Has anyone replaced the axle on their van to increase the weight allowance? I understand from talking to Sandy at Jandi that it can be done but at a whopping cost of £2000 to £2500. We have a 2004 Familia 320GT which we hope Hymer will upgrade to 900kg (axle plate) as the VIN sticker says 850kg, but considering a stronger axle to give us an additional 150kg. Our van is in good condition with many extras so worth keeping and perhaps upgrading if it is feasible and not prohibitively expensive..
PF320GT AW S HALL.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

One thing often forgotten with upgrades is that Hymer always quote the gross upgrade, so from 900kg, say, to 1050kg for instance, but if you're fitting a stronger axle they usually weigh more, so the net increase in payload available is minus the extra weight. I believe in the case of the figures above the extra weight of the axle is 10kg, so instead of gaining 150kg payload you'd only gain 140kg.

And it's certainly possible to fit a heavier axle to a 320 (as above), but considering on a new van the option costs just £330 and a retro-fit will be at least £1,000, maybe more, it makes much more sense to search out a used 320 with upgrade already fitted as a cost option at birth, as it's highly likely you'll not have to pay any premium at all.

It's rather like the cost option Truma Therme boiler which costs £250 on a new van but is £800 to retro-fit later on and the boiler itself only costs £150 from the supplier, but it's the extras like piping, hot taps, wiring, switches and fiddling to fit everything in a built van. Why everybody who buys a new van doesn't have a boiler fitted I can't fathom as it's a no brainer at that price. The premium that a dealer will charge for a hot water van is about what it costs to have fitted on a new van, so it's not worth spending £800 to get £200 at trade-in, when spending an extra £250 on a new van to get an extra £200 at trade-in is a pretty good deal.

Thanks Andy - if we can get an extra 140kg that would be very handy as we're having to load our car to the gunnels to stay within current payload limits! We're keen to hold onto our van and possibly pursue a retro fit, even though much costlier than a factory fitted option, as you say. Incidentally, I managed to buy and fit a Truma Therme for under £200! Stephen

Well done, the bits are £200 or thereabouts, but it's the labour that's the other £600. I'm wondering if you fit a new axle and claim a higher weight limit whether you have to get a VAB involved to certify the installation and approve the plated weight change.

This is a timely thread. I am loaded now ready for the trip to Croatia. The Troll is from 2002 and rated at 1000Kg from the VIN plate and I think I can make out the axle (from the rather corroded plate attached to it) rated the same. I took it to the local weighbridge yesterday - weighing it for the first time since I had it - to find that it weighed 1100Kg... Oops. Now to be fair, Mrs B and I travel light, all our clothes are in the the 6 rear overhead lockers with a few in the wardrobe. Probably the heaviest item in the van is the memory foam mattress topper. So no real option to reduce what we are carrrying, though I have removed one of the gas cylinders and will shift the crate of kitchen 'dry goods' from the van to the car. That will have to be close enough.. I think much of the laden weight is actually provided by spare wheel, electrics and battery and the Omnistore awning bolted to the roof....

So I have the same question. Is it feasible (and as simple as that) to replace the axle with one of a higher rating? Or are there other factors that need to be taken into account such as the nature of the chassis, for instance?

Hugh

Hi Hugh
Yes feasibility and cost is the info we're both seeking. I weighed my spare wheel in at 12.3kg and 100aph battery at 22kg. If you have motor movers, as we have, you're looking at an additional 30+kg. Not a lot of slack!

Oh yes, I forgot to mention movers!! Soon goes, doesn't it!

Better slack than most UK vans where a 2 berth gets 120kg payload and a 4 berth 150kg as standard.

1000kg seems v low for a Troll, they have a 900kg plus MIRO and I can't see them selling a van with less than 100kg payload.

Well, that's what it is, Andy. The brochure states permissable total weight 1000Kg, delivery weight 870/880Kg, Payload 130/120KG

I think I would add that if caught in a spot check etc, 'ignorance' wouldn't be an acceptable defence and if there was an insurance claim incident then towing a non-approved van could mean car and van insurance being negated.

Thanks guys for your input on this subject. A enquiry is being made with Hymer, who will of course have the final say on feasibility. I’m still interested to hear from anyone who has managed to have a higher load axle retro fitted.

From comments on CT it rarely happens in the UK but it seems more prevalent in Germany and AlKo do offer the service there, though at a substantial price.

I'm not sure where you'd stand under EU Type Approval Regulations, given that they came into operation in the UK in 2013ish and that whilst your van was built before then, would such an alteration now have to be Type Approved?