Peugeot based MH, uprating from 3300K to 3500K

[athiest]

Hi, can anyone advise me what I need to do to get my 2008 Compass Avantegard 145 uprated from 3300K to 3500K? An extra 200K loading would be very nice. Thanks for any advice. "A"

[pagey]

http://www.svtech.co.uk/vehicles/motorhomes/ phone these people for advice

[athiest]

Hi pagey, thanks for the info, I will contact them once I get my MH out of winter retirement.

[weldted]

If you are on 215/70/15 tyres it should be a paper excessive. Sv Tec are the ones.

[athiest]

Hi weldted, I am on that size tyres but what do you mean by "paper excessive" please?

[Keithl]

athiest - 2020-03-13 6:31 PM

 

Hi weldted, I am on that size tyres but what do you mean by "paper excessive" please?

 

Think that should read "Paper exercise" !!!

[athiest]

Hi Keithl, thats what I hoped it meant. Will find out next month when I uncover & re tax the van. Thanks "A"

[pagey]

what weldted means is that no modifications will be required just a new weight plate for the van and form sent to the dvla

[athiest]

Hi pagey again, if that is so I will be very happy as I do like to take as much as poss, when using the van, & really do not want to break the law or put other peoples lives in danger from an overloaded van. Thank you all once again for assisting me. "A"

[Derek Uzzell]

How close are you to the present 3300kg maximum overall weight at the moment, and to whatever the maximum front and rear axle loadings are?

 

This listing of a 2009 Avantgarde 145’s specification

 

https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/motorhomes/buyers-guide/motorhomes/details/145/2246

 

suggests two things:

 

1: The quoted payload of 569kg seems reasonable for the motorhome’s design and size.

 

2: The 100bhp output of the 2.2litre motor is hardly going to provide startling performance at 3300kg, and adding another 200kg definitely won’t help matters.

 

Even if up-plating from 3300kg to 3500kg turns out to be a ‘paper exercise’ as far as SVtech is concerned, they will still charge you over £300.

 

Also - looking at on-line photos of the Avantgarde 145 model - although a 145 is relatively short (6.24m) its wheelbase is also quite short and its rear overhang is quite long. Consequently if you exploited the weight upgrade by putting extra load on the rear axle, you’d be wise to have an air-bellows system fitted - another £400 to £500.

 

[athiest]

Hi Derek, sorry about the delay in replying. Certainly something to think about in what you say, not rely bothered about speed or acceleration but would like to carry more without any worries about being over weight. We do like to go away with the house in tow. "A"

[witzend]

athiest - 2020-03-13 6:47 PM

 

Hi Keithl, thats what I hoped it meant. Will find out next month when I uncover & re tax the van. Thanks "A"

 

You don't need the van to do this just give SVtec a ring all info you need is on the V5

[Billggski]

If you have certificates from weighbridges, write a letter showing your change to 3500kg, send them with your V5 to Swansea. You're not changing VED class or altering the vehicle, so just explain the situation. My Land Rover V5 was changed with no fuss.

[Derek Uzzell]

I agree that up-plating from 3300kg to 3500kg should be practicable as a DIY exercise (it's been discussed here in the past) though weighbridge certificates would need to be provided to the DVLA.

 

SVtech has an on-line form

 

http://www.svtech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/4x2-Conversion_form_Motorhome_2018.pdf

 

that can be completed and sent to them to obtain advice. For up-plating weighbridge data do not need to be provided.

[Sapper520]

Derek Uzzell - 2020-03-20 1:16 PM

 

I agree that up-plating from 3300kg to 3500kg should be practicable as a DIY exercise (it's been discussed here in the past) though weighbridge certificates would need to be provided to the DVLA.

 

SVtech has an on-line form

 

http://www.svtech.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/4x2-Conversion_form_Motorhome_2018.pdf

 

that can be completed and sent to them to obtain advice. For up-plating weighbridge data do not need to be provided.

 

Sorry Derek, I may be reading this wrong, if I DIY I would need weighbridge certificates but if I do it through svtech I wouldn't?

[Derek Uzzell]

SVTech do not ask for weighbridge certificates when advice about up-plating is sought, but I don’t know whether - if SVTech subsequently ‘middle-managed’ the up-plating procedure - it would be necessary to obtain certificates and send them to the DVLA..

 

BillIggski has said that, when he DIYed a weight-change for his Land Rover, he sent the DVLA weighbridge certificates, and I vaguely remember another forum-member who DIYed a motorhome weight increase doing the same.

[Billggski]

It was just a precaution to send a weighbridge form, most alterations like change of engine, colour, number of seats etc., are done without comment.

[Brian Kirby]

athiest - 2020-03-14 2:36 PM

 

Hi Derek, sorry about the delay in replying. Certainly something to think about in what you say, not rely bothered about speed or acceleration but would like to carry more without any worries about being over weight. We do like to go away with the house in tow. "A"

Apologies, but Derek's first question was "How close are you to the present 3300kg maximum overall weight at the moment, and to whatever the maximum front and rear axle loadings are?

 

You haven't as yet answered those questions, especially the bold above.

 

If you are already close to the rear axle limit (which is often the case), it is probable that uprating the existing MAM will bring no benefit at all unless, as Derek suggests, you also add air suspension units at the rear to address the low rear axle limit. If you do that, you may also need to uprate the rear tyres to safely accommodate the increased axle load. If you currently carry a spare wheel, and wish to continue doing so, you may then need to uprate the front tyres and the spare to match the rears, so as to be left with a fully serviceable spare wheel.

 

I'm not trying to complicate, just to point out that it would be wise to evaluate as fully as possible, before committing to anything, exactly how much more might need to be done to gain full advantage from any increase in MAM.

[Derek Uzzell]

These earlier forum threads may be worth wading through

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Weight-upgrade/50266/?DisplayType=nested&setcookie=1&go=Go

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Uprating-vehicle-weight-yourself/38746/?DisplayType=nested&setcookie=1&go=Go

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/cheapest-way-to-increase-the-payload-weight-of-a-3-5kg-motorhome/34398/?DisplayType=nested&setcookie=1&go=Go

 

I note that, in the 2nd link, Billggski said

 

"(For downplating apparently the DVLA only want a weighbridge certificate)”

 

So, for anyone choosing to go down the DIY up-plating route, following Billggski’s advice in his posting of 20 March 2020 12:20 PM above may be sufficient.

 

(Having said that (unless DVLA staff are all technical thickos) it has to be asked how MUCH weight increase the DVLA would tolerate before quibbling over an up-plating application. 3300kg to 3500kg would probably be acceptable, but (say) 3300kg to 4500kg?)

 

When up-plating has been asked about here in the past, there has often seemed to be a real unwillingness on the motorhome owner’s part to have the motorhome weighed before going further - but it’s common sense that this should be done to decide how practicable the exercise is likely to be, or even whether the exercise is genuinely necessary.

 

As SVTech’s advice is free, completing their on-line form and sending it to them would be a sensible first step. Admittedly this will require a little effort on the motorhome owner’s part (eg. providing VIN-plate photos) but if that’s too difficult, there’s always JR Consultancy (mentioned in one of the earlier links) or applying directly to the DVLA.