The annual "towing cars legally" thread.
Discussion
I've read a couple of threads with this same theme, and even a google search doesnt give a concrete answer;
1 - A car (or van) is towning another car (or van). Is it a trailer or a car? And as such, does it need mot/tax/insurance? Let's take both into account, a broken down car with engine and gearbox and a "shell" car with no engine.
2 - I have a B class licence. Now this states I can tow 750kg (but relates to a trailer only). Now 750kg is obviously less than half of what, say a Mondeo would weigh or something. If i'm towing a car or van using another car or van, then do I need a different licence class? I suppose this comes down to whether the towed vehicle is classed as a vehicle or a trailer? I assume there's no licence law in terms of towing other vehicles, it just relates to trailers?
3 Towing weights - A quick google suggests a range rover weighs 2091kg upwards. This random trailer plate I located;
has an MGW of 1840. Is MGW the same as the MAM? Because on a car licence, the permitted weights is a 3.5t vehicle with a 750kg trailer, or a 750kg trailer and vehicle weight not exceeding 3.5t.
So would the MAM of the trailer pictured, plus 2091kg range rover, basically be 3931kg, hence illegal?
And do this vehicles need to be laden? So lets say an (empty) 3.5t Merc Sprinter, towing an empty 2t trailer, would this be illegal? When in reality their combined weight would probably be close to 3.5t?
It's quite confusing when you look into it.
1 - A car (or van) is towning another car (or van). Is it a trailer or a car? And as such, does it need mot/tax/insurance? Let's take both into account, a broken down car with engine and gearbox and a "shell" car with no engine.
2 - I have a B class licence. Now this states I can tow 750kg (but relates to a trailer only). Now 750kg is obviously less than half of what, say a Mondeo would weigh or something. If i'm towing a car or van using another car or van, then do I need a different licence class? I suppose this comes down to whether the towed vehicle is classed as a vehicle or a trailer? I assume there's no licence law in terms of towing other vehicles, it just relates to trailers?
3 Towing weights - A quick google suggests a range rover weighs 2091kg upwards. This random trailer plate I located;
has an MGW of 1840. Is MGW the same as the MAM? Because on a car licence, the permitted weights is a 3.5t vehicle with a 750kg trailer, or a 750kg trailer and vehicle weight not exceeding 3.5t.
So would the MAM of the trailer pictured, plus 2091kg range rover, basically be 3931kg, hence illegal?
And do this vehicles need to be laden? So lets say an (empty) 3.5t Merc Sprinter, towing an empty 2t trailer, would this be illegal? When in reality their combined weight would probably be close to 3.5t?
It's quite confusing when you look into it.
Edited by un1corn on Friday 13th January 17:15
1. If it's on the road, it needs to be taxed and insured.
2. It's classed as another vehicle.
3. Maximum permitted all-up mass of the vehicle/trailer combination cannot be more than 3,500kg. Even if the trailer is unladen and therefore only weighs 400kg, you have to go on the MAM placarded weights, therefore if your trailer has a MAM of 3,500kg you're screwed, as the towing vehicle will tip the combination beyond 3,500kg. Personally I think it's a stupid rule, but then I didn't think up the rules.
This is my understanding of it anyway.
2. It's classed as another vehicle.
3. Maximum permitted all-up mass of the vehicle/trailer combination cannot be more than 3,500kg. Even if the trailer is unladen and therefore only weighs 400kg, you have to go on the MAM placarded weights, therefore if your trailer has a MAM of 3,500kg you're screwed, as the towing vehicle will tip the combination beyond 3,500kg. Personally I think it's a stupid rule, but then I didn't think up the rules.
This is my understanding of it anyway.
un1corn said:
2 - I have a B class licence. Now this states I can tow 750kg (but relates to a trailer only). Now 750kg is obviously less than half of what, say a Mondeo would weigh or something. If i'm towing a car or van using another car or van, then do I need a different licence class? I suppose this comes down to whether the towed vehicle is classed as a vehicle or a trailer? I assume there's no licence law in terms of towing other vehicles, it just relates to trailers?
On a class B you can tow a trailer of any weight as long as the MAM of the tow vehicle and MAM of the trailer do not exceed 3500kg. Edited by un1corn on Friday 13th January 17:15
un1corn said:
1 - A car (or van) is towning another car (or van). Is it a trailer or a car? And as such, does it need mot/tax/insurance? Let's take both into account, a broken down car with engine and gearbox and a "shell" car with no engine.
A-frame, or rope, or?If you're A-framing or using a dolly, then all wheels with brakes on must be automatically braked by the towcar to count as a "trailer". If the max laden is 750kg+, they MUST be braked.
The exception is that you can claim it's an emergency recovery, but that limits distance/speed, and means the towed car must be legal but non-working.
un1corn said:
2 - I have a B class licence. Now this states I can tow 750kg (but relates to a trailer only). Now 750kg is obviously less than half of what, say a Mondeo would weigh or something. If i'm towing a car or van using another car or van, then do I need a different licence class? I suppose this comes down to whether the towed vehicle is classed as a vehicle or a trailer? I assume there's no licence law in terms of towing other vehicles, it just relates to trailers?
See the trailer licence thread.http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
un1corn said:
3 Towing weights - A quick google suggests a range rover weighs 2091kg upwards. This random trailer plate I located;
has an MGW of 1840. Is MGW the same as the MAM?
Yes. Maximum gross weight, maximum authorised mass. The difference will be relevant if gravity changes, but apart from that...has an MGW of 1840. Is MGW the same as the MAM?
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