How much does your van weigh?

[86Scotty]

Well I FINALLY got my van weighed on this trip. I've been waiting on an opportunity with all my crap and people aboard. I noticed a closed weigh station just north of Rock Springs WY on my way to Jackson so I whipped a U and pulled in. 9340 but that's full weight of course, no way to weigh each axle.

9340 lbs. includes:
2002 E350 EB with basically an EB31 floor plan, just home made with heavy wood cabinets
CCV electric pop-top
2wd, stock wheels, Toyo E-rated tires
stock bumpers
3 total batteries
furnace, 4cf fridge, Tripp-Lite inverter, roof AC @ 100 lbs
2 weeks of food and gear (probably 6k lbs right there )
Honda generator on front bumper
big ass ugly homemade rack on rear
4 bikes
4 people (2 big, 2 little) @ 450 lbs +/-
10 gal water
propane
full tank of fuel

[sac95985]

Originally Posted by TwinStick

IMO, the weight of these vans is at the max weight of axles that are under them. Dana 80's would be more appropriate & give some extra durability & wiggle room when towing and fully loaded. Just sayin.

Yeah, I would like to save up for one of the$e some day, but that is heavy! How much does a "stock" short wheelbase E-350 and a "stock" long wheelbase E-350 Sportsmobile weigh with a standard interior (noncamper)? I didn't see it in the post. My F-350 DRW crew cab long box 7.3 4X4 weighs 8300lbs with the Dana 80 DRW and Dana 60...The DMV told me a couple hundred more pounds and it would have to be registered as a commercial vehicle in CA....but also told me Ford made it right to the limit and that it would be OK. The CA Registration on the F-350 is over $500 a year due to weight. I take these Sportsmoblie get an RV tag of some kind?

[vlamgat]

They do get an RV sticker and without it they are hard to insure as a private vehicle. Being deemed commercial with a much higher cost.

As for weight they are right at the limit in every respect. Especially at their GCVW.

[whitelinefever]

This may sound stupid but we used to weigh vehicles to get a ballpark figure by parking them on a hard surface and then spreading flour or some other material around the tires. Then you pull the vehicle forward and measure the square inches of your tires footprint and times that by the tire pressure and add another 100 lb for sidewall flex and you have your vehicle weight.

If you are ever headed south on I65 in Indiana in the middle of the night when the scales are closed at MM 240 you can pull on to the scale behind the chicken house and weigh 1 axle at a time and read the digits or get the big number all at once for free

[vlamgat]

At some weigh stations that are closed, you can pull onto the scales and read your weights on the lighted digital read out visible through the windows. It sometimes requires something to get up to the window level. But truck stops like Pilot are a safer bet.

[tobyberk]

Originally Posted by rvmick1

Actual scale weight: Front 3340 lb
Rear 3920
Total 7260 (+ about 50 lbs for gas used from tank fill)

Chevy EB-51 with voyager top, one 4D battery, full 10 gal water tank, full greywater tank, full propane tank, furnace, one 150lb occupant. No toilet, blackwater, air conditioner, water heater.

[chetubi]

I was interested in the weight of my SMB. First I checked this thread. After it being on a scale it seems my rig is quite light weight!?

it is a 2008 e350 V8 EB 4x4 (Quadvan) with pop-top and built as a camper. it has a onan generator and aluminess rear bumper and a 12000 warn winch.

weight on the scale is 8650.

One question came to my mind: I am far from being an expert. But many of the folks here were quite worried about their rigs being heavy. Is this really so much of a problem? I thought very much of the weight gain results from the 4x4 conversion; especially the much heavier axles. But those do not have to be "carried"!?`(Just want to know if I get things right.)

[86Scotty]

My current van, 1995 RB10 w/pop top, 460, Quigley, full build including 45 gallons fuel and 25 water, heavy Reunel bumpers and Warn 12k winch:

10,000

I love asking tire kickin' types how much they think it weighs. "6500" is the answer I've gotten more than once.

[JohnandMandi]

We're 9600 lbs fully loaded with all fluids topped off, certified cat scales and we were both in the van.

-John

[BrianW]

Originally Posted by 86Scotty

My current van, 1995 RB10 w/pop top, 460, Quigley, full build including 45 gallons fuel and 25 water, heavy Reunel bumpers and Warn 12k winch:

10,000

I love asking tire kickin' types how much they think it weighs. "6500" is the answer I've gotten more than once.

Probably half of that is your big 'ole 460 engine! ;-)