Towing question for all

[cars1993]

Have been speaking to one of my work colleagues regarding towing a tractor. His tractor & trailer weigh approx 3 ton max

Hes looking for a vehicle to tow it with but this is my question. Does the vehicle towing it have to weigh the same or near to whats being towed?

[V8forweekends]

cars1993 said:

Have been speaking to one of my work colleagues regarding towing a tractor. His tractor & trailer weigh approx 3 ton max

Hes looking for a vehicle to tow it with but this is my question. Does the vehicle towing it have to weigh the same or near to whats being towed?

Short answer, no.

A LR Discovery, for example will tow up to 3.5 tonnes (it has a kerb weight of about 2.5 tonnes) - but there are a lot of tricky rules around what licence you need, the combined weights etc.

[McWigglebum4th]

Legally nope

However

I can't think of any "cars" that have a max tow limit over 3500Kg

Seeing the trailer will be damn near 800Kg he will be cutting it damn close to the bone towing 3tons

[TooMany2cvs]

McWigglebum4th said:

I can't think of any "cars" that have a max tow limit over 3500Kg

No, it'd push it into a different licence category anyway.

McWigglebum4th said:

Seeing the trailer will be damn near 800Kg he will be cutting it damn close to the bone towing 3tons

Tractor and trailer together are ~3t, he said. So 800kg for trailer, 2200kg for tractor. Not 3000+800.

[oop north]

McWigglebum4th said:

Seeing the trailer will be damn near 800Kg he will be cutting it damn close to the bone towing 3tons

OP said tractor and trailer weigh 3t max (I interpret to mean including trailer) - so appears to be within 3.5t but restricted to Land Rovers (Discoveries, Defenders) / Range Rovers / Shogun / BMW X5 / Merc GL - ie, full size off roaders. And for X5 I think you would have to have factory fit towing package on it

The 3.5t though is set according to the ability of the car to get going on a particular slope I think (don't know the details) rather than being an it's fine to tow it anywhere in any conditions sort of thing. there is normally a no more than 85% suggestion (trailer/load no more than weight of tow vehicle). May have to sit a test to qualify to drive it depending on age - don't know the details.

Towing something that large it would be wise to get some training in any event for the safety of others

[TooMany2cvs]

oop north said:

May have to sit a test to qualify to drive it depending on age - don't know the details.

Usual split - pre '97 car test would be fine, after that would need a trailer test.

[Impasse]

Along with various other restrictions (such as spray suppression) anything heavier than 3500kgs requires a different braking system than the generic overrun style brakes fitted to trailers/caravans. Often an air powered system is used.

A quick and non-jargon-filled run down of the regs applicable to sub 3500kgs can be found at Parkers.

[f1dget]

With the loaded trailer and a 2.2ton disco up front the combined weight of over 5tons May well take you into hgv licence territory and if using it for commercial purposes he may need a tachograph fitted and an operator's licence.

ROG on here is the font of all knowledge on these things,it may be worthwhile asking again in the commercial break forum.

[paintman]

Or look at his posts which are one of the stickied threads on SP&L.