Re plating Trailers.
Discussion
Roo said:
Round here a VOSA checkpoint would see a loaded trailer and stop it.
They'd look at its plated weight, and that of the car, and assume you'd exceeded the cars weight until proven otherwise.
You would be made to follow them to the local testing station and wait your turn to be inspected and weighed.
A few hours later, there will be a long queue, once it all checks out OK you'll be sent on your way.
OR, spend a few quid on a new down rated plate.
I know what I would be doing in that scenario.
That. Although some VOSA officials can be bigger bThey'd look at its plated weight, and that of the car, and assume you'd exceeded the cars weight until proven otherwise.
You would be made to follow them to the local testing station and wait your turn to be inspected and weighed.
A few hours later, there will be a long queue, once it all checks out OK you'll be sent on your way.
OR, spend a few quid on a new down rated plate.
I know what I would be doing in that scenario.
ds than others and will even measure certain components, such as tow hitches, and decide that the plate is wrong.Roo said:
Round here a VOSA checkpoint would see a loaded trailer and stop it.
They'd look at its plated weight, and that of the car, and assume you'd exceeded the cars weight until proven otherwise.
You would be made to follow them to the local testing station and wait your turn to be inspected and weighed.
A few hours later, there will be a long queue, once it all checks out OK you'll be sent on your way.
OR, spend a few quid on a new down rated plate.
I know what I would be doing in that scenario.
What would stop the driver overloading the MAM of any trailer being towed ????????They'd look at its plated weight, and that of the car, and assume you'd exceeded the cars weight until proven otherwise.
You would be made to follow them to the local testing station and wait your turn to be inspected and weighed.
A few hours later, there will be a long queue, once it all checks out OK you'll be sent on your way.
OR, spend a few quid on a new down rated plate.
I know what I would be doing in that scenario.
mph1977 said:
B'stard Child said:
I've got a while to go to hit 70 and am on an Old Paper Licence - interesting point tho.
Surely you don't lose the rights to tow whenever a photocard licence expires?
Surely you don't lose the rights to tow whenever a photocard licence expires?
the photocard expires every 10 years, unless you have a restricted licence your none vocational categories expire at 70 and vocational ones at 45 ( unless you first acquire them after you are 40 when it's 5 years from the D4 ) and then every 5 years after that unless you provide the medical form.
This is probably a topic needing a new thread
Edited by R0G on Friday 24th June 10:11
R0G said:
What would stop the driver overloading the MAM of any trailer being towed ????????
Nothing at all. If they thought it was overloaded they would pull you off the road and send you to a testing station as well.But why, possibly, make life difficult for yourself for the sake of a few quid?
Roo said:
Nothing at all. If they thought it was overloaded they would pull you off the road and send you to a testing station as well.
So whether they thought it was overloaded or exceeding the vehicle max towing weight they could do the same so I cannot see that reducing the trailer MAM would make much difference - in fact, by having a higher trailer MAM the opportunity for thinking that it has been exceeded would be less not morejagracer said:
I've just re-read the original post and the OP has a LandCruiser, TBH I wouldn't worry as it's hardly likely to be a problem. I've towed a 3.5ton Ifor Williams trailer with mine and also the same trailer with a Citroen C5 and it's never been an issue.
Perhaps others can tell us if they have actually had a problem with the authorities on this issue?Or is it all MMTM = My Mate Told Me
Shown this thread to two aquantences of mine, 1 in VOSA and the other in Trafpol and they both had a good chuckle at those downplating trailers for the reasons given
They both said that the only reason to downplate a trailer of less than 3.5 tonnes is if it needs to be driven on a B licence and the downplating would bring that trailer within the unladen weight of the towing vehicle
They both said that the only reason to downplate a trailer of less than 3.5 tonnes is if it needs to be driven on a B licence and the downplating would bring that trailer within the unladen weight of the towing vehicle
R0G said:
Shown this thread to two aquantences of mine, 1 in VOSA and the other in Trafpol and they both had a good chuckle at those downplating trailers for the reasons given
They both said that the only reason to downplate a trailer of less than 3.5 tonnes is if it needs to be driven on a B licence and the downplating would bring that trailer within the unladen weight of the towing vehicle
Please put me in touch with your contact at VOSA. They would be the ideal person to write a black and white manual of all the traffic regulations and explain them in an idiot proof manner to all other employees.They both said that the only reason to downplate a trailer of less than 3.5 tonnes is if it needs to be driven on a B licence and the downplating would bring that trailer within the unladen weight of the towing vehicle
R0G said:
The PHOTO on the licence expires every 10 years but NOT the licence itself
This is probably a topic needing a new thread
do you have comprehension difficulties R0G? because you have an uncanny knack of telling someone they are wrong and then posting the exact same thing as you told people was worng ... This is probably a topic needing a new thread
Edited by R0G on Friday 24th June 10:11
Roo said:
Please put me in touch with your contact at VOSA. They would be the ideal person to write a black and white manual of all the traffic regulations and explain them in an idiot proof manner to all other employees.
I can put you in touch but he would not subscribe to doing as you wish but he would point you towards anything that states you CANNOT do something in law in response to a question askedHow do I contact you privately on here?
PS - laws such as the road traffic act only state what is not legal - they do not state what is legal
I've just bought myself a trailer plated at 3.5t. my van is rated at 2t capacity. I really thought I'd need to have the trailer down plated - there is a lot of (mis) information out there!
Having read through this thread, I'm satisfied that I'll not be breaking any laws with the trailer as is.
Has anything changed in the six years since this was posted?
Having read through this thread, I'm satisfied that I'll not be breaking any laws with the trailer as is.
Has anything changed in the six years since this was posted?
Edited by JZZ30 on Saturday 9th December 19:52
JZZ30 said:
I've just bought myself a trailer plated at 3.5t. my van is rated at 2t capacity. I really thought I'd need to have the trailer down plated - there is a lot of (missing) information out there!
Having read through this thread, I'm satisfied that I'll not be breaking any laws with the trailer as is.
Has anything changed in the six years since this was posted?
NoHaving read through this thread, I'm satisfied that I'll not be breaking any laws with the trailer as is.
Has anything changed in the six years since this was posted?
There is no law or rule which states that the towing capacity of the vehicle must be able to accommodate the MAM of the trailer
Legal example on a B+E licence =
Vehicle GVW 2200
Towing capacity 2000
Trailer plated MAM 3500
Trailer empty 800
MAX load for trailer 1200
JZZ30 said:
I've just bought myself a trailer plated at 3.5t. my van is rated at 2t capacity. I really thought I'd need to have the trailer down plated - there is a lot of (missing) information out there!
Having read through this thread, I'm satisfied that I'll not be breaking any laws with the trailer as is.
Has anything changed in the six years since this was posted?
They updated the rules for post-'97 licence holders in 2013, I think it was, to remove the rule about the trailer's MAM needing to be below the towing vehicle's unladen weight. So making a 1700kg MAM trailer being towed by a 1500kg unladen/1800kg MAM car ok on a B licence, when previously it wasn't.Having read through this thread, I'm satisfied that I'll not be breaking any laws with the trailer as is.
Has anything changed in the six years since this was posted?
I think. It's a bit annoying to try and follow. R0G has a very good thread stickied at the top of SP&L.
Edit: He's posting in this thread, so he'll correct me if I'm wrong.
I have been looking into this also as I want to tow a 3.5t GVW trailer where the tow car has a max towing weight of 2.7t
I found this on the DOT website:
1. The capability of the towing vehicle
The chassis plate on the vehicle (see table in Section 7) states the maximum weights allowed - the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and the Gross Combination Weight (GCW).
The vehicle handbook will either repeat what is on the chassis plate, or for convenience, might directly specify the maximum weight of trailer (eg 750kg) which is allowed to be towed. The V5C registration certificate often shows this too, under sections O1 and O2 (depending on whether trailer has brakes or not). Exceeding any of the above weights is likely to be construed as using a vehicle in a dangerous condition.
Where the sum of the maximum plated weights of the towing vehicle and of the trailer added together exceed the plated GCW of the towing vehicle, this is not a problem as long as the ‘actual’ weights of the vehicle and trailer (which may not be fully laden at the time) do not exceed the plated GCW.
The last paragraph specifically states that as long as the actual weights of the trailer or tow vehicle are not exceeded then it's all gravy.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/towing-...
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff