Wooie Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Almost ready for the first big trip of the year ( Scotland here we come ). Fully serviced with a brand new M.O.T. ( Alko handbrake nightmare but that`s another story ) The new solar panel i`ve fitted is working a treat and the inverter hard wired with it`s own socket i fitted works well on the laptop. Next thought was weight ( ex HGV... old habits die hard ) the van is fully loaded, full fuel tank, full water tank, 2 full gas bottles etc. etc. all that is missing are a fridge full of food and a few extra clothes in the wardrobe. A quick trip to my local weighbridge would put my mind at rest and save a nasty fine and points on my licence. £5 is well worth it. Pulled onto the weighbridge, wife stayed in the van and i went into the office, told the guy i just wanted a straight weigh and would he wait until i went and stood on the weighbridge before printing the ticket then it was a true weight. I got the thumbs up and went back into the office, paid my £5 and then looked at the ticket in disbelief !!!!!! Compass Castaway 500 LL ............. gross 3,850kgs Nice new weighbridge ticket ............. actual 3,840kgs Now comes the problem, i haven`t got any lager on board yet and suddenly realised i have a choice to make, do i take the wife or do i take my lager , decisions, decisions some people have no idea . There is however light at the end of the tunnel, i only live round the corner from S V Tech of Leyland and a quick call to them confirmed that i could upgrade from 3,850kgs to 4,000kgs with nothing extra needed doing to the van, even the new tyres were the correct rating for the extra weight and it was only a paper exercise. Something else i need to do when we get back ( this trip i`ll have to grin and bear it) but at least it`s possible. I wonder how many others actually go to the time and trouble of checking their weight on a weighbridge ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Been there and dunnit SvTec saved the day from 3300kgs to 3500kgs worth it for the peace of mind like you fully loaded with half tank water and half tank diesel was 20kgs under 3300kgs now with same load 220kgs under result. Get it sorted and you can then take both the wife and lager , happy days !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Wooie.. ...I would also check each axle weight as well the overall weight.. Our current van is 3850kg but when fully loaded in "going away mode",although there's still approximately 200kg spare overall,there's only about 60kg on the rear(..and at the moment,we don't take bikes etc)...So with this in mind... Can I just ask about SvTech...? What info do they require inorder to tell you if an "uprate" is possible?... I assume the obvious:Year / Make / Model / VIN /Tyre(size & rating) ..and it has already got Dunlop Air assistors fitted.. ..and do you just phone 'em up and ask?... I have looked at their website before and to be honest,I'm never very clear which(if any?) form would need completing? :$ Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I agree with Pepe regarding getting each axle weighed. Then you can move the wife and lager around in the van by way of balast. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike B. Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Get the upgrade, dump the wife, get more lager in Seemples! Mike :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 pepe63 - 2012-05-03 3:46 PM Wooie.. ...I would also check each axle weight as well the overall weight.. Our current van is 3850kg but when fully loaded in "going away mode",although there's still approximately 200kg spare overall,there's only about 60kg on the rear(..and at the moment,we don't take bikes etc)...So with this in mind... Can I just ask about SvTech...? What info do they require inorder to tell you if an "uprate" is possible?... I assume the obvious:Year / Make / Model / VIN /Tyre(size & rating) ..and it has already got Dunlop Air assistors fitted.. ..and do you just phone 'em up and ask?... I have looked at their website before and to be honest,I'm never very clear which(if any?) form would need completing? :$ Thanks Hi pepe, I just rang them and they are very very helpful all you need is the information you have already said plus the info on the plate giving the axle weights and the load rating on your tyres. They are very easy to find and are only 10 mins from J28 Leyland on the M6 They will discuss what you want and advise the best way for you to go. I`ll do it when we get back as mine will take a little while because i have the weight printed on my tax disc and that needs changing. S V Tech 01772 621800 Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 if shes fit, take her, and buy beer as you go along.....who is going to do the cleaning, shopping, washing etc otherwise 8-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Thanks for that Wooie! Although it's not something I really *need* to do,it's something that,if done,would give me some leeway on th rear axle.. Have yourself a good trip. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryd999 Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Dump the water and take both. I agree both axles need to be weighed. I always get the whole van done and then each axle. Got stopped going into Switzerland once full up and a luton cab full of cheap beer from Lidl in Germany. The swiss border guards could not believe that a 7 metre motorhome with a motorbike on the back was sub 3500KG. Ten minutes on the weighbridge behind the border control station and they had to give in. We were just under. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 I did weigh both axles as well and they came back within limits. So i know i`ve got the van loaded correctly. I didn`t put that in the original post as not to confuse things and my main concern was being so close to the MTPLM. Sorry for the confusion folks . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 I bet like the rest of us me included you didn't allow for the tolerance on the weigh bridge +50/-50kg (lol) Weigh bridges are designed to weigh 40 tonnes the calibration test is done at 17 - 18 tonnes I wonder how accurate they are at 3.5 tonne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 lennyhb - 2012-05-03 6:27 PM I bet like the rest of us me included you didn't allow for the tolerance on the weigh bridge +50/-50kg (lol) Weigh bridges are designed to weigh 40 tonnes the calibration test is done at 17 - 18 tonnes I wonder how accurate they are at 3.5 tonne. All i can do is to go off the printed ticket that shows the weight with the time date and registration number all printed on a official weighbridge ticket from a public weighbridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wooie Posted May 3, 2012 Author Share Posted May 3, 2012 Problem Sorted !!! Traded Hubbie in for a lighter model with 6-pack ! 2 birds with 1 stone you might say. Regards The WIFE ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverback Posted May 3, 2012 Share Posted May 3, 2012 Wooie - 2012-05-03 6:50 PM Problem Sorted !!! Traded Hubbie in for a lighter model with 6-pack ! 2 birds with 1 stone you might say. Regards The WIFE ! LOL !!! love it !! sorry i would have dumped you and took the lager!! (all tongue in cheek) nice 1 jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Remember though that:- Beer always give good head. Beer is good when cold. Beer doesn't talk. Beer is always available. If you're fed up with your current beer, you can just chuck it out. You don't have to wash beer to make it taste good. Beer doesn't try to cover up as soon as you take it's top off. You can manage another beer immediately after having had one. You can make a beer last as long as you want. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Dave Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I have a solutionFor every can of lager that you carry, put two helium balloons in the 'van this will counter the gravitational pull of the cans. beware though if you drink all the beer without removing said balloons you may float away, or (but this is a more dangerous idea) tell the missus she's staying at home :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I drove around for the best part of 20 years well overweight :$................It was only after joining this forum that I discovered such things :D............... As for SV tech I emailed them about up grading?.........they never even replied 8-)..........probably still laughing ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidmac Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Did S-VTECH quote you a price for this "paper exercise" ? Regards David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 BGD - 2012-05-04 1:48 PM Remember though that:- Beer always give good head. Beer is good when cold. Beer doesn't talk. Beer is always available. If you're fed up with your current beer, you can just chuck it out. You don't have to wash beer to make it taste good. Beer doesn't try to cover up as soon as you take it's top off. You can manage another beer immediately after having had one. You can make a beer last as long as you want. ;-) BTW Bruce, how is the Sparkle? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 pepe63 - 2012-05-03 4:22 PM Thanks for that Wooie! Although it's not something I really *need* to do,it's something that,if done,would give me some leeway on th rear axle.. Have yourself a good trip. ;-) Do check, but I think you will find this kind of re-plating does not alter the individual permissible axle loads, it merely reduces or eliminates the difference between the plated MAM and the sum of the maximum permissible axle loads. As with yours, most vans run out of axle capacity before they hit their MAM. For this reason I think these "desk" re-platings something of an illusion. I think you will also fined that, in general, air assistance units do not increase the permissible axle load. Some do, but only those sold for that purpose. If permissible axle loads are increased, it is very probable that tyres (including any spare) would also have to be changed to a higher load rating variant. Bear in mind that whatever increase in MAM is obtained, the brakes, springs, and dampers were rated for the original MAM! If towing, and the MAM is increased, the GTW will remain unaltered, so the maximum trailer weight must be reduced by a corresponding amount. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poppy Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-05-03 4:19 PM if shes fit, take her, and buy beer as you go along.....who is going to do the cleaning, shopping, washing etc otherwise 8-) Careful Judge! Someone might direct Mrs.Judge to this post and then you will be in DEEP S**T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Having given it more consideration it would have to be the wife, don't go much on lager & the fridge is not big enough for a firkin of real ale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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