When you're travelling around in your motorhome, you want to drive without worries or cares. But, do you know how much you can carry in your motorhome?
Motorhome payloads are important details.
Motorhomes are designed to carry a maximum total weight. You’ll be surprised to learn that you have to consider the weight of any fixtures, fittings and furnishings. Everything counts, from your cupboards and your bed to each pot, pan, knife, fork and spoon. And, of course, the weight of the motorhome itself.
If you have a C1 category on your driving licence, which most people aged up to 70 years old who passed their driving test before 1997 do have, you are entitled to drive a motorhome to a maximum weight of 7,500kg.
Those drivers with just B and B1 categories on your licence are entitled to drive a motorhome to a maximum weight of 3,500kg. To drive a heavier motorhome, you’ll need an additional test.
To check the weight, you'll first need to look for your motorhome's VIN plate. In most cases, this will be fixed somewhere under the bonnet. If it's not there, open the doors and check all around the door frames. In some cases, this plate might instead be tucked away in a glove box.
The VIN plate has a list of weights, so your next step is to crack the code. The first weight is the Maximum Authorised Mass, which is the total weight of your motorhome itself and anything you're carrying inside it.
The second weight is higher, and this is the total of a motorhome and trailer combined. The Maximum Train Weight is one to keep in mind for those times when you have too much luggage. Bear in mind that the Maximum Authorised Mass still applies alongside this - you can't tow a very light trailer and go over the MAM limit.
Your front and rear axles may have different weight limits. These will be the 3rd and 4th listed weights respectively.
Remember to check your motorhome when it's fully loaded, with all of your belongings and equipment.
Check the weight at your nearest weighbridge. You can find a weighbridge online. Remember that even your passengers will impact the motorhome's weight.
If you've got too much weight above one axle, you may be able to move things around. If the total weight is under the limit, shifting some belongings from the front to the back could keep you under each axle's limit.
