Do I need to take a trailer test?

[Maty]

I'm trying to understand whether or not I need to take the C+E Test to tow a car on a trailer or not, just wondering if anyone can help!

Tow car will be a 2018 BM 320d touring. Kerb weight 1500kg.
+ a new braked car trailer,lets say 500kg.
+ an R53 Mini track car. Weight 1150kg.

So total weight 3150kg.
I passed my test in 2000.

Thanks.

[HustleRussell]

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

[geeks]

HustleRussell said:

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

While HR is most likely correct, trailers come in all different types of plates, my previous Brian James had been down plated to 1500 by them for the previous owner to get it onto the 3.5t rule when dragged behind an Audi A4 I *think*

[HustleRussell]

geeks said:

HustleRussell said:

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

While HR is most likely correct, trailers come in all different types of plates, my previous Brian James had been down plated to 1500 by them for the previous owner to get it onto the 3.5t rule when dragged behind an Audi A4 I *think*

Would need to find a trailer which could carry 1,150kg whilst itself only weighing 245kg...

[geeks]

HustleRussell said:

geeks said:

HustleRussell said:

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

While HR is most likely correct, trailers come in all different types of plates, my previous Brian James had been down plated to 1500 by them for the previous owner to get it onto the 3.5t rule when dragged behind an Audi A4 I *think*

Would need to find a trailer which could carry 1,150kg whilst itself only weighing 245kg...

I take you're point (although surely 350 not 245?)

[dhutch]

As said, it's B (car) + E (trailer) rather than than C (Lorry, or class 2 as it was) unless you have done a lorry test before.

And it is the two Gross or 'MaxAllowableMass' weights combined rather than the actual weights. You can down-plated the trailer easily but not the car.

Daniel

[Maty]

HustleRussell said:

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

Thanks HR, to be honest I'd rather take the test anyway to be on the safe side.

One question though how do you get the gross weight of the BM to 2,200kg out of interest?

[HustleRussell]

geeks said:

HustleRussell said:

geeks said:

HustleRussell said:

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

While HR is most likely correct, trailers come in all different types of plates, my previous Brian James had been down plated to 1500 by them for the previous owner to get it onto the 3.5t rule when dragged behind an Audi A4 I *think*

Would need to find a trailer which could carry 1,150kg whilst itself only weighing 245kg...

I take you're point (although surely 350 not 245?)

Gross weight of the car is 2,105kg according to Google (Must be checked!)
Actual weight of the Mini is 1,150kg

3,500kg - 2,105kg - 1150kg = 245kg left for trailer

[HustleRussell]

Maty said:

Thanks HR, to be honest I'd rather take the test anyway to be on the safe side.

One question though how do you get the gross weight of the BM to 2,200kg out of interest?

I guessed. When I subsequently googled it, I came up with a figure of 2,105kg. I think the actual number should be stamped onto your car's chassis plate?

[Maty]

Ah yes! I was looking at the minimum kerb weight! Which is 1500kg. What does this refer to?

[geeks]

HustleRussell said:

geeks said:

HustleRussell said:

geeks said:

HustleRussell said:

B+e. Yes.

The Gross weight of the BMW will be about 2,200kg and the gross weight of the trailer will be at least 1,600kg so you will be over the 3,500kg limit by a few hundred kilos.

Edited by HustleRussell on Thursday 27th August 12:12

While HR is most likely correct, trailers come in all different types of plates, my previous Brian James had been down plated to 1500 by them for the previous owner to get it onto the 3.5t rule when dragged behind an Audi A4 I *think*

Would need to find a trailer which could carry 1,150kg whilst itself only weighing 245kg...

I take you're point (although surely 350 not 245?)

Gross weight of the car is 2,105kg according to Google (Must be checked!)
Actual weight of the Mini is 1,150kg

3,500kg - 2,105kg - 1150kg = 245kg left for trailer

#

You're right again I was working on my 2000 car not the OP's

[HustleRussell]

Maty said:

Ah yes! I was looking at the minimum kerb weight! Which is 1500kg. What does this refer to?

It's the maximum permissible weight of the car once it's full of people and luggage and fuel. It's the relevant figure when figuring out whether you need a B+e even though the car will inevitably always weigh less in use.

Similarly it is the maximum allowable weight of the trailer (stamped on the chassis plate) which is relevant not the actual weight.

You need to be able to add both together and not exceed 3,500kg.

In terms of racing cars it's only really doable without a B+e with a very lightweight car (under a ton)

I've got an old 5-series with a gross weight of about 2,100kg. My trailer had a 1,380kg gross weight and a 1,000kg payload. Just about under, but I did get a B+e in the end because I use different trailers sometimes

[dhutch]

Yeah, I can tow my westfield behind most normal cars, trailer plated at 1100kg/1200kg.
Curb weight (and tow capacity) of the tow car is also important because it effect the max size of trailer

As per the above you can get upto around 1400kg MAM on the trailer but not much more.

Either the car becomes heavier, so eats into your total train weight and hence rules out vans/suvs etc. Or the tow car gets too light and then limits the size of trailer it can tow. Cat B does also allow you to have a vehicle upto 3500kg gross weight, and then at a trailer up to 750kg, which give a total train of 4250kg but is no use for towing a car.

It is theoretically possible to get a 240kg trailer that can carry a 1100kg car, but you have to work fairly hard for it.


Daniel

[DocSteve]

I think there is a sticky thread on this but, yes, you will have to take the test. I missed out by a few days when they changed the rules so had to go through the relatively painful process.

Just a few tips - read what is expected on the test day, especially the questions they will ask you, which are on the gov.uk site. If you have never reversed a trailer before then you really ought to get some tuition / friendly advice or you may struggle to manage it on the day. On the drive (which is quite lengthy), be considerate, brake gradually and on the section where the examiner tells you to drive somewhere without directional guidance don't do something silly if you missed a road sign. On mine, the sign had actually been removed and after going around the roundabout twice the examiner acknowledged that. If you have to make an unusual move then as long as you do it safely and explain what you are doing it should be fine.

Good luck!

[Maty]

DocSteve said:

I think there is a sticky thread on this but, yes, you will have to take the test. I missed out by a few days when they changed the rules so had to go through the relatively painful process.

Just a few tips - read what is expected on the test day, especially the questions they will ask you, which are on the gov.uk site. If you have never reversed a trailer before then you really ought to get some tuition / friendly advice or you may struggle to manage it on the day. On the drive (which is quite lengthy), be considerate, brake gradually and on the section where the examiner tells you to drive somewhere without directional guidance don't do something silly if you missed a road sign. On mine, the sign had actually been removed and after going around the roundabout twice the examiner acknowledged that. If you have to make an unusual move then as long as you do it safely and explain what you are doing it should be fine.

Good luck!

Thanks Steve.

I used to race back in the 00s, my dad used to do the driving with the trailer and the car on the back. It was always my job to get the race car on the trailer and the trailer hitched up. So I understand that bit. He used to show me how to back the trailer in as well, so I get the theory behind it all but I've never actually tried it myself.

I think I'll book a single day's lesson, see how it goes from there.

Thanks for all the help, must admit the whole weights thing is still a mystery though! Kerb weights, mams, trailer ratings... Surely it could be simpler!

[dhutch]

Sounds good.

If you have a towcar, and can borrow a suitable* trailer then obviously you can have as much practice as you want before hand. I've not yet done the test, but have towed miles and miles and reversed all over the shop, as I have a covered car trailer plated at 1200kg and my parents have a 8x4ft flatbed which is defacto 750kg as it's unbraked.

The weights is fairly simple.

Curbed weight is basically the car when empty. (Worst case stability wise for towing a heavy trailer)
Gross weight is the the heaviest the car/trailer can be when laiden. (Added to make the below)
Gross train weight is the max of both above. (Worst case if ploughing into something)
MAM or max allowable mass, is basically the same as gross weight.

Plus any given car will have a max allowed trailer weight (usually a figure for braked and unbraked trailer) it's been signed off as safe for.


Daniel