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You can downplate back to the original weight as well as plate up. Depends whether you have done any physical modifications, I suppose.
MOTORHOME AVERAGE PAYLOAD
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
You can downplate back to the original weight as well as plate up. Depends whether you have done any physical modifications, I suppose.
I think it may be a few years before being over 3500kg seriously limits resale values but with time this must surely change. At present there is about a 30 year gap between younger drivers with no C1 entitlement and age 70 when us older ones have to start worrying about medicals. However in 10 years time when 50 year old purchasers are limited to 3500 kg or have to take an HGV test then perhaps things will start to change.
596
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I wonder if down plating there is a minimum payload you must have, it could be you downplate without physically weighing your van then later find as you have had some extras put on you can’t get a driver in legally. Also from the documentation I have received it’s possible the DVLA could examine the vehicle either down or up plating.
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funflair
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You could re plate to the maximum possible for your actual motorhome which you could do immaterial of your age.
If your car driving test passed before Jan 1997 you would have C1+E on licence entitling you to drive a vehicle up to 7500kg and a gtw of 8250kg.
At 70 you need to re apply to renew your licence and a medical is required to maintain your C1+E.
If you decide not to maintain that licence group a normal application at 70 will remove that group leaving you licenced to drive a maximum of 3500kg .
Last edited:
- Apr 12, 2010
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I always travel with fresh water full, grey empty, fuel full, and have a spare tyre.
Never really check the weights. Maybe I should.
Phil
Never really check the weights. Maybe I should.
Phil
Minxy
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It would be a good idea as a compared to a coachbuilt of the same length a panel van can actually weigh more, especially if you have a MAM of 3500kg.
Lenny HB
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Actually it's less than 5% and if you go for uprated Alloys they will be heavier.
Hymer price list states 30 kg.
I weighed my Renault Master alloy and the steel spare, the alloy was marginally heavier.
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Loveshack
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I think that for many people, their van has limited storage space, and in that situation, if you can’t see the floor of the van, and can’t move around easily until you park up, move stuff around, and maybe move stuff out into the awning, then you probably should get your van weighed.
I think from time to time we really do need to check if we are just accumulating things that really aren’t needed.
Could we come up with an average weight per cubic metre of storage, that we could use as a guide?
In their advertising blurb Carthago reckon on 10kg per metre of motorhome length for general equipment. It is very difficult to generalise, some will use bamboo plates and cups, others like heavy crockery. I think Jim is doing a good job at gathering information and publicising the need for payload awareness. However at the bottom line it is down to us individually to act responsibly.
OP
OP
Jim
Ringleader
That is the minimum they must provide (over MIRO) to remain onside in regard to the European Directive on Masses and Dimensions. This directive requires a minimum user payload of 10kg per metre + 10KG for each berth.
If that part of the directive was written and placed inside in a Christmas cracker it would be a good joke
Just don't visit Yerp countries - I don't ?.I mostly agree. My holiday train is 12m long and weighs about 4.6 tons so I am limited to 80kmh in several Yerp countries, yet I am repeatedly overtaken by thirty and forty ton artics
So I upped my speed to 90 and no one seemed to give a monkeys; in Germany, Austria, Italy or France. I have been overtaken by Italian and French Police and they didn't even glance in my direction. The thing I always observe is when you get the little sign before a downward slope that tells tuggers and lorries that their max speed is 70 or 90. Reason? I was overtaken by a Dutch Jeep with a double axle tugger doing well over a hundred kmh, which five minutes later, saw him/her pulled over by the Gendarmes.
I always park in the HGV park. Arriving at a pitch is a tad more troublesome, in that we have to unstrap, dismount and unpack the car. Adds an extra ten minutes, I suppose.
For me there are three cost issues. The difference in MPG is negligible, so I don't worry about that. Insurance was only about twenty quid more (yep, I was surprised as well). Peage doesn't seem to go up with a trailer either. Cost is ramped up by i) higher Channel Tunnel charges, ii) two Vignettes, and iii) the cost of the trailer/toad itself. All these, for me, are worth it, but some will see these costs as too much.
GeoffC
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I'm slow to respond to this as I don't know the answer. I'm going to have to look into it. Could you recommend anywhere for the replating.
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596
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SVTech are well know but apparently there are others, for SVTech fill in this simple form for a FREE list of options for your van http://www.svtech.co.uk/downloads/
I was quite £260 plus VAT, with that you get everything you need PLUS if you want to do another upgrade within a year if that was possible they do it for FREE.
138go
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BUT
BUT How much are you allowed to carry on each axle. We could take our Laika upto 4500kg as a paper excersise but would still only have 2400kg on the back axle. So I finish up with extra 250kg and nowhere to put it.
BUT How much are you allowed to carry on each axle. We could take our Laika upto 4500kg as a paper excersise but would still only have 2400kg on the back axle. So I finish up with extra 250kg and nowhere to put it.
andy63
Free Member
Good point which I forgot to mention..
Yes the paper exercise weight increase to 4000kg does nothing for either axel... their max weight remains the same after the gross weight increase to 4000kg...
As it happens thats fine in my case as im still within the limit of each axel when im fully loaded with all the gear I usually carry..
In fact ive still got 220kg spare and the front axel has 210kg spare and the rear110kg..
See attached photos of weigh bridge ticket and some notes I made at the time as a reminder......the little note about the air assist was made just to remind me ...it wasn't a requirement to increase the weight.. I just fitted it for better ride and handling...
Andy..
Candapack
Free Member
On another site, someone asked why their 240v sockets didn't work when not on hook up. Fair enough, a newbie with lots to learn like we all were once.
My point though is, if youre happy to just jump in a van and use it with No "due diligence", there's no chance you'll know anything about weight limits
My point though is, if youre happy to just jump in a van and use it with No "due diligence", there's no chance you'll know anything about weight limits
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Auto trail Apache 634 up rated by me from 3500 to 3650Kg, on way back weighed it fully loaded with 3/4 diesel, 1/2 water and 1/2 grey just to see how we are doing!! SHOCK, we were weighing in at 3710Kg!!! Having air assist fitted with Dave Newell tomorrow and SV Tech upgrade to 3850kg. We would not normally drive with half fresh and any grey but I just wanted to know. Well we know now and happy that we will have 100Kg + spare for our Spain trip. Don’t forget, if you have a bang and you are weighed and found to be over weight bang goes your insurance and you are liable for ALL costs including the 3rd party! Is £1000 worth it!
Didn’t have an inverter fitted
Candapack
Free Member
We were exactly the same with a 632. Trouble is we were due to leave for Spain, decided to go without bikes. On return, also had it updated to 3850 with air suspension. Grrr!
Hi Andy, thanks for posting your information, I did the same exercise (post above) personally I think that if more motorhome owners did the same cheap, simple and effective weight check they could either lessen what they are carrying or upgrade and be within the law. Ignorance is not an excuse and referring back to Jim’s original post, manufacturers and dealers should be made to highlight payload so that less experienced buyers know what they are letting themselves in for!
Minxy
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Details of an alternative chap on this thread he charges about half what SVTech do:
Weight uprating
Has anyone on here uprated their MH weight themselves and not through an agency. If you have was it an easy process or should I leave it to the agency
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andy63
Free Member
The only way that could be done imo is for the van to be sold with a weigh bridge ticket as supplied new with any extras fitted..
That way everyone knows exactly where they are and a purchaser knows exactly what payload they have and what they can fit..
Everyone has different needs .. I consider it essential to be able to travel with full water tank ...just as an example...
It's really just a licence issue...
My van as purchased could have a gross vehicle weight of 4100kg... but they choose to sell it at 3500kg so its available to the mass market.... the fact its not really fit for purpose for a lot of people at that weight doesnt concern them...
Andy.
Andy, I agree with what you say. Initially I took the weight of my van to be what was on the V5 and C of C but it has a media pack and 2nd leisure battery so that figure went out of the window.
I think what we are both saying is before the seller sells the van (when it is at least weight) there should be a requirement to have a weight ticket issued that would reflect the true basic weight of the vehicle at point of sale.
I think what we are both saying is before the seller sells the van (when it is at least weight) there should be a requirement to have a weight ticket issued that would reflect the true basic weight of the vehicle at point of sale.
Details of an alternative chap on this thread he charges about half what SVTech do:
Weight uprating
Has anyone on here uprated their MH weight themselves and not through an agency. If you have was it an easy process or should I leave it to the agency
And a quick, efficient service he provided too.
With a 160 litre water tank capacity a full tank means 160 kg against your payload which is quite significant - just an observation.
andy63
Free Member
Yes...but as I said we all use our vans in different ways... to me having a full tank of fresh water is essential for some of the places I go..
I wish I had a 160l tank.. it's actually 120l and given that you would want to travel with some water the off set isnt as significant as you first think..
I haven't got an awning , don't carry a bbq... etc etc... some would consider such items essential to enjoy their van...but not me...
Water is more important??
Andy.
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