3.5tonne lorry has a plate stateing 4tonne?

[Kallibear]

My friends looking into buying a 3.5tonne horses box. She had an older license so can drive up to 7.5 tonne.

I have a newer license so can only drive up to 3.5 tonne.

Another friend has a 3.5tonne box which I occasionally borrow. The other day I saw the plate with weights, just inside the drivers door. It has rear and front axle loads etc AND it has the gross maximum weight, which states 4 tonne?! It also says 3500kg as the heading on the plate.
Does that mean 1) I've been illegally driving it (eek. I've always made sure the lorry plus horses are within the 3.5tonne, based on it's unladen weight ) or b) older friend would be able to drive it with an extra 500kg payload?
That would extra specially useful! !!!

 

[sally87]

When I was looking for a box I spoke to someone selling a 3.5t box which had been "upgraded" to 4.5t but she said it had never been registered as such so still could be driven with a standard licence. I chose to look elsewhere as didn't know how legal this was

 

[Tnavas]

Only way to be sure is to weigh it! Mine says it's 2.5 tonne, but I know it's more. The weight on the door must very the pre conversion weight.

I'm able to drive mine on a car license as it is registered as a camper van, being 50% accommodation.

 

[Kallibear]

I know how much it weights unloaded (a bit under 2.2tonne) but that's not the payload. The plate says max gross weight is 4tonne, that'd give a payload of just ove 1.8 tonnes IF the max weight is 4tonnes. I can't drive that legally on my license but my older friend could. That's why I'm confused. If it CAN have a total weight of 4tonne legally, that's really useful! (Even if i can't drive it )

 

[tamsinkb]

I have a renault master 2 horse box tgat has been upgraded to 3.9tonnes so I can travel 2 horses.....downside being only oldies like me can drive it legally! Im guessing your friends box is similar.

 

[martlin]

What does it say on the V5?

 

[ROG]

Another friend has a 3.5tonne box which I occasionally borrow. The other day I saw the plate with weights, just inside the drivers door. It has rear and front axle loads etc AND it has the gross maximum weight, which states 4 tonne?! It also says 3500kg as the heading on the plate.

Any chance of a photo of that plate please?

 

[Kallibear]

Will get one in the morning. And asking to see the V5 would probably be sensible!

 

[Meems]

I have a renault master 2 horse box tgat has been upgraded to 3.9tonnes so I can travel 2 horses.....downside being only oldies like me can drive it legally! Im guessing your friends box is similar.

I'm looking at doing this with mine. I gather I might need to get the springs on my van changed but after that's done what do I do next to get it officially changed, contact DVLA or VOSA?? I can't seem to find this out anywhere.

 

[ROG]

I'm looking at doing this with mine. I gather I might need to get the springs on my van changed but after that's done what do I do next to get it officially changed, contact DVLA or VOSA?? I can't seem to find this out anywhere.

If the vehicle was originally built as a 3.9 but plated at 3.5 then to uprate it needs no physical work done

 

[Meems]

If the vehicle was originally built as a 3.9 but plated at 3.5 then to uprate it needs no physical work done

How would I find what it was built as? It's a 2003 Vauxhall Movano. Would it say on the log book?

 

[Red-1]

I'm looking at doing this with mine. I gather I might need to get the springs on my van changed but after that's done what do I do next to get it officially changed, contact DVLA or VOSA?? I can't seem to find this out anywhere.

I am just having mine done. It is some "bump stops" that need changing, that is something on the suspension, and then it needs a speed limiter fitting to limit it to 56 mpg and then it needs a test from Vtech(?) to ensure it has all been completed, then I think it gates changed with the DVLA!

Worth it to me, I have just had a box done from new and I preferred it to be a 3.5 tonne, but with all the stuff in it there is only 800kg payload, not enough for a 16.2 hh with 2 people and all out stuff.

Some people would say it is OK, but I know it would be over for a full day's eventing, with water, haylage....... so as a fellow "oldie" it is better to have it as 3.9 and be sure.

Good luck for the result you hope for when Rog sees the photo OP.

 

[ROG]

How would I find what it was built as? It's a 2003 Vauxhall Movano. Would it say on the log book?

handbook might give details - V5 perhaps or a manufacturers weight plate on the vehicle

 

[Meems]

I am just having mine done. It is some "bump stops" that need changing, that is something on the suspension, and then it needs a speed limiter fitting to limit it to 56 mpg and then it needs a test from Vtech(?) to ensure it has all been completed, then I think it gates changed with the DVLA!

Worth it to me, I have just had a box done from new and I preferred it to be a 3.5 tonne, but with all the stuff in it there is only 800kg payload, not enough for a 16.2 hh with 2 people and all out stuff.

Some people would say it is OK, but I know it would be over for a full day's eventing, with water, haylage....... so as a fellow "oldie" it is better to have it as 3.9 and be sure.

Thanks for that, I'll ask my mechanic to investigate fitting 'bump stops'!! I took mine to a weighbridge last week (after always being quite vague about how much payload I had) and was pretty dismayed to find my lorry weighs 2.5 tons unladen (well including me and my Yorkshire Terrier!). Which means I must have driven it quite a few times massively overweight - not good.

I really need to get it sorted, 3.9 tons is a much more realistic payload when I've got two horses on board.