Upgrading your caravan's plate

Hastings campers
Hastings campers Forum Participant Posts: 15
First Comment
edited May 2018 in Caravans #1

I have often seen talk of upgrading your plate and wondered just how a piece of paper can do it! I have since read that the manufacturers give a lower rating to increase the number of tow cars able to pull a van, thus making the van more appealing. We are thinking of getting one of the Bailey Unicorn range -does anyone know if Bailey will upgrade the plate (some say their vans are already at the limit) and if so roughly by how much if they already state the payload to be 150 kg and what they charge for the privilege.

Thanks in anticipation.

Comments

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2018 #2

    arn't bailey having problems with axles and saying vans are being overloaded by the user. search on the forum and on google before making your choice.

  • viatorem
    viatorem Forum Participant Posts: 645
    edited June 2018 #3

     

    Our van had a load margin of about 159Kg this could be upgraded by a paper work exercise to about 210Kg at approx £60

    But beware, the manufacture often goes to the max rating of the axle leaving no safety headroom. Alko have had some issues with axle/suspension units on 2015/16 vans. This shows early on some Bailey single axles as they had minimal designed clearance of the wheel to wheel arch. 

    My advice is do some research on your loading, take your van to a weighbridge in touring mode, that will help you decide if you need an upgrade. I have heard of manufactures stopping upgrades becaus of the above mentioned axle problems.

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2018 #4

    The going rate above seems about right. We have a 3 berth Lunar Clubman ES with a supposed payload of 167kg. I had this upgraded by 50kg at purchase as the motormover takes a fair chunk (around 30kg at a guess). 

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2018 #5

    I asked for a 200 kg upgrade when I bought the caravan  - that included a stronger axle and bigger tyres not just a piece of paper. That's how the Germans do things. 

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭
    2,500 Likes 1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited June 2018 #6

    If you request an upgrade when you order the van, it may not cost  anything. As far as  I know the Swift Group do not charge if the van has not yet been built.

    Some of the larger twin axle Swifts can get a good upgrade, but not all vans can.

    The technical handbook should show what is possible for each model.

    We had our Sterling upgraded by 85 kilos to cover the mover, air con and Fiamma.  It is now 1900kg max, so you need to  check your car will be able to handle the weight .  

    There will likely be different tyre pressures needed, the plate that is fitted will give the details, and a new NCC (?) certificate should  give the correct details too.

    We found that our supplied tyres were quite close to their maximum load capacity, so when we needed to change them we got ones with a higher rating.

    IMO, payloads are often pathetic these days, only the bare minimum.  Another good reason to hang onto our present van.

  • Lutz
    Lutz Forum Participant Posts: 1,564 ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2018 #7

    If your caravan has a plate in the front locker showing another, higher MTPLM, then the cheapest way to upgrade is to simply remove the sticker by the door displaying the lower value.

    If there are two plates on a caravan, only one can be the definitive one and that is the statutory plate which can be identified by giving details of the type approval number and maximum axle load. These are often missing on the plate by the door which is then for guidance purposes only.

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