Uprating a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 towing capacity

[Big J]

1 hour ago, arbwork said:

good luck with the sprinter,  I guess/hope you will find trailer soon,

The forwarder will just fit on my old trailer, but will overhand a fair bit at both ends. Not ideal, but would do in a fix. Still looking for trailers - it's a tough one.

[Justme]

13 hours ago, josharb87 said:

So even with a CE license (after 2013) you still can’t drive a BE fifth wheel....is there a way you can? I’m guessing not?! 

You miss understood. You would be driving it on the BE part of your licence. SO it would depend on when you got the BE.

 

Some BE 5th wheels are 3500kg +3500kg so can be driven on any BE licence.

 

Others are 3500kg+ >3500kg so can only be driven on a pre 19-01-2013 BE licence.

 

When you get CE you get given BE.

But it would still need to be pre 19-01-2013 if the trailer was over plated 3500kg.

 

The real weight of the 3500kg trailer could be more due to applied load so possible that you could carry say a 3500kg digger if the trailer weighed 1000kg & the applied load was 1000kg.

 

 

[josharb87]

 

1 hour ago, Justme said:

 

When you get CE you get given BE.

But it would still need to be pre 19-01-2013 if the trailer was over plated 3500kg.

.

 

 

That’s what I mean though, with a post 2013 BE AND CE license you still wouldn’t be able to drive a BE registered fith wheel with a trailer over 3,5t as your E part for B vehicles is still only 3,5t....is there any way you could drive a BE fifth wheel with the “unlimited” trailer weight on a post 2013 license? 

[Justme]

50 minutes ago, josharb87 said:

 

That’s what I mean though, with a post 2013 BE AND CE license you still wouldn’t be able to drive a BE registered fith wheel with a trailer over 3,5t as your E part for B vehicles is still only 3,5t....is there any way you could drive a BE fifth wheel with the “unlimited” trailer weight on a post 2013 license? 

If the trailer was plated over 3500kg no. If its plated at 3500kg but had a real weight over that but as an applied load then yes. 

[dumper]

If your trailer is over 3500kg it requires plating the same as a lorry then it will need all the checks and mot required by a lorry is it really worth the hassle

[monkeybusiness]

On 07/04/2018 at 09:27, Big J said:

The forwarder will just fit on my old trailer, but will overhand a fair bit at both ends. Not ideal, but would do in a fix. Still looking for trailers - it's a tough one.

Just be careful when turning/reversing/going up/down hills if you have a front overhang as it is amazing how close to the back of a van the trailer’s load can get when above the drawbar...

[Al Cormack]

On 07/04/2018 at 09:27, Big J said:

The forwarder will just fit on my old trailer, but will overhand a fair bit at both ends. Not ideal, but would do in a fix. Still looking for trailers - it's a tough one.

Hi Big J,

 

Did you get your Sprinter towing capacity sorted?

 

I've got a 313 Sprinter and would be handy to tow up to 3500kg at times. It has an uprated 3.5t tow bar fitted already, so wondering if it needs anything else, or just a call to SVTech?

Cheers

Al

[Big J]

4 hours ago, Al Cormack said:

Hi Big J,

 

Did you get your Sprinter towing capacity sorted?

 

I've got a 313 Sprinter and would be handy to tow up to 3500kg at times. It has an uprated 3.5t tow bar fitted already, so wondering if it needs anything else, or just a call to SVTech?

Cheers

Al

Hi Al,

 

Yes, though only uprated to 3000kg. Can't go higher than that without a different ratio rear dif, which would mean a different front dif and it's just not worth going into. I'm bang on 3000kg when towing the forwarder, so I'm OK. 

 

SV Tech just need proof of the rating of the tow hitch and a few other details and they'll handle the uprating. Was around £275 if memory serves

[Al Cormack]

Hi Al,
 
Yes, though only uprated to 3000kg. Can't go higher than that without a different ratio rear dif, which would mean a different front dif and it's just not worth going into. I'm bang on 3000kg when towing the forwarder, so I'm OK. 
 
SV Tech just need proof of the rating of the tow hitch and a few other details and they'll handle the uprating. Was around £275 if memory serves

Ok Cheers. I'll give SVTech a call. Your Sprinter is 4x4 though isn't it, so may have different diff to mine.

Used them years ago to down rate a 7.5t to 7t so I could tow a bigger chipper. Got hgv licence now so no problem.