transit mk6/7 mini artic

[rwd lynch]

Nice semi low stepbed what is the plated weight going to be gross and unladen

not sure about the weights yet, from what i've read on the internet a 3500kg chassis cab can have an overall train weight of 8700kg when it's articulated, mine won't be anything like that as the trailer has a gross weight of 5000kg.

[rwd lynch]

a few more pics of the front end.

[knighty1981]

Nice semi low stepbed what is the plated weight going to be gross and unladen

The gross can only be 3500kg on a car license....
I would think it weighs around 3000kg unladen

if your licence limits you to 3.5 ton.... it's also says you're not allowed to tow at all !



if you're allowed to tow it (done a test, or had your licence 10+years-ish) then you'll be held to the 6.5 ton limit for the van and trailer together

[Guy88]

Nice semi low stepbed what is the plated weight going to be gross and unladen

The gross can only be 3500kg on a car license....
I would think it weighs around 3000kg unladen

if your licence limits you to 3.5 ton.... it's also says you're not allowed to tow at all !



if you're allowed to tow it (done a test, or had your licence 10+years-ish) then you'll be held to the 6.5 ton limit for the van and trailer together

And then the joy of tachos if your getting paid to use it

[khank]

hi,

this is my first post, and i would like to ask how easy or hard was changing to the front end to MK 7 and the costs of parts. i really like it, looks dead smart. i have a MK 6 recovery truck and getting my own garage hopefully next month after seeing your transformation i wanna to do mines lol.

also i like the work everyone is doing here, i have learnt alot. this is by far the best forum loads of useful info.

cheers

[MIXA]

If you do a check on licenses you will also find that you cannot drive any thing articulated any size smallest to largest unless you have an hgv1 or as they like to call it know lgv 1 catorgery entitalment ,. To be classed as a trailer it is connected to tow vehicle via a tow hitch atached to a tow bar, as soon as it i coupled via a 5th wheel it then becomes an artic ,the only way to use an articulated trailer as a normal trailer is to use a boggy under the tow pin and coupled to tow motor via tow bar as a wagon and drag is , but the weight would to to great for a tranny to pull,.

[dwright2104]

Looking forward to seeing the final pics.
Make sure u include plenty.

[rwd lynch]

hi,

this is my first post, and i would like to ask how easy or hard was changing to the front end to MK 7 and the costs of parts. i really like it, looks dead smart. i have a MK 6 recovery truck and getting my own garage hopefully next month after seeing your transformation i wanna to do mines lol.

also i like the work everyone is doing here, i have learnt alot. this is by far the best forum loads of useful info.

cheers

the front end was an easy change, i'm a joiner and i managed to do it in 1 weekend. the parts cost around £800, that was including doors and a brand new front bumper with fog lights, i bought the inner wings, wing rails and scuttle new from ford, i sold the old front end for £300 so it only cost £500 in the end.

[blindbeggar]

Few photo's from a German coachworks who build them. (SORRY NO FORDS) In Germany you can drive them on a B+E, i would of thought the same applies to UK?

Nice work btw...gonna look sweet when finished

http://www.fahrzeugbau-pagenkopf.de

[Guy88]

i know where theres a few iveco ones and iv seen a rather nice renault mascott one,

Iv only seen one MK6 one on the road and it looked smart,

i think it shoud be classed as a B+E class as its below 3.5 tonne GVW

Category
Description
Minimum age

B
Motor vehicles with a MAM of up to 3,500 kg, no more than eight passenger seats, with or without a trailer - weighing no more than 750 kg
17*

B
As category B but with a trailer weighing more than 750 kg. The total weight of the vehicle and the trailer together can’t weigh more than 3,500 kg. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle
17*

B auto
As category B with automatic transmission
17*

B+E
As category B but with a heavier trailer that isn't covered in the descriptions for category B
17

then for HGV category

C
Vehicles over 3,500 kg, with a trailer up to 750 kg
21*, **

C+E
As category C but with a trailer over 750 kg

[knighty1981]

The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle

won't that mess things up ? 2 cars on the trailer must be more than the transit at the front ? which will probably weigh less than a pickup ?

[MIXA]

Unless they have changed the law the 5th wheel conection makes it an artic the trailor then becomes part of an articulated vehicle and not an ordinary trailer by the fact of its conection method to the towing motor ,.The law is confusing on this ,i have driven hgv1s for 32 years and small ones and have always needed class 1 license to drive them,. In answer to Knightly 1981 a loaded trailer is always heavier than the tractive unit most artic trailers are only within 2 ton lighter than the tractor unit which is what this has now become some the weight of his mini trailor is within the scaled down weight ( trailor to tractor )it is always the same diferential no mater what scale the vheicles are

[Guy88]

The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle

won't that mess things up ? 2 cars on the trailer must be more than the transit at the front ? which will probably weigh less than a pickup ?

thats only if you havent done a trailer test

after the test you get B+E

[dwright2104]

On a B + E licence you are still only permitted to tow the maximum weight of trailer detailed on the registration documents. ie for our 17 seater minibus with a 4100kg gross weight is 750kg unbraked and 1900kg braked.

[character]

hello all, stumbled across this post when on google, I seem to have become somewhat knowledgeable about these things over the past 6 months

To clarify the position regards DL catagories (which has been confirmed via VOSA tech dept):

You CAN drive these vehicles using "grandfather rights" as follows and NO the issue is nothing to do with the coupling as has been previously mentioned:

B+E combination
Tractor unit plated at 3500 kg gross (this could be a 4600kg or even a 6500kg downplated typically an Iveco 45C or 65C, VW LT46, SPRINTER 616)
Weight combination (including trailer) NO MAX LIMIT AT PRESENT ON B+E combinations her in the UK however it is subject to the manufacturers weight limits once the tractor unit has got Type approval
Overall length of B+E combination 15m
Overall width NOW 2.55M (law has just been changed this year to harminise with rest of EU)

C1+E combination
Tractor unit plated above 3500kg gross weight (Iveco 45c or above, any of the above or similar)
Weight combination 8250KG (as seen on the reverse of your DL, code "107"
Overall length/width as above

CHANGES IN THE LAW DUE TO BE ROLLED OUT FROM JAN 2011 - 2013 EU DIRECTIVE 2006
A major harminisation of ALL driving licences throughout the EU has already started since Sept 2009 with the introduction of DRIVERS CPC (7.5 hours of training every year until 2013 or 37 hours in any one year). From Jan 2011 - 2013 all EU member states will have the SAME licence catagories of which a gross train weight will apply to all B+E tractor unit combinations of 7000KG.

A FEW NOTES TO BEAR IN MIND
1)ANY C1+E combination will NEED AN OPERATORS LICENCE AS WELL AS A TACHO (digital of the tractor unit was reg'd 1st of May 2006, analogue prior to this).
2)Any trailer used will be subject to an annual MOT test along with the tractor unit
3)ANY CONVERSION OF AN EXISTING CHASSIS WILL NEED SINGLE VEHICLE TYPE APPROVAL WHICH WILL INCLUDE A BRAKE TEST CALCULATIONS AND WILL HAVE TO HAVE THE V5C LOG BOOK AMENDED TO SPECIFICALLY MENTION THE TYPE APPROVAL NUMBER, THE NEW TAXATION CLASS WHICH WILL BE "ARTIC TRACTOR UNIT" AFTER THE CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED BY A VOSA STATION
4)ANY B+E combination will also need a calibrated tacho fitted as the train weight will be over 3500kg
5) AND VERY VERY IMPORTANT POINT, the chassis/tractor unit will also have to be capable of carrying the weight on the fifth wheel over the rear axle WHICH IS WHY NO ONE USES A FORD TRANSIT CHASSIS AND GO FOR rear wheel drived chassis such as IVECO, VW , MERC etc. These weight limits will also be show on the Ministry plate/V5C in the form of the axle weights for front axle and rear axle/gross train weight etc
6) Any driver of a B+E or C1E will also have to hold a DRIVERS CPC CARD by 2013 (ie to have done his/her full 37 hours training)

Overall, whilst I appreciate the member does not want to hear the above, may I just point out that at present you may be spending alot of time and money on a conversion of a non-suitable chassis. Please please please get someone to calculate the weights/axle weights and get expert advice as to whether you vehicle is suitable for the trailer you have in mind.

You mentioned that this was going to carry cars, please let me say, I do so for a living and some pretty expensive ones at that, you may find the changes in the law for your forthcoming B+E combination will prevent you from using it legally on the road after Jan 2011 and you might be better prepared to move on to a C1+E version of combination (sadly not using a ford transit crewcab).

Example of a B+E combination THAT WILL BECOME USELESS AFTER JAN 2011

VW LT 46 downplated to 3500KG
Train weight plated at 9000kg
Type approved UK/EU
Vehicle Taxation class "Artic"
Air brakes
Carries approx 4.2 tons