Beware motorhome on weight limit (1 Viewer)

[TheTwoOfUs]

So how does this paper exercise make your van safer than mine?

I don't understand that if we are both driving along fully laden, you've up rated yours, I haven't. We both get pulled over, I'm fined for being unsafe overloaded but cos your paper work is done you are ok?
Assuming similar original vans, similar load etc.

What am I missing? Sorry for being thick.

I think I'm right in saying that the max permissable speed limit is reduced to 60 mph.

 

[hdvrod]

Unless the air suspension was fitted as part of a MAM upgrade, then its presence has no effect on the maximum load you can carry - in fact, if it was fitted merely for comfort and not as part of a weight upgrade, then its effect will be to reduce the available payload as the weight of the suspension units increases the basic weight of the van.

Please see my reply to Busby

 

[joner8888]

I wanted to know the weight of my MH, to adjust tyre pressures for a comfortable ride, as much as anything. So I bought one of these:

Broken Link Removed

Was it expensive

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[daveandsan]

There is something not right here. Even with those extras there should be be payload to spare.

The vehicle could have some hidden contraband under the floor or inside the spare tyre but perhaps there has been water ingress somewhere and the walls are full of water? This might sound a bit far fetched but somehow this vehicle has put on perhaps a couple of hundred kgs after it left the factory. Possibly more.

I have started to dig a bit deeper. The motorhome is a 2010 Hobby Siesta Exclusive T650FLC. The Ford plate in the engine compartment says 3850kg the Ford sticker on the door post and the V5 document says 3500kg. Any ideas? Dave.

 

[keith]

I have started to dig a bit deeper. The motorhome is a 2010 Hobby Siesta Exclusive T650FLC. The Ford plate in the engine compartment says 3850kg the Ford sticker on the door post and the V5 document says 3500kg. Any ideas? Dave.

As said it's often done to allow drivers without a C1 category license to drive it. I'm sure you could upgrade to 3850 through SVTech or approach Hobby and tell them you want it at 3850 as that's how it was built. That is assuming you have the C1 license.

 

[daveandsan]

As said it's often done to allow drivers without a C1 category license to drive it. I'm sure you could upgrade to 3850 through SVTech or approach Hobby and tell them you want it at 3850 as that's how it was built. That is assuming you have the C1 license.

If it was downrated they were sailing close to the wind.

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[estcres]

Fill in the V5C with your new vehicle weight and send it off to DVLC. They will upgrade their records, send you a new V5C, reclassify it to P/HGV and you pay less Vehicle Tax.

I did it that way, 3 weeks later got the new V5C, refund of Tax.

I had exactly the same "symptons" as you, Plate in engine compartment 3850Kg, V5C showed 3500Kg,

 

[errpaul]

You can down rate a van. I did it with ours to get it under 3500kg.
Just had to get it weighed and produce this ticket along with other docs.
Paper exercise so I can drive it as i only have cat b on my licence and can't afford over a grand to do the test!
The previous owner had uprated it to 3950kg when they had it from new.
So for me, the van is considered safe up to 3950kg, but because of my licence it's now registered at 3500kg, so that's legally all I'm allowed to weigh!

 

[treetops1]

Please remember if you up grade your van you can carry more weight BUTwhen you get to 70 you have to have a medical every year ,ok for the young not too good for the oldies lol.

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[errpaul]

I should say I would not recommend this to anyone......nightmare with payload......got a tow bar already fitted and I have a B+E so thinking about getting a box trailer.......again money though and a grand for one of those so not a great situation to be in.

 

[snailtrailer]

You have 4 options..



[*]Tow a small trailer, which may give you half a ton or more of extra payload.


Would this also apply to a toad? Could be useful for all those extras we need to carry.

We are both restricted to 350kg

 

[errpaul]

I believe from what I have seen that over 3500 and vehicle recovery is more difficult and gets more expensive, but I stand to be corrected on that

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[Ed Excel]

Was it expensive

£140. Convenience was my driver.

 

[keith]

Please remember if you up grade your van you can carry more weight BUTwhen you get to 70 you have to have a medical every year ,ok for the young not too good for the oldies lol.

Not correct, it's every 3 years, I have done it 3 times.

 

[daveandsan]

Fill in the V5C with your new vehicle weight and send it off to DVLC. They will upgrade their records, send you a new V5C, reclassify it to P/HGV and you pay less Vehicle Tax.

I did it that way, 3 weeks later got the new V5C, refund of Tax.

I had exactly the same "symptons" as you, Plate in engine compartment 3850Kg, V5C showed 3500Kg,

Didnt the DVLC need any evidence, i was thinking i would have to get it done by SVTech.

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[keith]

You have 4 options..



[*]Tow a small trailer, which may give you half a ton or more of extra payload.


Would this also apply to a toad? Could be useful for all those extras we need to carry.

We are both restricted to 350kg

But then you have to check the max weight of the car you are going to tow. Jim was talking about a small box trailer that you can fill with all your extras.

 

[estcres]

Didnt the DVLC need any evidence, i was thinking i would have to get it done by SVTech.

No, just sent in the V5C duly completed,

 

[estcres]

You can down rate a van. I did it with ours to get it under 3500kg.
Just had to get it weighed and produce this ticket along with other docs.
Paper exercise so I can drive it as i only have cat b on my licence and can't afford over a grand to do the test!
The previous owner had uprated it to 3950kg when they had it from new.
So for me, the van is considered safe up to 3950kg, but because of my licence it's now registered at 3500kg, so that's legally all I'm allowed to weigh!

This just shows the way the system works, in your case, 1 day your'e 3950Kg, next day 3500Kg. no changes to the vehicle.

With me, 1 day it was 3500Kg, next day 3850Kg, no extra training or driving licence reqd, (Grandfathers rights, got licence before 1st Jan 1997)

Whole system is a farce.

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[flatpackchicken]

I was sailing very close and almost to the limit and still had myself and partner and dog to go and even more stuff to go on extended winter trip, so I bought a small box trailer (2ton) about 7' x 5' x 6' tandem axle and it works perfectly, I put some racking in and now able to take all my stuff I want with me and am 100% legal all round, and trailer does not prevent me from going most places, as normally don't even know its there, except when reversing of coarse but other otherwise the perfect solution, even got 1 bike on each side of trailer on hooks on the outside and they travel good as well. Happy days and 100% legal. Regards Garry Flatpackchicken

 

[Puddleduck]

Excellent thread. I am new here but not completely new to motor-homing. We sold our last motorhome in 2001 when two of our children left home and we moved to a new area. We always regretted selling the 'van even though by then it was far too huge to be practical but now, with part-time work / semi-retirement beckoning, we want to get on the road again. Not a converted single decker bus this time though!

Our requirements (we thought) were quite simple - 4 berths with 4 seats, an absolute minimum of 500kg payload and a window or rear door so we can put our sea-kayaks inside. Kayaks on the roof (especially our monsters) alter the centre of gravity and are a nuisance to load (I've already had a hernia repair) so inside is the answer.

We saw a couple of motorhomes - one was a Hymer Swing which turned out to be uncomfortable to drive, the other was a Hobby 600 but on taking it to the weighbridge it only had 350 kg for people and gear even though the documentation said 550 kg payload.

Don't take the word of the salesman or the documents for the payload, you have to actually weigh the vehicle.

In the meantime if anyone has any suggestions of makes/models we should take a look at.......

Puddleduck

 

[TheBig1]

a couple of points

towing a car and you need to keep under the maximum train weight which for many vans is less than you might think. van and trailer/towcar weights combined

change the log book via dvlc and you are obliged to have a correct plate made and fit it in place of the one on the door frame

changing the weight capacity often involves changing tyres and suspension so its not always just a paper exercise or cheap

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[Minxy]

General info on uprating above 3500kg:

It means lower speed limits on major roads, both here and abroad, and also more expensive tolls/road fees abroad too.

It also means that you cannot legally go down any road restricted to vehicles up to 3500kg which could cramp your travelling style, especially since more and more of them seem to have this limit now.

Recovery can be more expensive and certainly you won't be able to go straight to the AA/RAC for it as they won't be interested, you usually can only get it by buying it via one of the caravan clubs (CC or CCC), or by going to a different company completely. Also be aware that once you go over 3500kg you are 'commercial' and therefore you are NOT entitled to as much 'hospitality' cover, such as free hotel accommodation, replacement vehicle etc whilst yours is out of action if you do have to use the recovery company's services.

Also, when you uprate you still have to keep within the axle weights so loading still has to be considered - for example, if you have a big garage and want to stick a scooter in it weighing 150kg, but your uprating will only give you another 140kg on the rear axle, it would be a no go ... so check carefully what uprating will 'give' you as far as usable payload and do not assume that it will resolve all issues!

 

[estcres]

a couple of points

towing a car and you need to keep under the maximum train weight which for many vans is less than you might think. van and trailer/towcar weights combined (Agree, always check the makers info)

change the log book via dvlc and you are obliged to have a correct plate made and fit it in place of the one on the door frameThere was already a higher Kg plate fitted under the bonnet, next to the origonal weight, and I was advised verbally by DVLC another was not required)

changing the weight capacity often involves changing tyres and suspension so its not always just a paper exercise or cheap(was not advised or told by DVLC to do this)

I can only state what happened in my case

 

[motor roamin]

I should say I would not recommend this to anyone......nightmare with payload......got a tow bar already fitted and I have a B+E so thinking about getting a box trailer.......again money though and a grand for one of those so not a great situation to be in.

Previous post leads me to believe you passed your test after 1997 so if you don't have C1 then your B+E is also very restricted, it is difficult to be exact on a B+E after 97 as the law has changed twice since then, I would check it out before spending money, oh and 2grand for C1 is well exessive :thumb:

Rick

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[motor roamin]

General info on uprating above 3500kg:

It means lower speed limits on major roads, both here and abroad, and also more expensive tolls/road fees abroad too.

It also means that you cannot legally go down any road restricted to vehicles up to 3500kg which could cramp your travelling style, especially since more and more of them seem to have this limit now.

Recovery can be more expensive and certainly you won't be able to go straight to the AA/RAC for it as they won't be interested, you usually can only get it by buying it via one of the caravan clubs (CC or CCC), or by going to a different company completely. Also be aware that once you go over 3500kg you are 'commercial' and therefore you are NOT entitled to as much 'hospitality' cover, such as free hotel accommodation, replacement vehicle etc whilst yours is out of action if you do have to use the recovery company's services.

Also, when you uprate you still have to keep within the axle weights so loading still has to be considered - for example, if you have a big garage and want to stick a scooter in it weighing 150kg, but your uprating will only give you another 140kg on the rear axle, it would be a no go ... so check carefully what uprating will 'give' you as far as usable payload and do not assume that it will resolve all issues!

Lower speed limits come in over 7.5 ton

Don't see many roads with a 3.5 ton weight limit on most are 7.5 ton exept for acess

My Rv is 17 ton 21 with the trailer RAC arrivals recovery £87 a year covers all my cars and at home so not bad, I may be wrong but I think with arrivals you get the same hospitality cover, but would check that one, unlikely the AA will cover over 3.5 ton at all.

100% true on axle weights so unless they can be altered it can be a begger getting the load distributed to keep within them

Rick

 

[laneside]

Wow what a minefield that is vastly not understood by many or possibly not believed by the head in the sand brigade

 

[TheBig1]

I can only state what happened in my case

believe a temp at dvlc at your peril, always get it in writing as you cant argue with vosa if you are stopped. i have some history with dvla not knowing what they are talking about. they only deal with the issue of tax discs registration documents and number plates. vosa deal with compliance with law and safety

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[daveandsan]

believe a temp at dvlc at your peril, always get it in writing as you cant argue with vosa if you are stopped. i have some history with dvla not knowing what they are talking about. they only deal with the issue of tax discs registration documents and number plates. vosa deal with compliance with law and safety

Would agree 100% on that having had dealings with them, most of them dont know there arse from there elbow. Have you tried getting anything in writing from them?

 

[estcres]

believe a temp at dvlc at your peril, always get it in writing as you cant argue with vosa if you are stopped. i have some history with dvla not knowing what they are talking about. they only deal with the issue of tax discs registration documents and number plates. vosa deal with compliance with law and safety

From the MOT manual 2012,

Only one VIN is required to be complete and legible.

Therefore I only needed the one which was under the bonnet.

 

[lunarman]

I should say I would not recommend this to anyone......nightmare with payload......got a tow bar already fitted and I have a B+E so thinking about getting a box trailer.......again money though and a grand for one of those so not a great situation to be in.

I have a box trailer that I going to sell if you are interested.

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