# Why plate a MH MTPLM as 3400?



## dbar

Bit new to this MH milarky, but as we are planning on buying one I have been reading up (mostly on here) about them.

I think I have my head around MTPLM, MRO etc (although possibly not!)

So......my question is, why would anyone ever plate a MH at anything less than 3500kg MTPLM? Is there some advantage in plating it lower than this?

For example, here is an advert for one claiming to have MTPLM as 3400kg. I have seen others with 3300kg, and one (not a small one either) with 3050 MTPLM.

At first I thought it was a suspension limitation on the base vehicle, but then i read that its possible to get a paper upgrade to change the MTPLM, so clearly the base vehicle's suspension is capable of carrying the extra mass without modification.

Sorry if its a dumb question!


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## Techno100

Possibly to do with engine size? or how many berths?


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## dbar

I had though of that, but dismissed it as presumably a <3500kg MTPLM MH would be able to tow something quite heavy (well, heavier than 100kg in the example above anyway).


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## Techno100

Well if it was a 1.9 and they plated it at max chassis capability folk would soon complain of PPP if they fitted a tow bar too :lol:


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## dbar

True......but the one in the linked ad is a 2.8!


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## Autoquest

Worse than that, I chose an Autoquest 400 but my wife decided to go for the 115 - little did I know (to my endless annoyance) that the 3300kg chassis of the 400 was downplated to 3000 on the 115 and more importantly the rear axle limit went from 1850 to 1650... ooops plus the rear kitchen on the 115 effectively trashed the rear axle limit anyway :roll: There's more to this MH malarky than you think! The reason for the different MTLPM is cost.


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## dbar

Cost........should have guessed. Its always about the money.

So do Fiat et al charge more for a vehicle with a 3500 plate than (an otherwise identical) one with a 3300 plate? Madness.

How can the MH manufacturers sell vehicles that exceed the axle limits? Surely they cant be fit for purpose?


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## robflyer

A couple of drawbacks to having a van plated at or over 3500 kgs.

If you travel the continent in a vehicle with a plated weight of over 3500 kgs many countries class you as an HGV type vehicle and you have to use Go-boxes and suchlike. 
These devices were invented by a maniac who was barely thwarted in his desire to build an infernal machine. 
Austria and Switzerland are a case in point as are many other countries.
Also, when you turn 70, it affects your licence if you are driving a vehicle over 3500 kgs. Lots of posts on this website about it.

happy vanning.


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## Autoquest

My rear axle limit hasn't been exceeded as long as I don't want to use the cupboards at the back of the van....


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## dbar

Yeah, I knew about the over 3500kg limitations. I still find it incomprehensible that on (new) vehicles costing in excess of £40k that the converters penny pinch by using a lower rated base vehicle.

Glad to hear you are legal Auto.........but I still maintain that if they fit cupboards to the rear of the vehicle, the vehicle is not fit for purpose if you cant put a reasonable load in them if it causes you to exceed the rear axle limits.

I'm not looking to buy new.........but thanks for all the info. Just another thing to add to my (ever growing) list of things to check.


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## erneboy

There is a compromise between the max. vehicle weights and the train weight. Plating a van up will decrease the weight you can tow, Alan.


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