should I uprate weight? (1 Viewer)

[mick noe]

As usual, ready for the off thursday 10 40pm shuttle ,weighed the van and although It's come in below 3500 its very close. Next year we intend to spend most of the year(in several bites) touring around europe. I,m 61 and have grandfathers rights on my licence. Looking at the rating plates I have a max on front axle of 1850 and rear 2000 so I assume it would be a paper excersize to uprate to 3850. Current is 3500. Actual on weighbridge fully loaded with scooter in garage and 30litres of water full tank of fuel is 1580 front rear 1900 total few kilo under 3500. So for next year I would like to fit a solar panel take the tv and one or two other items. The thing I am concerned about is weight access to towns /villages and toll roads. Are there any other downsides to uprating please? Oh and what are the added upsides.....other than being legal?

 

[SandraL]

I would uprate, ours is 4500kg and many 3.5t signs come with picture of lorry so do not apply to non commercial( well thats my excuse). Lower speed limits, lower tax, higher tolls.
See this thread also running
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/choice-between-3500-and-3850-kgs-or-more.132147/

 

[vwalan]

you could be driving a lorry for private use etc so that doesnt work.
many countries in the eu have never given their citizens a licence over 3,500kg gvw so that is why it shows what looks like a lorry. as it is a m,home carries goods .
your goods they may not be for hire or reward but you do carry goods . this was sorted out after the 1991 change in licences etc .
the sign doesnt say for hire and reward .
if you dont agree you carry goods please pay the higher road tax.

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[TerryL]

Positive - Cheaper road fund licence. Legal peace of mind. Capacity for your proposed upgrades (which you'll need). Capacity for the occasional extra box of vino.

Negative - Some villages and smaller towns have 3.5t weight limit (but generally easily avoided and I have been known to "miss" the odd one or three). Cost of upgrading (SV Tech will do all the hard work). Wouldn't worry too much about tolls, they tend to be more height/length critical. In 9 years time you'll need to pass a medical.

 

[Techno]

Do it Mick
My signature shows I've gained another 500kg

 

[Techno]

(SV Tech will do all the hard work)

In most cases it's not hard at all and £312 for old rope.
I paid £142 for exactly what they do and posted it to DVLA yesterday

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[mick noe]

In most cases it's not hard at all and £312 for old rope.
I paid £142 for exactly what they do and posted it to DVLA yesterday

who did you use please?

 

[Speve]

It's not a problem over 3500 and most of us drive under the speed limits already,we used SVTech when we uprated an Autotrail it was paper work bigger rear tyres and air suspension to rear axle,the benefit of SVTech is they know what they are doing and send you a new plate as well as documents to send to DVLA, we had no problems at all

 

[Techno]

who did you use please?

@Minxy Girl did all the work to get round SVTech apparent monopoly
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/uprating-vehicle-has-anyone-done-it-themselves-not-via-svtech.108656/
Man called John Ruffles , he has email issues best to phone

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[Lenny HB]

Your rear axle is limited to 2000kg so by uprating to 3850kg you will only gain a 100kg may just be able to run with a full water tank. Increasing the rear axle will involve fitting wider tyres with higher load index or air assist probably both.

 

[DBK]

SV Tech, or someone else, can usually uprate the vehicle as a paper exercise, there is no physical change to the vehicle. Mine, on Ducato Maxi chassis can go from 3500 to 4250, the standard chassis much less, typically something like 3850.

If you want to go higher then some changes will be needed to the vehicle, such as different tyres and/or air bags on the back axle. What needs to be done will differ and that's why you need a consultant who will endorse the changes and give DVLA the paperwork they need.

 

[Lenny HB]

No, the reason I said he would only gain a 100 kg is because he is already running at 1900kg on the rear axle.
How much you can uprate depends on the chassis, most 3.5t vans are on the 3.85t chassis but a few are on the maxi chassis.

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[StitchesnFluff]

New van at 3850, wasn't sufficient payload at 3500, gives 710 payload as per last van Exsis

 

[Peter A Forbes]

Our Mercedes Vario is 5990kg gross as standard, but we can add another 500kg or so without any mods, it all depends on the axles max rating. Ours is 5.6tonnes rear, downrated to 4.3tonnes as it stands, front is 2.3tonnes.

Peter

 

[mick noe]

bit of a mystery as my van is just about identical (I think) to @Techno andys van just I have double bed over garage and he has lower garage and central bed. Model of mine is 7097f with alco chassis.

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[Techno]

No mystery Mick
AL-KO make different strength chassis. Mine is a 42H
I suspect yours is on 15" wheels which will limit your weight capability

 

[Allanm]

Our new van has a 1600kg payload, I won't be needing SVTech again!
But, I did use them to uprated my last van from 3500 to 3700. According to the axles, I could have gone to 3850, but the new weight gave me over 500kg payload and I was happy with that.
It's a good idea to trim stuff you don't need from the van, when we emptied ours out to sell it, I was amazed at all the weight I didn't need to carry.

 

[mick noe]

No mystery Mick
AL-KO make different strength chassis. Mine is a 42H
I suspect yours is on 15" wheels which will limit your weight capability

Oh well...... will have to look at options when we return from France. Not too worried at present as legal,but will need to put a little more weight on for extended trips next year I think 3850 will be fine but will see what the options are. I do feel it is important to stay within limits and legal (which is why visit to the weighbridge before the trip) Thanks for your replies.

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