Important information regarding caravan weights

Owning a caravan gives you the fantastic opportunity to take the road any time. When choosing your caravan, besides considering the right layout and an appealing design, you should also consider the factors that influence how you can use your caravan, among which weight plays an essential role. In particular, you should therefore ensure that your caravan has sufficient pay mass to allow you to take optional equipment, accessories and extras according to your individual needs and to enjoy your journey safely.

Hereafter we give you some important information to help you understand

-     why caravan weight matters,

-     how to factor weight into your caravan purchase decision and

-     how you can enjoy your caravan while keeping its weight under the legal limits when towing.

Please bear in mind: The technical data relating to the type approval of the caravan corresponding to the commercial models is provided for guidance only, as this data will vary depending on the variant and version of the model you choose, as well as the optional equipment or additional equipment you wish to fit to your caravan.

Our network of authorised dealers and importers has the required expertise to advise you on your choices based on how you intend to use your caravan. If in doubt, they are in direct contact with the manufacturer’s technical departments.

Important: The actual available pay-mass of your caravan will depend directly on the intended use and the weight of the planned load. For your safety, this weight must be distributed in accordance with your caravan’s layout and must never exceed the technically permissible maximum laden mass for which the type approval was granted (further detailed information is provided below).

UNDERSTANDING WEIGHT AND TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY REGARDING CARAVANS

1. The technically permissible maximum laden mass (M)

It is the maximum authorised laden weight of the caravan specified by the manufacturer. You will find this information in the technical data (e.g. 1 300 kg, 1 700 kg, 2 000 kg …). This maximum authorised laden weight shall not be exceeded when towing on the road. Failure to do so may result in fines in many European countries, including Germany. As the driver, you are responsible to ensure compliance with the technically permissible maximum laden mass of the caravan. We therefore recommend that you check your caravan before departing and, in case of doubt, to weigh your caravan at a facility offering the necessary weighing equipment.

2. The mass in running order

The mass in running order is determined as follows:

-     the unladen weight of the caravan including the bodywork and the operating fluids such as lubricants;

-     the standard equipment: all equipment items included as standard in the factory-installed scope of layout of the caravan;

-     the fresh water tank in driving mode filled to 100% as specified by the manufacturer (namely 10l) and the water in the system (namely 10l) as well as toilet flushing tank (namely 8 l or 15 l);

-     an aluminium gas bottle weighing 17 kg;

Information regarding the mass in running order as set in the type approval procedure can be found in the technical data. It is important to note that this mass in running order may vary during the manufacturing process by -/+ 5%, i.e., by the maximum statutory tolerance in production. As these variations affect the remaining pay-mass of the individual caravan, the occurrence of legally permissible variations must be taken into account at the stage of configuring and selecting packages and optional extras.

We constantly check the manufacturing process in order to restrain any deviation in production which may derive from variations in weight of supplied parts or the effect of weather conditions (e.g., humidity level). Nevertheless, deviation in production cannot be totally eliminated. Therefore, the actual weight in running order of each manufactured caravan is checked at the end of the production line.

3. Optional equipment

For regulatory purposes, optional equipment refers to any optional feature not included in the standard factory-installed basic equipment of the caravan which, when ordered by the customer, is installed by the manufacturer (e.g., solar panel, awning, oven, satellite system…).

Information regarding the weight of such optional equipment offered for sale by the manufacturer is displayed in the technical data.

This optional equipment does not include any additional fittings (accessories) that are either offered for sale by your dealer or that you fit to the caravan yourself. Please note that the weight of these additional fittings reduces the remaining pay-mass. (see point 6. below).

4. Actual mass of the caravan

The actual mass of the caravan does not stand for the actual weighed mass of the caravan.

The actual mass of the caravan statutorily means the mass in running order plus the mass of the optional equipment ordered by the customer and fitted to the caravan under the responsibility of the manufacturer.

Please note that the actual mass of the caravan stated under entry 13.2 of the certificate of conformity (CoC) is a nominal value issued from the data of the type-approval record of the caravan.

The weighed actual mass of the caravan may vary according to the possible variation of the mass in running order during the manufacturing process (see point 2. above).

5. Pay-mass and minimum pay-mass

The pay-mass refers to the maximum load that a caravan can carry. It is calculated by subtracting

-     the mass in running order,

-     the mass of packages (optional equipment) and special equipment (other additional fittings)  – see point 3 above –

from the technically permissible maximum laden mass.

When defining the construction features of a caravan, the manufacturer must distribute the technically permissible maximum laden mass on the axles of the caravan. In this regard, for caravans, a statutory minimum pay-mass (PM) must be distributed and is determined as follows:

PM in kg ≥ 10 (n + L)

Where:

“n” is the maximum number of berths

and

“L” is the body length of the caravan in metres.

Example: For a caravan with body length of 7 m and with 4 berths, the minimum pay-mass amounts to 10kg* (4+7) = 110 kg.

Therefore, when selecting optional equipment, attention shall be paid in order to ensure that the combination of the mass in running order plus the mass of the optional equipment does:

-     neither exceed the technically permissible maximum laden mass (M),

-     nor fall below the minimum pay-mass (PM).

Example: For a caravan with body length 7 m and with 4 berths, a technically permissible maximum laden mass of 2 000 kg and a mass of the packages and special equipment of 100 kg:

(a) the minimum pay-mass amounts to 110 kg (10kg* (4+7)),

(b) the remaining pay-mass with no deviation in production of the mass in running order is:

2 000 kg

technically permissible maximum laden mass

- 1 680 kg

mass in running order

- 100 kg

mass of the packages and special equipment

= 220 kg

remaining pay-mass

(c) the remaining pay-mass with a deviation in production of the mass in running order of + 3 % is:

2 000 kg

technically permissible maximum laden mass

- 1 730,4 kg

mass in running order (with a production-related deviation of
+ 3 % in line with the statutory tolerance of -/+ 5 %)

- 100 kg

mass of the packages and special equipment

= 169,6

remaining pay-mass

7. Conclusion

Managing caravan weights is an exercise of trade-offs.

The combination of optional equipment that can be ordered by the customer for each variant model of caravan can be theoretically estimated as follows based on the nominal values of the type-approval record:

Example: For a caravan with body length of 7 m and with 4 berths and a technically permissible maximum laden mass of 2 000 kg:

  2 000 kg

technically permissible maximum laden mass

- 1 680 kg

mass in running order

- 110 kg

minimum pay-mass

= 210 kg

maximum permissible mass of the optional equipment

Finally, please note that when selecting optional equipment, you must bear in mind that the mass in running order may vary by -/+ 5 % during the manufacturing process. Such a variation has a corresponding, inverse effect on the pay-mass, and therefore may reduce the possible maximum permissible mass of the optional equipment.

The weight of a manufactured caravan can only be actually determined by weighing it at the end of the production line. In exceptional cases, such weighing may reveal that due to the variation in production of the mass in running order within the legally permissible variation of -/+ 5%, the actual pay-mass is less than the minimum pay-mass. In such a case, before the delivery of your caravan, the manufacturer will check with you and your distributor whether to upgrade the technically permissible maximum laden mass of your caravan (provided that the type-approval allows such a change and that you are entitled to tow such a heavy caravan), or to remove optional equipment.

Armed with all this information on caravan weight and pay-mass issues, you are ready to configurate your caravan with the necessary assistance of your dealer and safely set off on your next caravan journey.

Nota:    Weight specifications and tests for caravans are regulated by EU Implementing Regulation No. 2021/535 since June 2022 and, before that, by EU Implementing Regulation No. 1230/2012.