Unladen twin axle trailer, can you remove a pair of wheels?

[rustic]

I have asked the question of my trailer supplier, but not heard anything yet.:nenau

Does anyone know the possibility of removing a pair of wheels from one axle when towing an empty twin axle trailer?

The rear wheels on my twin axle boat trailer hardly contact the road when the trailer is being towed empty, thus while being towed the rear wheels will be damaged as they leave and contact the road.
I wish to tow the empty trailer with a car with a lower hitch height than the Mav I currently use when towing the boat.

Which are the best pair to remove, the front which will put a greater load on the tow bar, or the rear?
Are there any legal issues? I would still carry the wheels in the car in case.
The trailer unladen weight is 630 kg and holds a boat 7 metres long.

Note: When I remove the wheels, the brake hubs are retained so there is no risk of loosing braking.
I could cover the unused hubs in bin liners to make it clear I haven't lost the wheels, in case the police are looking for an excuse to stop me.
Any advice please..

Best regards,
Rustic

 

[Smegg]

hi, was the trailer originaly built for the boat, it sounds like you have ample brakes with two. but having four wheels gives more stability why not try an adjustable tow ball.

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

good question, bit like empty articles lift an axle suppose. think I would always lift leading axle, but is wear really such an issue to make it worth removing wheels, surely better to adjust hitch height so both axles wheels grip road evenly also then if have blow out can continue. thinking these tri axle articles trailers only lift one leaving two axles worth on road.

 

[The Patrolman]

1)If the trailer was made with 4 wheels they must be fitted otherwise Plod will do you under "construction and use" ..

2)Also check the plated weight of the trailer if this is more than the max towing weight of your car Plod will do you!!

3)Even if the empty trailer is within the cars limit Plod will do you!!

4)Even if the trailer is empty Plod will want to know why you have an empty trailer - what have you just dropped off OR what are you going to pick up?? and assuming either Plod will do you!!

To avoid bringing 2,3 & 4 to the attention of Plod don't have 2 wheels missing to start with!!

Best fit adjustable tow hitch's so that the trailer sits level as it was designed to!!

Hope this helps

 

[zippy656]

so really, plod will do you for just having the trailer lol

 

[The Patrolman]

Yip!!!

Specially if it's a boat trailer cos he will be jealous he hasn't got a boat!!

That's Plod for ya!!

 

[zippy656]

i used to get stoped every week when lived in london with my kitcar...

plod loved that...

 

[The Patrolman]

My cousin 19yrs old had a 1.3 Escort Cozzy look-a-likee, a very good one!!
Plod was also jealous, he was pulled over for driving slowly over speed bumps!!!

 

[zippy656]

yep.. they hate any one having a good car, fun car or just a funny one...

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

if it were my trailer i would leave the wheels on, if nothing else it just sounds wrong to me

 

[tezzer]

take 2 wheels off, carry a 12v compressor and let the 2 tyres down, they cant do a thing about it, tell them kids let them down, to leave them on would be dangerous. :naughty

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

that just sounds worse to me, surley if they needed to be on there the police would just say 'you should have go them reinflated' just like any other tyre on any other road going vehicle and i'm confident that if a trailer was designed to have 4 wheels then it should have them on.

I htink the truth woudl sound better than that, ie - the trailer is under no load and the two wheels and tryes are adequate to carry it's unladen weight - though even this might not stop and eager bobby from pressing charges.


what does everyoine else think

 

[The Patrolman]

Darwins theory of evolution and the process of natural selection!!!

If you are stupid enough to take two wheels of something that is supposed to have four for a reason then you will die!! taking the stupid gene with you... assuming that you have not already passed it on!!

Unfortunatley the HSE and Plod keep interfearing with this natural process and stupid people are breeding, because thats all they can do. In continuing acts of stupidity they are putting the rest of the normal folks at risk!!

I drive about 800miles a week and take my life in my hands every time i get in my van doing my very best to avoid all the stupids so that I can get home safe to family and friends!!

Leave the wheels on thats why they are there!!

I don't care if you die through your own stupidity but please don't put the rest of us at risk because you can't tow a trailer properly!!

Or Plod will do you!!!

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

well as for wheels skimming ground so what.

if you look at tractor units that can lift an axle
and do sometimes these wheels are spinning
where they have caught say a speed ramp.

still cant see point of going to trouble of
removing, unless you can fit a hydralic lift
big truck style, and why lose advantage of
having spare grip ready should another fail,

and why attract interest og vosa etc, just
get rig running nearer level. finally dont forget
that a coupling can be lower than it normal
position it cant be higher, ie cant use a drop
plate to raise hitch on a low slung car.

 

[rustic]

Thanks for the replies, the main issue is ride height, the car we could use to tow the unladen trailer, cannot have the hitch raised, as you pointed out.

Each axle is plated at 1300kg, so can adequately carry the unladen weight. (650kg).
What concerns me is the trailer gross capacity, the fact it can carry a heavy weight even though at the time it wasn't, is this really an issue.:nenau
Will plod stop every car that is capable of going over the speed limit even though at the time they weren't?
I know there are legal loop holes, but I have never put other road users or myself and the family at risk, that is why I posted this question.

I thought I would check my emails, just had this come in from my trailer manufacturer, but he stresses it is his opinion..


As long as the remaining axle/tyre combo is sufficient to take the weight of the trailer then there should be no problem.
As to which ones to remove just remember you only want around 75 - 100kgs max nose weight so that might indicate which ones you remove for towing empty.
With regard to legality - the above is just my opinion but it is only the same as trailing a large single axle unit so I would doubt there could be any issues.



I might also contact the legal department of the AA I have paid my subs for many years, and never claimed. After all they might be representing me in court !:bow

When I find a satisfactory answer I will post it.
Thanks again for all your responses.
Rustic

 

[Liam]

I love these kind of posts The Police State is alive and well and living in the UK (probably too close for comfort):doh ,with the population of Britain apparently so scared of the Police to go about their lawful business in case of getting into bother. Maybe people should just get on with it and deal with any issues arising if and when. I know one thing for sure,I don't want any hassle from the Police but I don't think asking strangers on an anonymous internet forum is the best place for factual information,especially if you think it may be of concern to the Police.If you really want the correct answer,write to the Police and they will have to reply in writing and then go by their written advice, then if stopped you can show the correspondence to the Policeman/woman who stopped you.Simples.Perhaps if people just went about their business in a normal manner they would find that the Police aren't interested in them. I have travelled to the UK with firearms on a good number of occasions but I never asked a stranger how I should go about it, I just behaved like a normal citizen going about my lawful business and never had a problem, sometimes entering the UK without even having my firearms checked by Police or Customs and on one occasion they came out on the carousel with the ordinary luggage:naughty. I genuinely believe if you have serious concerns,talk to the people who might have an issue with wheels being removed i.e. the Police. If they can't help you,I doubt anyone on here can. Still enjoy these kind of posts and hope I haven't offended anyone, just sometimes I thank God I live here in our quiet little place where the Police don't even go after the bad guys,never mind the law abiding. It is changing,though,and I'm sure we will catch up with you soon

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

Darwins theory of evolution and the process of natural selection!!!

If you are stupid enough to take two wheels of something that is supposed to have four for a reason then you will die!! taking the stupid gene with you... assuming that you have not already passed it on!!

Unfortunatley the HSE and Plod keep interfearing with this natural process and stupid people are breeding, because thats all they can do. In continuing acts of stupidity they are putting the rest of the normal folks at risk!!

I drive about 800miles a week and take my life in my hands every time i get in my van doing my very best to avoid all the stupids so that I can get home safe to family and friends!!

Leave the wheels on thats why they are there!!


I don't care if you die through your own stupidity but please don't put the rest of us at risk because you can't tow a trailer properly!!

Or Plod will do you!!!

a bit harsh but very true, and very funny :bow

 

[The Patrolman]

Hi Rustic,
sorry I diddn't meen to sound harsh with
'I don't care if you die through your own stupidity but please don't put the rest of us at risk because you can't tow a trailer properly!!'
I apreciate you have given the matter some thought and sought advice from the wealth available on this site...

As a further point of contact I would suggest you contact Vehicle Operating Standards Agency VOSA or the Plod.

A colleague of mine (also holds class 1 HGV licence) has had many dealings with what you can and can't tow and with what, and has been challenged by 'Plod' just to check his rig. He had a 110 defender which is rated to pull his 3.5T Trailer so he was OK!!

Apart from Plod and VOSA roadside checks you also have to deal with the traffic wombles!! who would not hesitate to close down the whole of the countries roads if they got a sniff of an unsafe vehicle or a bit of stray grit on the road!

I still think that 4 wheels are better than 2 but that's a new thread alltogether!!

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

lateral view!

if this is legal then sureley on a twin wheeled transit tipper i can remove the outer two wheels if it is unlden?

some how i believe i would be arrested :doh

 

[rustic]

I agree with you plank at least on the harsness issue.

The reason I went for a 4 wheel trailer was for safety of both my family and other road users.
A 2 wheel trailer could have done the task quite easily, BUT I thought the centre of gravity would have been higher. (Fact: it would).
Reason 1 Larger wheels to carry the weight would place the boat higher and a lighter trailer again moves the C of G higher. (fact: it would).
Reason 2 If there was a blow out there would more than likely be a major issue.

Having the heavier trailer 600kg of low ballast and smaller wheels lowers the C of G. The 4 wheels give stability in the event of a blowout as the trailer when loaded is not at full capacity.
Now I put a lot of thought into this when I ordered the trailer.
Certainly not someone with a "Stupid Gene":thumbs

I think the stupid Gene is not with the person enquiring about safety, BEFORE going ahead with the action without taking advice.
After all this is what this site is about.
I would like Patrolman to read the original text, in the contect of how this was written and reconsider his comments.

The action of removing 2 wheels from the trailer, just to make it clear, has not actually taken place, and will not take place until all avenues have been explored, and the outcomes considered.
This was the reason for this post, to tap into a vast data of knowledge.

I think the common sense gene has been well and truely demonstrated.:thumbs

So for your interest," the Stupid Gene" has not been passed on, as it was never there in the first place.
:nenau:nenau

Best regards, and thanks to all the people giving feedback.
I will give the feedback from the AA on their return of the email
Rustic