Chausson Towing Limits

[Pudsey Bear]

As ever with anything I say, always check it's correct coz I'm an old fart, with a bad memory and I know it sounds daft but our government has been known to move the goalposts and change the rules.

 

[nabsim]

Yes but you can revert to the original on application to DVLA Steve, it's a bit more complicated than uprating, but I've done it, I had a 3850 Bessie and was selling it via Motorhome Depot (never again) and they said it would sell better as a 3.5t PITA to do, in fact it was easier for me to get Liz to do as I had other stuff going on at the time.

A bit here about it.

Motorhome weights and payloads: a beginner's guide

It’s easy to overload a motorhome and yet driving an overladen vehicle is dangerous and illegal. Here's your complete guide to motorhome weights!

www.outandaboutlive.co.uk

I am currently thinking of looking in to down plating to have it <.3.5t if I will have enough payload but not got any further than thinking so far. If I did down plate I would want to add a towbar so would then have more payload available via a trailer. Not sure I really want to add a trailer but it would allow the addition of a road legal quad. Will have to check but I think I am near two tonne for trailer if it down plated to 3.5t van
I am the only person in my family with a C1 license so it would mean it could be used still if I want breaks from wandering plus in emergency it would be less hassle getting it driven back if I am ever incapacitated.

 

[wildebus]

I have a recollection that when you get a new VIN plate for any reason, it must not cover any existing plate even though it may supercede it (seems strange maybe, but probably a valid reason for that).
This means that there can be multiple plates to look at, and there is no requirement for a VIN plate to have an issue date on it as far as I am aware, so it is not possible I believe to use the latest one as you can't tell what the latest one maybe (and if someone derates back to original, they will not get a new plate anyway if it is identical to the original).
So only whatever is on the DVLA database for the vehicle is the correct information I would say.
Access to the V5C on-line is limited to people who have the V5C document anyway, so "interested" parties cannot just get that full info, but if you go to this link - https://vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/VehicleFound?locale=en and put in the registration number of the vehicle you are interested in, there is often a 'Revenue weight' quoted there. I think if it is 3.5t or less it sometimes may not be present, but if over 3.5t, it will be as the van is an HGV.
Example of my own van ...

(not sure why logbook was issued on 5th Oct 2021 though? sure I did the weight uprate quite a bit before that!)

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I am currently thinking of looking in to down plating to have it <.3.5t if I will have enough payload but not got any further than thinking so far. If I did down plate I would want to add a towbar so would then have more payload available via a trailer. Not sure I really want to add a trailer but it would allow the addition of a road legal quad. Will have to check but I think I am near two tonne for trailer if it down plated to 3.5t van
I am the only person in my family with a C1 license so it would mean it could be used still if I want breaks from wandering plus in emergency it would be less hassle getting it driven back if I am ever incapacitated.

2t behind 3.5t is for a 4 wheel braked trailer as far as I know.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I tried to find some useful info as I am limited by my own experiences of what I could do, but that's a long time ago and it's all changed so they can charge you more.

 

[nabsim]

I tried to find some useful info as I am limited by my own experiences of what I could do, but that's a long time ago and it's all changed so they can charge you more.

You mean if I went down to 3.5t Pudsey? If that’s what you meant then yes I was fairly sure of that but thanks anyway I really need to pop on a weighbridge and see what I am starting with as I have removed lots of ‘stuff’ Caz insisted we needed at least two of
The up side of only me having a licence is that I don’t have to say no you can’t use it to anyone so it does need a lot of considering haha

 

[wildebus]

You mean if I went down to 3.5t Pudsey? If that’s what you meant then yes I was fairly sure of that but thanks anyway I really need to pop on a weighbridge and see what I am starting with as I have removed lots of ‘stuff’ Caz insisted we needed at least two of
The up side of only me having a licence is that I don’t have to say no you can’t use it to anyone so it does need a lot of considering haha

downplate and then forget to tell them unless you have to. blame senility for forgetting


PS. remember it will cost you an extra £100 a year for tax if you downplate

 

[nabsim]

downplate and then forget to tell them unless you have to. blame senility for forgetting


PS. remember it will cost you an extra £100 a year for tax if you downplate

Not a bad idea Dave although I am okay if Shane wants to take it now and then. I am 70 next January so it’s all considering options. I couldn’t do a treadmill and don’t know how I would react to the injection if either of these are needed. I wouldn’t want to change the van unless I had absolutely no other option, the £100 tax extra would be okay even though I would prefer not to pay it lol

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I think you could end up being banned if you are driving a vehicle for which you don't have a licence, having said that I started driving at 13 and passed my test when I was 31, it sort of balances out.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not a bad idea Dave although I am okay if Shane wants to take it now and then. I am 70 next January so it’s all considering options. I couldn’t do a treadmill and don’t know how I would react to the injection if either of these are needed. I wouldn’t want to change the van unless I had absolutely no other option, the £100 tax extra would be okay even though I would prefer not to pay it lol

Do you need to do more than fill in a form, stupid anyway, it will be no different to drive it would be the same vehicle, just effed up beurocracy

 

[nabsim]

I think you could end up being banned if you are driving a vehicle for which you don't have a licence, having said that I started driving at 13 and passed my test when I was 31, it sort of balances out.

I wouldn’t drive it if my license didn’t cover me. If there are any problems with a license and I can’t get it to 3.5t then I would have to get rid of it. I see confusing information about what you need just to keep C1 at 70 and what you need for HGV. Some says you need then treadmill/injection and some says just doctors letter/form/medical.

Edit: I am fairly certain Phantom says his Geist Phantom is plated at 3500kgs which leaves me hopefull although we have different internal layouts they were both originally 3850kgs

 

[wildebus]

If it is of any interest, if you are going to the Kelso meet in July, there is a weighbridge close to me that I use quite a lot and are happy to give a verbal weight at no cost so you could go there, see whats what then fiddle around with stuff at the meet and reweigh a day or so later?

I am sure you would be able to run at under 3500 if you do stuff like travel with less water and diesel, that kind of stuff.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I wouldn’t drive it if my license didn’t cover me. If there are any problems with a license and I can’t get it to 3.5t then I would have to get rid of it. I see confusing information about what you need just to keep C1 at 70 and what you need for HGV. Some says you need then treadmill/injection and some says just doctors letter/form/medical.

Edit: I am fairly certain Phantom says his Geist Phantom is plated at 3500kgs which leaves me hopefull although we have different internal layouts they were both originally 3850kgs

Have you found your data plate yet, does it agree with the V5, if not there should be another data plate, quite often they put them on the side of the cab seat too if up plated, it is important to know where they are as if stopped the Rozzers might want to see it and they would likely stop looking once they found one.

 

[Drover]

As far as I'm aware chausson remove the towing capacity from all vehicles on the vc5 .
The vehicle retains the towing capacity on the vin plate. If buying new you need to tell chausson you want the towing capacity included.
It can be reinstated by either svtech or vanweightengineering ( vanweightengineering being the cheapest)
The ford auto has very little towing capacity but the manual has a couple of tons.... cant remember and wont guess but it's on the vin plates.
If you want the fiat one I can check mine if you want.

 

[Drover]

This is the fiat ones , you can instantly tell the difference between the maker (fiat) and chaussons plate.

 

[Brakers]

Hi Drover
You are correct Chausson have removed the towing capacity from vehicles, now because I want to tow a light weight trailer with a motorcycle I will have to get my towing capacity re-instated,
I've talked to a Chaussson dealer and also svtech the can't help me and the only way to get a towing capacity is if you buy the tow bar straight from Trigano and they will issue you with another plate to replace the 3500kg / 3500kg you have at the moment.
The problem I have with this is that I’ve been told the tow bar cost is over £600 and also the fitting should be done by a Chausson dealer. I’ve talked to a guy at Baltic Wharf just before Christmas who went through this and he managed to get a reduction on fitting etc and the total he paid was just over £1250 which I find extortionate. I’ve also have companies say they will fit a tow bar for me but can’t sort out the plate, which would make it illegal to tow, I’m not one to go down that route.

Best Wishes Tony

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Surely this should pointed out by the selling dealers, it reduces it's value when reselling too.

 

[nabsim]

Surely this should pointed out by the selling dealers, it reduces it's value when reselling too.

Makes you wonder if it is actually legal if all you have to do is buy manufacturers towbar. Definitely smacks of sharp practice as a lot of people wouldn’t even notice until they needed it huh

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Exactly as some people might think they would get it fitted later, oops.

 

[wildebus]

I wonder if a "no towing capacity" affects the ability to fit a non-approved towbar if the only reason someone might have is to fit a towbar-mounted luggage/bike rack? (of course someone may do that for that specific reason, but the next owner may not realise it is a "no-tow towbar"!)

I think as Neil says it is dubious and sharp practice to have to spend over £600 on a physical towbar and then get a Motorhome dealer (not even a specific towbar installation company) to fit it, paying overall at least £1250 (discounted!!) in the process.

Hi Drover
You are correct Chausson have removed the towing capacity from vehicles, now because I want to tow a light weight trailer with a motorcycle I will have to get my towing capacity re-instated,
I've talked to a Chaussson dealer and also svtech the can't help me and the only way to get a towing capacity is if you buy the tow bar straight from Trigano and they will issue you with another plate to replace the 3500kg / 3500kg you have at the moment.
The problem I have with this is that I’ve been told the tow bar cost is over £600 and also the fitting should be done by a Chausson dealer. I’ve talked to a guy at Baltic Wharf just before Christmas who went through this and he managed to get a reduction on fitting etc and the total he paid was just over £1250 which I find extortionate. I’ve also have companies say they will fit a tow bar for me but can’t sort out the plate, which would make it illegal to tow, I’m not one to go down that route.

Best Wishes Tony

Do you know what overall GTW and/or towing limit the Baltic Wharf guy ended up with after all that?