# Question about re-plating please



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Sorry if this sounds really ignorant but I've wanted to ask for ages.

On a recent post about insurance for vehicles without spare tyres Webby1 quoted a figure of some 80% of motorhomes stopped by VOSA being overweight. Presumably that means that their total mass was more than 3500 kg- ?

I understand that, for a reasonable payment ( ie Webby1's post again) , a vehicle can be re-plated and that this involves no more than filling in a form - ie no actual physical modifications of the vehicle. Is this correct ?

If it is correct- ie no mods are needed to make a vehicle able to carry a bigger payload- then presumably said vehicle must be capable of being driven, safely, weighing more than 3500kg in the first place ?

We don't deliberately overload our van- we're usually underweight- but, inevitably, things are always added en route and especially at the wine counter of Auchan on the way home. I am always in a bit of a fret that the van is too heavy and will be dangerous. So, my question: can I stop fretting that the van is dangerous if a little over the 3500 kg mark ? I know that there are insurance implications and licencing implications but am more worried that there is an increased risk of chassis collapse or tyre blow-out.

G


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## Jeannette (Aug 7, 2012)

I had our van replated to 3750kg from 3400kg when we discovered after a visit to the weigh bridge that we were over weight with virtually nothing in the van. Now we have loads of payload and the road tax has reduced to £160 per year. Insurance has remained the same. 

We are both youngish. My wife is 39 and I am 44 and a Commercial Pilot so age and medical are not an issue and we both have grandfather rights to the C1 class. 

It's comforting to know that we are legal. 

SV Tech did ours as a paperwork exercise for £250 and it can be reverted back anytime we want so we can sell the van as under 3500kg if needed.


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

I increased my gross weight from 3500 kgs to 3850 kgs utilising the services of S V Tech. No physical alterations to the vehicle, just a paper exercise which was trouble free. Cost just over £200 from memory, well worth it for piece of mind.

Mike


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

yes

ours was upgraded for about £250 pounds 

To take it further you may well need back air suspension

to go further you need to change the Tyres

With air suspension £ 800 

It is now 3850

Tyres will take it further

sorry cant remember what weight the " paper exercise "achieved

Many vans are set at 3500 to meet the licence regulations

Aldra


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

All vehicles are different and overweight is not an issue just for 3500kg vehicles. ie you can own a van plated at 4250kg but put more into it and your overweight..

Visit the SV tech website and fill in their form.. Or post up your van details, weights, year etc and see if anyone has already done it..

Our 2005 Autotrail needed air ride suspension to be fitted before we could get it replated from 3850 to 4100kg...


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

correction to my post

The tyres will not change the overall weight but will change the back axel weight to 2 tons

Aldra


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

Just to show the opposite trend ours is a van that has been de-rated by the convertor to 3500k from 3850. As I am now officially a fossil ie over 70 this simplifies ownership somewhat.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

We are about to become Fossils

But hope Albert will have no problem with the medical

in the future we can downsize to 3500

Aldra


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Before you go down that route make sure you have the necessary category on your driving licence for over 3500Kg


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thank you everyone. I don't think we want to upgrade the van but I am more interested in knowing what the significance of the "3500 kg" figure is. 

If I can upgrade without physically modifying the van then presumably my current van is no-where near it's maximum carrying capacity when I add a few kilograms more than the xxx kg that Swift say I can carry. I understand that the Swift figure is legal carrying capacity but how close is that to the safe carrying capacity ?

G


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

the problem is Grizzly

Whether or not your van is safe

You would be breaking the law if you are pulled for a weight test

Stupid but that's how it is

Aldra


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> I understand that the Swift figure is legal carrying capacity but how close is that to the safe carrying capacity ?
> 
> G


Impossible for us to say. I could uprate my Chausson from 3500 to 3700kg with no modifications at all. Some manufacturers deliberately down rate their spec to keep below 3500kg whilst the vehicle in the same trim is sold in heavier variants.
Of course all official advise will be that it is unsafe to exceed the legal MAM.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

aldra said:


> the problem is Grizzly
> 
> Whether or not your van is safe
> 
> ...


I'm not making myself clear Aldra.

What interests me- purely academically- is is the van physically safe when loaded above the figure given by the convertor ( MIRO ??). I understand that, to stay within legal limits, a 3500 kg van must not weigh more than that but, presumably it must be capable of being safely loaded with more than that or it would not be possible to re-plate it.

G


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> aldra said:
> 
> 
> > the problem is Grizzly
> ...


As I said my Chausson must have been as it was uprated by 200kg as a paper exercise. There will have been a design weight that it was manufactured to which in itself is likely to have a built in safety cushion. Not all chassis are capable of being uprated past 3500kg or whatever their current MPTLM is but I doubt they would collapse at 10kg extra load..
[MIRO is Mass in Running Order or unladen weight.
MPTLM is the Maximum Permitted Technical Laden Mass or MAM or MGW]


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> I'm not making myself clear Aldra.
> 
> What interests me- purely academically- is is the van physically safe when loaded above the figure given by the convertor ( MIRO ??). I understand that, to stay within legal limits, a 3500 kg van must not weigh more than that but, presumably it must be capable of being safely loaded with more than that or it would not be possible to re-plate it.
> 
> G


Yes they can be perfectly safe, I think what you are asking is if they are safe at say 3850 why are they plated at 3500.
There are a lot of benefits to a van being 3500 or under especially in Europe, you will hardly ever find a van over 3500 in France.
In the UK the main reason is driving licence categories, more and more people cannot drive a vehicle over this weight.
Often a new van is offered for sale exactly the same spec but plated at different weights at no extra cost.

James


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

So from what I understand............you phone up these people............who in turn phone up the manufacturer and ask............what can this van (quoting vin No. ) be rated at at for MAM ........they charge £250/300 for then imparting that info to the customer and supply a new plate.....................giz a job, I can do that. 8) 

tony


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Actually not so easily Gemmy

We contacted Adria and they would not discuss the possibility of upgrading weight beyond 3500 

I don't think the paper exercise takes from 3500 beyond 3700

To go further some modifications are required

SVTec were very professional and you have the legal documentation

Aldra


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

GEMMY said:


> So from what I understand............you phone up these people............who in turn phone up the manufacturer and ask............what can this van (quoting vin No. ) be rated at at for MAM ........they charge £250/300 for then imparting that info to the customer and supply a new plate.....................giz a job, I can do that. 8)
> 
> tony


I am not arguing with your take on it but would point out it is SVtech, or whoever you use, who do the load calculations for the chassis and tyres and it is they who certify it not the chassis or motorhome manufacturer.


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

JP said:


> Yes they can be perfectly safe, I think what you are asking is if they are safe at say 3850 why are they plated at 3500.


James: Thank you ! That is exactly what I'm asking. Once upon a time, when I'd got more than the brain of a goldfish, I'd have been able to put it so clearly !

Thanks all; my question is answered and, while we won't deliberately overload the van, at least I shall worry a little less about the whole thing sinking to its axles if we put in one too many bottles.

Gemmy- you're right. Presumably these firms do do a bit of paperwork for their money but it does seem all too easy.

G


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

*Replating a motorhome*

I think the previous posts have answered all your questions Grizzly.

Most motorhomes are rated at 3500kg as that is the maximum weight you can drive on a license obtained since 1997 even though the vehicle can actually carry more.

We are going to SVTECH to have our van upgraded to 3850kg but as I do more research into this "paper exercise" I think it just amounts to filling in the correct paperwork to apply to the DVLA.....as Gemmy says it's beginning to look like easy money.

But everyone on this site and elsewhere just says go to SVTECH........even when I asked at VOSA I was told the same. It's beginning to sound like those companies that charge you to issue European Health Cards (and similar) which are actually free and you can get yourself.

I'll report back but still interested if anyone has done the replating themselves and got the secret knowledge..........that's what you're paying for........and you're right Gemmy there's a job there.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

A lot of naivety here, the last three new vans I've had, a phone call from the dealer to the manufacturer has given uprated weights that the van can be plated at, it certainly didn't quantum calculations, just the vin No.

tony


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

GEMMY said:


> A lot of naivety here, the last three new vans I've had, a phone call from the dealer to the manufacturer has given uprated weights that the van can be plated at, it certainly didn't quantum calculations, just the vin No.
> 
> tony


Chausson said my Welcome 75 could not be uprated. SVtech did the calculations and said it could. It was on the Fiat X250 Light Chassis with standard 15" tyres.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

That all depends on whether the 3500Kg plated weight is what the vehicle was designed for in the first place!!

If it designed as 3500Kg max then thats then safe limit, if it was designed as say 3850 max then IN THEORY you are safe up to that figure (BUT you wouldnt be legal!) A lot of MH's these days are DESIGNED to be over 3500Kg but the manufacturers down plate them to 3500Kg to make them available (with sod all payload!) to those who dont have the necessary driving licence (those who passed their test afte 1st Jan 97 who have to take another test)


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## PEPPS (Mar 19, 2013)

*upgrade*

I increased my gross weight from 3500 kgs to 3850 kgs this was free when i purchased my Elddis Aspire 255 from Elddis and lowered my road tax also :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

*Re: upgrade*



PEPPS said:


> I increased my gross weight from 3500 kgs to 3850 kgs this was free when i purchased my Elddis Aspire 255 from Elddis and lowered my road tax also :lol: :lol: :lol:


Why is road tax any less for a heavier vehicle Pepps ? :?

Presumably ferries go on length not mass so, providing you don't have to buy a Go Box or change your driving licence, you're in a win-win situation if you can re-plate aren't you ?

G


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## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

*Re: upgrade*



PEPPS said:


> I increased my gross weight from 3500 kgs to 3850 kgs this was free when i purchased my Elddis Aspire 255 from Elddis and lowered my road tax also :lol: :lol: :lol:


It's free because they've got little choice but to do so. They're one of the worst examples of the misdemeanour that Mr Plodd points to : in standard guise the MIRO of the 255 is 3250kg, which if plated at 3500kg gives you just 250kg of payload. Incorporate driver & passenger (assuming not too portly), and you're down to 80kg or so : I'd argue there's severe doubts of whether the product is fit for purpose in that guise.


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

*Re: Replating a motorhome*



Webby1 said:


> I think the previous posts have answered all your questions Grizzly.
> 
> Most motorhomes are rated at 3500kg as that is the maximum weight you can drive on a license obtained since 1997 even though the vehicle can actually carry more.
> 
> ...


I couldn't agree with you more, I've just downloaded the forms for replating from the DVLA site and talk about goggly ****! 
But when your quoted £300.00 plus from SVTECH it makes you want to try it yourself. 8O


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

If it is just paper exercise to go from 3500kg to 3850kg what is the £200-300 for, it seems a bit expensive, so is there a DIY route to this "paper exercise" or does it have to be done through a company, is SV tech the only company that can do it.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Re: Replating a motorhome*



greygit said:


> Webby1 said:
> 
> 
> > I think the previous posts have answered all your questions Grizzly.
> ...


Hello,

Do you have a link to the forms please?


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

Ours was a paper exercise from 3500 to 3700

Require air suspension to lift it to 3850

Tyre change will adjust the back load weight but not increase the overall weight 

We find the air suspension improves the ride, helps with levelling the van so all in all we are pleased with it 

Cost about £800 + 200 for upgrading, the later upgrading from 3700 to 3850 was included in the original charge on production of the Receipt from the suspension and I think if we change the tyres that will also be included

They Svt provided a list of approved fitters in our area

As I said before Adria would not enter into discussion with us re upgrading the weight

And I would prefer a professional to deal with it, and they were very, very helpful

Aldra


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## greygit (Apr 15, 2007)

*Re: Replating a motorhome*



teemyob said:


> greygit said:
> 
> 
> > Webby1 said:
> ...


Here you go; http://tinyurl.com/nbhoku3

I hope you understand the jargon better than me 8O


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

I had a Geist phantom plated at 3500 i asked camper Uk about it the head Guy at the north east depot rang me and said no problem we will get you a new plate from Geist showing 3850 complete with merc vin and build no £150 please. took 2 weeks and i never had to do anything.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Merc*



sideways said:


> I had a Geist phantom plated at 3500 i asked camper Uk about it the head Guy at the north east depot rang me and said no problem we will get you a new plate from Geist showing 3850 complete with merc vin and build no £150 please. took 2 weeks and i never had to do anything.


Mercedes are very choosy who they hand out weight uprates to.

Hymer, no problem. But it will cost you. For a Paperwork change.

Same with many other Mercedes Customers (not the end user).

TM


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

I've always asked for my vans to be plated at their highest rate, never a charge involved, happy then to have spare capacity.

tony


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## nickkdx (May 26, 2009)

If you get up rated over 3500kg, wouldn't this effect you when places are limited to 3500kg. Some aires and car parks have weight limits.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Generally you plead ignorance :wink: 

tony


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## Webby1 (Mar 11, 2012)

*Replating your van*

As explained in a previous post I believe this paper exercise costing £260 is because they know how to fill in the forms required by the DVLA and you don't. I do think it's like those companies that charge to provide a European Health Card when you can get one yourself for free.

We had to rush our replating but I'm happy to be in touch with anyone who wants to try to do it themselves. Although even when you go to VOSA they suggest you contact SVTECH.

My understanding is that the paperwork involves you certifying that you believe your van can carry more,quote any evidence from the manufacturer and produce a plate to be attached to the van and also make your van available for inspection. I think that by taking the information from another company the Department save themselves the cost of having to do that inspection to accept what you say, or turn you down.

But one seems to know the definitive answer......so if you have the time try it yourself........there's money to be made somewhere


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## peribro (Sep 6, 2009)

*Re: Replating your van*



Webby1 said:


> As explained in a previous post I believe this paper exercise costing £260 is because they know how to fill in the forms required by the DVLA and you don't. I do think it's like those companies that charge to provide a European Health Card when you can get one yourself for free.
> 
> We had to rush our replating but I'm happy to be in touch with anyone who wants to try to do it themselves. Although even when you go to VOSA they suggest you contact SVTECH.
> 
> ...


It's relatively easy if the manufacturer or converter is able to confirm that the gross weight can be increased - it's then just a paper exercise and you can give VOSA the supporting proof that they will need. The problem comes though if the manufacturer or converter is unable or unwilling to confirm that the gross weight can be increased. This is where SVTech are relevant since they have road and track tested many vehicles after having made the necessary alterations (tyres, suspension etc) in order to see what the gross weight can be increased to. It is that road testing that allows the applicant to state with confidence that the weight can be increased. A visual inspection by VOSA is not, in itself, going to show that a vehicle's weight can be increased without someone having done the necessary testing.


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