Updating from 3820Kgs - any disadvantages?

[Swamp]

Hi folks,

I am considering uprating our Fiat Ducato based panel van conversion from its current 3820Kg plated weight.

The van is a 2024 plate 180bhp with 9 speed auto so I believe it is on a maxi chassis. We have had VB full air 4C fitted.

A recent weigh bridge visit shows we currently have around 160Kgs total payload available with plenty of capacity on each axle.

We are having a tow bar fitted this week to allow us to carry a couple of e-bikes on the back.

I’m not aware of any downsides to up-plating as we are intending other than the one off cost of doing so. Are there any issues I have missed or should be aware of?

Cheers, S

 

[rosalan]

Towbar = more weight.

 

[MisterB]

Instead of a towbar and then a bike carrier, have you considered a chassis mounted cycle carrier?

If looking to uprate, speak to SV Tech or similar before doing anything as they can advise on what you would need to do. It might only need semi air on the rear, which lots of Funsters have fitted themselves !!

 

[Guigsy]

A tow bar, bike rack and a pair of ebikes will probably weigh about 80kg. But it might add quite a bit more than that to the rear axle. It acts like a seesaw, and it'll lift the front axle and transfer that weight onto the back.

 

[Lenny HB]

The van is a 2024 plate 180bhp with 9 speed auto so I believe it is on a maxi

If it was on the Maxi I would expect it to be plated at 4250kg.

With the 9 speed box even the light chassis comes with maxi running gear.

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[Speve]

If I were updating on a maxi chassis I would go for as much as you can mine is on a maxi chassis at 4500kg 2300 kg front axle and 2500kg rear axle it makes no difference once over 3500kg as long as you have you C1 and just adding a towbar will take even more payload so whilst doing update you only do it once.

 

[Swamp]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Much appreciated

 

[Swamp]

If it was on the Maxi I would expect it to be plated at 4250kg.

With the 9 speed box even the light chassis comes with maxi running gear.

Hi Lenny, thanks for the information.
The van’s first VIN plate shows it as
3500kg with front and rear axles at 2100kg and 2400kg respectively.
The second VIN plate increases the overall max weight to 3820kg leaving the axle weights unchanged.
Is there any way of determining which chassis the van has from that information?
Thanks

 

[Swamp]

Instead of a towbar and then a bike carrier, have you considered a chassis mounted cycle carrier?

If looking to uprate, speak to SV Tech or similar before doing anything as they can advise on what you would need to do. It might only need semi air on the rear, which lots of Funsters have fitted themselves !!

Thanks MisterB,
I’m going to go with a tow-bar as it gives more flexibility and I already have the cycle carrier to fit as I use it on the car.
I have emailed SVTech and am waiting on their reply as to what is possible
Full air is already fitted.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Austria Go Box

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[dunnah01]

Hi Lenny, thanks for the information.
The van’s first VIN plate shows it as
3500kg with front and rear axles at 2100kg and 2400kg respectively.
The second VIN plate increases the overall max weight to 3820kg leaving the axle weights unchanged.
Is there any way of determining which chassis the van has from that information?
Thanks

You are on a Maxi chassis and can get to 4.5t GVW as a paper exercise. You'll still need to keep an eye on the rear axle weight to keep it below 2400kg but should be quite easy

 

[dunnah01]

Thanks MisterB,
I’m going to go with a tow-bar as it gives more flexibility and I already have the cycle carrier to fit as I use it on the car.
I have emailed SVTech and am waiting on their reply as to what is possible
Full air is already fitted.

With full air you may be able to go above 4.5t but wheels and tyres start to become limitations so well worth getting SV Tech involved if you need to go higher

 

[Lenny HB]

Hi Lenny, thanks for the information.
The van’s first VIN plate shows it as
3500kg with front and rear axles at 2100kg and 2400kg respectively.
The second VIN plate increases the overall max weight to 3820kg leaving the axle weights unchanged.
Is there any way of determining which chassis the van has from that information?
Thanks

With the rear at 2400kg it must be a Maxi chassis.

 

[Swamp]

With the rear at 2400kg it must be a Maxi chassis.

Thanks Lenny!

 

[Swamp]

You are on a Maxi chassis and can get to 4.5t GVW as a paper exercise. You'll still need to keep an eye on the rear axle weight to keep it below 2400kg but should be quite easy

Thanks dunnah01,
A recent weigh-bridge visit, after having the full air fitted and pretty much fully loaded with kit, water, gas and fuel (but without the upcoming tow-bar and bikes) recorded the rear axle at 1800kg so we’ve got around 600Kg on that axle to play with so I’m pretty sure we’ll be ok unless I really go overboard stocking up with beer…..

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[L' Hobo]

Thanks dunnah01,
A recent weigh-bridge visit, after having the full air fitted and pretty much fully loaded with kit, water, gas and fuel (but without the upcoming tow-bar and bikes) recorded the rear axle at 1800kg so we’ve got around 600Kg on that axle to play with so I’m pretty sure we’ll be ok unless I really go overboard stocking up with beer…..

I might be wrong but, I thought that to maintain your C1 licence you had to have a medical every 3yrs and apply for your renewed license by post instead of it just being an online exercise if under 3.500kgs?

 

[Al n Val]

I might be wrong but, I thought that to maintain your C1 licence you had to have a medical every 3yrs and apply for your renewed license by post instead of it just being an online exercise if under 3.500kgs?

This is correct. I used D4D when I was coming up to 70 and i’ll need to go back to them when i’m close to 73 so i’m about 18mths off.

It was £55 and they do deals and now and then at £45

 

[Speve]

With full air you may be able to go above 4.5t but wheels and tyres start to become limitations so well worth getting SV Tech involved if you need to go higher

Yes you can get up to 4700 if you have full air and better weight rated tyres but SV tech will tell you exactly what you need

 

[Pugsy]

Hi folks,

I am considering uprating our Fiat Ducato based panel van conversion from its current 3820Kg plated weight.

The van is a 2024 plate 180bhp with 9 speed auto so I believe it is on a maxi chassis. We have had VB full air 4C fitted.

A recent weigh bridge visit shows we currently have around 160Kgs total payload available with plenty of capacity on each axle.

We are having a tow bar fitted this week to allow us to carry a couple of e-bikes on the back.

I’m not aware of any downsides to up-plating as we are intending other than the one off cost of doing so. Are there any issues I have missed or should be aware of?

Cheers, S

Well done for the post as I am thinking the same
I am at 4t on the maxi chassis (alko) and was going to ask the same question about disadvantages I might not have known about when uplating to 4500.
I am the same 2400 rear and 2100 front and have put on 225/74R16C 121/120R all season tyres and hope it's just a paper exercise as air on the back with an alko chassis is not cheap.
I am going to contact SVTech and see what they say.
Good luck .

Cheers Cris

 

[Swamp]

Well done for the post as I am thinking the same
I am at 4t on the maxi chassis (alko) and was going to ask the same question about disadvantages I might not have known about when uplating to 4500.
I am the same 2400 rear and 2100 front and have put on 225/74R16C 121/120R all season tyres and hope it's just a paper exercise as air on the back with an alko chassis is not cheap.
I am going to contact SVTech and see what they say.
Good luck .

Cheers Cris

I think our only real difference is that our van isn’t on the Alko chassis which made the full air upgrade a lot cheaper.

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[Minxy]

A recent weigh bridge visit shows we currently have around 160Kgs total payload available with plenty of capacity on each axle.

We are having a tow bar fitted this week to allow us to carry a couple of e-bikes on the back.

If you have sufficient capacity on the rear axle for the bikes and towbar do you actually need to go to the expense of uprating?