RV FEATURE
Tare is the unladen weight of the caravan , as it left the factory ( i . e ., before water has been added to the tanks or aftermarket equipment fitted , etc ).
A caravan ’ s compliance plate will usually identify its unladen ball weight . In practice , however , it is more important to know what the loaded ball weight is – i . e ., the amount of weight that will be imposed on the towbar once the van has been packed for a trip . Purchase a set of portable ball weight scales – they are inexpensive and provide excellent peace of mind .
It is useful to understand Gross Trailer Mass , which is the amount of weight being transmitted to the ground through the wheels of the van – it doesn ’ t include the ball weight . However , in terms of getting started , it is more important to understand ATM and ball weight . We ’ ve included a link in this article to an in-depth look at GTM .
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