This is an essential introduction to up-plating a motorhome. We’ll cover why weight limits matter for motorhomes, before discussing how and why you might choose to up-plate yours.
At Anthony Jones, we can help you find specialist campervan insurance that meets all of your needs at a competitive price. For a free quote, or if you’d just like to discuss your options, call us on 0208 290 9086, or email personal@anythonyjones.com.
What is Up-Plating?
Up-plating a motorhome means increasing its payload – that is, the maximum permitted weight you’re allowed to carry.
A Quick Guide to Motorhome Weights
Motorhomes are built to carry a certain weight, which may be referred to as the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), or Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM). The GVW is the combined total of the weight of your vehicle along with all the furniture, luggage, equipment, and passengers you can carry.
How Can I Find Out My Motorhome’s GVW?
Your motorhome’s GVW will be listed in your owner’s handbook. Also look out for a weight plate somewhere in your motorhome itself. In some motorhomes, you’ll find the weight plate under the bonnet, which will tell you all you need to know about your motorhome’s GVW.
Why Do Motorhome Weight Limits Matter?
If your motorhome carries more weight than it was built to manage, then it will affect your vehicle’s handling and brake distances. It will also place more wear-and-tear on both your tyres and the road surface. Plus, because your motorhome’s engine will have to work harder to carry the excessive weight, you’ll increase your fuel consumption and vehicle emissions.
As it’s a road safety issue, police will pull over any vehicle they suspect might be overloaded. They will take you to the nearest weighing station, and you’ll get a fine between £100 and £300, depending on how overweight your vehicle is. If your motorhome’s more than 30% overweight, you’ll get a court summons.
On top of this, they’ll clamp your vehicle until you pay your fee, along with an £80 release fee. Plus, they will not let you drive again until you have unloaded your vehicle enough to make it safe. If you’re driving a motorhome, this might involve ripping out cupboards and other features!
Is My Motorhome Overweight?
Unfortunately, it’s very common for motorhomes to exceed their GVM without their owners realising. It seems particularly common if you’re converting a van into a motorhome. When you’re choosing the perfect fixtures and fittings for your conversion, are you really going to worry about how much everything weighs?
One van weight specialist reported that 94% of the campervan conversions they’ve worked with have been overweight.
How Does Up-Plating Work?
Most motorhomes are built to a 3,500kg GVW. Up-plating means increasing this GVM, usually through upgrading your motorhome’s suspension, wheels, and tyres. Following this, the mechanic you used to up-plate your vehicle will perform a series of checks to ensure that your motorhome is still safe to drive following the modifications.
Once the mechanics are satisfied that your motorhome is roadworthy, they’ll give you a new weight plate, and submit a certification with the DVLA. If the DVLA clears the up-plating, they’ll issue you with a new vehicle logbook which will detail the changes you’ve made.
Up-Plating Your Motorhome – A Few Things to Consider
- Make sure you use a trusted service. SvTech appear to be the industry leaders, with over 30 years of experience in up-plating motorhomes.
- Check your driving licence. Make sure your licence lets you drive vehicles that weigh more than 3,500kg. If not, and you want to up-plate your motorhome to get a significantly higher GVM, you’ll need additional training and an additional driving test to upgrade your licence.
- Consider the expenses. If you significantly increase your motorhome’s GVW, you may inadvertently place your motorhome in a higher tax band. This means you’ll have to pay a higher rate of vehicle tax each year.
Also, don’t forget to tell your insurer! It’s a good idea to tell your insurer about any modifications you make to any vehicle. Increasing your motorhome’s GVM will likely affect the price you pay for cover, though it’s difficult to say whether it will result in higher or lower premiums.
If you’d like to discuss how up-plating your motorhome could affect your insurance, call us on 0208 290 9086, or email personal@anythonyjones.com.
