Weights !! Confused? Scooter rack?

Diesel

Guest
First off, thanks for the excellent forum, I have been lurking and learning for ages but now i'm stuck on something?

I am preparing for a six month jaunt into France, Spain and Portugal hopefuly mostly wild camping.

I have a 2003 Auto Trail Scout on the rear wheel drive Mercedes Sprinter 316CDI engine.

I recently got it MOT'd and took a photo of the front, rear and overall weight as shown on the rolling road computer.

F = 1407 kg
R = 2136 kg

Total weight = 3543 kg

My vehicle specifications say: (as per Auto Trail brochure and VIN plate info)

Max load:

F = 1750 kg
R = 2240 kg

So before I have even put anything in it the rear axle is weighing 2136kg leaving me with only 104kg of weight left to load in the back??

I was aiming to add a scooter rack and scooter (145kg total) and there is no clothes or anything in it yet? all the cupboards and water tanks are empty.



The VIN plate (inside cab door) says:

3500kg
6300kg
1 - 1750kg
2 - 2240kg

It has also got GB air ride suspension fitted on the rear.

Am I stuck?
Do I need to get the suspension uprated? (leaf springs) Is this expensive?

Thank you in advance :)
 
Thank you for the quick response :)

That's a great link; thank you, unfortunately for me it looks like my vehicle was always designed to be a 3500GVM, what are my options now?
 
even empty the vehicle is over the 3,500 Kg total weight currently permitted so your chances of carrying a scooter , even with an upgrade [ presuming you have the driving licence ] are very slim as the rear axle will be overloaded as you suggest , bearing in mind the leverage will probably increase the load by more than the weight of the scooter suggests

perhaps a set of larger wheels and tyres might increase the capacity of the rear axle , but we are now starting to suggest serious expenditure ...you will have to find out

could be cheaper to change the vehicle !
 
If your scooter and rack weight 143KG when you calculate the overhang and do the maths it will be more like 250KG. There is a handy calculator here. Safe loading and payloads | Practical Motorhome

Something doesnt add up though. Is this a 4000KG van or a 3500KG? As your front and rear allowances quoted equal nearly 4000KG.

Seems a little heavy on the back.

The only thing I would suggest is getting it down to a proper weigh station and weighing each axle and the whole van.

The Autotrails I think are usually pretty good for payload. Get a second opinion and do it yourself down the weigh station. Looks like you have more available payload forward so maybe distribute stuff but if it really is only 103KG left on the back end your really going to struggle

IF you do upgrade the vans payload you need to make sure that this includes uprating the rear axle allowance and not just the whole van as I think you need at least 150KG extra allowance on the rear axle.
 
Diesel said:
First off, thanks for the excellent forum, I have been lurking and learning for ages but now i'm stuck on something?

I am preparing for a six month jaunt into France, Spain and Portugal hopefuly mostly wild camping.

I have a 2003 Auto Trail Scout on the rear wheel drive Mercedes Sprinter 316CDI engine.

I recently got it MOT'd and took a photo of the front, rear and overall weight as shown on the rolling road computer.

F = 1407 kg
R = 2136 kg

Total weight = 3543 kg

My vehicle specifications say: (as per Auto Trail brochure and VIN plate info)

Max load:

F = 1750 kg
R = 2240 kg

So before I have even put anything in it the rear axle is weighing 2136kg leaving me with only 104kg of weight left to load in the back??

I was aiming to add a scooter rack and scooter (145kg total) and there is no clothes or anything in it yet? all the cupboards and water tanks are empty.



The VIN plate (inside cab door) says:

3500kg
6300kg
1 - 1750kg
2 - 2240kg

It has also got GB air ride suspension fitted on the rear.

Am I stuck?
Do I need to get the suspension uprated? (leaf springs) Is this expensive?

Thank you in advance :)
Click to expand...

Hi Diesel, welcome to the forum,,first of all you can't load any more into your vehicle if it's gross weight is 3500kgs, you can move around your cargo but it looks like you are already on your weight, secondly i would try getting another weigh check somewhere, there could be a discrepancy on the axle weights at the MOT station,,,good luck,,,John

ps sorry ,the 2 previous beat me to it,,too slow typing,,,john
 
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Yep, something doesn't seem right?

I see in the Auto Trail book it says I have a GVM of 3800kg but on the plate inside the drivers door it definitely says 3500kg.

The "Scout" has quite a long overhang.

I think I definitely need to try another weigh bridge to double check the front, rear and total weights.

Thanks everybody :)
 
It would seem Autotrail have uprated your vehicle the plate in the door is for the merc chassis you should find another probably under the bonnet with the new weights.
 
Just to add to the confusion a little. The weights given on your Vin Plate are MAXIMUM loadings per axle. It is quite usual for the sum of both axle limits to exceed the gross vehicle weight. It is designed that way to allow for load position variations in the vehicle. For example a truck carrying the maximum load it is allowed could still exceed the limits for one axle if the load was too far forward or too far back.

In your case the 6300kg weight would appear to be the Gross Train Weight. (The weight of the vehicle plus the weight of (say) a trailer). The 3500kg is the maximum vehicle legal weight and within that the weights given for each axle must not be exceeded, even if the van actually weighs less than 3500kg.
 
I think you need to in investigate. Why you have a 300 klg difference between. The two weights, i would think you could be prosecuted for exceeding. 3500 klg as said on your vin plate.uprating the suspension would not increase the gvm.
 
Quick and easy solution !!

Buy a trailer ! unless you already tow something else.
 
OK,
I have just been to a weigh bridge and it seems the MOT rolling road weights were correct. So there is absolutely no chance of me putting a scooter on the back :-/ Unless of course I tow it on a trailer, but that would be a pain in the arse even for an articulated lorry driver like me :) (i am supposed to be on holiday after all) :)

Thanks everybody for your help :)

Oh and yes there is a sticker under the bonnet saying that it has been uprated to 3800kg, although despite literally having not put any of my stuff in it yet I only have just over 200kg left to play with :-( and most of that must be in front of the rear axles despite all the storage cupboards being behind the rear axle :-/

This is going to be interesting! pretty sure i'm gonna end up slightly on the wrong side of that 3800kg no matter how little I take!


Thanks again for all the help folks, it's nice to know that there are people out there willing to spend a little time to help others :)
 
what does the registration document [ V5 ?] say the gross weight is , that is what your legal position is
 
Take it to your local weightbridge the brake rollers at most test station tend to vary and are not always that accurate but you will need to find out what the towbar is capable of taking (as in nose weight)
John
 
hippy travels said:
Take it to your local weightbridge the brake rollers at most test station tend to vary and are not always that accurate but you will need to find out what the towbar is capable of taking (as in nose weight)
John
Click to expand...

You can get scooter racks that fit to the chassis independant of the tow bar. Ours fitted by Armatage Trailers in Ferrybridge is fitted directly into the Alko Chassis and is as solid as a rock and rated to take up to 200KG.
 
vehicle weight

first I would check registration document to see what figures are stated there as you have a discrepancy between the weights you are quoting. if as you say the read out at mot station, gross weight 3543kg then you should have failed the mot if your vehicle is registered as a 3500kg gross weight. I suspect that as in my case I have the original vin plate on door that says 3500kg gross weight, but a second plate that states vehicle gross weight 3850 kg and have the same 3850 figure in the registration document. my vehicle originally was plated at 3500kg upon first registration but was uprated by the first owner. I also have documentation from the company who arranged the uprating. (svtech)

ps there was no need for any alterations to the vehicle it is only a paper exercise
 
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No wishing to hijack you thread but,

On my 2004 LWB Peugot Boxer Marquis Autocruise Starblazer Garage I can't really find anything on weight.

V5 - No weights filled in at all. But VED class of PLG

Can't find any VIN plate other than the original Chassis plate. Where would a additional plate be fixed once it was a motorhome?

This whole weight thing appears to be a nightmare to figure out :hammer:
 
Yeoblade,

Find the original Plate, the conversion company should re-plate i.e. place another indication at the closest point to the original. however this is not always possible.

Plates are usually in the engine bay, however have seen them in the passenger side door well.
 
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