What are the numbers on the car ID plate (sticker in the engine compar

[Tomas]

Hi there,

I bought a very nice Defender 90 in Germany and trying to register it in Belgium. I say trying because it is not quite straight forward as one would think.

First, it took over a month to get the Certificate of Conformity and than the Technical inspection (sort of MOT) has spotted that one number on the car identification plate in the engine compartment is not correct.

The plate is glued just under the bonnet (hood) close to the cabin. It is a kind of white plate with LR logo, VIN chassis number and few others. It displays the following:

Land Rover

SALLDVBF8..... (VIN)

90/1178

2400 kg

6400 kg

1200 kg

1380 kg

Can anybody help me to understand what the 6400 number actually stands for or what it should be?

This is the number that the technical control says is wrong. They could not explain what it is, or what it should be. They just mentioned that it does not correspond to this car.

In the official LR dealer, it took another month to come to the conclusion that they don't understand my problem and they submitted to the query to LR HQ in Brussels. In HQ they issued a copy of certificate that indicates the following:

2400 - max car total weight

1200 - max load on front axel

700 - minimum load on front axel (???)

1380 - max load on the rear axel.

Obviously this does not help at all.

Can anybody help me to understand what the 6400 number actually stands for or what it should be?

Thanks in advance,

Tomas

[Lars L]

Since your gross vehicle weight (GVW) obviously shows as 2400 kg, the 6400 could be the max permissible train weight. I.e. together with a trailer weighing max 4000 kg. Which sounds a bit much to me...

I really don't know the definite answer, just my own theory.

[western]

Can anybody help me to understand what the 6400 number actually stands for or what it should be?

6400kg's is the combined maximum train weight ---------- which means the 90 fully loaded & a trailer fully loaded attached

SALLDVBF8..... (VIN) as you have identified it

90/1178 ---------vehicle type approval number

2400 kg ---------maximum permitted laden weight for vehicle [on standard duty suspension]

6400 kg ---------- maximum vehicle & trailer combined weight

1200 kg ---------- maximum load weight on front axle

1380 kg ---------- maximum load weight on rear axle

a 90's maximum towing weight for all versions of 90 models is 3500kg

add this to the maximum vehicle weight of 2400kg

which equals 5900kg

all 90 & 110 if fitted with coupled brakes [like articulated trucks] can then tow legally 4000kg max weight trailers [in UK, Europe countries may have different laws]

so add that 4000kg trailer weight to your 90's max weight of 2400kg & you get the magic 6400kg. hope that helps & is easy to understand. all the numbers are correct as they would have been stamped into the ident plate by Land Rover UK - the manufacturer.

[roguevogue]

6400kg's is the combined maximum train weight ---------- which means the 90 fully loaded & a trailer fully loaded attached

SALLDVBF8..... (VIN) as you have identified it

90/1178 ---------vehicle type approval number

2400 kg ---------maximum permitted laden weight for vehicle [on standard duty suspension]

6400 kg ---------- maximum vehicle & trailer combined weight

1200 kg ---------- maximum load weight on front axle

1380 kg ---------- maximum load weight on rear axle

a 90's maximum towing weight for all versions of 90 models is 3500kg

add this to the maximum vehicle weight of 2400kg

which equals 5900kg

all 90 & 110 if fitted with coupled brakes [like articulated trucks] can then tow legally 4000kg max weight trailers

so add that 4000kg trailer weight to your 90's max weight of 2400kg & you get the magic 6400kg. hope that helps & is easy to understand. all the numbers are correct as they would have been stamped into the ident plate by Land Rover UK - the manufacturer.

Spot on as usual Western, saved me the typing!

[Tomas]

a 90's maximum towing weight for all versions of 90 models is 3500kg

add this to the maximum vehicle weight of 2400kg

which equals 5900kg

all 90 & 110 if fitted with coupled brakes [like articulated trucks] can then tow legally 4000kg max weight trailers

so add that 4000kg trailer weight to your 90's max weight of 2400kg & you get the magic 6400kg. hope that helps & is easy to understand. all the numbers are correct as they would have been stamped into the ident plate by Land Rover UK - the manufacturer.

Hi western.

Thanks a lot ! Now I can understand it and I can see why they are rejecting it.

The original technical license from Germany (Fagrzeugbrief) indicates that the car can tow 3500 kg. That means the plate should actually indicate 5900 (and not 6400kg). Unless the car is actually fitted with the "coupled brakes" as you mentioned and the error is already in the original German docs.

However I can't see anything that would look like coupled brakes. What and where should I be looking for? Thanks a million in advance.

Tomas

[western]

Tomas, as a example my 110 has a Max combined figure of 6450kg & it doesn't & has never been fitted with coupled brakes, as your 90 was built in the UK it would have the maximum permitted combined weight [640kg in UK] allocated to it when built, it doesn't have to be fitted with the coupled brake system, do you know where the 90 originally came from & is it right hand drive ?? [like UK vehicles]

if the system is fitted then you should fine a air or vacuum tank under the vehicle & a compressor electrically driven near the vehicles brake servo/master cylinder & somehow coupled to it, but I very much doubt it was ever fitted [the system was/is a special vehicles order & not many privately owned 90/110 had it fitted from new]

I can't see any reason why your vehicle office should refuse to licence & register your 90 as it stands, I suggest you contact LR uk for more information

[Tomas]

... do you know where the 90 originally came from & is it right hand drive ?? [like UK vehicles]

...

I can't see any reason why your vehicle office should refuse to licence & register your 90 as it stands, I suggest you contact LR uk for more information

Western,

Thanks again - you were of a great help - really !

I believe the car has been built in UK. The complete VIN number is: SALLDVBF8WA159305

Using the VIN decoding calculator (http://www.clifton.nl/index.html?calvin.html) it decodes the "A" on 11th position as: "A: Assembly location: Solihull, UK".

However the car is LHD (continental EU). The car has been used as a service car in coil mines (damn it was dirty when I got it:-)) however I believe that originally it was meant to be used privately - it has few extras that you would not expect on service cars, like airco, fake extended air intake, etc.

Personally I don't understand why Belgian MOT does not want to pass the car through. The only reason might be that they are bureaucrats and somebody gave them some kind of table showing 6400 = can pull 4000kg. I got copy of the official homologation paper for 90/1178 certified by Belgian authorities and it does not cover this number at all. (Instead, they cover "minimum weight load on front axle = 700kg" that I find a bit useless)

I already tried LR in UK on the number: 08705 000 500

(Taken from the official UK LR site: http://www.landrover.co.uk/gb/en/Company/O.../contactus.htm)

Unfortunately, this is some kind of call-in center and they told me that they are not trained to answer this type of questions. If you would have some other number - I would really appreciate.

Thanks again in advance,

Tomas

[Tomas]

Thanks for all the help.

I went to the technical Controll today and just set: "the plates has been fixed".

As the person did not actually know what was the reason for rejecting it before - he verified only the VIN number - as that one was OK he let me pass through.

The lesson learned: "If you are told off from MOT - just come back later and act that it is OK now - you'll get away with that. (At least in Belgium :-))

Tomas

[western]

excellent news Good to read someone had the good sense to give you a MOT ticket for a fully legal vehicle, best wishes & hope you have many happy times with the 90, do you have any photo's of it you could post here?

[Tomas]

... do you have any photo's of it you could post here?

Here it is:

It does not look much exiting as yet, however I already spent 8 weekends to make it look this way :-) Most of what I have done is under and inside the car anyway. Remember - it was used as a service car in coil mines !

I'll be posting more in the time to come.

[western]

Looks very tidy for a hard worked 90. I see it's wearing the XD/Wolf wheels, these are very strong, also has Td5 front bumper rubber corner caps fitted.

[Tomas]

Yap - half of the 8 weekends spent on it were nothing else than cleaning, cleaning and cleaning - my wife was of a great help! Belive or not, it was actually her who made me to buy this! We have 4 dogs and for most of the time it is up to her to look after them. I have to admit - not many cars go so well together with animals as Defenders do :-)

I bought the wheels just two weeks ago together with:

- Koni Heavy Track shock absorbers

- HD coil springs

- HD spare wheel carrier

- Dixon Bate adjustable dropplate towing kit (going to get horse next month)

All installed now and it does make a difference!

The corner cups were on the car when I got it.

The dog guard is home made and I did it from alu bars - looks better than original:-)

But there is still lot to come.

I have to say - I felt in love with this car instantly.

Yesterday I made lots of people jealous as I decided not to waste any more time in the traffic jam on the highway and just took a shortcut over the fields.