Uprating MTPLM
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Although your axle is rated at 1350kg it does not mean that you will be able to uprate yo that necessarily. When I wanted an upgrade I phoned the manufacturer to see what could be achieved. Applying for an upgrade had to be via a dealer which I think is common.
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The point is the NCC plate is not a legal requirement. The statutory plate is. So why would you want to pay for something that is purely decorative? My caravan van does not have an NCC plate. It does have a statutory plate which has the mptlm on it.
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The statutory plate can only be issued by the manufacturer. The only exception were if an upgrade were desired beyond what the manufacturer is prepared to provide. In that case one would have to go through an IVA process which would be a relatively expensive undertaking as completely new documents would have to be issued in addition to a new statutory plate,
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We recently, last month or so, upgraded our mptlm, via the dealer, on our new Lunar caravan. There was NO additional charge. Lunar sent a new sticker for the plate on the van and a new sticker to attach to the existing one on the Compliance certificate.
I would go back to your dealer, Lournalou, and ask why you have been charged. BTW we upgraded our last van, also Lunar, 6 years ago without charge!
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If your caravan is made 2013 or latter, then it should have a statutory plate on it. This should have the vin, a code starting a think e13, iirc e11designates UK as country of origin. My caravan is German so the code starts e1. It should also list axle 0 (nose weight) typically 100kg, axle 1 and axle 2 which gives the maximum load on each axle present and the mptlm. This is the plate that is required by statute which is why it is the statutory plate. Often it is found inside the gas locker. The information should tie in with the certificate of conformance that you should also have.
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The only plate that matters if pulled up in the UK is the plate next to the door.
With the SA caravans i've had the axle rating has always been the max the MPTLM can be upgraded too.
The charge if any is down to the manufacturer, my Swift was upgraded to 1700kg FOC ordered new, there is a charge if upgraded at a latter date.
Swift have a tech manual showing any upgrade available, but you need to reference the correct year.
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Then you have to be prepared to argue that the NCC plate is irrelevant and the axle rating is what counts. I think legally you would probably correct but you could be in for an argument.
People argue, and have indeed argued on this thread. That if for example the statutory plate states for example 1800kg and the NCC plate states 1700kg then if you were stopped and weighed at1750kg you would be breaking the law. My argument would for someone without the B&E entitlement, could in all good faith buy a caravan and tow car which would be under 3500kg according to the NCC plate and over according to the statutory plate and therefore breaking the law.
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Ok, but on a typical pre 2012 caravan, the only plates afaik are the NCC plate and the axle rating plate, which one of those would be considered definitive? Or is there yet another plate. I ask not to be argumentative but because I am interested.
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It is always the plate applied by the caravan manufacturer that is the definitive one, not a chassis (or axle) plate. This must be the case because it is conceivable that features on the finished product could reduce the load rating to a value less than what the chassis would allow.
If, prior to type approval, the caravan manufacturer only applied the NCC plate then I suppose that it must be the one that counts. However, with the introduction of type approval there must be another plate as the requirement of details to be shown on the NCC plate are slightly different to those that must be shown on the type approval plate.
As far as I know imported caravans have never had an NCC plate, and not all UK maufacturers have one, either, certainly not those who aren't members of the NCC..
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i dont know if this applies to caravans but, for an owner wanting to change their MTPLM on a MH, one of the busiest companies helping to do this is SVTech. perhaps a call to them will help you understand whats involved, including any costs.
incidently, i have three weight plates in my van....
plate 1: when the van left the Fiat factory it was fitted with an Al-Ko chassis which 'automatically' upgrades the MTPLM from 3500kg to 3650kg.
plate 2: my van was ordered with larger 16" wheels/tyres which allows a further overall weight increase to 3850kg.
plate 3: as i wanted the van to run at 3500kg (for increased speed limit and town access reasons) i asked for it to be plated thus.
if i had an issue with payload (i dont) i could easily have maintained a 3850kg MTPLM, of course none of the above has changed the finite maxima of the two axle weights.
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I had my Majestic up-plated from 3300 to 3500 although the Boxer chassis will go up to 3650. Quite why Marquis market them at 3300 rather than the basic licence limit of 3500 is something of a mystery.
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although i am a MHer, I offered advice of a company i had come across in my MHing life which might be able to help the OP with his similar issue on his caravan.
i dont think CY needs his knuckles rapped for a comment about dealers leaving (unnecessary) margins of payload which they then charge the customer for changing....
this 'issue' again applies equally to caravans as it does to MHs.
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After ordering our Lunar last October I asked for the van MTPLM to be ‘upgraded’ by contacting the dealer. The van was delivered and the a new weight sticker, to place over that fitted at the factory, was sent to me in the post.
What puzzles me is, as CY commented on, if that additional payload is available why is it not there from the beginning??
I am not a cynic but, as a realist with experience, I suspect it is a money making scheme and in light of this I made it clear that I expected the new weight ‘sticker’ , for my new van, to be provided FOC, which it was.
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i can understand it, to a degree, for a caravan, as the MTPLM (even varying by a few kg) might dictate which towcars are suitable, whereas with a MH, there is a direct correlation between the 3500kg 'limit' and license groups.
however, to plate a vehicle (MH) at 3300kg smacks of penny pinching on the chassis front (cheaper, lighter Peugeot chassis, perhaps?).
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The 3500kg gross train weight limit on a category B licence is also a reason why MTPLM's are sometimes artificially kept lower than they need be. Most Continental caravan manufacturers offer two to three upgrades in 100kg steps in order to keep everybody happy.
In theory one can even uprate the caravan beyond what the manufacturer is prepared to give you, but then you are on your own and you would have to have all necessary modfications to raise the MTPLM approved by a DVSA testing station first.
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I don't think it is economising on the chassis, BB. As I posted, the standard chassis is rated up to 3650, so 3300 makes no sense at all.
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