Are you breaking the law? Is your VW Transporter Camper Van illegal?

Are you breaking the law? Is your VW Transporter Camper Van illegal?

There are several aspects of your van that would be illegal (More to come in future videos)
You must not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
Your alloy wheels and tyres must be correctly load rated
You must ensure that loads carried are secure. Pack your camper van correctly and safely. Loose luggage could become missiles and seriously hurt the driver or passengers, it could even pose a threat to other road users.

An overweight van can put additional strain on the engine and transmission, increase fuel consumption and affect the characteristics of the van. Acceleration, breaking and steering can be negatively be affected.

Not following the correct legislation could result in you being in trouble with the law, VOSA or worse still, an accident.

The end of the video shows how you could be in an ambulance rather than a police car. Don't do it.

Stay safe and don't break the law

Use Code STAYCATIONLIFESTYLE for discount

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Some ESSENTIAL items for you to have to keep safe in your van

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Whether you have a T5, VW T5.1, T6, T6.1 or even an older T2, T2.5, T4, the VW Vanlife scene is amazing, with so much help and assistance available for whatever project you wish to attempt. Panel van, Kombi, Converted Camper or VW California Beach or Ocean, enjoy the freedom van life brings.

The @Staycation Lifestyle van conversion is coming along nicely.

I bought a VW Transporter T6 Kombi Highline van 140bhp diesel SWB with tailgate.

Slowly turning it into a camper van / day van with bed. I will also need something for cooking, cooling, sleeping, drinking ?? Choices to be made.

I have lots more to do though, I have a new electrical system, using Victron components and a Lithium LIFEPO4 battery, so I obviously need to install some power devices. I have a new sound system, with Focal speakers and ibus 2.1 amp, Playstation PS4, which will be removable, TV's on headrests.

Lots for me to look forward too and it would be nice to take you on the journey.

Please do let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions.
Vanlife for me is just beginning, it's a great adventure and I'm loving it. 😍

There are many great camper adventures to come

Thanks must go to the following:
Transporter HQ for my tailgate struts
Kiravans for my Swivel Seats

Many choices of places to park up overnight and stay in their carparks including pubs, restaurants, adventure centres and even vineyards and breweries.

Amazon Audible is great for listening to books on longer journeys, I have used it for years.

If you click on my Amazon affiliate links, I may receive a commission. I will only link products I use and believe in.

Im a member of Devon & Cornwall Transporters. Have a look at the Facebook group and come along to meet the other friendly members

#vanlife #vanlifeuk #campervan #transporter #vwbus #adventure #rv #rvlife #camper #vwcamper #camper #staycation #wildcamping #offgrid #travel

[martinhaskell]

Having managed fleets of vans and trailers, and as a result had a number of ‘meetings’ with what was VOSA this video is superb. The number of people out there who either don’t know or don’t care is astounding. And you didn’t even touch on trailers… 😱

[SC-nvve]

One thing not mentioned here is suspension modifications. When you lift or lower your suspension. You needs to make sure the springs are correctly load rated and with the correct test approvals for your vehicle.

[monkeysausageclub]

I had two tyres replaced and I picked the wrong ones. The tyre fitter arrived and wouldn't fit them because they where the wrong rating. Thankfully they swapped them for the corrected rated at no extra cost.

I learned something that day.

[gripper]

Just come across this and I’m impressed with the tech info as so many people dismiss the obvious when converting a van

[Wob-rtsc]

I had no clue about most of this - thank you. I bought mine ready converted but looking back it wasn’t the best conversion and the dealer didn’t mention anything about weight.

[markthompson]

Great most who don't watch it to the end are beyond such critical advice evidenced by the majority of Vanlife videos on YouTube....thanks for focusing on what's truly important for ALL road users

[barney]

As a retired Traffic officer I dealt with this sort of issue a lot. I always recommended for campers and all commercial vehicle owners to load their vehicle with ALL normal items, tools etc they carry every day including a FULL tank of fuel, take it to a public weigh bridge, preferably, pre arranged and get a weight then deduct that from its Gross that gives you a carrying capacity. there is a defence in law if stopped if you are en-route to a weigh bridge as long as its not on the other side of the country !!!!

[goldeneddie]

Brilliant, well-presented info! It amazes me that people don't understand that whatever speed WE are travelling at, then all the objects in the car at travelling at the same speed! If you slam the brakes on and drop suddenly from say 50 to zero - safe because of your seat-belt - guess what happens to the dog/kettle/cat or stuffed moose head that was in the back seat unrestrained BEHIND YOUR HEAD and also travelling at 50mph?!

[alancampbell]

Great that you make people aware that as they are driving a commercial vehicle they can be stopped by VOSA. If you think MOT testers are bad the VOSA people will be your worst nightmare, they apply the rules correctly and rigidly, whether you are in a van or an articulated truck if you have a defect action will be taken, had a prohibition order put on for a cracked mirror and we didn't move until the mirror was replaced...no argument.

[paulrobinson]

So to recap on van weight. Make sure all the fluids under the bonnet are full, fuel tank and Adblue are full and water tanks etc. Do a pretend trip as in your your packed and ready to go, everyone is in the van including pets, food & everything, then take a trip to the Weigh Bridge. Get front axle weight and then rear and then total weight. Don't forget being under your total weight still might mean a axle could be over weight. Great video btw.

[Mattza]

Well advised, same goes for caravans and packing them with allsorts and placing the weight at the rear etc and high up, very dangerous 👍

[l]

Great video, experienced this myself when i bought my T4 with Audi tyres and rims on, three out of 4 tyres split open like kebabs, had the fright of my life when i went to the tyre fitters, the day before i had been travelling on the motorway. at the time i didn't realise about vans and extra load tyres.

[snoopy]

Quite surprised that the wheel and tyre load rating isn't something that is checked on an MOT

[janneroz-photographyonabudget]

Having weighed many vehicles over the years on weighbridges, axle weighers, in a previous incarnation, I watch these videos of people self building their vans, I think how much does that all weigh? Cookers, microwaves, cladding, beds, sideboards, etc etc. Put on top of that yourselves, your fuel, water supplies, the rear axles must be creaking. Thanks for highlighting this.

[GetSteadyVR]

Just bought a T32. First van. Lots to think about here, thanks!
I would add, don't sit cross-legged in the front seat either. The airbag will break both femurs if you're lucky and your pelvis if you're not 😖

[markfoster]

Scrap yards are generally alot cheaper than weigh stations when it comes to weighing vehicles!

[leschase]

I have just watched this video. I have a Ford Transit, and I decided to try and do some courier work and I had all proper insurances. The first thing before I even started was, to go to a local weigh bridge fully stocked up ie full fuel ratchet straps and blankets. Myself plus extra 3 X 10 litre cans of emergency fuel. I then knew my unladen weight for a 2.8 tonne van, and I found the carrying I could carry was 700kg max to stay under the 2800kg limit. Now subscribed. Looking at getting a motorhome, and I will stock everything up then go on a weigh bridge with myself for safety, then I will know how much extra weight I can carry safely.

[garethsmith]

Great Vid, some good advice there, another one to remember if you van is only registered to have 3 Seat's which is normal for a van unless you change this and have it tested you can only carry 3 passengers in the front of your van.

[jaapfries]

GREAT advice all the way through your extremely helpful vdo ! ! ! Perhaps a good idea also to mention that the very best Accident Investigators don't work for Scotland Yard or the FBI, but they DO work for the big Insurance Companies. - And it is their job to find legal reasons to NOT PAY OUT to the insureds after an accident.
So failure to comply with any of the items mentioned in this VDO could be very expensive indeed, because the Insurance money will NEVER arrive !

[rvrebel]

As a truck drive of many years the situations I seen are normally things everywhere, bloody everywhere, and often dead people in or flung out of vehicles.