Todays philosophical question is akin to comparing two completely different issues that don’t relate to each other. . 😂If you are over weight and supposedly illegal I am not sure how it can invalidate your insurance? Does this mean that when you park illegally your insurance is invalid?
Overloading isn't likely to cause accident unless axle fails which would mean adding few 100kgs more than required payload. Most likely outcome is stressing body causing joint failures.
I think that - not always is correct here. Take a look at
I have seen several of these videos, and they are good at demonstrating loading of a trailer. But non that I have seen have any of the loads placed as they would be , at height in a caravan.
A member posted recently about a failed axle on a 1300 kg MTPLM caravan. The axle itself was rated by its labels at 1500 kg. Possibly Swift/Alko are rationalising axles as when my 1300 kg Sprite axle failed I seriously looked at fitting the next one up which was 1500 kg, and which had the same installation points and physically would be a straight swop.
I may have been persuaded to have done the upgrade. May I ask what stopped you?
Probably the need to get the caravan re-certified or maybe issues with insurance due to a major modification?
They will know when you make a claim as that is why you have insurance.How would they know unless someone 'snitched'
Again, you would have to tell them you'd fitted an axle, correct? Like car insurance, my son has an Evo 8 pushing around 570hp, and apart from the obvious, he has not revealed certain mods mainly because they would up the insurance quite a bit, yet because they are not easily seen - like invisible almost, the insurance would just pay out if he had a smack in it, more like right it off being it is an old car. Sometimes it is better to keep quiet about things that really would have little to no effect on a claim. I have only ever claimed once in over 40yrs of driving and that wasn't my fault, a Capri 3.0ltr Ghia many moons ago with different carbs on it and a better performance exhaust with larger manifolds; the claim went through fine with zero problems as the assessor did not know their way around an engine bayThey will know when you make a claim as that is why you have insurance.
If his insurance would go up if he declared all his modification, the insurer must consider that his risk has gone up by fitting them - so he's effectively driving around without insuranceAgain, you would have to tell them you'd fitted an axle, correct? Like car insurance, my son has an Evo 8 pushing around 570hp, and apart from the obvious, he has not revealed certain mods mainly because they would up the insurance quite a bit, yet because they are not easily seen - like invisible almost, the insurance would just pay out if he had a smack in it, more like right it off being it is an old car. Sometimes it is better to keep quiet about things that really would have little to no effect on a claim. I have only ever claimed once in over 40yrs of driving and that wasn't my fault, a Capri 3.0ltr Ghia many moons ago with different carbs on it and a better performance exhaust with larger manifolds; the claim went through fine with zero problems as the assessor did not know their way around an engine bay
The dealership wouldn’t support it. Alko were not prepared to confirm if the 1500kg was identical fitting points. They could not even confirm that a new 1300kg axke would fit even when given the serial number and bar code of the failed one. They insisted on being given exact dimensions of the failed one. Swift were unable to supply dimensional drawings, Alko would not supply them. Only asking for me to supply specific measurements. A 1500kg axle would not have increased MTPLM just given more confidence in it being okay at 1300 kg. Although the recent post of a new caravan axle failing with a 1300 MTPLM and 1500 kg axle tends to undermine that theory.
It was all explained in my thread “ I have a relaxed axle. But who would recertify a caravan. Swift wouldn’t so who?
Assessors are not fools and are very sharp to modifications etc. Why take the chance. If son gets caught out, not only is there a possibility he loses his licence, but also gets a hefty fine for driving without insurance. 40 years ago there was no such thing as a software update, but now the assessors have laptops that can detect modifications in double quick time.Again, you would have to tell them you'd fitted an axle, correct? Like car insurance, my son has an Evo 8 pushing around 570hp, and apart from the obvious, he has not revealed certain mods mainly because they would up the insurance quite a bit, yet because they are not easily seen - like invisible almost, the insurance would just pay out if he had a smack in it, more like right it off being it is an old car. Sometimes it is better to keep quiet about things that really would have little to no effect on a claim. I have only ever claimed once in over 40yrs of driving and that wasn't my fault, a Capri 3.0ltr Ghia many moons ago with different carbs on it and a better performance exhaust with larger manifolds; the claim went through fine with zero problems as the assessor did not know their way around an engine bay
Changing the axle wouldn't have increased the MTPLM without re-certification by the caravan maker - I am watching the axle on my caravan and may need to replace it in the future - I enquired of Fraser-Brown who stated that even though my present 1500 kg axle would be rated for 1800 kg when rebuilt that even they couldn't re-certify the caravan to show an upgraded MTPLM.
I have not used these people but their website apparently could assist with recertification.
It surprises me that AlKo were not prepared to fit a higher rated axle because they do offer such a service on the Continent.
Again, you would have to tell them you'd fitted an axle, correct? Like car insurance, my son has an Evo 8 pushing around 570hp, and apart from the obvious, he has not revealed certain mods mainly because they would up the insurance quite a bit, yet because they are not easily seen - like invisible almost, the insurance would just pay out if he had a smack in it, more like right it off being it is an old car. Sometimes it is better to keep quiet about things that really would have little to no effect on a claim. I have only ever claimed once in over 40yrs of driving and that wasn't my fault, a Capri 3.0ltr Ghia many moons ago with different carbs on it and a better performance exhaust with larger manifolds; the claim went through fine with zero problems as the assessor did not know their way around an engine bay
I fully agree and even more so on an Evo 8, I would imagine very few of those are NOT remapped, so it would be the first thing an insurance company would look for.
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