trailer question

[kambites]

Supernova190188 said:

Right so to get this absolutely correct then. Anyone who passed between 1997 - 2013 can tow anything as long as total train weight is not over 3500kgs and the actual trailer weight is not more than the vehicle weight.

The maximum permissable gross weight of the vehicle added to the maximum allowable mass of the trailer must be under 3500kg, the exception being if the MAM of the trailer is under 750kg in which case it can be towed by any <3500kg vehicle.

[Supernova190188]

kambites said:

Supernova190188 said:

Right so to get this absolutely correct then. Anyone who passed between 1997 - 2013 can tow anything as long as total train weight is not over 3500kgs and the actual trailer weight is not more than the vehicle weight.

The maximum permissable gross weight of the vehicle added to the maximum allowable mass of the trailer must be under 3500kg, the exception being if the MAM of the trailer is under 750kg in which case it can be towed by any <3500kg vehicle.

so the rule has not been removed then ??

[jagracer]

Supernova190188 said:

kambites said:

Supernova190188 said:

Right so to get this absolutely correct then. Anyone who passed between 1997 - 2013 can tow anything as long as total train weight is not over 3500kgs and the actual trailer weight is not more than the vehicle weight.

The maximum permissable gross weight of the vehicle added to the maximum allowable mass of the trailer must be under 3500kg, the exception being if the MAM of the trailer is under 750kg in which case it can be towed by any <3500kg vehicle.

so the rule has not been removed then ??

You're thinking of a different rule. The rule that has not changed is that the gross train plated weight must not exceed 3500kg.

[kambites]

Supernova190188 said:

so the rule has not been removed then ??

The only rule which has been removed is the one that says the MAM of the trailer has to be less than the kerb weight of the car (which was a bloody stupid rule).

[Supernova190188]

Zoobeef said:

kambites said:

And because the trailer MAM is more than the unladen vehicle weight?

That rule was removed in Jan this year.

This is the rule I'm on about

Has this been removed or not ?

If it has been removed then essentially it would be totally legal to pull an empty trailer regardless of the MAM being more than the towing vehicles unladen weight?

[kambites]

Supernova190188 said:

If it has been removed then essentially it would be totally legal to pull an empty trailer regardless of the MAM being more than the towing vehicles unladen weight?

No it wouldn't, because the combined maximum permissable masses still must be under 3500kg.

[Supernova190188]

kambites said:

Supernova190188 said:

If it has been removed then essentially it would be totally legal to pull an empty trailer regardless of the MAM being more than the towing vehicles unladen weight?

No it wouldn't, because the combined maximum permissable masses still must be under 3500kg.

Right so basically it's still illegal to pull an EMPTY trailer with a maximum allowable mass of 2500kg behind a truck weighing 1800kg if the actual weight of the trailer when towing was 500kg giving a total train weight of 2300kg ?

[kambites]

Supernova190188 said:

kambites said:

Supernova190188 said:

If it has been removed then essentially it would be totally legal to pull an empty trailer regardless of the MAM being more than the towing vehicles unladen weight?

No it wouldn't, because the combined maximum permissable masses still must be under 3500kg.

Right so basically it's still illegal to pull an EMPTY trailer with a maximum allowable mass of 2500kg behind a truck weighing 1800kg if the actual weight of the trailer when towing was 500kg giving a total train weight of 2300kg ?

Correct.

[Supernova190188]

kambites said:

Supernova190188 said:

kambites said:

Supernova190188 said:

If it has been removed then essentially it would be totally legal to pull an empty trailer regardless of the MAM being more than the towing vehicles unladen weight?

No it wouldn't, because the combined maximum permissable masses still must be under 3500kg.

Right so basically it's still illegal to pull an EMPTY trailer with a maximum allowable mass of 2500kg behind a truck weighing 1800kg if the actual weight of the trailer when towing was 500kg giving a total train weight of 2300kg ?

Correct.

Thanks - at least that's settled. Stick to just pulling caravans for now then!

[kambites]

The B+E test is neither difficult nor expensive to do if you're already happy reversing a trailer. An hour's tuition to brush up on the test specific stuff should be enough to get you through it.

[skip_1]

So you can now pull a trailer weighing more than half the weight of the towing vehicle?

E.G. GVW 1300kg & trailer MAM 2000kg loaded to 2000kg.

[kambites]

skip_1 said:

So you can now pull a trailer weighing more than half the weight of the towing vehicle?

E.G. GVW 1300kg & trailer MAM 2000kg loaded to 2000kg.

If it's within the vehicle's towing capacity, yes. I doubt you'll find many cars with an GVW of 1300kg which are rated to tow two tonnes, though?

[paintman]

ROG.
There is a letter from VOSA on the internet which suggests that its the actual weight of the trailer not its plated weight which is relevant.
Can we confirm that this is incorrect?
http://www.barlowtrailers.com/PDF/VOSA-Trailer-Wei...

[kambites]

He'd know for sure, but IIRC it's the actual trailer weight that's relevant when considering maximum vehicle towing capacities but the maximum allowable combined weight that's relevant when considering licence categories.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 18th September 20:15

[skip_1]

kambites said:

skip_1 said:

So you can now pull a trailer weighing more than half the weight of the towing vehicle?

E.G. GVW 1300kg & trailer MAM 2000kg loaded to 2000kg.

If it's within the vehicle's towing capacity, yes. I doubt you'll find many cars with an GVW of 1300kg which are rated to tow two tonnes, though?

Good point

[R0G]

paintman said:

ROG.
There is a letter from VOSA on the internet which suggests that its the actual weight of the trailer not its plated weight which is relevant.
Can we confirm that this is incorrect?
http://www.barlowtrailers.com/PDF/VOSA-Trailer-Wei...

VOSA/now DVSA have stated it 100% correctly

They are saying that the GTW refers to actual combination weight and not the combination amount of the plated weights - I say that also

[cptsideways]

kambites said:

skip_1 said:

So you can now pull a trailer weighing more than half the weight of the towing vehicle?

E.G. GVW 1300kg & trailer MAM 2000kg loaded to 2000kg.

If it's within the vehicle's towing capacity, yes. I doubt you'll find many cars with an GVW of 1300kg which are rated to tow two tonnes, though?

Daihatsu Fourtrak 1560kg & a 3500kg tow limit!! I think defenders are similar weights too

[R0G]

Supernova190188 said:

Right so to get this absolutely correct then. Anyone who passed between 1997 - 2013 can tow anything as long as total train weight is not over 3500kgs and the actual trailer weight is not more than the vehicle weight.

I've just bought a truck weighing around 1850kgs, so as rules have been removed I should be able to tow anything weighing up to 1650 kgs whether empty , loaded etc and will absolutely not get done ?

Point 1 - the laws for B licence towing are exactly the same no matter when the test was passed
what confuses many is that the pre 2013 rules are still on the internet

Point 2 - you are referring to actual weights when the licencing laws refer to plated weights

[paintman]

R0G said:

VOSA/now DVSA have stated it 100% correctly

They are saying that the GTW refers to actual combination weight and not the combination amount of the plated weights - I say that also

My thought also. TBH I regard the whole post 97 towing business as another example of badly thought out legislation.

[kambites]

paintman said:

My thought also. TBH I regard the whole post 97 towing business as another example of badly thought out legislation.

Indeed. I'm of the opinion they should either have left it as it was or simply banned all towing on a category B licence. The current syetem is confusing and stupid. At least they have simplified the system though. It's better now than it was.