Overweight?

[Brian Kirby]

Plating down carries no risk, it is a "paper" exercise.  Plating up is supposed to involve expert assessment, by a competent person, of the suitability of the vehicle to carry higher loads.  In some cases, where a vehicle was plated down at the factory, for example where a motorhome is built on a 3.85 tonne chassis, but is plated to 3.5 tonnes to permit a wider range of drivers to use it, it can fairly readily be returned to 3.85 tonnes but should still be inspected by a competent person to verify all running components are suitable.

Where a vehicle is on a 3.5 tonne chassis, and an owner wishes to increase its capacity, it may be possible to alter parts of the running gear to enhance axle capacity, so gaining greater MAM.  The alternative, that I think a bit cynical, because it brings limited benefits, though is quite cheap, is to re-plate the vehicle to the sum of the maximum permitted loads on each axle.  This increases MAM but if, for example, the rear axle was already at its permissible maximum load, the practical benefit to the owner of the increased MAM would be zero.

[Brambles]

Brian Kirby - 2010-06-21 11:49 PM

W3526602 - 2010-06-21 6:08 AM ............I wonder what would happen if your passenger alighted from the vehicle, prior to check-weighing, and refused to get back in? 602

They'd have to walk home!! :-D

and in doing so they would lose so much weight you would not have a problem anymore next time they jumped in the van!! :-S

[Brambles]

Just thinking about tyres, it is possible some of the plated down vehicles also have smaller tyres fitted which are not suitable for the higher weight.

Generally these vehicles are smaller conversions anyway so have plenty of payload so probbaly not a problem where peope want/need to upgrade.