Speed Limits

Just a bit of food for thought which hadn't dawned on me before about speed limits...

If, like me, you've got a defender hard top this is classed as a van and the speed limits are slightly different? Not many people know it but on a single carriageway is 50mph and on a dual carriageway it's 60mph.

• More information here

If you're not sure a 'hard top' (without side windows) is a classed as a Light Goods Vehicle - check the V5 registration document if you're not sure.

Hopefully this might save someone some points or something! Not many people are aware of this and pleading ignorance in court won't help either.

Only if it is a long wheelbase.

Is that so? I understood the determining factor to be the gross vehicle weight over 2 tons?

Shifty got it.

Wee Renault Kangoo's etc. are vans but they are not limited to lower speeds.

Thats why long wheelbase commercials need a different MOT and the 90s dont.

That's because they are "car derived vans"

discomania said:

Shifty got it.

Wee Renault Kangoo's etc. are vans but they are not limited to lower speeds.

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They have a gross vehicle weight of about 1700kg, which is below the 2000kg. A defender's is about 2200kg or something...

Shifty1962 said:

Thats why long wheelbase commercials need a different MOT and the 90s dont.

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So would a 110 hard top or 130 hard top need a different MOT? Not that I have one

should be classed as private/light goods vehicle which is the same as a car

well.. it is on my wee Golf anyway


Hard top weights are (had to google it )
90 Gross weight - 2400kg
110 Gross weight - 3050kg

even so.. I'm confused! technically.. what speed limit applies?

Its not car derived, therefore normal van speed limits should apply?

Go along to your local MOT place and ask them about LWB commercials. They need a commercial MOT if they have hard sides and the bulkhead fitted. They also technically need a tacho. Its not just a case of taking out the bulkhead and putting some windows in because you need to get it reclassified by the VOSA people which is not as straight forward as it sounds.
However if you buy an original LWB station wagon with windows and rear seats, change the sides for solid ones and take out the rear seats and fit a bulkhead etc. it still only needs a normal MOT. Even though it is technically the same as a commercial LWB if you make the changes. It all depends on what your log book says. Daft but true.

My 110 isn't 2200 kg, it's more like 1900

landowner said:

My 110 isn't 2200 kg, it's more like 1900

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That's the curb weight, the gross vehicle weight is different... From Wikipedia:

A gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is the maximum allowable total weight of a road vehicle or trailer when loaded - i.e including the weight of the vehicle itself plus fuel, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight.

The difference between gross weight and curb weight is the total passenger and cargo weight capacity of the vehicle. For example, a pickup truck with a curb weight of 4500 pounds might have a cargo capacity of 2000 pounds, meaning it can have a gross weight of 6500 pounds when fully loaded.

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YorkshireSteve said:

That's the curb weight, the gross vehicle weight is different... From Wikipedia:

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Gross vehicle weight is just short of 3.5 tons, I'm not sure of the gross train weight (with trailer) though.
The just under 3.5 ton gross is to keep it as a van / utility I supose otherwise it would be comercial.

We also have tare weight, that's completely empty vehicle without fluids (oil water etc)
we also have kerbside weight, that's all fueled up etc with driver and equiptment ready for work.
unladen weight is empty vehicle with no driver, equiptment etc.

Operators of vehicles in the sixties used to remove passenger seats etc to get tare or unladen weights down as the vehicles were taxed on these weights.
not absolutely sure how it all worked

Get a utility station wagon. They confuse everyone. People manning the tip, bridge tolls, police, toll roads.

ratty said:

Get a utility station wagon. They confuse everyone. People manning the tip, bridge tolls, police, toll roads.

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Not quite station wagon but it has got windows in the roof (the one on the trailer in 'Halo white').
Is this overloaded then ? as it didn't feel in the least overweight and bowled along beautifully.

For the sake of clarity.

Kerb weight on a 90 is between 1602kg (3.5 softtop) to 1727kg (2.5D CSW)
Unladen weight is between 1483kg (3.5 Softtop) and 1603kg (2.5D CSW)
Max payload in the vehicle is 798g (3.5 Softtop) and 673kg (2.5D CSW)

GVW or MAM is 2400kg on std shocks and 2550 on HD shocks.
GTW or Gross Train Weight That's vehicle plus trailer plus trailers load is 5900kg.

YorkshireSteve said:

That's the curb weight, the gross vehicle weight is different... From Wikipedia:

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WE'll have less of the fooking merkin rules been quoted on here please. They're so fooked up nothing they say makes any sense at all.

redhand said:

For the sake of clarity.

Kerb weight on a 90 is between 1602kg (3.5 softtop) to 1727kg (2.5D CSW)
Unladen weight is between 1483kg (3.5 Softtop) and 1603kg (2.5D CSW)
Max payload in the vehicle is 798g (3.5 Softtop) and 673kg (2.5D CSW)

GVW or MAM is 2400kg on std shocks and 2550 on HD shocks.
GTW or Gross Train Weight That's vehicle plus trailer plus trailers load is 5900kg.

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Recon the Rangie was well under then

I will go and google the lot then we can have it as a sticky Or I'll stick it in me font of all knowledge. For footure reference.

This covers anything since 2001

LandRover

And for the Gaylanders

http://www.myfreelander.co.uk/Overview/comparisong.htm