Up plating

[Speve]

Why? Unless Grianan's van was specifically built on the maxi light chassis there's no reason why it can't be up-plated to the max of 4500kg.

Cause I would err on the side of safety and not overload a vehicle that is not built for it as we don’t know what chassis his van is on.

 

[Ninjabob]

Just recently upgraded my Bailey 75-2 with JR. I have to say things did not go smoothly. I had to return his paperwork no less than three times for spelling errors and actual errors, it looked amateurish to say the least. There is also a discrepancy between JR and SVTech as to the maximum weight. JR has upgraded me to 4090kg - front axle remains the same at 1850kg - 2240kg rear axle with air and 112 tyres whereas SVTech was the same but the overall weight could not exceed 3850kg. On the phone he (JR) sounded about 90 years old. I got more sense out of his wife.

 

[Minxy]

Cause I would err on the side of safety and not overload a vehicle that is not built for it as we don’t know what chassis his van is on.

Hence my questions!

 

[Minxy]

Just recently upgraded my Bailey 75-2 with JR. I have to say things did not go smoothly. I had to return his paperwork no less than three times for spelling errors and actual errors, it looked amateurish to say the least. There is also a discrepancy between JR and SVTech as to the maximum weight. JR has upgraded me to 4090kg - front axle remains the same at 1850kg - 2240kg rear axle with air and 112 tyres whereas SVTech was the same but the overall weight could not exceed 3850kg. On the phone he (JR) sounded about 90 years old. I got more sense out of his wife.

AFAIK the max you can go to is the total of your two axles, ie 4090kg, not that you'd ever be able to load it exactly to that limit to stay legal. I'm a bit concerned about SVTech to be honest as without the rear changes you 'should' I believe have been able to go to 3850kg anyway, with the changes you've had done I would have expected them to put you higher.

 

[Grianan]

Why? Unless Grianan's van was specifically built on the maxi light chassis there's no reason why it can't be up-plated to the max of 4500kg.

@Grianan - do your VIN plates show the same as mine?

View attachment 287176
View attachment 287175

Hi @Minxy Girl
Yes my plates show the same as yours.
However, I’ve just checked and SVTech uprated us to 3900kg; we had requested 3950kg which they said wasn’t possible.
If I am going back to SV Tech to query this (which we did at time as I had asked for more) it would be useful to have a definitive source for the maximum uprated rate. Do you know where I can find that?
We’ve already paid SVTech £312 so I’d like to persuade them to do it for free!
Thanks Liz

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[Minxy]

I've just been googling for info and have looked on the fiat website prices pdf and on page 37 it gives this info, so if you can tell them exactly what base vehicle you have this should be sufficient I should think as its published by Fiat themselves.

There are 3 different ones:
MAXI VAN 35 LXH3 (3500kg total)
MAXI VAN 40 LXH3 (4005kg total)
MAXI VAN 42 LXH3 (4250kg total)

The 'only' difference I can see between the maxi models is down to the engine they have, ie 130bhp seem to have a max of 4000kg (although the 2 weights add up to 4005kg) whereas the 150bhp ones are 4250kg.

So the questions are ... exactly which base vehicle do you have and what engine do you have?

https://www.fiatprofessional.com/co...rofessional_RANGE_Price_List_January_2019.pdf

 

[Grianan]

I've just been googling for info and have looked on the fiat website prices pdf and on page 37 it gives this info, so if you can tell them exactly what base vehicle you have this should be sufficient I should think as its published by Fiat themselves.

There are 3 different ones:
MAXI VAN 35 LXH3 (3500kg total)
MAXI VAN 40 LXH3 (4005kg total)
MAXI VAN 42 LXH3 (4250kg total)

The 'only' difference I can see between the maxi models is down to the engine they have, ie 130bhp seem to have a max of 4000kg (although the 2 weights add up to 4005kg) whereas the 150bhp ones are 4250kg.

So the questions are ... exactly which base vehicle do you have and what engine do you have?

https://www.fiatprofessional.com/co...rofessional_RANGE_Price_List_January_2019.pdf


View attachment 287267

Our engine is 2.3 150 BHP

I’m not understanding that table. It seems to tell you what it is supplied as, rather than what you can uprate it to.

In theory the maximum value should be Axle 1 + Axle 2 (ie 4500kg) but there might be a safety coefficient applied to allow for cargo shifting when braking.

Just as irritating our V5C has come back with correct Revenue Weight but unchanged MPM. Sigh.

 

[TheBig1]

anyone interested in up rating the weight of your motorhome may be interested to know I just listed a brand new set of dunlop semi air suspension bags in classifieds. They cost me about £450, so looking for £350
adding semi air suspension is one of the main upgrades mentioned when up plating a motorhome

 

[Minxy]

Our engine is 2.3 150 BHP

I’m not understanding that table. It seems to tell you what it is supplied as, rather than what you can uprate it to.

In theory the maximum value should be Axle 1 + Axle 2 (ie 4500kg) but there might be a safety coefficient applied to allow for cargo shifting when braking.

Just as irritating our V5C has come back with correct Revenue Weight but unchanged MPM. Sigh.

If you look at the table you can see the figures 4000/4250kg next to the LXH2 version of the Ducato Maxi which is what the Globecar Campscout is built on, either the 40 or 42 version depending on the engine, so all are rated at 4000/4250kg by Fiat.

I suspect SVTech are using the wrong info for your vehicle and 'assuming' its on the Maxi 35 chassis and not the Maxi 40 chassis so I suggest you get back in touch with them and ask them to tell you why they are restricting you to 3850kg (which is the maximum for the LXH2 35 chassis) instead of 4250kg, letting them see the Fiat info/table.

It is the converter who just puts them out at 3500kg to encourage those with a 'restricted' licence (ie 1997 onwards) to buy them, rather than putting them out at the higher rate and reducing their buying 'pool' to those of us with pre-1997 licences which allow us to go higher. If you look at your Certificate of Conformity it will show that the axle weights are unchanged, ie 2100kg front and 2400kg rear.

If there was an issue with this then when I asked for my current camper to be first registered at 4250kg it would have been refused, and when I uprated our previous one it would also have 'failed' too.

 

[Speve]

so all are rated at 4000/4250kg by Fiat

So how is John able to uprate it to 4500 kg ?

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[Minxy]

So how is John able to uprate it to 4500 kg ?

Maximum of both axles weights which is the MOST it can be done to, but in reality you're not likely to be able to 'balance' the load out to be able to use it, so 4250kg is what Fiat state, but it's not totally right as the weights for the lower one add up to 4005kg but Fiat state 4000kg ... have a read of some of the bumf on the Fiat commercial site if you're bored and/or need to be sent to sleep.

When I wanted our previous camper to be uprated I just requested 4250kg and for our current camper just asked for 4250kg for it too, this way any future 'sensible' owner won't be tempted to try to go over this and overload the axles (hopefully!).

 

[Ninjabob]

AFAIK the max you can go to is the total of your two axles, ie 4090kg, not that you'd ever be able to load it exactly to that limit to stay legal. I'm a bit concerned about SVTech to be honest as without the rear changes you 'should' I believe have been able to go to 3850kg anyway, with the changes you've had done I would have expected them to put you higher.

I had it upgraded from new to 3850kg which is a paper exercise.

 

[Minxy]

I've confused now!

First you said JR had upgraded you to 4090kg, but then you say you upgraded as a paper exercise to 3850kg.

Just recently upgraded my Bailey 75-2 with JR. I have to say things did not go smoothly. I had to return his paperwork no less than three times for spelling errors and actual errors, it looked amateurish to say the least. There is also a discrepancy between JR and SVTech as to the maximum weight. JR has upgraded me to 4090kg - front axle remains the same at 1850kg - 2240kg rear axle with air and 112 tyres whereas SVTech was the same but the overall weight could not exceed 3850kg. On the phone he (JR) sounded about 90 years old. I got more sense out of his wife.

I had it upgraded from new to 3850kg which is a paper exercise.

Do you mean it was initially done when you bought it to 3850kg and JR has now done it to 4090kg?

 

[Ninjabob]

I've confused now!

Do you mean it was initially done when you bought it to 3850kg and JR has now done it to 4090kg?

First you said JR had upgraded you to 4090kg, but then you say you upgraded as a paper exercise to 3850kg.

Correct - the van was bought upplated to 3850kg which required no mods front 1850kg rear 2000kg. VB Comfort Air added plus 112 tyres then upplated by JR to 4090 - 1850kg front 2240kg rear. As you say you would never get to 4090kg legally as it is pretty impossible to load the front to more than 1750kg in the first place. The useful part of the exercise is the increase to the rear weight were the water tank is.

 

[Speve]

When I wanted our previous camper to be uprated I just requested 4250kg and for our current camper just asked for 4250kg for it too, this way any future 'sensible' owner won't be tempted to try to go over this and overload the axles (hopefully!).

My main reason for asking was that it looks like the max that chassis can go is 4050kg so how has John managed to give 4500kg as suggested by @Grianan ?

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[Minxy]

My main reason for asking was that it looks like the max that chassis can go is 4050kg so how has John managed to give 4500kg as suggested by @Grianan ?

Where is 4050kg mentioned? I'm not reading back everything so if you can show me that would be helpful.

The maxi heavy 42 chassis can go up to 4500kg (total of both axles) but in order to give an 'uneven loading' margin Fiat say 4250kg (remember they deal with commercial use rather than motorhome use most fo the time) ... that's my take on it anyway.

 

[Speve]

Where is 4050kg mentioned? I'm not reading back everything so if you can show me that would be helpful.

Sorry my figure should have read 4250 kg. However it still bids the question if you are unable to get loaded up to 4500 without overloading one or other axle as you say why bother?
I am well aware the maxi can go up to 4500 in fact ours will go to 4800 with uprated tyres fitted, but don’t need to carry any extra so wouldn’t bother about uplating.

 

[gus-lopez]

JR has upgraded me to 4090kg - front axle remains the same at 1850kg - 2240kg rear axle with air and 112 tyres whereas SVTech

Which is correct.sum total of both axles.

So how is John able to uprate it to 4500 kg ?

If the axles add up to 4500 then it can be done . some might need rear air bags added.

 

[Blue Knight]

@Kiwi Brit

This is a recent published problem concerning the weight of a Tracker FB in Kiwi-land.

It was highlighted on the New Zealand Autotrail site and may be of interest to you; I believe the Kiwi authorities are quite tough on overloading: