I'm at the point of needing to get my axle wieghts for the DVLA and the plate on the car.
I've read the SVA manual and other sources and think I know what is needed. Problem is, what to wiegh it on ??
The nearest wiegh bridge is miles away.
Thought about four x cheap bathroom scales (3 quid each from Ikea !!) but not sure if they go high enough.
Any ideas ? My car has X Flow with IRS, guessing now but think wieghts will be around 280kg on front and 200 on back (without the wieghts for SVA added)

Help !!

You can do it with one set of scales although it is a bit long winded.
Make three platforms the same height as the scales, support the car three wheels on the platforms and one wheel on the scales. Take the weight from the scales. Repeate with the scales under the other three wheels.

Mick

Tried it but scales only go up to 120 KG, not enough for front end as each wheel goes off the 120 range and I cant judge how much more. Will try to get a bigger scale

I suspect you must have the engine sitting quite far forward, a good guess for a typical car of your spec would be 540 kg dry weight with 48% on the front

dont forget that on the SVA form, they ask for gross laden weight per axle, not kerb side weight.
On my application i put 450 kg on the front and 400kg on the back, total 950 kg. i did weigh the car just to know what it was, used the bathroom scales and 3 garden slabs. total was 572kg, which allows 378kg of passengers and cargo.

Jesus H !
The passengers and their cargo are 68 kg per seat + 7 kg each = 150 total for our cars. You certainly overkilled it !. Was the SVA man ok with your weights being so far over the actual weight when he weighed it ?? If so, do I just overdo it and then I'll be ok ?

not SVA'd yet, but will let you know. anyway I'm 97kg with out cargo

I haven't weighed my car but I'm guessing around the 500kg mark.
I phoned the SVA center (nottingham) to ask their advice.
Its all to do with brake testing and he told me to stick down 900gvw with 360 front and 540 rear (mid engine) this is way out but they will change the figures at SVA if necessary.
It seems what they dont like is under weights quoted, with applicants attempting more lenient brake tests.

John

The weights required on the SVA form are maximum design weights not the actual weight. The point is to have a higher figure,within reason, than the car weighs. So something like 950 gross, 500 rear, 450 front should be fine. There is a section on http://totalkitcar.com that explains filling in your SVA application which has more detail.

Steve

do a search on this forum for weights! When this SVA section was first opened that was one of the early questions, and people gave examples of what their car was! Just use the nearest.

I think its a technical fail not having it right, but my bloke changed the form (after telling me it was a technical fail!) no worries. Failed anyway BTW!

So are we saying generally that I should make a plate for the car that states say 950 kg GVW with say 450 front, 500 rear axle weights ? (to err on safe side)
Assuming my car weighs say 550kg kerbside, add 150kg as per SVA loads, the actual GVW would be 700kg (at worst).
Will the SVA man be ok with this as when he weighs it, it, my figures will be miles too high on the safe side.
Also, if he then wants it ammended, what happens to my lovely brass / SS plate that I have had engraved !!!!!!
I know exactly what is required for weights as per regulations.
My question is / was, how to do it ?
Bathroom scales are out now as the details above show that each wheel could be 175 ish with each axle being 350 ish.
The bathroom scales I can find are normally 120kg limit or at best, 150.
Any further ideas or explaination from those above who used scales would be great.

Why do you want to make a plate with the relevant weights on it???????

Just re-read the posts. IIRC the VIN plate section in the SVA manual only applies to commercial vehicles. You don't need these for your VIN plate. Only the Chassis number.

[Edited on 20-4-04 by Hellfire]

Because it is an item on the test for the SVA man to check. See manual section headed "Plate"

Oops. Edited whilst you replied. Sorry.

So its only for HGV's ?
I am not at home at present so i'll have to check at the weekend.
I read it as a requirment for our cars also. Oops

I'm almost certain thats the case. At work at the moment, but will check for definite tonight and let you know, unless someone confirms beforehand

Just checked this. Section 22, Manufacturer's Plate. Application column reads 'Goods Vehicles Only'.

Steve

Cheers Steve.

MK told me to enter gross design weight as 900kg, can't remember split front/rear, SVA bloke did'nt comment so presume happy with that. Suspect brakes well up to it if they stop fully loaded Sierra.

Worth underlining to anybody borrowing a set of bathroom scales when using bathroom scale you must get the car level hence some wise sage refering to 3 graden slabs earlier.

I saw some cheap bathroom scale somewhere that went up to 185 kg -- I can't remember where Adsa or Lidel perhaps ?

[Edited on 20/4/04 by britishtrident]

I tried lots of places and sites on the web but biggest I could find for a reasonable price was 150kg (not enough)

Try the 'States, 150 kg is slim over there--------Apparently----

Mick