I'm going for my Category B+E

[Banshee]

So I decided last year that I was going to pass my Category B+E Car and Trailer test.

I didn't fully understand all the laws and had heard so many conflicting rules and regulations I didn't know what to believe. I don't need to do the test I would just like it under my belt as being able to tow stuff brings the opportunity of cash :thumb2 The amount I've times I've been offered work to move vehicles on trailers or agricultural equipment is untrue, also if I can obtain a car trailer locally or get one and find somewhere to store it, I'll be able to recover family and friends cars should they break down and just want to get it home etc. I've also been approached by work to tow the canoe trailers etc who also have access to some beefy trailers that I can potentially use :naughty

I had my first 2 hour assessment last night, I turned up at this trainers house, attached his twin-axled Ifor Williams trailer it was the same width and length as my Terrano almost with a roller shutter rear and was laden with 600kg of Sand, I felt it when it was on the car!!!!

Drove round under instruction as I would have to for the test and also did the trailer manoeuvres that will be required of me. My instructor said 2 more hours fine tuning my driving for the car trailer combo and just nailing some of the manoeuvres a bit better and I'll be ready for the test.

Just for my own piece of mind I'm going to read the highway code again and familiarise myself with everything, I really enjoyed spending 2 hours under professional instruction, he instantly pointed out a few of my bad habits and I felt a better driver for it again at the end and will try and drive this way going forward :thumb2

 

[Banshee]

Now to read the manual he has provided me that I need to remember for the test :thumbs

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

The trailer we use at Kent Police Training Centre has a Cubby in the back 2/3rds full of water.... real bugger if you try to pull away or stop too quick, it really kicks you up the bum...

Good Luck..

 

[groovylee]

good luck mate. i did mine for much the same reason as you - didn't REALLY need to, but gave peace of mind should i collect anything heavier than i should.....

i enjoyed the test, and the very chatty Yorkshireman i had as an examiner.

Lee

 

[Banshee]

Just want to be legal and more importantly safe!!!!!

 

[Banshee]

The trailer we use at Kent Police Training Centre has a Cubby in the back 2/3rds full of water.... real bugger if you try to pull away or stop too quick, it really kicks you up the bum...

Good Luck..

Does that not put excess strain on the towball having so much nose weight?

 

[Paff]

I am assuming that this test requirement is if you had passed your test after a certain date?

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Does that not put excess strain on the towball having so much nose weight?

No, it's still balanced, e.g. the cubby is strapped down over the wheels, although the nose weight is set to about 50Kg, and the T2 really likes the ball a bit heavier at about 100Kg in my experience. The problem is, because the cubby is not full, the water sloshes about.

 

[Banshee]

I am assuming that this test requirement is if you had passed your test after a certain date?

Yes mate after 1997 you need the B +E to do heavy stuff

No, it's still balanced, e.g. the cubby is strapped down over the wheels, although the nose weight is set to about 50Kg, and the T2 really likes the ball a bit heavier at about 100Kg in my experience. The problem is, because the cubby is not full, the water sloshes about.

When you said "cubby" the first time round I thought you meant a cubby hole or partitioned section of the trailer.

Do you mean the 1000l tanks?

Wouldn't mind a few if them in the garage with rapeseed oil in :sly

Yeah can imagine the sheer momentum of the entirety of the load shifting under rapid acceleration :O

Tad juddery!!!!!!

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[Lazy-Ferret]

Yes mate after 1997 you need the B +E to do heavy stuff

When you said "cubby" the first time round I thought you meant a cubby hole or partitioned section of the trailer.

Do you mean the 1000l tanks?

Wouldn't mind a few if them in the garage with rapeseed oil in :sly

Yeah can imagine the sheer momentum of the entirety of the load shifting under rapid acceleration :O

Tad juddery!!!!!!

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Thats the Cubby... only it has about 600 litres of water rather than go go juice in it. If you stop quickly, it takes about 3 seconds then slaps you up the bum again and again...

 

[don simon]

There was a time that I could reverse a car + trailer better than I could my car.
A refresher course would be a good idea if I were to start towing again, could do with relearning how to tie dollies too.
Good luck with it.

 

[zippy656]

I move caravans about a lot, wall good fun.



Ktc can supply cubbie with 1000 ltrs. Think it was 750 when I asked. But no not got space to keep it . Or the 750!!

 

[Barrbeast]

Good luck with it bud :thumb2

I need to take mine as well!

 

[Blocky10]

Us old gits don't need to to this :augie but thanks for the reminder :thumbs now where's my pension book.....

 

[zippy656]

Us old gits don't need to to this :augie but thanks for the reminder :thumbs now where's my pension book.....

You may be an old git but I'm ....

Ok on an old git too!

 

[solarman216]

Reminds me of when many years ago I did heavy vehicle recovery, many a time I towed a 32 ton artic back to the yard under suspended tow, (recovery 6 wheeler was like a forklift truck with V blocks on a turn table that went under the front axle of disabled motor) on arriving back at the yard I would have to reverse this lot into a parking bay, two pivot points, 5th wheel on the artic and turntable under its front axle, I was the only one out of the other 6 drivers that could do it without problem, Rick

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Reminds me of when many years ago I did heavy vehicle recovery, many a time I towed a 32 ton artic back to the yard under suspended tow, (recovery 6 wheeler was like a forklift truck with V blocks on a turn table that went under the front axle of disabled motor) on arriving back at the yard I would have to reverse this lot into a parking bay, two pivot points, 5th wheel on the artic and turntable under its front axle, I was the only one out of the other 6 drivers that could do it without problem, Rick

When I worked on the farm, I used to drive a 4x4 Climax fork truck, which was like a tractor built backward, e.g the big wheels were at the front, and the smaller rear wheels were the steering wheels. I used to tow 2x 4 wheel trailers, where the wheels were 2 at the back, and two steering dolly wheels at the front.

After a day of collecting Sweet Corn in the field, I would bring it back to the farm in the afternoon loaded up with 14 or 16 tonnes. I would then reverse it into the packery, to unload it. I found I was fine as long as I did it on auto pilot, but if I stopped to think about it, I was sunk, and had to stop, and then start again... All the old boys on the farm told me not to bother, it was quicker to unhook, but I hated trying to get the trailers re-hooked up so preferred to do it properly...

 

[elty001]

Been a while since I've done any serious towing.
In my old job I was a horticultural contract driver/demonstrator and our vehicle of choice was a Y60 4.2 gr lwb Patrol with 32' tri axle flatbed trailer for lugging the kit around the country.
Was a big old set up but I could pretty much put that anywhere if the gap was big enough.
I do miss that job

 

[Terrano Steve]

Us old gits don't need to to this :augie but thanks for the reminder :thumbs now where's my pension book.....

I am an old git too I even took my heavy goods test when you could take it without doing them in succession

 

[Banshee]

Thats the Cubby... only it has about 600 litres of water rather than go go juice in it. If you stop quickly, it takes about 3 seconds then slaps you up the bum again and again...

That would only have to happen once to me and during the test and I reckon it would put me off for the rest of it

Glad mines filled with sand!!!!

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