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Subject Topic: Is it possible to downgrade weight plates Post Reply Post New Topic
05/6/2013 at 6:27pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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hi is it possible to downgrade the mam weight on caravans weight plate the reason i ask is ive recently down sized our car due to the better half passing her test and been as we are tenters with a trailer and roof box i saw no problem with it until a very generous friend has offered me a caravan for free.

The only problem is the mtlp is 1060kg and my cars book tells me its only allowed to tow 1000kgs the kerb weight is 1040kg i passed my test after 97 im planning on loading the car up instead of the van. its unladen weight is 820kg is it possible to get the weight plate changed to a lower mtlp to 1000kg or lower?

Also the site we use is only 20 mins away so im not too bothered by the weight ratio and im confident towing (as long as im within the legal bit of the law) also planning on changing up to a bigger car later once the better half has been driving a few more months


05/6/2013 at 7:01pm
 Location: Hampshire
 Outfit: None Entered
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Even if you could do what you want you would still be illegal. Your car is obviously not heavy enough for the job as you will be towing above your weights in both car and van IMO.
Others may think differently


-------------
John



05/6/2013 at 8:42pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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Quote: Originally posted by johnks on 05/6/2013
Even if you could do what you want you would still be illegal. Your car is obviously not heavy enough for the job as you will be towing above your weights in both car and van IMO.
Others may think differently




how is that if the car is 1040kg and the van is 820kg im asking about lowering the maximum limit down from 1060kg if it was 1000kg it wouldnt be illegal even though close


05/6/2013 at 8:46pm
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If the site is only 20mins away then tow the caravan there empty then you will be legal, theres no need to downplate it, all that matters is actual weight on road, then go back & collect your gear. If you fully load car & tow empty caravan you may exceed max gross train weight of car ie max weight of car & caravan together. max gtw of car will be in handbook.


05/6/2013 at 8:52pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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Quote: Originally posted by Tentz on 05/6/2013
If the site is only 20mins away then tow the caravan there empty then you will be legal, theres no need to downplate it, all that matters is actual weight on road, then go back & collect your gear. If you fully load car & tow empty caravan you may exceed max gross train weight of car ie max weight of car & caravan together. max gtw of car will be in handbook.



thanks but dont vosa and police go off max allowable weight on the plate or would they take me to theyre weighbridge?


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05/6/2013 at 9:03pm
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If you are pulled in a caravan check all they worry about is your max gross train weight, this should be noted in your car handbook. If they think the caravan might be too heavy for car thats when they will check weigh you normally over a portable axle weigher, but provided outfit does not exceed max gtw & individual axle weights are not exceeded(which they might be if you place a large amount of gear in boot of car for example)then you are ok.


05/6/2013 at 9:06pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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Brilliant thanks for the reply thats a load off my mind


07/6/2013 at 9:21pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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just out of curiosity is it possible to get them changed just to be sure i know they can be upgraded for a fee?


07/6/2013 at 10:51pm
 Location: Midlands
 Outfit: Mondeo Avondale Gram
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Heard of them increasing the weight, One was in a caravan magazine.

Guy bought a new caravan and took it to a weighbridge to find it weight only something like 60kg less than its gross laden weight. Yet it was unladen.

Came off the production line far heavier than it should have been.

Have you actually weighed the caravan?

If your that close to the towing limit the cars gross train weight may not be enough anyway.



07/6/2013 at 11:06pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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gtw is 2600 my friends dropping it off tomorrow its going to be restoration project at first and theres a quarry a stone throw away where i also work sometimes i do hydraulics so no problem getting it weighed there best do that to be sure if its that far out the wifeys going to have to learn to drive a bigger car


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08/6/2013 at 6:29pm
 Location: roche cornwall
 Outfit: lynton 5th wheel
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yes its a voluntary thing you just have to make new plates up. i do it all the time for mini artics . trailers under 3,500kg as caravans /living vans dont need any paper work just a new plate .

-------------
vwalan


09/6/2013 at 4:27pm
 Location: South Wales
 Outfit: Yellowstone Alpine 2 & Sleeping bag
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Well hes dropped it off and its got no plate anyway so ill take it down the weighbridge work my math out and probably do a dummy run to the weighbridge to be sure thanks for all your replies




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