Motorhome Gross Vehicle Weight

[Richard Clark]

I am dissatisfied with the payload available on my Fiat Ducato based motorhome which is plated at 3500 Kg. and would welcome advice from anyone who has gone through the process of replating to a higher figure of, say, 3800 Kg.

I assume that higher rated tyres would be needed, but what about suspension and brakes?

Assuming that it did appear to be a viable project what steps have to be taken with the DoT?

I would also welcome opinions on whether, having replated to a higher figure I would find I had increased the value of my van, or might it be the reverse due to the fact that fewer drivers (potential buyers) would be licenced to drive it and would need to take a test. I am of an age where I would be OK to drive it.

Any other relevent advice would be appreciated including information on companies in the Somerset/Bristol area that might be recommended to do the replating work.

[colin]

There have been many threads on this, it's fairly common, try doing a search on here it should get a few results.

p.s. when making enquireis of this type always best to include full make model and year as this is relavent

[Mel B]

Hi Richard, welcome to the mad house! :-D

 

The first thing you need to do is contact SV Tech who do replating (see below link), if you supply them full details of your vehicle they will be able to tell you whether replating is a possibility and whether your axle weights are sufficient, or can be legally increased, accordingly, as well as your brakes and suspension. If it can be done easily, then it is just a paper exercise and you won't even have to visit them - cost I think is around £250 or so.

 

http://www.svtech.co.uk/motorhomes.html

 

If your current payload is small, then uprating it could increse the saleability of your van, not necessarily the value, so you should only really do it if it is what YOU want, not for someone else who MIGHT want it.

 

It might help to get more appropriate responses if you say what motorhome you have (year, make/model etc) as some others may already have done it on theirs. :-)

[Mel B]

Here are just a few threads about vehicle weight:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=18596&posts=7

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=18820&posts=12

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=21602&start=1

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=20067&posts=24

[Richard Clark]

Thanks Mel for all that info

[Brian Kirby]

Richard

Remember in talking to SV Tech, to ask them to explain exactly what they would do to solve your problem.  All you have said about the vehicle so far is that it is Ducato based, which covers nearly vans on the road! 

My point is that all vehicles have individual load limits for front, and rear, axles.  For practical purposes, the sum of the two axle limits will invariably exceed the plated MAM.  This is so that the vehicle can accommodate loads that are not evenly distributed in proportion to the axle limits, something that would be virtually impossible to achieve in the real world, other than by chance.

My suggestion is that you load the van fully as though for use (with everything you usually take) and take it to a weighbridge with yourself and usual travelling companions on board, and in their usual places.  Then get the weight of the van in that condition, which will tell you how much payload you have spare, but get in addition the weight on one axle, preferably the one carrying the heaviest load.  Subtract that axle load from the total weight, to get the load on the other axle.  Now compare the actual axle loads with the axle limits on the vehicle VIN plate.  You will now also know how much spare capacity you have on each axle.

If you can bear the hassle, unload the van to as close to MIRO trim as you can achieve, and repeat the above process.  That is to say, empty it, except for spare wheel if fitted, gas cylinder/s - ideally full - and full water tank, but still with you and passenger/s on board.  This whole tedious process will tell you how close (hopefully below!  :-)) to the limits you are running, but also approximately (subject to weighbridge accuracy - usually 10Kg increments) how much you toys and clutter actually weigh. 

Then, I would suggest, is the time to contact SV Tech, because only then can you explain fully what you are trying to achieve in terms of loads on each axle, and what your starting point is.  It is possible this tedious exercise may show you are close to, but below, the limit all round, so actually need do nothing, but I suspect from what you say that it may show one, or other, axle is already overloaded in full running trim, and possibly that the van as a whole is already overloaded. 

The point, is that there are various possible remedies that SV Tech can adopt, depending on the scale of the problem, some much cheaper than others, and some depending on the chassis spec of your vehicle.  They will check the latter from your van's VIN, but can hardly arrive at the optimum solution for you if they don't know, in more or less precise terms, the magnitude of the actual problem, and where it arises.  Hope this helps.