General Help with VIn and identification of chassis 1992 Hymer Ducato 290 2.5D

[evildan]

Hi, I have a German import Hymer B544 ducato 2.5D, it says first registered feb 1991 but on the V5 also stated declared manufactured 1992.

Trying to get some info on which chassis I have for suspension parts (Q10,14 or18?!?) and also interesed in the gearbox.

My Vin is zfa290000*00040909 but doesnt find anything in ePER

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

When I changed one digit in the VIN, ePER recognised it properly. I assume yours is not listed as it was sent to Hymer as a chassis for further conversion. This is quite often with motorhomes.

I'd try contacting Hymer directly and ask for information. FIAT won't probably have it.

 

[airwave]

Hi, I have a German import Hymer B544 ducato 2.5D, it says first registered feb 1991 but on the V5 also stated declared manufactured 1992.

Trying to get some info on which chassis I have for suspension parts (Q10,14 or18?!?) and also interesed in the gearbox.

My Vin is zfa290000*00040909 but doesnt find anything in ePER

Now this is very dodgy speculation , but according to what i learned , the numbers are relevant to weight capacity . For example , the Q10 , is a 1 tonner , and i would further speculate this could also be a short wheel base .

Let me explain what happened to me . So a while ago , my van , a year 2000 , Hymer 584 , fitted with a 2.8 idtd motor , developed an issue with it's rear brakes . Parts where needed , so i ran to my local motorist centre , and yes , he asked me this exact question .
Was it a 1.4 , or 1.8 ?
I didn't have a clue what he was talking about so quizzed him . His answer was weight capacities . Now my van is a full coach build , like yours (actually the vans are sisters) , so i figured it would be heavy , and said 1.8 .
What ya know , they didn't fit , so back to the shop , we had a chat , and decided to order some a 1.4 , bingo they fitted . I would speculate yours will also be a 1.4 , or Q14 .
Since then , any chassis , brake , or suspension parts have been ordered as a 14 , and all have fitted with no problem .

Though i can't find anything to back this up , i have since surmised using , my knowledge of other makes of vans , speculation , and my own vans specification and max loading , the following ;

Q10 , 1 ton , short wheel base .

Q14 , 1.4 ton , short wheel base , with a possible option for long wheel base .

Q18 , 1.8 ton , likely long wheel base only .

Now a caveat here , i cannot back this information up in any way , or even point to any written material that would even try to back any of this up . So i would advise caution , if you do decide to use this information for your own gain . I pretty sure i'm on the money , but i'm not perfect . I have repeated my experience , hopefully for your benefit .

 

[Communicator]

I had never heard of a Quintal before I met it is this context. I had to look it up to finf that 1 Quintal = 100kg. So as @airwave states Q14 = 1400kg or 1.4 tonnes (metric ton). In my understanding the term ton applies to the imperial ton of 2040lbs. I could be wrong.

 

[airwave]

I had never heard of a Quintal before I met it is this context. I had to look it up to finf that 1 Quintal = 100kg. So as @airwave states Q14 = 1400kg or 1.4 tonnes (metric ton). In my understanding the term ton applies to the imperial ton of 2040lbs. I could be wrong.

So that's what the Q stands for is it , nope me neither . I deal a lot with metric tonnes , mainly in my day job , so i need to know this stuff , along with axle loadings , never heard of Quintal . I've recently replated my van , so my axle loadings are now different from a standard 3.5 tonner . Comical bit is i can't use the new full plated weight , without overloading the rear axle . But it's enough for what i want , and puts me only a shade under 50kgs of my new gross weight of 3.70 ton .
Imperial ton withstanding , the metric ton is basically the norm now , and the most quoted . Most vehicles are weighed in metric , even heavy commercials . The only place i'm aware of imperial still being used is in older boats . New boats are weighed in metric , but some older vessels are listed as imperial , though there does appear to be some confusion with Thames tonnage , which is actually something entirely different . But let's not go there , as its difficult to figure out , and i don't fully understand it . What i do know is , it's has little to nothing , to do with weight anyway .

 

[airwave]

Q10 , 1 ton , short wheel base .

Q14 , 1.4 ton , short wheel base , with a possible option for long wheel base .

Q18 , 1.8 ton , likely long wheel base only

I'm also going to add this , as i didn't exactly make this clear yesterday . The weights refer to payload , ie what the vehicle can carry . Not the overall gross weight of said vehicle .

 

[the green vanper]

I'm also going to add this , as i didn't exactly make this clear yesterday . The weights refer to payload , ie what the vehicle can carry . Not the overall gross weight of said vehicle .

Yes, but at the state at which the vehicle had it ititial homologation. And this, depending on what was ordered and delivered to Hymer, might vary from what Hymer got on its secondary homologation, when the vehicle was converted.

It does not make much difference on commercial vans, but on chassis or chassis-cabs on motorhomes, comparing the two weights, it can be a huge difference.

 

[airwave]

Yes, but at the state at which the vehicle had it ititial homologation. And this, depending on what was ordered and delivered to Hymer, might vary from what Hymer got on its secondary homologation, when the vehicle was converted.

It does not make much difference on commercial vans, but on chassis or chassis-cabs on motorhomes, comparing the two weights, it can be a huge difference.

Absolutely , once again this was not made clear . It was a little off piste so to speak anyway , but also as i specifically said , speculated too . I was making a general comment , but the fact is this is the reason i got confused in the first place , when i stated mine was 1.8 . My van is a solid old school model , the walls are solid ply , not the cardboard casements with veneer cappings we see on today's models . I guessed mine would be heavy , but i made one huge mistake . I forgot this would have been a bare chassis delivered to Hymer . The chassis weight would have been less due to the lack of bodywork , and trim at the start of conversion .
This is quite common on commercial vehicles , make the body light , to enable it to carry a higher maximum load . In general most goods vehicles can carry their own weight in cargo , for example a full curtain side , 7.5 tonner weighs on average 3.5 tons due to it's cargo body , meaning it can carry around 4 tons in cargo . But fit a tail lift and that cargo capacity can drop anything up to a ton , due to the weight of the said tail lift . A flat bed version can carry far more , because it has no body , in fact you could be looking at as much as 5 ton , possibly a little more . The important bit is it must never exceed the maximum plated weight of 7.5 ton , on the road . This is why you can see the chassis under the cargo area , can't afford the weight .
Anything coach built , no i'll rephrase that , A class will start from a bare chassis . Only the fire wall , and inner wings will likely remain from the original van , the rest is all custom . The weight of the new custom body will start where the original bodies weight was removed . On a point of note , my own van , empty weighs a shade over 3 ton , at 3010 tons . Now that's complete , including the kitchen sink , and cooker , and a full tank of fuel . That leaves me with just under a half ton payload for personal gear , to bring me neatly up to 3.5 tons . Plenty for me , but the replate i undertook was to enable me to carry a small 74kg motorbike on the rear carrier , which due to its position actually adds around 125kgs to the rear axle , and which my van can now comfortably carry , due to the increase in rear axle limit .