How Heavy Is A Twin Axle Caravan
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Twin axle caravans are great for those looking to have a larger or longer caravan to fit in the family or have a more luxurious set up. While this might not matter in certain circumstances you might want to upgrade to a twin axle caravan to support the extra weight.
A twin axle caravan can weigh anything from 1522kg to 1760kg, this is on a basis of a basic caravan with standard furnishings and interiors. The weight can be less or more depending on the interiors or any added features such as sunroof or air conditioning units.
In this article we are going to talk about what a twin axle caravan is and how much they weigh along with some other useful information you might want to know about twin axle caravans.
What Is A Twin Axle Caravan
Well, guessing what a twin-axle caravan is from the name isn’t particularly difficult. A twin axle caravan is a caravan that has two axles, instead of one.
Most caravans out there have one axle, which is mounted onto the rest of the body of the caravan and used to maneuver it, both while towing and moving around the campsite that you get to. On the other hand. Twin-axle caravans have two axles, which are used for much the same things as a single axle caravan.
A single axle caravan is the natural go-to for first-time caravanners. It’s a simple, straightforward, typical choice that a lot of people go for. However, people may choose to swap their ‘van for a twin-axle one.
There are a few reasons to do this, primarily it’s because twin-axle caravans can be longer and heavier. The reason for this is that the weight of the caravan will be distributed between two axles, allowing you to add more weight.
In theory, the amount of weight that you can add to a twin-axle caravan isn’t that great, and neither is the amount of size. Looking around online, the average addition in length is sixty centimeters or about two feet.
That doesn’t sound like a lot, but it really does add up. The reason 60cm is noticeable in a caravan is that space is already limited. For example, if the space in the lounge area in your caravan extends by as little as six inches, you’re likely to notice and be thankful for it. If it increased by four times that much? You’d definitely notice.
The weight difference various from model to model, but generally you can carry roughly twenty more kilograms in a twin-axle than a single axle. This doesn’t sound like a lot but put it into context it could be.
For example, the most that most airlines will allow you to stow in the hold on a flight is about twenty kilos, which is typically more than enough to allow for a large suitcase full of clothes, toiletries, and other odds and ends.
The increase in weight allows for other small improvements, though, if you’re willing to travel a little more lightly. For example, twin-axle caravans typically have much larger fridges than single axles ones, allowing for you to take more food and drink on your holiday.
This may not sound like a big deal, but it’s sure to increase the amount of time you can spend away, and decrease the amount that you may spend on food while you’re away.
How Heavy is a Twin Axle Caravan?
It’s a well-known fact that twin-axle caravans are typically much heavier than single axle ones. However, the weight can vary quite a lot amongst different brands. Here’s we’re going to give you an idea of the weight of a few different twin-axle caravans.
In the weight column, we’re going to be using MRO, which is the Mass Running Order of a given caravan. Essentially, this is the weight of the caravan when it is unburdened by anything that you might load into it.
For context, an average single-axle caravan weighs roughly 1350KG
| Brand Of Twin-Axle Caravan | Weight (kg) |
| Bailey (Unicorn IV Cartagena) | 1522 |
| Coachman (Lusso 2021) | 1800 |
| Bessacarr (By Design 845 2021) | 1760 |
As you can see from this guide, the average MRO of a twin-axle caravan is considerably heavier than a single axle caravan. This may seem odd at first, but there are three main reasons why this is the case: internal furnishings, chassis, and added features.
Firstly, let’s consider the additional internal furnishings. Now, most caravans have built-in storage and seating areas. For example, you probably remember caravans from your childhood that had little sofas built into the walls, as well as how your current caravan has a similar setup. Well, this is the standard across all caravans.
If you’re extending the length of a caravan, you’ll have to fill the space with something, you can’t just leave a gap. Therefore, people are always likely to fill the space with storage, carpets, and other pieces of furniture.
Because of the small internal size of caravans, this furniture is typically very dense, leading to a lot of weight being added very quickly.
The added weight from the chassis may be a little more negligible, but it’s still worth considering. The chassis is, essentially, is a large steel cage that forms the basic structure of the caravan itself.
When adding length to a caravan, you can’t simply extend a piece of chassis. Additional structural enforcement will have to be made to ensure that the caravan conforms to safety standards. For example, an additional steel arch to ensure the structural integrity of the roof is very necessary, but also quite heavy.
Finally, we get to the point of additional features. Twin-axle caravans are typically much more expensive than single-axle ones. This means that people will typically want quite a lot of caravan for their money.
To be more specific, this means that people will be more likely to request additional features in a twin-axle caravan, for example, air-conditioning or a sunroof. These additional features will add a little extra weight to the body of the caravan, increasing the net MRO.