Motorhome upplating

Maytrix

I'm looking for advice about upplating a 1996 Iveco Daily Shamrock motorhome from 3500kg to 4000kg. After reading a lot of forums I'm pretty sure that the vehicle already meets the specifications as it has airbag suspension fitted to the double-wheel rear axle and the tires meet the spec for the higher weight.

I contacted NRA and got the following reply today -
"Ireland does not have a dedicated national scheme in place to cater for vehicle uprating. However, in order for the Driver and Vehicle Computer Services Division (DVCSD) personnel to amend the records for an uprated vehicle on the National Vehicle Driver File (NVDF) and record the new weight, our understanding is that certification must come from the vehicle manufacturer or their authorised Irish Distributor. If the company can confirm that they can uprate the vehicle and fit a new statutory and national weights and dimensions plate, then it is our understanding that they will also need to complete a Modifications report as per Section 71 of the HCV Manual which can be downloaded at the following link: www[dot]cvrt.ie/en/About-CVRT/Pages/New-CVR-Testing-Manuals.aspx This report will also need to be presented at the vehicle’s next roadworthiness test."

Shamrock campers were manufactured in Mayo but the company has long since gone out of business. There wasn't a weight plate on the vehicle so I had to get a replacement from Iveco last year. That plate gives a GVW of 3500kg with front and rear axle weights of 1500kg and 2600kg.
I know that the higher weight this will necessitate getting a C1 license but that should be easier than stripping out gear every year to get through the test.
Any advice greatly appreciated.

sunshinereggae

Hi Maytrix,
There is a specialist firm in the UK SVTECH that do Motorhome plating (and probably many more doing it), it might be worth contacting them for more information unless anyone else here knows of anyone here doing it. They offer Europe wide services (for the time being anyway). Best to confirm first that any certification from them would be acceptable here first. I considered doing it a few years ago but never did it and changed that van since. It appears to be common enough in the UK and Europe so surprising that some enterprising company isn't doing it here. Did you try Iveco here to see if they could help you with upplating it? might be worth a try.

Maytrix

Thanks sunshiner for the suggestions.
I emailed SVTECH four weeks ago but didn't get any reply so I assumed they only operated in the UK. If they offer an EU wide service I'll get back on to them.
I did contact my local Iveco garage which is also a CVR test center but was met with blank faces. They recommended I contact a motor engineer/assessor.
I phoned two motor engineers, one hadn't a clue and was very keen to call out and inspect the motorhome but after some interrogation it was obvious that he was only going to note the weight plate details and confirm same with the manufacturers but as they no longer exist he was flummoxed and duly stood down.
The other recommended I contact Banner Vehicle Center in Co. Clare, one of four builders authorised to recommend upgrading to the Road Transport Authority. They were helpful and but explained that as they didn't build the vehicle I would have to get an engineer to certify that the the MH meets the spec for the higher weight and they would then submit the recommendation to the appropriate department.
So that's where I'm stuck - where can I get an engineer to fill out the RSA Modifications Report to say it meets the standard?

crabbypaddy

This crowd are half the price of svtech apparently:
http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/how-we-went-about-uplating-our-rapido-a-class.130317/#post-1855686

When I spoke to an NSAI test center they weren't even sure what the procedure was for making it official here.

niloc1951

I have an email confirmation from The RSA which I got a few years ago that certification from SV Tech is acceptable. The following is a copy/paste from the email, "SV tech can sign the HCV modifications report as an SQI, provide of course that they meet the requirements of an SQI as set out in the test manual.".
It's best to give them a call, they are very friendly and helpful and well used to up and down plating of motorhomes.

The make of motorhone (body builder) is not relevant to them, they only need base vehicle chassis, suspension, braking and tyre details.

Maytrix

I phoned SVTech yesterday afternoon but all their technical heads were away at a motorhome show. They took my details and said they would ask one of them to contact me on Monday. Will keep you posted when I hear back from them.

Maytrix

I should have followed this up a year ago but for reasons that will be clear I let it drift.
If I went through all the details of the phone calls and emails to the vehicle registration office in Shannon (ON PAIN of DEATH - NEVER EVER RING THEM), Rosslare, Dublin and Limerick you simply wouldn't believe it. I got passed around and back from Billy to Jack to Mary with no one prepared to take responsibility for approving an Engineer in the UK, John Ruffels of J R Consultancy, to upgrade my camper.
After spending four months getting nowhere I eventually got directed to my local motor tax office in Limerick Co. Co where a most helpful gentleman sorted everything in a about two weeks.
JR Consultancy didn't even have to see my camper. I sent him the details about the tyres, twin rear wheels and air bag assisted rear suspensions and he upgraded it to 4250 kg and sent me a new weight plate sticker all approved by my local tax office who sent the revised details to the vehicle registration centre in Shannon.
So good so far. Fully laden I confidently trundled off to my local CVRT for testing only to be told it had failed the test as it was over weight. Impossible, I screamed (silently), and pointed out my shiny new weight plate. No good they said it's still on our computer as a 3,500 kg vehicle. The Dept. hadn't updated the database to reflect the new weight. However, being familiar with all my overweight woes of previous years the testers decided they could ignore the computer as all else was up to standard.
Grand I thought, I have a sticker for my window and that'll do me until next year by which time the data-base will be corrected. So, as I was driving on a provisional C1 licence I thought best to keep my options open in case of being hauled over some day and asked for my licence. I could always flash the B full licence if needed or alternatively the C if the weight was questioned.
Thankfully that never arose and it's time now again for the retest. Sure enough when I asked the Test Centre if it was registered on the computer as LGV or HGV it was still LGV. Was told to contact Castlebar to get it sorted. Rang them and they told me contact Shannon. OMG
what an experience. Seven full minutes listening to recorded messages and pressing various numbers for the different options none of which sounded remotely like the section I needed and in the end, after persisting, I was transferred to a office in Rosslare where I had to listen to another ream of recorded messages which at the end told me to contact the office in Shannon. I got back on to Castlebar to see if they would contact Shannon. No it was impossible they said. They had not contact details for Shannon, no email or direct phone line.
I'm slowly coming off the tablets now. The letter I sent to Ministers Ross' office did eventually get answered and they have since told me they have installed a new system and asked me try it out and review it for them. I dared not for fear of relapse.
I gave up on the channels I was told to follow and went back to my friendly helper in the Co. Co. who informed me that he really shouldn't have intervened last year and there wasn't anymore he could do for me. He did give me an email for the Shannon office and I emailed them and got a reply the same day. Within a few days the database was updated so all's good now. But it should never have ben so difficult. If you have a weight problem do contact JR Consultance, John Ruffles [truckcon@outlook.com] much quicker and cheaper than SVTech.

niloc1951

The problem is that there are three agencies involved, none of which seem to talk to each other.

There is Revenue in Rosslare who have no interest in the technical aspect of motorhomes, they just want to raise the VRT they say is due.

However, it is a file from Revenue (who have no stake in ensuring the correct technical details are entered) to Shannon which is used to populate the NVDF (National Vehicle and Driver File) from which the joke of a Vehicle Registration Certificate is issued.

Next we have The RSA Vehicle Standards Directorate who seem to maintain their own data base CoVIS (Commercial Vehicle Information System), ya I know motiorhomes are not commercial vehicles.
But, because CoVIS (Castlebar) and NVDF (Shannon) do not speak to each other and changes made to one do not carry across to the other.

Add all this together and it will explain why a friends motorhome was issued with a Registration Certificate which said the vehicle was a minibus with two seats with a GVW of one kilo :D

autumnalcore

niloc1951 wrote: »

But, because CoVIS (Castlebar) and NVDF (Shannon) do not speak to each other and changes made to one do not carry across to the other.

Also explain why 9 years after conversion the half the toll companies still think mine is a commercial while the other say camper van..

John Dough

Just in case anyone else wants this done this gentleman has passed away in 2021.