Mazda CX9 and Jayco Swan outback tow ball weight question

Someone will add the technical aspects of this, but when you add stuff to your camper, some weight will go on the tow ball and some on the axle. In your case, the tow ball weight can't be more than 150kgs. The only real way of knowing this is to measure it.

Hi Alysia, a coupla of things come into play with weights.
Look at the swan (or any van) you want as a see saw, mine was about 120 kgs on the towball (with out gas bottles) the more you put in the front the more weight you will add to whats there.
My water tank sits just behind the axle, 70 liters so there is 70 kgs, so it will marginally take weight off the towball, the same as a see saw
Most single axle vans only allow 200 kgs for ALL the extras and personnel belongings, what you have listed here will eat into that in a big way.
Have a look at what Mazda recommends as a payload for your CX9, what ever towball weight you anticipate you will be applying, will come off the payload figure, so if its say 750 kg, minus 150 for the towbar weight, that leaves 600 for ALL passengers, luggage that goes in the car, plus whatever else.
Its all a balancing act, believe me, I've just been away with 3 adults, 8,4, and 20 month old kids and ended up around 200 kgs over as a whole, that's the Land cruiser and Swan fully fueled, gassed, watered, food in the cupboards and fridge, power leads, hoses, heaps of winter cloths (snow gear) for 3 week trip,
I have 2 gas bottles, BIG battery plus a few electronic monitoring devices, but no shower or hot water, plus we take a port-a-potie
We stayed at mostly friends places and ran power for a heater, if not, we stayed at a caravan park to use their power, shower and toilets, out of the way places cost around $25 a night for a powered site, up to $68 was the dearest I payed (at Jindabyne).
My rational was that we can go with out a shower for night easily if your spending most of the day travelling in the car, not worth spending the big $$$ (and weight) on a system that was not really necessary in my opinion, for what we do, and are likely to do
Bub just got washed in the sink with a kettle supplying the hot water mixed with cold water when needed, the rest of us just went with out (only 1 night)
I did a few trips, just one night 1 or 2 hour from home to get a good feel on what I wanted, and most importantly, what I needed with my set up, then go from there,
Oh with weights, lots of terminology that can be confusing,

GVM, gross vehicle mass, This is the most the vehicle can weigh,that is load, fuel ,people, weight on the towball EVERYTHING.

GCM, Gross COMBINED mass, This is the maximum allowable weight the vehicle can weigh combining its own weight and the weight of whatever its towing.

TARE, weight of the vehicle when empty, usually with a minimum amount of fuel and in the case of vans, being completely empty with no gas bottle and the like

GTM, gross trailer mass, the maximum weight the trailer can be standing by its self

AXLE, the maximum weight allowed on a particular axle or axle groups.

I never ever though I'd buy a van, I didn't want to tow anything anywhere on hols, wife came along then kids, I'm glad she asked me (she made me do it) to consider, she doesn't want to do outback/remote so our set up is good for 2/3 nights with no power, as long as there is a shower somewhere (usually there is) then that's all I need
Shane