Trailer question
Discussion
Hey folks, this topic has probably been debated to death but cant get a definite answer. Just wondering if some of you on here could help.
I am looking at buying a kit car at around say 600kg. The trailer I was going to hire to pick it up has max gross weight of 2700kg. I would be towing with my 2.2 deisel civic which has max towing capacity of 1500kg. I passed my test in 2000 so have the 3500kg max gross train weight on my licence.
Is this allowed as the actual gross weight of car, trailer and kit car will be under the 3500kg and the car will be towing less the 1500kg? Or because the trailer is plated at 2700kg is this not allowed? although i will be towing no where near that weight?
If I was towing with that trailer would I have to get it down plated to say 1500kg (max towing of car) and within the 3500kg gross train weight for my licence or does this not matter as long as the actual weight im towing is no more than 1500kg? Ahh confusion!
Any help greatly apprceiated!!
I am looking at buying a kit car at around say 600kg. The trailer I was going to hire to pick it up has max gross weight of 2700kg. I would be towing with my 2.2 deisel civic which has max towing capacity of 1500kg. I passed my test in 2000 so have the 3500kg max gross train weight on my licence.
Is this allowed as the actual gross weight of car, trailer and kit car will be under the 3500kg and the car will be towing less the 1500kg? Or because the trailer is plated at 2700kg is this not allowed? although i will be towing no where near that weight?
If I was towing with that trailer would I have to get it down plated to say 1500kg (max towing of car) and within the 3500kg gross train weight for my licence or does this not matter as long as the actual weight im towing is no more than 1500kg? Ahh confusion!
Any help greatly apprceiated!!
There is no law which states that a trailer plated MAM must be within the towing capacity of a vehicle
With your 1890 GVW car you could have a trailer plated at 1610 but as the towing capacity is only 1500 then when the trailer is loaded it can only be to a max actual weight of 1500 not 1610
Assuming I do have the GVW of 1890 correct?
With your 1890 GVW car you could have a trailer plated at 1610 but as the towing capacity is only 1500 then when the trailer is loaded it can only be to a max actual weight of 1500 not 1610
Assuming I do have the GVW of 1890 correct?
I thought it went with the maximum the car gross weight could be and the maximum the trailer gross could be according to plate on trailer couldnt be anymore than 3500kg for me (B licence). But I was told today as long as what your actually towing is no more than the maximum you can tow with the car and within your licence limits its fine no matter what the plate on the trailer says (as long as its not more than trailers rated for obviously). So this is where is was confused as it meant going by this I could tow trailer rated to 2700kg with my civic with kit car on 600-700kg no problem?
As I understand it, the licence issued to those who passed after 1997 limits them to towing 750kg max. An additional C1 + E test would be required to tow vehicles heavier up to the equal of the towing vehicle (combined under 12,000kg):
https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories
https://www.gov.uk/driving-licence-categories
Blimey, some right guesswork in here.
You can indeed drive a train of up to 3500kg on a B licence on the condition that the tow car weights+ more than the laden trailer.
Not sure why you'd need a C1 unless your Civic is particularly massive, or indeed +E if you meet the above condition.
+ - The confusion arises because the stupid government guidance is not at all clear on how the weights are derived.
If you have +E then the whole shebang is based on the actual weights as weighed at the roadside. Hence under this you would be fine.
However not having +E, you are basing your legality on the plated weights - ie. it doesn't matter if that trailer is laden or not - its still 2700kg in the eyes of the law.
Although I'm fairly sure it has been clarified in law a few years back in which case you are now fine. Obviously if your trailer plate has fallen off officer it would put you at a significant advantage if you don't have +E as you're more legal than those people who are currently legal except for the plate.
Confused yet?
Give it a go - a test case would probably be useful.
You can indeed drive a train of up to 3500kg on a B licence on the condition that the tow car weights+ more than the laden trailer.
Not sure why you'd need a C1 unless your Civic is particularly massive, or indeed +E if you meet the above condition.
+ - The confusion arises because the stupid government guidance is not at all clear on how the weights are derived.
If you have +E then the whole shebang is based on the actual weights as weighed at the roadside. Hence under this you would be fine.
However not having +E, you are basing your legality on the plated weights - ie. it doesn't matter if that trailer is laden or not - its still 2700kg in the eyes of the law.
Although I'm fairly sure it has been clarified in law a few years back in which case you are now fine. Obviously if your trailer plate has fallen off officer it would put you at a significant advantage if you don't have +E as you're more legal than those people who are currently legal except for the plate.
Confused yet?
Give it a go - a test case would probably be useful.
fras83 said:
I thought it went with the maximum the car gross weight could be and the maximum the trailer gross could be according to plate on trailer couldnt be anymore than 3500kg for me (B licence). But I was told today as long as what your actually towing is no more than the maximum you can tow with the car and within your licence limits its fine no matter what the plate on the trailer says (as long as its not more than trailers rated for obviously). So this is where is was confused as it meant going by this I could tow trailer rated to 2700kg with my civic with kit car on 600-700kg no problem?
This is not a grey area as some seem to think and whoever gave you that advice needs to seriously consider taking a course in reading the rules correctly as they could get a driver into legal hot waterMany are getting confused because the old revoked rules have been left on the internet by DVLA
====================================================
These are the current rules that apply to all B and B+E category drivers no matter when the test was passed
B category
Vehicle not more than 3500 kg plated GVW
B category towing
A trailer of 750 kg max plated MAM may be towed by a B category vehicle making a possible total plated MAM of 4250 kg
If a trailer over 750 kg plated MAM is towed by a B category vehicle then the plated GVW of the vehicle added to the plated MAM of the trailer (MTPLM of a caravan) must not total more than 3500 kg
B+E category
Towing a trailer with a B category vehicle where the trailer is not over 3500 kg plated MAM
To tow a trailer over 3500 kg plated MAM the category needed is C1+E
=================================================
The old rule for B towing where the trailer plated MAM could not be more than the vehicle kerb weight was revoked on 19/01/2013
There is no law or rule which states that the plated MAM of a trailer cannot exceed the towing capacity of the vehicle - plenty of internet myths on that!
What I have stated is the current law/rules for all drivers
Not legal as;
-the gross weight of the trailer exceeds the curb weight of the towing vehicle
-the combined gross weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is greater than 3,500kg
However it could be legal if you purchased a trailer with a lower gross weight or had the chassis plate on your trailer replaced with one showing a lower gross weight (provided you don't exceed the new maximum).
Or you could simply ignore all of the above and use the trailer anyway, safe in the knowledge that you're probably more clued up on this particular area of the law than traffpol seem to be.
-the gross weight of the trailer exceeds the curb weight of the towing vehicle
-the combined gross weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is greater than 3,500kg
However it could be legal if you purchased a trailer with a lower gross weight or had the chassis plate on your trailer replaced with one showing a lower gross weight (provided you don't exceed the new maximum).
Or you could simply ignore all of the above and use the trailer anyway, safe in the knowledge that you're probably more clued up on this particular area of the law than traffpol seem to be.
Ian Griffiths said:
Obviously if your trailer plate has fallen off officer it would put you at a significant advantage if you don't have +E as you're more legal than those people who are currently legal except for the plate.
The law for no trailer plate is that the total of all the tyre load ratings will be the trailer MAM with a ceiling limit of 3500 if it only has over-run brakesBritishRacinGrin said:
Not legal as;
-the gross weight of the trailer exceeds the curb weight of the towing vehicle
-the combined gross weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is greater than 3,500kg
However it could be legal if you purchased a trailer with a lower gross weight or had the chassis plate on your trailer replaced with one showing a lower gross weight (provided you don't exceed the new maximum).
Or you could simply ignore all of the above and use the trailer anyway, safe in the knowledge that you're probably more clued up on this particular area of the law than traffpol seem to be.
-the gross weight of the trailer exceeds the curb weight of the towing vehicle-the gross weight of the trailer exceeds the curb weight of the towing vehicle
-the combined gross weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is greater than 3,500kg
However it could be legal if you purchased a trailer with a lower gross weight or had the chassis plate on your trailer replaced with one showing a lower gross weight (provided you don't exceed the new maximum).
Or you could simply ignore all of the above and use the trailer anyway, safe in the knowledge that you're probably more clued up on this particular area of the law than traffpol seem to be.
That was revoked in law on 19/01/2013 as I already stated so why are you repeating it?
You can get a trailer down plated but only by contacting the manufacturer of that trailer
BritishRacinGrin said:
Bummer, now I need to review if my license covers me anymore.
Just realised that you have seen it and have updated your knowledge = greatIf you only have a B licence then it makes it easier with that rule out of the way but in most circumstances it would be impossible to do anyway
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