Fiat Ducato weight limit

[rockape]

Well, new MOT on van today, no issues, so decided whilst it was out I would get it weighed.
The spec says 3500 kg, I guess that is max laden weight.
Water tanks were empty, but I do have 3 leisure batteries on board, plus other odds and sods.
I was surprised that it shows 3440 kg. which is not much lee way.

I obviously need to ditch stuff, but my main question is this , how easy is it to get vehicle re plated and what work will be required ,

I don't want to change the MH to something with a higher pay load

 

[phillybarbour]

If you can post the figures off the weight plate that helps people advise, but most 3500 vans can go up to between 3650 and 3850 without modification.

1st figure will be the front axle max
2nd figure will be rear axle weight
3rd figure will be max weight of van loaded.
4th figure will be the train weight max ie with a trailer.

 

[Wooie1958]

Were you in the vehicle or at least stood on the weighbridge when weight was taken ?

If not you need to add your weight to the 3440 kg as well.

 

[QFour]

Were you in the vehicle or at least stood on the weighbridge when weight was taken ?

If not you need to add your weight to the 3440 kg as well.

You will need a C1 Licence if you go over 3500kg. Don't forget you have to add in the weight of passengers, clothes, food etc. Sounds like you have been driving around overloaded along with many other people who have no idea what payload actually is. No matter what you do the weight on the back axle will still be limited to 2000kg.

 

[colinm]

Now you've opened yourself a can of worms.
Looking at your van you need to know if it's on a Light or Maxi chassis (front/rear axle limits will indicate this), then weight both front and rear when loaded. The gross weight is only part of the issue, if either axle is over then upping the gross weight as a paperwork issue won't work. Crossing your fingers you have the Maxi chassis and this will be around 2,100kg front 2'400kg rear limits and taking it to 4,000kg gross is just paperwork.

 

[yeoblade]

SVTEC

Will know, give 'em a call. I used them on my previous van went from 3.5t to 3850t, a paperwork exercise and give them about £300 IIRC

 

[Admin]

I would recommend you speak to J R Consultancy it cost me £150 for the same service that SVtech provide.

email: truckcon@outlook.com

 

[Snapster]

I used SVTech when we uprated our Autosleeper in 2013, cost was around £320. I used JR Consultancy when I uprated our last van, cost was, as Phil says, £150.

 

[rockape]

GVW on plateunder bonnet shows 3650kg

 

[yeoblade]

GVW on plateunder bonnet shows 3650kg

You've still got 210 KG of load left then, should be OK.

As it's plated above the 3.5t then that is probably the max allowed on that van without any extra mods.

 

[yeoblade]

I would recommend you speak to J R Consultancy it cost me £150 for the same service that SVtech provide.

email: truckcon@outlook.com

Did think they were dear.
With the saving on RFL when taxed as a PHGV you get your money back in 2 years.

 

[rockape]

I forgot to mention that I had a CAT 1 until about 2 years ago , applying for the medical if needed is not a problem

 

[colinm]

And yet another can of worms!
You have a plate which shows it as PHG, but have you got a C1 licence to drive that class of vehicle, you need to sort this out ASAP. What's it taxed as?

 

[caledonia]

Just do as most folk do with their poorly designed motorhomes and carry on regardless. Plead ignorance if by chance you do get pulled and weighed. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!

 

[colinm]

Just do as most folk do with their poorly designed motorhomes and carry on regardless. Plead ignorance if by chance you do get pulled and weighed. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!

If the data plate is correct and it's also registered as PHG pleading ignorance won't work if you have no C1 licence, even it was to weigh under 3.5t it's still driving without a licence, and it's most likely the insurance will be invalid as well.

Equally, driving with the incorrect licence type for example a driver who has a fully category B driving licence is driving a vehicle between the weight of 3.5 tonnes and 7.5 tonnes must hold a category C1 licence.
Driving without a licence penalty
Other than the 3 to 6 points and a fine of up to £1000, the police may also state that your car insurance is invalid if you have any. This however is not necessarily true and is not the decision of the police or judge to make. Your car insurance company is likely to invalidate your car insurance if you do not have a valid licence to drive the vehicle it is insured for, although it is possible the insurance policy may remain valid, especially if they are spoken to by a solicitor.
If your car insurance is in fact deemed invalid, this will result in an extra 6 to 8 penalty points placed on your licence (on top of the 3 to 6 for driving without a licence) plus an increased fine.

 

[QFour]

Just do as most folk do with their poorly designed motorhomes and carry on regardless. Plead ignorance if by chance you do get pulled and weighed. It’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission!

Your biggest problem would be if you had an accident and were found to have been overweight. Then you wouldn't have a licence to drive it and because you are breaking the rules the Insurance Company have a way out of paying. The accident might not be your fault but if PC Plod gets involved anything can happen.

Ignorantia juris non excusat or ignorantia legis neminem excusat (Latin for "ignorance of the law excuses not" and "ignorance of law excuses no one" respectively) is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because one was unaware of its content.

:rulez:

Meet a guy the other day who took his down to the weigh bridge and was overweight by 100kg so 4600kg instead of 4500kg. I asked him what the load was on the rear axle and he informed me it didn't matter as long as you didn't exceed the 4500kg. There are some people out there who just don't have a clue.

If we load up the Laika to 2400kg on the back axle it's impossible to load the front to 1850kg as there is physically nowhere to put any weight in the front.

 

[mark61]

Your biggest problem would be if you had an accident and were found to have been overweight. Then you wouldn't have a licence to drive it and because you are breaking the rules the Insurance Company have a way out of paying. The accident might not be your fault but if PC Plod gets involved anything can happen.

Ignorantia juris non excusat or ignorantia legis neminem excusat (Latin for "ignorance of the law excuses not" and "ignorance of law excuses no one" respectively) is a legal principle holding that a person who is unaware of a law may not escape liability for violating that law merely because one was unaware of its content.

:rulez:

Meet a guy the other day who took his down to the weigh bridge and was overweight by 100kg so 4600kg instead of 4500kg. I asked him what the load was on the rear axle and he informed me it didn't matter as long as you didn't exceed the 4500kg. There are some people out there who just don't have a clue.

If we load up the Laika to 2400kg on the back axle it's impossible to load the front to 1850kg as there is physically nowhere to put any weight in the front.

Put 50 litres of water on your lap, or drink more beer. Easy sorted.

 

[QFour]

From memory the front axle weight is 1620kg so would need about 230kg hanging off the front bumper. This is where it all goes pear shaped. We have 230kg that we can do nothing with. It's not a problem and I can always empty the water tank. We travel reasonably light with a couple of chairs, electric bikes and a few assorted bits in the garage. Some of the MHs I have seen have been well overloaded and the owners don't seem to have a clue. The guy I spoke to the other week assured me he had the latest heavy duty AL-KO chassis. Trouble was I could see the double springs from where I was standing :raofl: