Van Weight Engineering - A New Option For Up-plating, Uprating & Downplating Motorhomes (1 Viewer)

[Russell's Dad]

the maxi chassis will i believe go to 4250 kgs the last van we had did, hope it works for you

Mine (Fiat Maxi Globecar) went to 4500kg with no upgrades required. John Ruffles did the paperwork. SV Tech wanted Air assist fitted to go to 4250.

 

[Russell's Dad]

Mine Fiat Maxi Globecar) went to 4500kg with no upgrades required. John Ruffles did the paperwork. SV Tech wanted Air assist fitted to go to 4250.

I should add I up-plated after a visit to the weighbridge showed I was overweight by 75kg when loaded, but I travel with full water and my van has a pop top awning, solar and 2 large Gasit bottles. I still have bike rack and bikes to fit.
I believe the Maxi chassis also weighs more than the non-Maxi chassis.

 

[suavecarve]

I should add I up-plated after a visit to the weighbridge showed I was overweight by 75kg when loaded, but I travel with full water and my van has a pop top awning, solar and 2 large Gasit bottles. I still have bike rack and bikes to fit.
I believe the Maxi chassis also weighs more than the non-Maxi chassis.

Just for clarity, when you were "75kgs over when loaded" was that when your van was at 3,500 or 4,500 ?

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[PhilMary]

Got mine this Morning, £150 and Painless, 7 Days start to finish...
Waiting for DVLA to do their bit now...
Fitted Air Assist on the back, Already had 225/75/16 Q116 on Alloys fitted all round, fitted uprated coil springs on the front to get the extra 250Kg...View attachment 472169

Likewise, all done in a week! I just need the updated logbook returned and all is well in the world.
I was trying to leave a review but have been unable to do so. Nice clean rating plate also arrived so I've stick it me to the old one.

 

[Blue Knight]

I believe the Maxi chassis also weighs more than the non-Maxi chassis.

Yep, by 40kg.

 

[Russell's Dad]

Just for clarity, when you were "75kgs over when loaded" was that when your van was at 3,500 or 4,500 ?

When plated at 3500 I was overweight. That was fully loaded with clothes, food, water, chairs, bbq etc. etc. but minus my co-driver.

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[Russell's Dad]

Likewise, all done in a week! I just need the updated logbook returned and all is well in the world.
I was trying to leave a review but have been unable to do so. Nice clean rating plate also arrived so I've stick it me to the old one.
View attachment 472194

Enjoy your road tax refund!

 

[Blue Knight]

Just had the latest list of approved companies from the DVSA & as well as the well rated but somewhat expensive SvTech there is one that is new - Van Weight Engineering https://www.vanweightengineering.com/home - has anyone tried their services yet? Having messaged to find out more - their prices seem fair ranging from £120-£200 depending on the level of work required & at present they can offer swift timescales for what they do but that may increase a little if they become popular!
At this sort of cost we are considering up-plating (paper exercise only as our Citroen Jumper/Relay is on Heavy Chassis) & are aware of the reduction in road tax charges that would bring but are there any other benefits or downsides to going from 3500kg to 4250kg rating?

That's a fantastic bit of info Karen

 

[missmollie]

Got mine this Morning, £150 and Painless, 7 Days start to finish...
Waiting for DVLA to do their bit now...
Fitted Air Assist on the back, Already had 225/75/16 Q116 on Alloys fitted all round, fitted uprated coil springs on the front to get the extra 250Kg...View attachment 472169

Where did you get the uprated front springs from? Thinking of changing mine as the van is looking a bit nose down at the front.

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[Kozikot]

Where did you get the uprated front springs from? Thinking of changing mine as the van is looking a bit nose down at the front.

These are the ones I have, but my mate got them through the trade,so no VAT to me, I paid £220 and fitted them myself... Needed them as my Original Payload was a meagre 280Kg !

 

[Jonny1953]

Just been to my local weighbridge and fully loaded except for water tank empty and quarter tank of fuel, weight is 3540kg. My V5C has the revenue weight as 3500 and Mass in service is 3500.

The original Fiat plate shows the weight as 3650, but the Pilote plate is 3500.

Am I right in thinking that it is just a paperwork exercise to up plate to 3650 by completing "Section 1 Change my vehicle details" and returning the V5C to DVLA without the need for any upgrades or a V70

 

[Kozikot]

Just been to my local weighbridge and fully loaded except for water tank empty and quarter tank of fuel, weight is 3540kg. My V5C has the revenue weight as 3500 and Mass in service is 3500.

The original Fiat plate shows the weight as 3650, but the Pilote plate is 3500.

View attachment 474294 View attachment 474295

Am I right in thinking that it is just a paperwork exercise to up plate to 3650 by completing "Section 1 Change my vehicle details" and returning the V5C to DVLA without the need for any upgrades or a V70

Think you'll need a New MOT, to show its passed its Brake Test at 3650Kg, I had too even though the Moho was only 2 yrs Old, this is when I went from 3500 to 3650Kg.

Will also need C1 entitlement on your Licence, that's why they downrate them to 3500Kg so anyone with a Car Licence can drive them,need to have passed your test before 1997 or taken a C1 Test...

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[Jonny1953]

Think you'll need a New MOT, to show its passed its Brake Test at 3650Kg, I had too even though the Moho was only 2 yrs Old, this is when I went from 3500 to 3650Kg.

Will also need C1 entitlement on your Licence, that's why they downrate them to 3500Kg so anyone with a Car Licence can drive them,need to have passed your test before 1997 or taken a C1 Test...

C1 is no problem as I am an oldie, passed my test in 1971. Where did you hear about the MOT, was it from DVLA when they up plated your moho

 

[Lenny HB]

Think you'll need a New MOT, to show its passed its Brake Test at 3650Kg, I had too even though the Moho was only 2 yrs Old, this is when I went from 3500 to 3650Kg.

Never heard of that someone at DVLA didn't have a clue by the sounds of it. Upgraded our last van to 3850 without any problems.

 

[Jonny1953]

Never heard of that someone at DVLA didn't have a clue by the sounds of it. Upgraded our last van to 3850 without any problems.

Did you have to do the V70 or just amend the V5c?

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[Lenny HB]

Did you have to do the V70 or just amend the V5c?

I think I used the V70 together with the info from SVTech.

 

[gus-lopez]

there should not be any problem with brake efficiency. they are fitted to cover the maximum total weight of what the axles will carry.

 

[Kozikot]

there should not be any problem with brake efficiency. they are fitted to cover the maximum total weight of what the axles will carry.

If that's the case, why can you only go to 3650Kg, as Max weight of what the axles will carry is 3850Kg as per VIN Plate...

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[Kozikot]

Never heard of that someone at DVLA didn't have a clue by the sounds of it. Upgraded our last van to 3850 without any problems.

It was because my Moho hadn't been Mot'd in the UK...

 

[Lenny HB]

It was because my Moho hadn't been Mot'd in the UK...

Neither had mine, it was 1 year old I imported it new.

 

[Kozikot]

Neither had mine, it was 1 year old I imported it new.

Well mine did, yours didn't, now what ?

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[Emmit]

Just been to my local weighbridge and fully loaded except for water tank empty and quarter tank of fuel, weight is 3540kg. My V5C has the revenue weight as 3500 and Mass in service is 3500.

The original Fiat plate shows the weight as 3650, but the Pilote plate is 3500.

View attachment 474294 View attachment 474295

Am I right in thinking that it is just a paperwork exercise to up plate to 3650 by completing "Section 1 Change my vehicle details" and returning the V5C to DVLA without the need for any upgrades or a V70

Hi,
You won't be able to get it to the Sum of the Two Axles (3850Kgs) because, frankly, it would be impossible to be able to balance the weights to such a fine tune.
However, if you engage one of the engineers mentioned on here, you may find that they will be able to issue you with a new plate of, perhaps, 3800Kgs.
Our last van had a total axle weight of 3750Kgs with 3500Kgs on the plate and we got one to allow a MAM of 3700Kgs

 

[Jonny1953]

Well mine did, yours didn't, now what ?

Well mine has been MOTd here so hopefully will not need doing again to up plate

 

[Lenny HB]

Well mine did, yours didn't, now what ?

? ??

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[Jonny1953]

Hi,
You won't be able to get it to the Sum of the Two Axles (3850Kgs) because, frankly, it would be impossible to be able to balance the weights to such a fine tune.
However, if you engage one of the engineers mentioned on here, you may find that they will be able to issue you with a new plate of, perhaps, 3800Kgs.
Our last van had a total axle weight of 3750Kgs with 3500Kgs on the plate and we got one to allow a MAM of 3700Kgs

I never said I want 3850, if the original vin plate says 3650 then that will do me without involving anyone else getting involved

 

[Emmit]

Well mine has been MOTd here so hopefully will not need doing again to up plate

It says in the blurb that is on the Uprating request that the Authorities may demand to have the vehicle for inspection prior to accepting the uprating.

 

[pappajohn]

Enjoy your road tax refund!

What road tax refund, its rated at 3500kg.

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[Barclaybasher]

Unless anyone needs to go well over 3500kg why do it?

OK you save a bit on road tax but any restrictions start at over 3500kg - speed, tolls, banned from areas.... driver needs a C1 which affects value of vehicle.....

Just (eventually) downplated my A class from 3850kg to 3500kg - just sent the V5 back........... Happy Days !

Drove to Spain well overloaded with stuff more than once - never weighed, never checked and the vehicle drove fine...

Took a car over once, so overloaded I could not get off the ferry, they had to raise the loading ramp to get me off !

 

[Lenny HB]

Unless anyone needs to go well over 3500kg why do it?

OK you save a bit on road tax but any restrictions start at over 3500kg - speed, tolls, banned from areas.... driver needs a C1 which affects value of vehicle.....

Just (eventually) downplated my A class from 3850kg to 3500kg - just sent the V5 back........... Happy Days !

Drove to Spain well overloaded with stuff more than once - never weighed, never checked and the vehicle drove fine...

Took a car over once, so overloaded I could not get off the ferry, they had to raise the loading ramp to get me off !

Some of us like to be legal.

 

[Barclaybasher]

Some of us like to be legal.

Fair point....but the last owner of my 3850kg motorhome didn't even realise he needed a C1 - took his family to the South of France in it - big heavy awning, 3 kids and said the van would cruise at 90mph all day............. I knew what I had on board and drove within my vans (and my) capabilities ..... commonsense doesn't need limits or rules

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