Car trailers - best net weight rating?

[ChemicalChaos]

Can anyone tell me please what is the best full-size flatbed trailer for carrying capacity? I see a lot of big, strong 3.5ton Gross trailers that are so heavy they can only legally carry 2 tons.
Equally I've seen a lot of lightweight flatbed trailers that arent strong enough to be rated to 3.5t gross.
Somewhere there must be a middle-ground of light but fully rated trailers with a really high NET weight rating?

[Toaster Pilot]

Surely if you need to regularly move more than 2 tons you need to go into 7.5T transporter territory to do it reliably

[ChemicalChaos]

Why?

If one has a competent tow vehicle rated to 3.5 tons, and wants to occasionally move a load up to say 2.5 tons, why faff around with a truck?

[JakeT]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Heck_rail_cras...

Even though you probably won't fall asleep at the wheel (and PH loves to hate you) I wouldn't. For the odd time you need to tow, do it right. Not to mention, you risk ruining your own car in the process.

[ChemicalChaos]

Jesus tittyfking Christ on a bike - just because I want to tow a full size car on a trailer like thousands of other people do every day, I'm going to crash into a train? Really?

[sunbeam alpine]

I have an Ifor Williams car trailer rated to 2.8t which weighs 550kg and an Anssems flatbed rated to 3.5t which weighs about the same.

Both tow very nicely behind my LR Discovery.

[kambites]

I'm no expert, but I know Brian James do a 3500kg gross, 2780kg net trailer. No idea how good it is.

[JakeT]

I didn't specifically insinuate that, but I get your drift. Can't you rent a trailer?

[chevy55]

We had an Ifor Williams twin axle that was plated at 3500kg and weighed in at around 850kg and was very strong, I doubt you'd find anything much lighter that would be sturdy enough to gross at 3500kg.

[caelite]

Another vote for Ifor Williams, they are heavy but tow really well, we used to use tri axle utility units, fully capable of hauling well in excess of their 2ton rated weight, we moved 4 or 5 tons without much bother (behind a Ford Ranger or Defender 110).

[TooMany2cvs]

ChemicalChaos said:

Jesus tittyfking Christ on a bike - just because I want to tow a full size car on a trailer like thousands of other people do every day, I'm going to crash into a train? Really?

Doesn't everybody?

Probably easier to work backward from the payload you actually need... What's the kerb weight of the car you're wanting to tow? 2t covers most things bar the utterly lardy.

caelite said:

Another vote for Ifor Williams, they are heavy but tow really well, we used to use tri axle utility units, fully capable of hauling well in excess of their 2ton rated weight, we moved 4 or 5 tons without much bother (behind a Ford Ranger or Defender 110).

There may have been an implicit "legally" in the original question, I suspect.

[wack]

ChemicalChaos said:

Jesus tittyfking Christ on a bike - just because I want to tow a full size car on a trailer like thousands of other people do every day, I'm going to crash into a train? Really?

It's pistonheads

I had a Brian James 3.5t flatbed with ramps , you wouldn't get a Ferrari on it but most cars would go on with normal ramps , I used it for light haulage mostly , in 10 years towing no rail passengers were killed or injured
Off the top of my head it weighed around 800kg so had a 2.7t Payload

[The Wookie]

ChemicalChaos said:

Jesus tittyfking Christ on a bike - just because I want to tow a full size car on a trailer like thousands of other people do every day, I'm going to crash into a train? Really?

fking mind blowing isn't it, it's dangerous to tow because someone once fell asleep at the wheel and went off the road while towing and caused an accident.

It's like saying never have an airline coffee because that German pilot had one before he flew an A320 into the side of a mountain.

I've also ruined my Cayenne several hundred times in the 65,000 miles it's covered without missing a beat

Edited by The Wookie on Sunday 9th April 01:10

[powerstroke]

JakeT said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Heck_rail_cras...

Even though you probably won't fall asleep at the wheel (and PH loves to hate you) I wouldn't. For the odd time you need to tow, do it right. Not to mention, you risk ruining your own car in the process.

Hi , Im Jake and I have a problem FOR old BMWs !!!!! yes ask away mate they are waiting for your call

[powerstroke]

ChemicalChaos said:

Can anyone tell me please what is the best full-size flatbed trailer for carrying capacity? I see a lot of big, strong 3.5ton Gross trailers that are so heavy they can only legally carry 2 tons.
Equally I've seen a lot of lightweight flatbed trailers that arent strong enough to be rated to 3.5t gross.
Somewhere there must be a middle-ground of light but fully rated trailers with a really high NET weight rating?

as others said Ifor willams are good , is it a car trailer or a general purpose trailer you need ??
the 14 foot ones I think LM145 flat general purpose with wheels under for instance weighs about 800kg with ramps ,head board , and spare wheel.. or they do a 16 ft tilt bed car trailer that is about the same weight ,
bateson is also a good make ... hope this helps...