, it has only ever had 4 and it has never been raised as an issue.

I had assumed that once you had the 3rd rail it would be listed as 5 seats on the V5 even if you didn't have the seat.

 

[andyinluton]

Never mentioned carrying more passengers than seats, obviously not legal or safe.

If seats removed they would have to be refitted for an MOT Test as the Tester would be required to test the number of seats listed on the V5 including the seatbelts. That is the same as in Belgium it would seem.

Where are your you getting your info from?

MOT tests the seats as fitted. No requirement at all to have same number as V5 - there is nothing about the number of seats in the testing manual.
Not sure what new vans have on V5 but at one time all 2wheel drive Oceans used to be registered as 5 seats whether or not the additional seat had been supplied.



Not sure what new vans have on V5 but at one time all 2wheel drive Oceans used to be registered as 5 seats whether or not the additional seat had been supplied.

 

[MartinH]

I think all you need are driver and front passenger seats for an MOT. Many years ago when I at a pizza shop we used to take the passenger seats out of the delivery cars and put an insulated box in thier place.

The cars failed thier MOT without the seats, so we had to put them back in

 

[Sp0_0k]

Traffic control/police don't care if you removed them. But so-called MOT might cause you troubles here, as they have to check the functionality of all the seatbelts and they can't do that when some seats are missing.
Our tech controls went from totally corrupted when you didn't even have to drive there to insanely strict control with a photo of each inspected part that has to be uploaded to a special online server.

 

[AndyWT]

This post seems to have merged into an MOT discussion.

Coming back to the original.... How did the Ocean get so heavy?

I just weighed my 2000 T4 2.5 Tdi fully loaded for travel, 2,700 kg ish with the 2 teens in its a bit over GVW at 2,840.

The T5/6 has an alloy engine, light weight furniture alloy honey comb, alloy roof, light weight bed etc etc and it’s still heavier than my T4 empty it’s 200 kg more than the T4.

T4 has a 5cyl iron lump, heavy torsion bar front suspension, marine ply furniture, heavy composite roof.

In the van we have,
High-life jack & all the stuff for self recovery, chains strap, shackles etc
4-ton low bottle jack
Wood jacking blocks
Tools lots of
Spare parts lots of
½” battery impact wrench
2-speed battery drill
12 volt compressor
Bbq
Extra gaz 907
Small gas stove
Tarp & poles etc
F35 Pro awning
Folding table
35m hookup & several adapters
Bike rack
Level ramps
Window insulation
Extra diesel
Pot pans
60lt+ water
Food
Computer
Saw
Etc etc.

It’s completely full, although floor and bed are clear.
I would put a winch on the front if it wasn’t so difficult and if my sponsor the Dept of Works & Pensions was a bit more generous.

Some may seem this as excessive, we are on the road, dirt, gravel going somewhere when ever we can and will be back sometime... with an old van plan for the worst, hope for the best, and in the last 2 1/2 years of 36,000 km we have only broke down once when it threw the inj pump belt off dew to VW’s 2 year old crappy belt tensioner failing, bodged it with what we had and fixed at home 6,000 km later.

But still... why is the current VW camper so heavy

 

[TripleBee]

The T5 and up are wider, highter, longer. Double glazed windows at the back. Picknick talbe in sliding door, seats in tailgate, heavy seats, heavy aluminium roof...

Mine weighs over 2500 kg "empty".

 

[AndyWT]

The T5 and up are wider, highter, longer. Double glazed windows at the back. Picknick talbe in sliding door, seats in tailgate, heavy seats, heavy aluminium roof...

Mine weighs over 2500 kg "empty".

It may be wider & a bit longer, but it’s the same height and not much bigger inside, I also have double glazed windows and I forgot snow chains and the standard fit Eberspächer’s

Miss my T3 which is actually a lot longer inside, 400mm or so, could have bed out still use the kitchen and get out without falling over the Potti.

Never-mind more fun to come, heading to Spain soon, looking for rabbit holes to fall down in the mountains and desert

 

[Sp0_0k]

Seems I am about to have more fun then expected.
From what I discovered our MOT requires all the seats to be present on a check. And I have obviously 7 registered for my vehicle as a maximum possible in any configuration.
So according to their logic, I should buy a new 3 seat bench, extra 2 seats and throw away factory storage box, just to pass the MOT.
Fun times we live in.

 

[Loz]

If you think you are going to be close to the maximum weight it is vitally important that you consider the axle weight loading.
Because when you are pulled over they weigh the vehicle front axle and rear axle independently and quite often if you have a bike rack then you will be overloaded on the rear axle.
So when travelling it’s a good idea to take stuff off the rear parcel shelf and put it into the living space and if you can and certainly if you get stopped, slide the rear seat as far forward as you can to centralise its weight.
Quite often the traffic police or VOSA inspectors will look at how the vehicle is riding and as we know, the Cali has a tendency to drop a bit on the rear so it’s already attracting attention.

 

[reserves]

My head is hurting trying to figure this out.

2014 California 140bhp

Could I safely load 260kg + myself (80kg)?

Need to return 21 boxes of flooring but have no intention of damaging the Cali if not recommended / safe.

I wont be carrying anything else in the van.

 

[andyinluton]

My head is hurting trying to figure this out.

2014 California 140bhp

Could I safely load 260kg + myself (80kg)?

Need to return 21 boxes of flooring but have no intention of damaging the Cali if not recommended / safe.

I wont be carrying anything else in the van.

260kg is well within the load capacity

 

[reserves]

260kg is well within the load capacity

Thank you

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Our 7 seater was tested in December with the 2 seats removed. Passed MOT with no issues.

I have had three 7 seat Discoverys, always took the 6/7th seats out, never had any MOT issues, never gave it a thought either.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

My head is hurting trying to figure this out.

2014 California 140bhp

Could I safely load 260kg + myself (80kg)?

Need to return 21 boxes of flooring but have no intention of damaging the Cali if not recommended / safe.

I wont be carrying anything else in the van.

Yes, your flooring is actually less weight than carrying an additional 4 adult passengers. (4 x80 = 320kgs+ yourself = 400kgs), and you would allow that without even thinking about it.

 

[WelshGas]

My head is hurting trying to figure this out.

2014 California 140bhp

Could I safely load 260kg + myself (80kg)?

Need to return 21 boxes of flooring but have no intention of damaging the Cali if not recommended / safe.

I wont be carrying anything else in the van.

Perfectly safe but don’t put it all in the boot, better to load between the 2 axles.

 

[Sp0_0k]

Removing the bench is -90Kg and space to load