Kingham payload and reviews

Hi. Am thinking of part exchanging our motorhome for a Kingham. Am worried that the payload is not very high. Is it possible to uprate the weight from 3500 kgs to 3850 kgs if we need to. It will have 15" wheels and air suspension etc as standard . Anyone else have a Kingham please and if so, do you like it. Thanks in advance

We upgraded our Kingham to 4250 kgs as we have a sat dome and solar panel and carry too much stuff. It cost around £300 to do, you could do it cheaper yourself, or ask the dealer to do it for you before registration if they can. The van is rated for more. 
We love our Kingham but are having a few issues with a fault with the bed mechanism, and as this is intermittent the dealer says it's not a problem!

Is the bed fault with the ratchet mech as we have found they don't stay fully in the day bed position when you are on it. I emailed Autosleeper and the confirmed the bed should lock in.

Our main issue is that we often find it difficult to get it back fully flat once we have lifted that end to store chairs in etc. We did have problems with the day bed position - originally had trouble getting it to stay, but the real problem is getting it down. The dealer say every time they try they have no problem! What did AS's email say about the ratchet as it is that that is faulty.
Also, does your shower door run smoothly? Ours was knocked out whilst in service, they put it back but it definitely feels stiffer now.

We are awaiting changeover at the dealer so can't comment on the door although it seemed good. I checked for the email but remembered it was a phone call to AS after sales and they confirmed that the bed should ratchet and stay in various positions. To return it I think you need to raise it to the top position and then down. Looking at the mech it looks as if it could be adjusted?

Thank you for the replies. We pick up our new Kingham next week. Apparently it has 16" wheels and can be uprated further. We are both really looking forward to picking it up. We traded in a largish low profile motorhome as I found it too big so the Kingham looks to suit us more. Not sure what our fairly big dog will think, but he will get used to it I am sure, especially as at night he will be allowed for the first time ever, to sleep on his bed on the sofa! Let's hope we don't have problems with our bed position lol. Thanks again

We changed our Autocruise Accent (also a lovely van) for the Kingham late last year and we are really pleased with  her. We have been across the channel already as well as a number of short stops around this country. The heater is a delight  and she is very comfy to settle in when parked up. I do miss the twin arm rests on the cabin seats like those on the Accent as the Kingham oddly only has one for each of the two seats. We have just landed a new passenger, a young medium sized dog and she has settled quite happily. We need to fit an extra seat belt housing for her and already just contemplating where is the best place to fix it without damage the integrity of the van. 

 I terms of the sliding bathroom door I found mine on the floor despite the van being parked up for a couple of weeks. Easily put back in its sliders I then gaffa taped along the flexible panels top, middle and bottom as well as ensuring that the door remains closed when not in use. The reluctance of the bed to fall flat is something I noticed when the mattress was removed so I assume it was the weight of the mattress that gave the settings adequate weight to fall flat ?

Uprated our Kingham to 4500Kg via SV Tech - needed the extra for a scooter rack plus other extras. No such problems with bed or bathroom door but have used some silicone spray grease when it did get a bit stiff. Only real issues are poor heating at floor level in front of van (when it's freezing outside), no gutter above sliding side door (since fitted one - and I believe new vans have this as standard), USB not live with ignition off (not unique to Kingham's). Otherwise, really pleased with everything having downsized from coach builds.

I've just come across this thread and find its contents quite alarming.

Having at first been a bit blesse about having vans over 3500kg, after 8 years, 2 vans, fined in Austria, avoiding Switzerland, noting the new weight monitoring speed cameras in France and the many locations where vehicles over 3500kg are prohibited I was looking to the Kingham as a potential successor van to our Malvern.

It seems though that the standard payload in inadequate - does anyone manage with it?

Hi Peter. The Kingham is listed at 392 payload. But extras will eat into that.
If you are concerned about 3500 limit you maybe have to go down to a 6 metre van to be safe.

Regards

Micky

NickJW wrote:Uprated our Kingham to 4500Kg via SV Tech - needed the extra for a scooter rack plus other extras. No such problems with bed or bathroom door but have used some silicone spray grease when it did get a bit stiff. Only real issues are poor heating at floor level in front of van (when it's freezing outside), no gutter above sliding side door (since fitted one - and I believe new vans have this as standard), USB not live with ignition off (not unique to Kingham's). Otherwise, really pleased with everything having downsized from coach builds.

Hi, 

did you buy the scooter rack or make it yourself as i'm looking to put a motor bike on the rear of mine.

Thanks for any help.

John

Hi John,

It was (custom) made and fitted by Bridgewater Trailers - very pleased with their work. It's a dedicated carrier rather than one that fits on a towbar flange. Plenty of fixing points for straps, etc. Only very minor comment is the ramp is a bit on the heavy side - may look to get a lighter version sometime. Their view was it was good for up to 160Kg but my Reiju only weighs about 120Kg so I have plenty of margin.
Cheers,
Nick

Thanks Nick,

 I'll try them and see what they say I have a 180kg bike so maybe little heavy.

Thanks

John

Hi all,

I am looking at getting my Fairford uprated by a few hundred kilos to allow me to put a moped/scooter across the back of the van.
I got in touch with A/S and Peugeot and they both say 120kg ball weight is the maximum the chassis can take.
I reckon I can accommodate this 120kg figure with an Armitage towbar and Lexmoto moped/scooter.
Any thoughts, comments, advice appreciated.

Peter Brown wrote:I've just come across this thread and find its contents quite alarming.  

Having at first been a bit blesse about having vans over 3500kg, after 8 years, 2 vans, fined in Austria, avoiding Switzerland, noting the new weight monitoring speed cameras in France and the many locations where vehicles over 3500kg are prohibited I was looking to the Kingham as a potential successor van to our Malvern.

It seems though that the standard payload in inadequate - does anyone manage with it?

I was hoping you would have had a few more responses from 'non upgraded' owners Peter, as I'm watching the thread and wondering whether to upgrade the weight from new. 

The standard user payload of close to 400kgs is not particularly low and I will be running mine solo, but I've got a 5.5st Labrador, Karitek roof rack, sea kayak and a bike to cater for and that's before essentials.

I know the problems with heavier vans in Switzerland & Austria, but haven't come across many 3.5 tonne restrictions, other than those marked for goods vehicles of that weight in many French villages, which I have on good authority don't apply to us ??

Milliways wrote:We upgraded our Kingham to 4250 kgs as we have a sat dome and solar panel and carry too much stuff. It cost around £300 to do, you could do it cheaper yourself, or ask the dealer to do it for you before registration if they can. The van is rated for more. 
We love our Kingham but are having a few issues with a fault with the bed mechanism, and as this is intermittent the dealer says it's not a problem!

Hi Milliways,

After upgrading to 4250kg, what was the increase on each of your axles ?

NickJW wrote:Uprated our Kingham to 4500Kg via SV Tech - needed the extra for a scooter rack plus other extras. No such problems with bed or bathroom door but have used some silicone spray grease when it did get a bit stiff. Only real issues are poor heating at floor level in front of van (when it's freezing outside), no gutter above sliding side door (since fitted one - and I believe new vans have this as standard), USB not live with ignition off (not unique to Kingham's). Otherwise, really pleased with everything having downsized from coach builds.

Hi NickJW,

After upgrading to 4500kg, what was the increase on each of your axles ?

We never upgraded our Kingham. We loaded it fully for 11 days and we had Jornax heavy windbreaks, chairs, 2 people , big dog, cadac, oil filed radiator, lots of clothes and coats and food etc and we took it to a weigh bridge. We were under by 100 kegs on back axle and 150 kgs on front. We also had it at least half full of fuel and about 20 litres of water. Absolutely love the Kingham.

Thanks Taylormade, I'm pleased you're enjoying your Kingham and hopefully I'm less than 4 weeks from getting mine.

I'm still in hope that I can manage without upgrading the max weight, but I'm weighing up the pros and cons, as I think it's going to be close with the extras, toys and full tanks.

Ken.

We have had a KInham since November 2015 and have had all kinds of issues which have taken the shine off, what is really a very nice van, I have posted elsewhere on this site about the issue we are still having with a leak from the shower into the toilet compartment. If you have any information that might help us it would be much appreciated, especially as the dealer and AS say that no one else has this problem.

Thanks