Just in case you didn't know, the caravan speed limit on motorways is 60mph and they're not allowed in Lane 3. If you tow a caravan at more than 60mph fuel consumption rockets.

Of course I do, but in the real world there's a bit of give and take. However, I remember about 25 years ago my then girlfriend (now wife) and I went to France for the weekend and on the way back picked up a new large trailer that I had bought in Kent. It was getting late and I had done all the driving so she offered to do the last 100 miles while I had a nap. I woke up an hour later, we were on the M25 in the 3rd lane cruising at a steady 99mph (she used to drive little sports cars at the time and knew to stay under a hundred), 10x5 trailer bouncing along behind us in the slipstream. I just shut my eyes and went back to sleep!

I suppose I can see now why they don't give you automatic towing entitlement when you pass your test.

I had a problem axle (Puck 230L) sorted by Fraser Brown engineering. Excellent service, knows his stuff and was very helpful. We actually drove up there and stayed on his forecourt for a couple of days while the job was done. Took the opportunity to explore the stunning scenery.

So, a brief update. I am still no further on. I have provided everything Western Towing have asked for to aid them in their task, but Alko seemingly have been less than stellar and are yet to provide anything like a sensible response. In fact, the only repsonse so far has been to provide WT with a spec for the existing axle, clearly getting the wrong end of the stick. I even tried to approach Alko (UK) myself, but they seem impossible to contact. No email address and complaints on their facebook page suggest that the phone is never answered and obviously no one is monitoring or responding to Social Media. Thankfully, I am not in a hurry but I am frustrated by Alko's lack of efficiency. My WT contact suggests that internal reorganisation at Alko now means he can't talk to anyone that actually knew anything useful...

*sigh*

Can I ask, please, has anyone actually done this upgrade and can help me with any additional information that I can use to help WT in their task?

Looking back in the catalogue archives it's interesting that for both 2001 and 2002MY the standard Troll MTPLM was 1000kg with a MIRO of 880kg for the GT version and 870kg for the LMT, which I believe was also termed the 'Classic'. That's just 120kg and 130kg payload respectively.

Contrast that with today's 540 with a MIRO of 1005kg and a standard MTPLM of 1300kg, with an option of 1400kg. So the empty weight of today's 540 is just a tad over the maximum loaded weight of a 2002 version. The other contrast is the payload which was 120/130kg and is now 295kg as standard and can be upgraded to 385kg.

The 2001/2MY vans could be upgraded to 1200kg at a cost of 910 Euro, which was about £575 at the time. Hymer's current price to upgrade is 440 Euro, around £380.

Thanks Colin. Right back at the beginning of this thread, I commented that Hymer had said it was a sanctioned upgrade and even supplied the relevant Alko chassis drawing numbers. Even given these to go on, Alko are being useless.

Do the following mean anything to anyone?

Chassis drawing number for the 1,000 kg delivered ex works: 127 0375
Chassis drawing number for the upgrading to 1,200 kg: 127 0376

Even if I needed to source from Europe (fun and games for that, nowadays) I'd be prepared to do it. I know I break the 1000kg limit already with relatively frugal packing for the two of us... And hopefully, our future sees longer term touring in Europe, which probably means more stuff carried...

thanks..

Hugh

I know 540's are like hen's teeth at present but I'm wondering whether it would make more sense, both monetarily and mental healthwise to swap out the current van for one that's already got a 1200kg MTPLM. With just a battery and charger plus wind-out awning and spare wheel you're talking of an empty van weighing 960kg, with just 40kg before becoming illegal on the road. If stopped and weighed you'll be asked to remove anything to bring the weight within limit, which will mean putting stuff in the tow vehicle or leaving it behind. It would make sense to put such stuff in the tow vehicle to begin with. Having said that It's quite possible that things fitted to the van mean it's over limit before any personal payload is added as optional items can easily eat a further 40kg. Quite what Hymer were thinking around that time with such tiny payloads I can't fathom.

Quote: cabbie37 wrote in post #37

---

Thanks Colin. Right back at the beginning of this thread, I commented that Hymer had said it was a sanctioned upgrade and even supplied the relevant Alko chassis drawing numbers. Even given these to go on, Alko are being useless.

Do the following mean anything to anyone?

Chassis drawing number for the 1,000 kg delivered ex works: 127 0375
Chassis drawing number for the upgrading to 1,200 kg: 127 0376

Even if I needed to source from Europe (fun and games for that, nowadays) I'd be prepared to do it. I know I break the 1000kg limit already with relatively frugal packing for the two of us... And hopefully, our future sees longer term touring in Europe, which probably means more stuff carried...

thanks..

Hugh

---

My commiserations, Rob. Your story rings true for me, though I have been working through Western Towing as 'agent'. However, this morning, I have mailed Alko in Germany direct, frankly, telling them that I am getting nowhere with their UK arm and are they able to help. I'll let you know when (if?) I hear back. I imagine that they will refer me back to the UK arm, but it made me feel a bit better being proactive..

My plan is to get the new axle, purchased through Western Towing but have it sent here and my pal, a Caravan engineer (who looks after the Eriba anyway) will fit it for me. He suggests that that shouldn;t be a huge amount of work (to someone who knows what he is doing, I guess)

Keep in touch..

Hugh

Hugh, I’ll be very interested to see how the official Alko accreditation works if you manage to get the work done independently. I’m going to call them again next week and complain if I manage to get past the answerphone stage. I’ll let you know how I get on!

Rob

These are the steps Alko outline (I assume Rob got the same instructions?)

1.) Consultation appointment at AL-KO

2.) Request for a clearance certificate and a new type plate from us.

3.) Appointment at AL-KO for conversion

4.) Acceptance of the upgrade at the TÜV (German Technical Inspection Authority)

5.) Entry of the new weight in the vehicle registration certificate at the registration office

I queried steps 4 and 5 and was told that I didn't have to comply with step 4 and that step 5 was whatever was the rules for registration in this country - which of course, don;t apply to caravans. I'm assuming that the replacement of the axle by a qualified caravan engineer (and proof of that) complies with step 3 as in any event, Alko themselves would not do the work Step 1, the consultation, is I assume the provision of the information that determines the new axle required (by use of the drawings Hymer have pointed us to)

Hugh

Quote: cabbie37 wrote in post #42

---

These are the steps Alko outline (I assume Rob got the same instructions?)

1.) Consultation appointment at AL-KO

2.) Request for a clearance certificate and a new type plate from us.

3.) Appointment at AL-KO for conversion

4.) Acceptance of the upgrade at the TÜV (German Technical Inspection Authority)

5.) Entry of the new weight in the vehicle registration certificate at the registration office

I queried steps 4 and 5 and was told that I didn't have to comply with step 4 and that step 5 was whatever was the rules for registration in this country - which of course, don;t apply to caravans. I'm assuming that the replacement of the axle by a qualified caravan engineer (and proof of that) complies with step 3 as in any event, Alko themselves would not do the work Step 1, the consultation, is I assume the provision of the information that determines the new axle required (by use of the drawings Hymer have pointed us to)

Hugh

---

I have heard back from Al-ko in Germany:


Thank you for your request regarding a charge.
The body builder, Hymer AG, must obtain approval in Issue a clearance certificate and a new nameplate.
Please send me a photo of the drawbar and the overrun device. We also need the dimension of the free drawbar length (center of the ball of the coupling up to the 1st attachment point of the structure). I can then check the possibility of a charge and send you an offer.


To be honest, that is a much more positive response than I was expecting and I will follow it up. More as it happens...

Hi Hugh,

Would you be so kind as to let me know the e-mail address of your contact at Alko. I attempted to contact them via their website form but received no response.

From what they appear to be saying, Alko must first give approval and then Hymer must issue the clearance certificate and nameplate at which point the work can be carried out.

That said, Alko have not made any reference to the technical drawings quoted by Hymer which will obviously be required by whoever undertakes the work.

TIA

Rob