HELP T28 towing Thule Box too heavy?

[RachelB]

Hi everybody,
We are 4 months into our new 6.1 T28 and decided at the NEC last week to purchase the large 400litre Thule rear box that sits on towing plate to make like with kids easier inside the van.

The van is fully converted and now I’m fretting that when 2ad, 2children, water, and usual stuff we are going to be too heavy?

Am I missing how to find this out? We’ve looked through past threads but can’t find anything similar!

It hasn’t even arrived yet and already wondering if we need to send it back?

Thanks so much in advance

 

[ginkster]

Take a trip to your local weighbridge and see what your empty weight is. You can then workout how much spare capacity you have. Note you need to be within individual axle capacities too. A quick Google should help you find where there is a weighbridge, often the local dump, scrap dealer, haulage company etc.

Pics of my ‘empty’ weights below. That is fixed kit, basics I always have onboard, gas bottle, full fuel and adblue but no people, water or optional/variable kit such as clothes, awnings, kayaks etc. Don’t travel with full water, just top up when you get there or close by. Mine is a T28, 150bhp manual with full side kitchen conversion RnR bed, heater, pop top etc.



Edit - use the carrier for light bulky stuff such as bedding, clothes etc and stay within the towbar and rear axle limits.

 

[CAB]

You can also up-plate.

I understand the T28 can be up-plated to T30 with no changes to the van, but it may not change the back axle weight.

Not sure how helpful that is though!

 

[cgtmiles]

Ours was 2.3ton with full equipped kitchen bedding, chairs gas and lots of stuff we usually carry round. I up-plated when we were 4 of us (2 teenagers), 4 bikes on the rack, luggage for 4, a big awning, a small awning. With about 0.7ton to mess with I reckon we still could be over the new 3ton limit. Now though with 2 of us I think we will always run well under.

I googled the local council to find a weigh bridge and used svtech to up plate. Can go to 3.2 pretty easily too with most wheels/tyres and aftermarket suspension covered


Fully loaded and running a bit low at the back

 

[ginkster]

Up-plating is a good call and something I’m considering given it’s a paperwork exercise. I’ve also heard good things about Van Weight Engineering - seem a bit cheaper than SV Tech. Good reviews on Facebook.

 

[RachelB]

Thanks so much this is so helpful. Off to my local council (Barnsley) in the morning to see what we are empty so we have our starting weight.
Our kids are 8&10 so quite light and clothes etc small and light.

We have loads of ultralight tents from wild camping so as we weren’t planning on using driveway as a sleep option only storage we’ve bought the new Cinch Hub & Driveaway. It’s pop up style and extremely lightweight so that’s a bonus! I’ll leave that in for weigh-in.

Feeling slightly dampened but we will Sort it

 

[RachelB]

Take a trip to your local weighbridge and see what your empty weight is. You can then workout how much spare capacity you have. Note you need to be within individual axle capacities too. A quick Google should help you find where there is a weighbridge, often the local dump, scrap dealer, haulage company etc.

Pics of my ‘empty’ weights below. That is fixed kit, basics I always have onboard, gas bottle, full fuel and adblue but no people, water or optional/variable kit such as clothes, awnings, kayaks etc. Don’t travel with full water, just top up when you get there or close by. Mine is a T28, 150bhp manual with full side kitchen conversion RnR bed, heater, pop top etc.

View attachment 230342

Edit - use the carrier for light bulky stuff such as bedding, clothes etc and stay within the towbar and rear axle limits.

Thanks so much. Definitely a basic must going forward that I hadn’t thought of.

 

[RachelB]

Ps: the pic of my van on the grass only weeks into having it resulted in being towed out by VW assist, felt like a right fool. Lesson learned when he turned up in a T6 and said it was the worst van to pull out ….. too used to having Discovery.. epic fail. He was a conversion enthusiast thankfully.

 

[RachelB]

Ours was 2.3ton with full equipped kitchen bedding, chairs gas and lots of stuff we usually carry round. I up-plated when we were 4 of us (2 teenagers), 4 bikes on the rack, luggage for 4, a big awning, a small awning. With about 0.7ton to mess with I reckon we still could be over the new 3ton limit. Now though with 2 of us I think we will always run well under.

I googled the local council to find a weigh bridge and used svtech to up plate. Can go to 3.2 pretty easily too with most wheels/tyres and aftermarket suspension covered

View attachment 230381
Fully loaded and running a bit low at the back

I’ve just been to weigh in and we are 2.3, there’s only the gas, few plates etc and pop up tent in there at the minute so it’s going to be tight but hopefully ok.

 

[Ayjay]

@RachelB - You talk about a 400 litre capacity box but make no mention of its specified weight limit or that of the rack or towbar (which is what I assume you mean by 'towing plate') - they're the important things. In terms of weight 400 litres of water (ie. 400Kg) would be way too much but the same volume in clothes or other comparative light stuff would weigh significantly less. You also need to pay attention to weight distribution.

 

[MK2Golf24v]

@RachelB - You talk about a 400 litre capacity box but make no mention of its specified weight limit or that of the rack or towbar (which is what I assume you mean by 'towing plate') - they're the important things. In terms of weight 400 litres of water (ie. 400Kg) would be way too much but the same volume in clothes or other comparative light stuff would weigh significantly less. You also need to pay attention to weight distribution.

Thule boxes are limited to 50kg capacity.

 

[RachelB]

@RachelB - You talk about a 400 litre capacity box but make no mention of its specified weight limit or that of the rack or towbar (which is what I assume you mean by 'towing plate') - they're the important things. In terms of weight 400 litres of water (ie. 400Kg) would be way too much but the same volume in clothes or other comparative light stuff would weigh significantly less. You also need to pay attention to weight distribution.

Hi, the total weight of the box and bracket is 29kg. The weighbridge didn’t give front / rear load just the overall. I think we will manage just!

 

[Jimmmmy]

Should be fine, you still have 500kg (1102 pounds) of payload to use.

 

[Ayjay]

@RachelB. In terms of the weight, the important numbers are the maximum permitted payloads of the tow bar, the rack and the box - the lowest of those three is how much you would, in theory, be able to transport in the box (perhaps including the 29Kg that you mentioned above).

 

[Drive Wayne]

Up-plating is a good call and something I’m considering given it’s a paperwork exercise. I’ve also heard good things about Van Weight Engineering - seem a bit cheaper than SV Tech. Good reviews on Facebook.

I'm just going through with Van Weight engineering now, £276 including Vat, Dee is lovely to deal with.

 

[ginkster]

I'm just going through with Van Weight engineering now, £276 including Vat, Dee is lovely to deal with.

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. I can’t remember, have you got modified suspension? If so did you have to mention that or was it all based on OEM setup? Any tips for the enquiry form? Ta.

 

[Drive Wayne]

Awesome, thanks for the feedback. I can’t remember, have you got modified suspension? If so did you have to mention that or was it all based on OEM setup? Any tips for the enquiry form? Ta.

Yes, Steve's done my rear end! And my front end as well. All that gets thrown in the mix. Wheels and tyres seem a big part. I've managed to convince my wife it's important that she pays for it!
Any queries, Dee is really on the ball, it's just photos and invoice copies really, it sounds daunting but not so bad when you get stuck in...

 

[Salty Spuds]

You’ll be limited by the towbar nose weight limit, this is the maximum weight that you can put on the towball, not to be confused with the towing weight. Depending on the spec of the van and towbar, it could be anywhere between 75 & 150kg. This is the “all in weight” including the box & contents.

 

[ginkster]

Yes, Steve's done my rear end! And my front end as well. All that gets thrown in the mix. Wheels and tyres seem a big part. I've managed to convince my wife it's important that she pays for it!
Any queries, Dee is really on the ball, it's just photos and invoice copies really, it sounds daunting but not so bad when you get stuck in...

Fab, thanks. Seems a no-brainer to get another 200kg capacity for not a lot of effort. May come in handy for a few cases of wine….

 

[Drive Wayne]

T28 up to 3200 I'm hoping! Many wines!