Recommended trailer weight / Law
Discussion
Does a car manufacturers recommended trailer weight limit have any standing in law?
The reason I ask is because I want to trailer my track car (approx weight 700Kg's) behind my road car. the car has recommended max trailer weight of 1000Kg.
I could therefore go and buy a single axle car trailer approx weight 300Kg, total should be within 1000Kg. Or, my prefered option, is to buy a (more stable, safer) twin axle trailer, this is going to set the gross trailer weight at approx 1100Kg. The car would have no problem pulling this, but it is greater than the manufacturers recommended maximum (according to the book, the max. weight that you can set of on a 15% gradient with and not screw the clutch). Also, as the car will probably only ever have me in it when towing, the total mass will be well below the gross train weight anyway.
Where would this leave me if stopped by plod and they try to find something wrong?
Cheers,
Pete
The reason I ask is because I want to trailer my track car (approx weight 700Kg's) behind my road car. the car has recommended max trailer weight of 1000Kg.
I could therefore go and buy a single axle car trailer approx weight 300Kg, total should be within 1000Kg. Or, my prefered option, is to buy a (more stable, safer) twin axle trailer, this is going to set the gross trailer weight at approx 1100Kg. The car would have no problem pulling this, but it is greater than the manufacturers recommended maximum (according to the book, the max. weight that you can set of on a 15% gradient with and not screw the clutch). Also, as the car will probably only ever have me in it when towing, the total mass will be well below the gross train weight anyway.
Where would this leave me if stopped by plod and they try to find something wrong?
Cheers,
Pete
Unladen Weight of the tow car (MG ZS) is ~1260Kg.
Max I can tow on my licence is therefore 1260Kg.
Car on trailer is approx 1000Kg on single axle, or 1100Kg on twin axle. With that size of trailer, I really think twin axle is the way to go.
As I said before, the total will be well within the max train weight for the car, which has all round discs, so stopping should not be an issue. Tbh, I see little problem with the car/trailer setup, unlike the corsa towing a caravan I saw yesterday(!!!)
Do all tow-bars on new cars (it is 52 plate) have to be e-marked? I have not heard that before?
According to this:
www.towbarwarehouse.co.uk/towbars/vehicle_technical_details.aspx?VehicleID=2060706471
a witter tow-bar is capable of towing more than the car is...
>> Edited by pistol pete on Wednesday 22 June 14:49
Max I can tow on my licence is therefore 1260Kg.
Car on trailer is approx 1000Kg on single axle, or 1100Kg on twin axle. With that size of trailer, I really think twin axle is the way to go.
As I said before, the total will be well within the max train weight for the car, which has all round discs, so stopping should not be an issue. Tbh, I see little problem with the car/trailer setup, unlike the corsa towing a caravan I saw yesterday(!!!)
Do all tow-bars on new cars (it is 52 plate) have to be e-marked? I have not heard that before?
According to this:
www.towbarwarehouse.co.uk/towbars/vehicle_technical_details.aspx?VehicleID=2060706471
a witter tow-bar is capable of towing more than the car is...
>> Edited by pistol pete on Wednesday 22 June 14:49
pistol pete said:
Unladen Weight of the tow car (MG ZS) is ~1260Kg.
Max I can tow on my licence is therefore 1260Kg.
Car on trailer is approx 1000Kg on single axle, or 1100Kg on twin axle. With that size of trailer, I really think twin axle is the way to go.
As I said before, the total will be well within the max train weight for the car, which has all round discs, so stopping should not be an issue. Tbh, I see little problem with the car/trailer setup, unlike the corsa towing a caravan I saw yesterday(!!!)
>> Edited by pistol pete on Wednesday 22 June 14:49
Tried posting this last night but it all went tits up!
If you have passed your driving test sinc Jan 2000 (or is it 2001?) you will not have a B+E classification.
This means you can not tow anything which weighs more than the car, or more than 3,500 kgs car and trailer combined.
However, it is not based on the actual weight being towed at any one point, it is based on the MGW on the plate of the trailer. If this is more than the unladen weight of the car you can not even tow the trailer when it is empty unless you have a B+E.
I mis-understood the rules, and was using a volvo 740, 1,500 kgs to tow a stripped out 480 - approx 900 on a trailer weighing say 400kgs = less than weight of the car, thinking this was legal; but because the MGW of the trailer was more than 1500kgs, Its not, and now i need to wait till i can afford to take the B+E before i can do it again.
I would check your license and the regulations carefully, if you get stopped and are improperly licensed its 6 points, and it also voids insurance, potentially another 6 points.
chris1roll said:
Tried posting this last night but it all went tits up!
If you have passed your driving test sinc Jan 2000 (or is it 2001?) you will not have a B+E classification.
This means you can not tow anything which weighs more than the car, or more than 3,500 kgs car and trailer combined.
However, it is not based on the actual weight being towed at any one point, it is based on the MGW on the plate of the trailer. If this is more than the unladen weight of the car you can not even tow the trailer when it is empty unless you have a B+E.
I mis-understood the rules, and was using a volvo 740, 1,500 kgs to tow a stripped out 480 - approx 900 on a trailer weighing say 400kgs = less than weight of the car, thinking this was legal; but because the MGW of the trailer was more than 1500kgs, Its not, and now i need to wait till i can afford to take the B+E before i can do it again.
I would check your license and the regulations carefully, if you get stopped and are improperly licensed its 6 points, and it also voids insurance, potentially another 6 points.
I've been away for the weekend, so just saw this.
The change of licence thing happened jan 1th 1998, just before I passed -I wish I had realised the consiquences earlier and got a move on!
Were you stopped by the police and corrected, or is this your interpretation of the written law? According to the traffpol I have asked about it (some of whom post here), the plate on the trailer means nothing, it is the actual weight of the trailer which counts. I can also not find anything which states what the max gross weight for a trailer can be (except the 3.5 ton with overrun brakes thing). As there is no controlling body licencing trailer design like there is for cars or trucks, this does not seem to be controlled.
As many trailers are not made by recognised manufacturers, then there are many trailers about with no plates on.
Despite this, my intention is to remove the plate (assuming I buy the trailer I am looking at which is plated at 1600Kg), and down-plate it myself (to the unladen weight of my car), as this will cover all base's, and be totally legitimate. I will probably try to get a plate made up by me by the trailer manufacturer, if not, then by a profesional engraver. This obviously means it will no longer be able to carry a large load.
If you are stopped towing an empty trailer, then the police be able to give you a ticket for intention to break the law, I am not sure.
The whole thing seems to be a dissorganise mess of over legislation by people whom have not though out the consiquences to me.
Anyway, I'm off to the weigh-bridge at the weekend with dad towing with his trooper (stupid law means I can tow a heavier trailer with my car than his), so we'll see what happens then.
Pete
>> Edited by pistol pete on Tuesday 28th June 14:20
And I thought the maximum recomended towing weight given by the manufacturer was to do with how much weight the vehicle is able to tow up a certain incline.... E.g. will the clutch slip... 
Edit: Ah google!
From here: http://www3.mg-rover.com/rover_GB_en/static/rover_commerce_towing_weights.html
The maximum towing weights shown are to an industry defined standard and represent the maximum weight that can be towed by the vehicle, allowing it to restart efficiently on a 12% gradient (1 in 8.3 approx) at sea level.
>> Edited by Munter on Tuesday 28th June 15:29
Edit: Ah google!
From here: http://www3.mg-rover.com/rover_GB_en/static/rover_commerce_towing_weights.html
The maximum towing weights shown are to an industry defined standard and represent the maximum weight that can be towed by the vehicle, allowing it to restart efficiently on a 12% gradient (1 in 8.3 approx) at sea level.
>> Edited by Munter on Tuesday 28th June 15:29
pistol pete said:
chris1roll said:
Tried posting this last night but it all went tits up!
If you have passed your driving test sinc Jan 2000 (or is it 2001?) you will not have a B+E classification.
This means you can not tow anything which weighs more than the car, or more than 3,500 kgs car and trailer combined.
However, it is not based on the actual weight being towed at any one point, it is based on the MGW on the plate of the trailer. If this is more than the unladen weight of the car you can not even tow the trailer when it is empty unless you have a B+E.
I mis-understood the rules, and was using a volvo 740, 1,500 kgs to tow a stripped out 480 - approx 900 on a trailer weighing say 400kgs = less than weight of the car, thinking this was legal; but because the MGW of the trailer was more than 1500kgs, Its not, and now i need to wait till i can afford to take the B+E before i can do it again.
I would check your license and the regulations carefully, if you get stopped and are improperly licensed its 6 points, and it also voids insurance, potentially another 6 points.
I've been away for the weekend, so just saw this.
The change of licence thing happened jan 1th 1998, just before I passed -I wish I had realised the consiquences earlier and got a move on!
Were you stopped by the police and corrected, or is this your interpretation of the written law? According to the traffpol I have asked about it (some of whom post here), the plate on the trailer means nothing, it is the actual weight of the trailer which counts. I can also not find anything which states what the max gross weight for a trailer can be (except the 3.5 ton with overrun brakes thing). As there is no controlling body licencing trailer design like there is for cars or trucks, this does not seem to be controlled.
As many trailers are not made by recognised manufacturers, then there are many trailers about with no plates on.
Despite this, my intention is to remove the plate (assuming I buy the trailer I am looking at which is plated at 1600Kg), and down-plate it myself (to the unladen weight of my car), as this will cover all base's, and be totally legitimate. I will probably try to get a plate made up by me by the trailer manufacturer, if not, then by a profesional engraver. This obviously means it will no longer be able to carry a large load.
If you are stopped towing an empty trailer, then the police be able to give you a ticket for intention to break the law, I am not sure.
The whole thing seems to be a dissorganise mess of over legislation by people whom have not though out the consiquences to me.
Anyway, I'm off to the weigh-bridge at the weekend with dad towing with his trooper (stupid law means I can tow a heavier trailer with my car than his), so we'll see what happens then.
Pete
>> Edited by pistol pete on Tuesday 28th June 14:20
It was my re-interpretation of the laws on the DVLA website. First of all I had read it and thought I was fine, because it is very poorly written!
from [url]www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/dl_towing_trailers.htm#2.%20%20CAR%20DRIVING%20LICENCE%20FIRST%20OBTAINED%20SINCE%201%20JANUARY%201997[/url]
[quote]2. CAR DRIVING LICENCE FIRST OBTAINED SINCE 1 JANUARY 1997
Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards.
Category B:
Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to 8 passenger seats
Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) OR a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.
For example:
1.
a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle.
Whereas
2.
the same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes when coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.5 tonnes would fall within category B+E. This is because although the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is within the 3.5 tonnes MAM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle.
Vehicle manufacturers normally recommend a maximum weight of trailer appropriate to their vehicle. Details can usually be found in the vehicle’s handbook or obtained from car dealerships. The size of the trailer recommended for an average family car with an unladen weight of around 1 tonne would be well within the new category B threshold.
As for towing caravans, existing general guidance recommends that the laden weight of the caravan does not exceed 85% of the unladen weight of the car. In the majority of cases, caravans and small trailers towed by cars should be within the new category B threshold.
Note - An exemption from the driver licensing trailer limit allows a category B licence holder to tow a broken down vehicle from a position where it would otherwise cause danger or obstruction to other road users.
By passing a category B test National Categories F (tractor), K (pedestrian controlled vehicle) and P (moped) continue to be added automatically.
Category B+E:
Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM towing trailers over 750kgs MAM
Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.
[/quote]
My emboldening. I went round in circles for days trying to work it out, in the end I have decided I probably am not allowed to, and it aint worth the risk.
Edited to add: I should have known it was 98, if it was 2000 or 2001 I would have been fine having passed in 99....my brain hurts!
>> Edited by chris1roll on Tuesday 28th June 22:17
I thought that when discussed in the past the police officers on here advised that if the trailer had a plate on it the load on the trailer was assummed to weigh that weight. Therefore an offence would be achieved merely by towing the trailer.
The solution would appear to be to remove the plate, as no plate, no maximum weight.
The solution would appear to be to remove the plate, as no plate, no maximum weight.
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