Towing entitlement

[JODA]

quick question!

Since i passed my test after 1997 i need to pass the trailer test in order to pull a car transporter trailer.

Can i however tow it un-laden & empty?

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

id say no as trialer is grossed over 750kg max weight,

unless you can show unladen weight of it.


had issues before where folks have said cannot tow a 3500kg trailer
as terrano has limit of 2800/3000kg, even if trailer empty or running
under say 2800/3000kg.

suppose if can get away with it run risk of having to weight it if stopped,
I'd look at test

how much do you think a car transporter is unladen, whats on its plate.

 

[Fez_uk]

Rules changed slightly last year or so.

From what i read you can now tow a unladen car trailer. But check on dvla website first.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

might be of use

as all searches refer to gvw or mam or max weights

http://www.armitagetrailers.com/trailerlaw.htm

last sentence

Braked Trailers

Although trailers with overrun brakes can weigh up to 3500kg gross, actual maximum weights are set by the specifications of the vehicle that is doing the towing. The law says you must not exceed the Gross Train Weight that the manufacturer has set for the towing vehicle. Look in the vehilce handbook or on a plate riveted to the vehicle to find this figure. You then have to subtract the weight of the towing vehicle (including fuel, driver, passengers, luggage or cargo) from the Gross Train Weight. The amount you are left with is the maximum theoretically-possible weight of trailer that can be towed legally. REMEMBER, the law does not care whether the trailer is empty or packed to the roof with bricks, what counts is the plated gross vehicle weight of the trailer.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

try here too,

probably best non gov site

http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/

 

[Banshee]

Rules changed slightly last year or so.

From what i read you can now tow a unladen car trailer. But check on dvla website first.

I've had this argument with so many people it's untrue

The DVLA now provide a tool so you can check for yourself

https://www.gov.uk/towing-rules

 

[JODA]

id say no as trialer is grossed over 750kg max weight,

unless you can show unladen weight of it.


had issues before where folks have said cannot tow a 3500kg trailer
as terrano has limit of 2800/3000kg, even if trailer empty or running
under say 2800/3000kg.

suppose if can get away with it run risk of having to weight it if stopped,
I'd look at test

how much do you think a car transporter is unladen, whats on its plate.

Thanks for advice.

Im looking at doing the licence, but wont be through it anytime soon! Picking up a car in Liverpool in a few weeks!

 

[JODA]

I've had this argument with so many people it's untrue

The DVLA now provide a tool so you can check for yourself

https://www.gov.uk/towing-rules

based on the tool get this:

Category B
You can tow trailers up to 750kg MAM (maximum authorised mass).

You can also tow larger trailers if:
- the combined trailer and vehicle weight isn’t more than 3,500kg
- the fully-loaded trailer weight isn’t more than the unladen vehicle


So if the SWB Terrano van & my Brian James is less than 3500kg im ok?

 

[Fez_uk]

correct

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

so what does bj trailer tip scales at empty and full.

you say picking a car up, whats that weigh,

gonna be tight/ or too much empty, can see how will get all 3 under 3500?

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

looked on manuf site an entry level 4 wheel triailer is gross weight 2600kg, with
a max load about 1900kg so its unladen about 700kg.

so 2600 is within max tow eight of 2800 on a 2.7 t2

t2 unladen around 1700kg.


but on a b ticket,

max of trailer has to less than unladen of car so thats a fail.

if i wasnt 4300kg is more than 3500 max combo on a b.


1700 + 700 + say 1000 for load is 3400 kg but really cant see vosa seeing it that
way or your insurer if they go for a prosecution.


suggest you find a driver with a b + e.



see licenced to tow download here at ifor williams site,

then faq ref disco and freelander queries

http://www.iwt.co.uk/customer-care/downloads

 

[davenclaire]

simple answer no i taught my mate to tow he is a driving instructor ADI cars im a bike instructor with hgv1 lucky me since teaching him he nows teaches 2 or 3 people a week to tow.

plod will do you any thing you tow is coverd by your normal insurance if you dont have the correct license then your not insured

 

[LORDPSK]

I teach people to tow trailers for a living, to clarify the legal situation the law as it stands today is as follows:
pre January 1997 - grandfather rights and can drive a combination not exceeding 8250kgs
Jan 1997 - Jan 2013 A total combined weight of 3500kgs including everything inc passengers fuel etc. This would be the weight if it was put on a weigh bridge.
Jan 2013 onwards its the gross tow car plate weight plus the gross trailer plate weight added together must not exceed 3500kgs, even if the trailer is empty.
The exception to the rule is if your tow car already weighs 3500kgs then you can tow a max weight trailer of 750kgs
If you exceed these weight you need a B+E entitlement or another form of excemtion for example a heavy goods licence.

 

[solarman216]

I teach people to tow trailers for a living, to clarify the legal situation the law as it stands today is as follows:
pre January 1997 - grandfather rights and can drive a combination not exceeding 8250kgs
Jan 1997 - Jan 2013 A total combined weight of 3500kgs including everything inc passengers fuel etc. This would be the weight if it was put on a weigh bridge.
Jan 2013 onwards its the gross tow car plate weight plus the gross trailer plate weight added together must not exceed 3500kgs, even if the trailer is empty.
The exception to the rule is if your tow car already weighs 3500kgs then you can tow a max weight trailer of 750kgs
If you exceed these weight you need a B+E entitlement or another form of excemtion for example a heavy goods licence.

Nice to know mate when I go off goading it is with a lwb t2 full of my everyday builders kit so goes over 2 tonnes car trailer about 400 kg and a swb t2 with roll cage 2 winches and loads of dried mud for ballast so prob goes near 1.8 tonnes so well over 4 tonnes but my licence goes back around 48 years and I am an ex HGV 1 holder, cheers Rick

 

[solarman216]

Nice to know mate when I go off goading it is with a lwb t2 full of my everyday builders kit so goes over 2 tonnes car trailer about 400 kg and a swb t2 with roll cage 2 winches and loads of dried mud for ballast so prob goes near 1.8 tonnes so well over 4 tonnes but my licence goes back around 48 years and I am an ex HGV 1 holder, cheers Rick

But I do not give an eff anyway nobody tells me what to do, Rick

 

[rustic]

I have the old fashioned driving licence, from 1976. Normal car driving licence.

I tow a boat trailer with boat 600 kg+ 1300 kg approx, gross under 2 tonne, the trailer is plated at 2600 kg, so well within the trailer spec, well within the towing capacity of the Maverick, 2800kg and well below the gross train weight on the maverick plate.

Also well within my licence allowances.

Now here is the question.

I want to use the Picasso to move the empty trailer from A - B
Maximum towed weight for the Picasso is 1300 kg, trailer empty is 600 kg, so well within the vehicles capability, in fact blow the 750 kg limit that doesn't require it to have brakes even.. ( with a suitable vehicle.).

So in theory, I could carry 1300-600 kg ie 700 kg load on the trailer and still be legal right...!

OR is the fact that the trailer is rated at 2600kg gross even though empty over rides this?

I have heard so many conflicting reports. :doh


Rustic.

 

[jonela]

I have the old fashioned driving licence, from 1976. Normal car driving licence.

I tow a boat trailer with boat 600 kg+ 1300 kg approx, gross under 2 tonne, the trailer is plated at 2600 kg, so well within the trailer spec, well within the towing capacity of the Maverick, 2800kg and well below the gross train weight on the maverick plate.

Also well within my licence allowances.

Now here is the question.

I want to use the Picasso to move the empty trailer from A - B
Maximum towed weight for the Picasso is 1300 kg, trailer empty is 600 kg, so well within the vehicles capability, in fact blow the 750 kg limit that doesn't require it to have brakes even.. ( with a suitable vehicle.).

So in theory, I could carry 1300-600 kg ie 700 kg load on the trailer and still be legal right...!

OR is the fact that the trailer is rated at 2600kg gross even though empty over rides this?

I have heard so many conflicting reports. :doh


Rustic.

When I was moving to France ,I hired a large box van to take all are bits and bobs over. Not wanting to overload it I looked at the plate and it was very confusing, axle weight,unladen ,laden etc .
So I rang the local Police station to ask them,they said no problem,they would send a traffic police man round to explain it. sure enough 15 min later he turned up in his jam sandwich, very friendly ,and explained it all, leaving me happy i wasn't going to get pulled and end up with a fine and points,:bobby:

 

[Barrbeast]

Hi Rustic

Trailer Plate used to be what they went by but it changed sometime in the last year or so (maybea bit more) and in a remarkable show of common sense it was decided that the actual weight of the trailer plus cargo would be the crucial figure. Plate weight is now only used to tell if the trailer is overloaded or not. :thumb2

 

[rustic]

Hi Rustic

Trailer Plate used to be what they went by but it changed sometime in the last year or so (maybea bit more) and in a remarkable show of common sense it was decided that the actual weight of the trailer plus cargo would be the crucial figure. Plate weight is now only used to tell if the trailer is overloaded or not. :thumb2

Wow only changed in the last year...
Common sense said I would have been fine with the Picasso, but it wouldn't have been legal a year or so back.
No wonder I had conflicting information.

Thanks for the update.:thumb2:thumb2:thumb2

 

[cncfabs]

Hi Rustic

Trailer Plate used to be what they went by but it changed sometime in the last year or so (maybea bit more) and in a remarkable show of common sense it was decided that the actual weight of the trailer plus cargo would be the crucial figure. Plate weight is now only used to tell if the trailer is overloaded or not. :thumb2

I disagree on the old system you couldnt hook up a 3500kg gross trailer to a terrano now you can.Before if you were stopped it was a simple check of the vin plates to ensure everthing was in order.Now to be prosecuted for overloading you would have to be taken to a weighbridge.You may think thats good because chances of prosecution have been reduced but on the other hand if you were injured or killed by someone with an overloaded trailer you may take a different view.It one of the things that really annoy me is the fact that my towing combination is legal but it cost me a lot of money to run such a vehicle whilst people seem to get away with towing ifor williams trailers on the family saloon