Tare Weight

[liquid99]

Hi all. I've been doing all the research, visiting all the shows and have decided on getting either a Kedron or the other well known tough van. Both the wife and I certainly prefer the Kedron because of the internal fit out. They feel a lot more comfortable, especially as we intend to spend 2 years full time on the road. But I am conscious that the Kedrons seem to be a lot heavier than the competition. Both seem to have very similar construction to the frames and externals. I assume therefore the extra weight comes from the internal fitout. Am I correct or does any one know why. The Top Ender's have an average of 2900kg tare for a 19.6 ft while the other for a 20ft comes in around 2600kg tare. To go to the legal limit with a Top Ender of 3500kg only leaves 600kg for clothes, food, utensils etc. Plus if the water tanks are full you have lost around 250kg just there. Really makes a squeeze.

[dazmit]

Hi

Are you comparing apples with apples - a 19'6" internal is the external body length of 21' whereas the 20' in the other brand is pretty well the internal and external body length as they don't have a boot.

I remember reading on another forum where a stated average weight of of a typical 19' was 2600 kg or so and a owner came on and said their half loaded 19' weighed very close to 3500kg when put over a weigh bridge, they weighed all their contents and came up with something like 600kg ,when asked of the manufacturer what would cause the 200kg odd disreprency in the plated empty weight to what they believe the empty weight to be, he replied it could be water left in the pipes etc :confused1:

My suggestion is either a smaller TE or go to a lighter ATV - The ATV is still plenty strong enough to do all the main roads like Plenty, Gibb, Tanami etc as our XC has proved that.

cheers

Darryl

[dazmit]

Forgot to answer some of your other questions -

Kedron use a fully hot dip gal chassis as opposed to just a gal A-frame - the gal adds weight.

Look at the amount of steel in a Kedron chassis, there is a lot more of it hence more weight down nice and low.

Cheers

Darryl

[KimberlyKruiser]

Hi

One thing I did find with my recent purchse of a Kedron ATV was that the plated tare weight was a true reflection of the vans finnished weight including the solar, batteries, aircon, BBQ, spare wheels etc. Each van is completed and weighed. A lot of builders add this stuff after the van is plated. The only weight that eats into the ATM of 3500kg is plus gas, water and personal effects. Allowing 220 -250kg for water it leaves a fair allowance for jocks, socks & laptops.

Problem with all the must haves in the newer vans that are capable of off road work that there is a bit of a balancing act to keep them under the 3500kg figure.

At least Kedron and a few others have gone away from the rediculous tare weight plus 400 kg payload scenario which would see most of those vans running well outside their legal tow weight. I suppose you can't have "built tough" without some of the weight considerations and problems.

Cheers

Wal