Weight Questions

[anewbiewannabe]

This might not be right place to ask these questions, but they are van specific questions. If they belong somewhere else, then if a mod wants to move this that's great.

Curiosity questions that don't have to have exact answers:
In your van home:
1. How much weight do you think your build---storage/bed build-ins, flooring, insulation, solar type stuff---is approximately?
2. How much weight do you think you added in total with build and all the gear, supplies, water, etc. you carry fully loaded approximately? Don't include yourself in the weight.

Thanks!

 

[Almost There]

I don't know yet but it's one thing I'm actually interested in.

I'll be keeping track of what I put in and will throw all the parts on the scale and an excel spreadsheet as I put them in.

 

[anewbiewannabe]

I've just been gathering ballpark weights for the big stuff other than the build so far. Don't know that I'll track down actual weights other than to maybe go to the weigh station nearby for before, after build, and then fully loaded to see what the figures are. I don't think what I want to do will come close to hitting maximum weight, well, err, depends on what tools I carry and what batteries/solar.

Almost There, sounds like you'll really have a clear idea so if you need to adjust you'll know what areas to look in.

 

[Gregg]

Weigh the van before you start the build. Any truck stop will have a scale. Weigh it when your done or periodically during the build to get an idea where the max weight is going.

Gregg

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Weigh the van before you start the build.  Any truck stop will have a scale.  Weigh it when your done or periodically during the build to get an idea where the max weight is going.

Gregg

+1

However, don't just get the total weight.  Tell them you need separate weights for the front and back wheels also.  It can be very usefull to know how much weight each wheel is carrying, etc.

Regards
John

 

[Almost There]

I need to find a private scale to do this.

All the highway Dept. of Transport ones are posted 'Commercial vehicles only' and all kinds of warning signs that tell you to keep out unless you're supposed to be in there!

Anybody know where to look for private scales?

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I need to find a private scale to do this.

All the highway Dept. of Transport ones are posted 'Commercial vehicles only' and all kinds of warning signs that tell you to keep out unless you're supposed to be in there!

Anybody know where to look for private scales?

I know theres a moving and storage company near me that has one of those scales.  I don't know if they all do, but don't those guys charge by weight as well as mileage?

Another off-the-wall idea, try checking with your county's burea of weights and measures.  Commercial scales that charge the public usually have to be tested and certified every so often.  The government agency responsible for doing that would know where all those scales are.

Regards

 

[SoulRaven]

If you live anywhere near a truck stop most have scales. Most will be certified by Weights and Measures. Put your front axle on one part of the scale and rear wheels on the platform behind you. Scales will give you a seperate weight for each and a total weight. Costs about $10.00. CAT scales are my favorite, very accurate.

And yes, most moving companies have scales at least the larger ones will. .

 

[Almost There]

Thanks. I'll start checking out various places near here.

You've given me a couple of places to go looking!! 

 

[GotSmart]

Construction weight. Batteries 300 roughly, other materials 200 lbs Total 500 lbs.

Tools 15 boxes / bags / buckets About 1,000 lbs

Food water and clothing, books and flotsam about 400 lbs.

Total more than my van can carry which is why I need to get a better platform. 1 ton at least.

 

[Almost There]

Construction weight.  Batteries 300 roughly, other materials 200 lbs  Total 500 lbs.

Tools 15 boxes / bags / buckets About 1,000 lbs

Food water and clothing, books and flotsam about 400 lbs.  

Total more than my van can carry which is why I need to get a better platform.  1 ton at least.

Be very careful with this. I'm running into a problem with my 3/4 ton. It's registered as 'personal use' as opposed to commercial use but a lot of insurance companies consider it to be a commercial vehicle for insurance purposes and won't give me regular insurance on it. They simply don't care what it's used for, they're going to charge me commercial rates anyways. Only one asked me for the weight off the title to determine what class they could put it in...fortunately the GMC 2500 falls just below their standards for 'we don't care, it's a commercial vehicle to us'.

You might want to check with your insurance broker BEFORE you buy to make sure that you're not going to run afoul of some stupid rule!

Oh, and don't mention that you're customizing it!

 

[GotSmart]

USAA is fine with whatever I want to do with it. Perhaps it is my $300K - 500K policy on a 24 year old van. (About $50 a month) I told them exactly what I ws doing with it, and was told to document with pictures in case of a loss.

Ask what a conversion van would run.

 

[Almost There]

USAA is fine with whatever I want to do with it.  Perhaps it is my $300K - 500K policy on a 24 year old van. (About $50 a month)  I told them exactly what I ws doing with it, and was told to document with pictures in case of a loss.

Nice!! I want to move back to the US (not possible..sigh) after what I'm going through with my insurance company. I may have to either scrap all my plans for the interior and put in a cot, a cooler and a porta pottie and some tubs or figure out how to have it total removable in a couple of hours time so that if they want to inspect it to make sure I've done nothing to it, I can wipe it clean of any interior and then put it back.

I'm having nightmares trying to deal with them!

 

[MikeRuth]

so far on my E-150 I have only added about 350, rack and panels insulation and sheeting, fold out bed and two T-105's. I figure I might add another 500 lbs before being complete.  

and I just found something out very interesting on the Ford E-150 up to 2006 there payload was about 2000lbs. using the 5 lug axels
and the 2007 and up with the 8 lug axels is about 3500lbs. I always said mine seemed different in the 8 lug wheels and disc brakes front and back, oil cooler etc.

Frankly at 350 lbs I haven't even noticed a change in the way the van handles or MPG.

Mike R

 

[LeeRevell]

"Flotsam" is wreckage at sea. "Jetsam" is stuff tossed overboard. "Stuff" carried in a van I woult term "Bric-a-brac".

 

[GotSmart]

You have not seen the inside of my van!

 

[johnd]

Go to the dump. They weigh your truck on the way in and on the way out to determine how much to charge

 

[highdesertranger]

johnd that's what I was going to say, plus scrap yards. highdesertranger

 

[Almost There]

johnd that's what I was going to say,  plus scrap yards.  highdesertranger

Our local dump doesn't have scales because it's a county dump, no commercial dumping allowed.

But I know a scrap yard that will have one and they're an old client of mine..thanks!!