# Beware weighbridge on A63 south at Bidart/Biarritz



## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Be Aware. The French are operating a weighbridge on the A63 Bidart/Biarritz, heading south. We were on our way down to Spain just before Christmas and were pulled over immediately after the peage station at Bidart. Our papers were checked and the van was weighed: 250kg over and a €90 fine. We were fortunate that they did not ask us to ditch our excess. The gendarme was pleasant and actually seemed a little apologetic. I thought that Christmas pudding was a little heavy!
Sal


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

How much water were you carrying at the time?
120 Litres of fresh water and 90 Litres waste is not far off that excess weight I expect your waste would be empty though.
Thanks for the info though as we will be heading that way into Spain in February.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

*weights*

Carrying about 1/4 tank fresh, no waste but had just topped up with LPG (2 x 11kg bottles) and diesel ready for a long run down Spain. Main culprit was the milk! We had 100l milk on board - special type from Tesco. We will obviously have to revisit the milk issue and only have half tank diesel. Rest of weight was extra stuff for Christmas plus pressies etc. We are plated at 3850kg with a decent payload of 650kg but all the add-ons eat into that - things like spare wheel, extra leisure battery etc.

A Brit on site who lives in France said that it had been announced in French newspapers that they were going to crack down on heavy vans. Oops!

Sal


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi Sal

Well I think you got away with that one very lightly under the circumstances, 250kg overweight isn't exactly a bag of feathers is it? You must have smiled very nicely at the gendarme. :lol: 
I really can't understand why they allowed you to continue without reducing your load, seems inconceivable that the gendarme could allow an overloaded vehicle to be used once the offence has been discovered.

It just shows the importance of checking your weight before leaving if you have any doubts.


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## sweetie (Nov 28, 2005)

Hi Sal 

Thanks for the info will be travelling that way end of next week.

Steve


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## Melly (Jul 5, 2007)

Maybe in their eyes if they let you carry on with it they get a chance to catch and fine you again later on.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Gaspode, you are right, 250kg is no bag of feathers but it is less than 5% of 3850kg - I know, I know, no excuse really, even if we were helping Santa out with his deliveries!
Melly, we wondered that for the rest of the trip. How many times were we to be pulled over? added to that we were just about to cross the border and we would rather have the French police than the Spanish any day. We stopped asap for a strong cup of coffee and discussed the pros and cons of ditching some excess. This issue remains our daily topic - what can we do without? Extra leisure battery? Just fitted last month! Spare wheel - back to the gunk? Exchange an 11kg gaslow bottle for a 6kg? I guess the answer is a 5 ton truck!
Gaspode, I did smile very nicely at the gendarme. I was driving at the time but let my husband do all the talking - his French is better than mine. The gendarme was almost apologetic - maybe he is a motorhomer!
Aah well, back to the worrying dilemma of how to get under 3850kg. At least we have finished the Christmas pudding!
Sal


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## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

How did they know the max weight, was it off the Tag plate?

I'm coming through there next week with the Augusta, running about 4250 Kg's


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

MyGalSal said:


> Gaspode, you are right, 250kg is no bag of feathers but it is less than 5% of 3850kg - I know, I know, no excuse really, even if we were helping Santa out with his deliveries!
> Melly, we wondered that for the rest of the trip. How many times were we to be pulled over? added to that we were just about to cross the border and we would rather have the French police than the Spanish any day. We stopped asap for a strong cup of coffee and discussed the pros and cons of ditching some excess. This issue remains our daily topic - what can we do without? Extra leisure battery? Just fitted last month! Spare wheel - back to the gunk? Exchange an 11kg gaslow bottle for a 6kg? I guess the answer is a 5 ton truck!
> Gaspode, I did smile very nicely at the gendarme. I was driving at the time but let my husband do all the talking - his French is better than mine. The gendarme was almost apologetic - maybe he is a motorhomer!
> Aah well, back to the worrying dilemma of how to get under 3850kg. At least we have finished the Christmas pudding!
> Sal


Hi I notice that you mention 'the gunk' are you talking about Puncture Safe ?


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## sprokit (May 1, 2005)

MyGalSal said:


> Gaspode, you are right, 250kg is no bag of feathers but it is less than 5% of 3850kg - I know, I know, no excuse really, even if we were helping Santa out with his deliveries!.........
> Sal


Sorry to hear of your unfortunate meeting with the French authorities, but if your friendly Gendarme was operating to the same standards we use in the UK, then under 5% would not have attracted a fine, just a warning - however, the actual overload percentage is not 5%, but 6.49%, (250/3850x100 = %) so you were extremely lucky not to have to get rid of the excess.

Please, check your vehicle weights, I'm sorry to keep banging on about this, but I have warned MHF members for the past couple of years about being found overweight on the continent - you will be fined on the spot, unlike the UK, where, if you are fined at all, will be by means of a fixed penalty payable within 28 days - very unusual for a "private" motorist, i.e. not carrying goods in connection with a business.

Keith (Sprokit)


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Briarose, sorry I don’t know the name of the gunk. When we picked up our van (Fiat base) from HymerUK instead of a spare wheel (which was supplied with our last van -- Ford based) they supplied a compressor and some gunk. We feel that we would rather have a spare wheel so just ditched the stuff and bought a spare wheel.

Cater-racer - The gendarme checked our log book for the weight. 

Sprokit – my maths is obviously not a strong point! Thanks for the correction. You are absolutely right, we should check our weight and travel within legal limits. I have not tried to make excuses so far because overweight is overweight --- however, sod’s law, on this occasion we were bringing some personal effects for my son who lives in Barcelona. We usually are law-abiding citizens. I can hear people yawning and saying Yeah, yeah, tell it to the marines... but there you go. 
Sal


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

MyGalSal said:


> Briarose, sorry I don't know the name of the gunk. When we picked up our van (Fiat base) from HymerUK instead of a spare wheel (which was supplied with our last van -- Ford based) they supplied a compressor and some gunk. We feel that we would rather have a spare wheel so just ditched the stuff and bought a spare wheel.
> 
> Cater-racer - The gendarme checked our log book for the weight.
> 
> ...


Hi yes I know what you mean, we have that kit too, Puncture Safe is something else that is put into the tyres............I will start a new topic on it :wink:


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## cater_racer (May 1, 2005)

MyGalSal said:


> Cater-racer - The gendarme checked our log book for the weight.
> 
> Sal


Thanks Sal, my V5 document doesn't state a weight, so I suppose they will have to use the Tag plate in my case. The vehicle hadbook is very ambiguoius becasue the peugeuot part relates to the pre-conversion chassis and the Alko part is generic.

I presume they don't have a table of vehicles and weights?


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks for the info Sal

Can you get you van re plated to 4,000 or 4250 kgs? This would help or solve your problem.


Richard...


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Cater-racer – I don’t know if they have tables etc: I imagine they would check your plate if your V5 doesn’t state the weight. I am surprised though because I thought van weights were always recorded on the log book – or V5C. We weren’t asked to get out of the van, he just took our log book, insurance and my driving licence away to his little booth and came back after 5 mins with a neatly written report and receipt.
Sal


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Richard – we wondered about re-plating. I rang HymerUK today to ask and they said it is not possible – well at least the Sales Division did but when I rang the service department some bright spark told me they didn’t do it I would have to go to an MOT station! (Do you think he understood my question?) I had doubts anyway because I know 4000kg have 16” wheels (as did our little Exsis 512!) but we only have 15” wheels, but, wasn’t sure how much bearing that had on the matter. I had thought perhaps they could strengthen the suspension or something like that – you can tell I am not in the least technical! So then, what is the actual difference between a Fiat Light Chassis and a Fiat Maxi Chassis – apart from the obvious 3850kg (light) and 4000kg (maxi)?
Sal


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## sweetie (Nov 28, 2005)

Think I will load van up later this week and take to weigh bridge it's only 10 miles away better than getting caught in france next week. That's as long as the snow is not to bad. 

Sal there have been a few threads about SV Tech who can sometimes issue another weight plate for some vehicles.

Just checked my logbook that states 4000kg/

Steve


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Thanks Sweetie, I will search out SV Tech.

Sal


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

MyGalSal said:


> Richard - what is the actual difference between a Fiat Light Chassis and a Fiat Maxi Chassis - apart from the obvious 3850kg (light) and 4000kg (maxi)?
> Sal


AFAIK chassis plated 3.85t and higher have 16" wheels and rear disc brakes, both required to deal with the extra weight.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Jean-Luc, our van is plated at 3850kg, has all round disc brakes but, it has 15” wheels. So, from what you say it sounds as though it should have had 16” wheels. Are Hymer messing about?
Sal


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

MyGalSal said:


> Jean-Luc, our van is plated at 3850kg, has all round disc brakes but, it has 15" wheels. So, from what you say it sounds as though it should have had 16" wheels. Are Hymer messing about?
> Sal


My MH is on 15 inch wheels with discs all round with a MGW of 3500kg. It is a paper exercise to uprate to 3850kg on request to Chausson. The wheels and the tyres will be the same whether I plate at 3500kg or 3850kg.

The individual wheels and tyre load factors are rated above half of the rear axle [ the heaviest ] maximum load rating.
Ray


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

My Rapido was supplied plated 3.85t and fitted with 16" wheels, in the case of Rapido 3.5t they are fitted with 15" wheels.
Michelin Agilis Camping tyres are rated as follows.
16" 215/75 are rated 113 which means 1150 Kg load rating, the maximum size available is 225/75 which are rated 116 = 1250 Kg.

15" 215/70 are rated 109 which means 1030 kg load rating, the maximum size availably is 225/70 which are rated 112 = 1120kg

The above load ratings of the tyres will ultimately limit the allowable maximum axle weight no matter how mechanically able the axle itself may be to sustain higher weights.

Exceeding the limitations of the tyres can also have dire consequences in the event of an accident, even if one of them going pop was not the cause of the accident in the first instance.


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## anteater (Oct 29, 2009)

Sal,

Do you carry soya milk? We will be carrying about 12L for a two-week holiday, but 100L does seem excessive!!


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I have never had any problem getting soya milk in the larger supermarkets in France and Spain. Germany can be a bit difficult for dietary problems.

Back on topic it is worth noting that if your motorhome is overloaded it could result in problems with both vehicle and breakdown insurance, You could be liable for costs. This is also the case with my insurance (currently Safeguard) if I didn't carry a spare wheel! In the event of breakdown assistance being required because of a puncture and you carried "gunk", I assume this would not be acceptable.

peedee


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

Sal,

My B544SL is on 15" wheels, was uprated from 3500kgs to 3850kgs by SV Tech without any problems at all. A very simple exercise which cost, from memory, in the region of £200. Now feel much happier that I am operating within the GVW limits.

Mike


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## StanDup (Sep 12, 2008)

Our van is a 2007 Hymer B614SL on the Fiat chassis. 16" wheels. Maxi chassis. It was plated at 4 t new but we needed a little extra in order to carry the scooter in the garage. 

Hymer.De put us in touch with Alko.Uk, who checked and confirmed that the vehicle was designed to be plated at 4250kg and Hymer plated it down. It cost £80 for Alko to issue documentation for the new weight and Hymer.de then issued a new plate. 

It may be likely that other models have the same opportunity.

Barry


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Thanks to all for advice and comments.
We have sorted it: we have offloaded our son’s personal effects and we will have drunk all the milk etc by the time we leave and be back in the right trim.
Anteater – yes we carry soya milk and it is 100L because we are here in Spain for 4 months. We also have 4 months supply of Pomegranate Juice, it being recommended for those with high cholesterol – and you can’t buy that in Spain. I guess my husband will have to forego that in future – the same with the milk. 
This trip has been interesting : we should have left the UK in Nov, had to delay and delay for health reasons, eventually got away 20 Dec – got caught up in snowy chaos on M20, Operation Stack, trains breaking down in tunnel etc. Just waiting for the sun to come out now...
We have contacted SV Tech to see how we are fixed to upgrade from 3850kg. I think, though, it might prove an expensive exercise
Sal


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Following on from what has been posted here I phones Alko this morning, a lady I spoke to said there is no problem getting an upgrade weight for their axles provided it is within their load bearing specification. 
She advised me to check the weigh marked ON THE AXLE ITSELF which should be found on the middle of the axle tube, facing the ground. If the axle weight on the vehicle plate is less than what is actually marked on the axle itself she said that Alko will have no problem issuing a document authorising re-plating of the vehicle up to the marked weight for the rear axle.

Remember however that wheel/tyre size/specifications could be a limiting factor.


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## linal (Mar 14, 2006)

Hi Sal Like javea03730 I have a b544sl tho on 16" wheels I contacted Hymer in Germany & they upgraded from 3500 to 4000 with no problem the cost was approx. 60 euros total for paperwork & new plate.

Alex.


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## goldi (Feb 4, 2009)

Good afternoon everyone,

This is the first time I have heard of motorhome weighing in France.

A trip to the weighbridge prior to departure on my next trip will put my mind at rest.
Thank you for this information. Very important.


norm


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

linal said:


> Hi Sal Like javea03730 I have a b544sl tho on 16" wheels I contacted Hymer in Germany & they upgraded from 3500 to 4000 with no problem the cost was approx. 60 euros total for paperwork & new plate.
> 
> Alex.


Alex,

I should have gone to Hymer, would have been a lot less expensive!

Mike


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## linal (Mar 14, 2006)

Hi Mike I read on one of the forums that you uprated yours which gave me the idea .

I phoned Hymer to see if it was poss. before getting in touch with S.V. Tech. they asked my chassis no. said they could do it the rest is history.

All the best Alex.


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Jean-Luc – as soon as it stops raining my husband is going to take a look under the van. Shouldn’t complain about the rain I suppose having watched Sky News this morning!
Linal - As well as emailing SVTech we have emailed Hymer, Bad Waldsee and are awaiting a reply. I think our problem is going to be the fact we have 15” tyres and will surely need 16”.
Sal


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

Jean-Luc – we don’t have an Alko chassis, it is a Fiat Ducato chassis. The SL models have an Alko chassis and we are a CL model. My husband braved the rain anyway to check underneath to see what was printed on our chassis. Found a plate but no mention of axle weight. Axle so low he couldn’t get his head underneath so took a photo but not sure how to post it. Will play with it, see what I get.
It is becoming clear (at least it seems to me) that there are light and heavy chassis, both with room to manoeuvre up-plate/down-plate with either 15” or 16” wheels. I think our Fiat Ducato Light Chassis with 15” wheels is probably at its max at 3850kg. I am hoping that maybe we can squeeze 3950kg which would do us nicely. I think that to increase up to 4t definitely needs 16” wheels whatever the axle limit states. We cannot change to 16” wheels because of differences in brakes, speedo etc.
This has been a very interesting exercise and I thank everyone for their input. Will let you know what our replies are from Hymer Germany and SVTech.  
Sal


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## MyGalSal (Dec 8, 2008)

*SVTech Reply*

I attach below a reply from SVTech: as you can see by the costs involved we have decided to stay at 3850kg!

Sal

Thank you for your email and it is good to see we have referrals from MHF.

I have good and bad news for your vehicle. I'm not sure which best to start with so we'll get the bad out of the way first.

As your motorhome stands there is no uprate available to take it above 3850kg.

The "partial" good news is that it could be uprated but would be quite expensive to achieve. Testing by ourselves and other companies has only ever been done to 3850kg which is the summation of axle weights. (1850+2000).

We do have an option to increase the rear axle to 2240kg with the fitment of air-ride rear suspension but until we re-do testing to a higher weight the 3850kg is all that can be achieved.

Testing of a vehicle is approximately £7500+VAT!!

Since we have an interest in an upgrade of this type we would be willing to test your vehicle at a reduced cost of £3000+VAT with SvTech paying the "lions share" in order for us to create a model report at the higher weight of 4050kg.** please note you will still need to fit air assist on the rear to achieve this increase

I appreciate this is still a high cost but should you wish to look in to this option further please do not hesitate to contact me to discuss.


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