Over weight Motor home

j and v kids · Member

Over weight Motor home

normiek · Member

WE are lot more over than that on our tri axle van, sometimes have to pull up for cuppa, no hurry.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I would suggest that if your bought it new like that they need to make it comply with an industry acceptable spare capacity for food etc.

Request a weight bridge certificate once they have rectified the non compliant vehicle.

villatranquilla · Guru

talk to the manufacturer about a new compliance plate

T1 Terry · Guru

Was the 4840kg with driver and all other people on board as well? That is the way it will go over the weigh bridge if the pull you over for a random check. How much fresh, grey and black water was on board when you weighed it?

T1 Terry

2-Smiths · Veteran Member

villatranquilla wrote:
talk to the manufacturer about a new compliance plate

Not sure that will solve the issue. Well, it "might" solve the overweight issue, but I suspect it was sold at a 4495GVM as something which can be driven on a car licence. A GVM upgrade would be OK if the OP has an LR licence. If not...

It's definitely an issue to be cognizant of. We're looking at a motorhome which tares at 11900kg, and Grosses at just over 14000kg, according to the rego papers.

But we've told the owners to get a weighbridge certificate with the bus in "motorhome trim" (i.e. with a decent quantity of fuel, and full fresh water tank), to see if the recorded tare is accurate, and we have a decent payload in the thing, before we commit to it. We walked away from another one which "supposedly" tared at 7760kg and grossed at 12500. When it went across the weighbridge, it was closer to taring at 11800...

PeterInSa · Guru

I think there is a song that goes " Its not unusual...."

Article in Novembers CMCA Wanderer discussing a new motorhome and the need to watch what the owner puts into it.

I personally think it would be rare for any Bed over Cab motorhome 7m+ when fully loaded for travel with water/fuel/gas/bedding/clothes/food/BarBQ/Diesel Heater/Sat dish/Chairs/Outside Table/Fishing gear/Tools, plus 2 adults to come in under 4495Kg. Let alone have a nudge bar or bullbar and not one but 2 house batteries along with on the roof Solar and a generator to run the air conditioner when free camping.. And with all those nice storage boxes under the floor accessed from the outside, some that can be opened remotely.

Possum3 · Guru

Contact Colin Young - an engineer at Caravan Council ;
CARAVAN COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA
3 Margaret Street
Parkdale VIC 3195
T: 0409 865 399
F: 03 9587 1828

caravancouncil@optusnet.com.au

He will ask you the correct questions and provide you with your options.

Tony Bev · Guru

Hi, j and v kids

Possum3, above has given good advice

If it was me, and I had just purchased a motorhome (knowing what I know now)

I would take all my personal stuff out, empty all the water tanks, and put it over the scales again

If it was a lot over the 4040 Kg tare weight, then I would be taking it back, for a refund

You have according to the rego papers, 455 Kg weight, for all the passengers, personal stuff, food, and water, (not sure if fuel is in the tare weight)

At the moment you are 345 Kg overweight

From what I read, the police are weighing Recreation Vehicles, I ask the question
"Do you actually have 345 Kg of stuff you can throw away, or will you have to be taken from the weighing area by the tow truck."

It would be good, if you could come back, and tell us all, what the outcome was, as it may help others in the future

Jaahn · Guru

Hi j and v kids smile

My previous MH had been upgraded to a higher weight by the previous owner, exactly because of the same problem. It had been registered and set up years before as a hire vechicle but was always over weight from new. Dodgey !! When he transferred the rego to NSW it was all revealed. It was well over the 4490 kgs unloaded and well over 5000 with all tanks full etc, without the people in. Been on the road as a hire van for years before it was sold on. Sure, legal to drive on a standard licence?? A well know common brand.

All fixed by having the MH reclassified to its correct weight category by an engineering report. But it needed a LR licence to drive. That is easy to get if you have some years experience and when I sold it, the buyers both got their licence upgraded easily and were happy to have a good carrying capacity to take whatever they liked. The cost of the rego etc was not any more than the lower weight either. hmm

Jaahn

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Rest assured, if you are unlucky enough to be weighed on the side of the road, apart from the possibility of a fine, you will NOT be allowed to drive away until the vehicle is within its legal weights.
Cheers,
Peter

dogbox · Guru

how would that affect your drivers licence/insurance. would you be considered as driving a overloaded heavy goods vehicle, unlicensed if you where involved in an incidence or checked by police at weighbridge

T1 Terry · Guru

dogbox wrote:
how would that affect your drivers licence/insurance. would you be considered as driving a overloaded heavy goods vehicle, unlicensed if you where involved in an incidence or checked by police at weighbridge

If still on the 4.495kg rego and over weight, a fine and grounded until you get it within the weight allowable including axle weights. If simply removing excess goods from the cupboards isn't enough, the rego gets cancelled.

If registered at a higher weight class but still driving on a car licence, unlicenced driver and grounded till you find a driver to sit beside you that has the correct grade licence. Dawn Fraser got picked up for driving a vehicle that required an MR licence but only had an LR licence back in Jan 2009.

T1 Terry

PeterInSa · Guru

Re (If it was a lot over the 4040 Kg tare weight, then I would be taking it back, for a refund)

You may well get a refund after some heavy negotiation, then have to wait 3 months for another motorhome to be built ( same or a different manufacturer) and the dealer may well sell your as new Mh to another naive customer.

If going to higher licence route, I would also get the motorhome GVM re worked to provide if possible 900Kg payload or at least its max for the vehicle if it is less than this figure.

Peter

montie · Guru

Did you buy a brand new motorhome or a pre owned one?

PeterD · Guru

j and v kids wrote:
I have just run our newly purchase motor home over the weigh scales and nearly fell out of the cab 4840kg !!!!! the vehicle is registered as a GVM 4495 Tare 4040 has any one been pulled over by the transport department for over weight vehicle if so what has happened ??? MIGHT HAVE TO GO ON A DIET

Is it a new unit. If so you need to contact consumer affairs for guidance.

Lozza1956 · Veteran Member

Hi. We had the same issue. Consumer affairs were useless. NCAT however made the dealer, (not manufacturer) pay for weight upgrade, licences, rego difference, insurance difference all for the 10 year period that we plan on having the Esperance.
Go back to the dealer and confront them with that.
This was in New South Wales.
Take care.
P. S. please note that if over 4495kgs, you cannot drive it unless you have it related and a license upgrade to LR.
Also your insurance company could wipe you. They will not let you plead ignorance, and they do check forums and social media, ie fakebook.

robol · Veteran Member

When I went to have my license upgraded in order to drive my Hino RB it was suggested that I go for a Heavy Rigid rather than a Light Rigid license as they would both take the same time and also cost the same. It wasn't hard, studied the small book, questions were, choose one ( a, b, c, or d ) and have a couple of hours driving. Much easier than I expected.

TheHeaths · Guru

John and Vic,

What have you done since your question to try and get this sorted? Have you had any luck getting anywhere with anyone?

We would all like to know, and as Tony said, it may help someone in the future.