Beware motorhome on weight limit (1 Viewer)

[daisy mae]

Took mine to the weighbridge this morning, it has full fresh water, full tank of diesel, everything in it apart from my clothes, fresh food and my dog, it weighed 2740 , max weight 3300, so have more than enough left. :thumb:

 

[daveandsan]

Took mine to the weighbridge this morning, it has full fresh water, full tank of diesel, everything in it apart from my clothes, fresh food and my dog, it weighed 2740 , max weight 3300, so have more than enough left. :thumb:

What about the drinks?

 

[Phill D]

just had svtech intervene on my behalf with DVLA by supplying a certificate that the chassis is acceptable at my upgraded weight.
they say it should be sorted with DVLA by early next week:thumb:

svtech seem to have such a relationship with DVLA that it appears they phone the correct person aND FAX / PDF THE FILES / INFO NEEDED.

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[chaser]

Iv got no weight on the v5 so what does that meen, do I just go by the plate under the bonnet, which for mine says 3400, had it weighed and it's well under,but why nowt on the v5

 

[Phill D]

Iv got no weight on the v5 so what does that meen, do I just go by the plate under the bonnet, which for mine says 3400, had it weighed and it's well under,but why nowt on the v5

Your legal weights are governed by the weight plate, so stick under them to be road legal. your revenue (tax disc ) cost is by your V5 c weight. if you are paying £225 then they have assumed your revenue weight is under 3500, if its £165 the revenue weight is classed as over 3500 but under 7500.

 

[Allanm]

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.

Your not unsafe overloaded, you are exceeding the taxable weight as shown in your V5 and the plate on the vehicle.
I had mine upgraded by SVTech after taking it to a weigh bridge and finding out that because I opted for the Premium Pack of extras, my payload was reduced by almost 100KG.
I upped it to 3700. Pay less tax and plenty of payload now.

Allan

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[Puddleduck]

Your not unsafe overloaded, you are exceeding the taxable weight as shown in your V5 and the plate on the vehicle.

Allan

Yes, it's crazy. You are not unsafe (assuming that it is a "simple" paper exercise to upgrade) but you are illegal. If you do upgrade you can legally carry more but pay less. There are also speed restrictions to consider.

Obviously you need a C1 class on your driving license if you go over the 3.5 tonnes but that's a different question.

 

[cruiser]

don't forget they can fine you per kilo overweight.then make you send for a van to take your excess.and if you have accident,when you are over weight you have no insureance. so you can a tow a trailer.:shout:

 

[kcy]

Are you allowed a percentage overweight in Spain/portugal as you are in GB?

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[kcy]

Weighed our new MH and what a shock, so we've taken out wheel ramps, wind break, changed large gas bottle for small one, rotary clothes drier, etc etc. The list goes on Steve weighs 82kg, I weigh 62kg Ebony weighs 29kg Havent put food in yet so it looks like my freezer querys from another post aint going to be a problem. 3500 goes no where. We really were in cuckoo land with our old MH. Ignorance was bliss, also scary in retrospect

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Didn't think that there was a percentage allowance. If overweight according to their weighing scales then at the very least you have to lose it before you are allowed to continue. Anecdotally up to a certain amount overweight you get a warning rather than a fine and points, but being overloaded is an absolute offence.

After the Towbar fitting, the other week, took mine on Friday to the weighbridge. Plenty to spare on each axle and enough overall. Towbar added quite a bit to the rear axle weight, but close to the estimates

 

[mjltigger]

You're scaring me now.. time to find a weigh bridge lol

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[DuxDeluxe]

Weighed our new MH and what a shock, so we've taken out wheel ramps, wind break, changed large gas bottle for small one, rotary clothes drier, etc etc. The list goes on Steve weighs 82kg, I weigh 62kg Ebony weighs 29kg Havent put food in yet so it looks like my freezer querys from another post aint going to be a problem. 3500 goes no where. We really were in cuckoo land with our old MH. Ignorance was bliss, also scary in retrospect

.........and why I've had ours weighed three times since we got it new in May. First time was to confirm that we needed to uprate, second time was a check and the third time was as above and to confirm the extra rear axle load change due to the rather heavy type approved tow bar

 

[busby]

I have Air suspension fitted (on when I bought it) guess this must help by taking weight of the springs.

But the weight will still be the same. You reduce your pay load by fitting air suspension unless you have gross weight uprated...sorry. BUSBY.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

But the weight will still be the same. You reduce your pay load by fitting air suspension unless you have gross weight uprated...sorry. BUSBY.

.......and we thought that the air suspension would push the chassis upwards and make the whole thing lighter........

It adds a few kilos (the kit is surprisingly heavy) but much better ride and and was part of our uprate process together with the higher load rated tyres. SV tech did ours. Not cheap but very efficient

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[kcy]

do the spanish/portugese allow a percentage overweight like in the UK

 

[elamessa]

No if your overweight you are overweight!!!!!

 

[kcy]

Beware motorhome weight Limit


I use one of the Reich wheel scales, total up the axle weights to check against the plate.
Added bonus email tyre manufacturer (mine are Contiental) with tyre details and axle weights usually get a very prompt reply advising correct pressures for the load, you will be quite surprised with the difference between the front and rear and the standard pressures and also the subsequent improvement in the ride quality.
Cheers

and how much do they weigh

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[signworks]

I up rated mine with sv tech really good to deal guy called gareth did mine
if you see them at a show you get it a bit cheaper
also I never travel full of fuel and water as this keeps weight down under 3850
Hope this helps

 

[kcy]

has anyone ever been stopped and weighed, not your greataunt twice removed, but personally?

 

[Tackle man]

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

Take look at the new Hymer Exsis i series. I've just weighed my 688 with everything on board except water. The ticket reads 3410Kg.

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[Puddleduck]

Take look at the new Hymer Exsis i series. I've just weighed my 688 with everything on board except water. The ticket reads 3410Kg.

We bought a Chausson Welcome WS in May which ticks all important the boxes! Very pleased with it.

 

[Tackle man]

We bought a Chausson Welcome WS in May which ticks all important the boxes! Very pleased with it.

So what is your total weight?

 

[BreweryDave]

I always travel with 137 balloons filled with helium. Seems to do the trick

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[Cal54]

I haven't ever had a van weighed and no doubt will have fallen foul of the law at some stage. Even though I now have a PVC with a better payload perhaps I should get it checked, just to be on the safe side!

 

[Jaws]

Well known story..
When we bought the Miller I took it to the wb .. it was empty of food, clothing, in fact all I had was a 1/4 tank of diesel and a couple of gallons of water put in to show the water works were working ok.

Wanted to know how much spare capacity I had..
Glad I did as in its empty state it came in at 3600 !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Long story short, went to SV Tech and did the deed .. Up'd it to 4.1t ( I fitted air bags, it already had the correct tyres fortunately ) and that JUST about kept us legal..

Upgrading the weight limit to 3.8 is just a paper exercise .. and of course there is the added bonus of considerably cheaper road fund licence to boot !

Five years on we decided to go for a tag in the end though.. LOADS of spare capacity to play with !

 

[Emmit]

I'm keeping my powder dry on this topic.
We have had a recurring discussion while on this trip about what has to go as soon as we get back to Blighty.
SWMBO is staying as I can't cook as good as her. But the, in no particular order, table, windbreak, large store of tins, encyclopedia????? of books, large bu&&er off lantern torch, and spare wheel plus carrier and eeeeeeenormous jack and wheel spanners plus treasure chest of spares that could be bought and thrown away from every cheap chinese shop will have to go.
That lot MIGHT get us down to the weight.

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[Tackle man]

I haven't ever had a van weighed and no doubt will have fallen foul of the law at some stage. Even though I now have a PVC with a better payload perhaps I should get it checked, just to be on the safe side!

This is the first time I've ever been to the weigh bridge. I put everything I'm ever likely to take away inc' all summer and winter kit and fishing tackle. I still had 90kg to spare. Just lucky I guess.

 

[motor roamin]

I have not read all of this post so if I repeat what has been said sorry, this situation is only going to get worse, any one 34 or younger will only have a 3.5 ton licence unless they have taken a C1 licence, we are training more people than ever for the C1, the trouble is we want everything in our Motorhomes and to get it into 3.5 ton max is not easy something has to give and it's been quality of materials thinner lighter and in some cases not fit for purpose and the other is of course payload, it's time that all Motorhomes are sold with a weight ticket as it stands and not what manufacturers state, a few additions like solar extra leisure battery tv etc all add up, many are overloaded without realizing not always their fault, that won't stop a fine though, as I have all licences I wouldn't even look at buying a 3.5 ton, the only thing is if you have no choice insit on a weigh bridge ticket with full load of fuel before parting with your hard earned cash.

All the best Rick

 

[motor roamin]

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.

I think for C1 it's every three years from 70, for Class C every year after 65 years old not that bad though.

All the best Rick

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