PSpirine
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| posted on 16/6/11 at 10:23 PM |
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Can I tow this?
Right, my head is about to explode trying to understand these trailer regulations!
I had my EU license converted to a full UK when I moved here a few years ago - issue date on the license is 2005.
Therefore I do not have the towing entitlement of old licenses.
However,
can somebody tell me if I can tow a Sierra on a trailer (I'm guessing about 1.5-1.6t), and if so what are the restrictions on the towing vehicle
size?
I'd be borrowing a land/range rover from work so hopefully have a choice of anything from a Freelander to a Defender to a Disco to a Range
Rover.
If all these are too big, I can possibly find something smaller.
From everything I can understand, there's no reason I can't tow it as long as the trailer is braked and the total combined weight
doesn't exceed 3500kg?
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tegwin
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| posted on 16/6/11 at 10:30 PM |
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http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum_dg/groups/dg_digitalassets/@dg/@en/@motor/documents/digitalasset/dg_067672.pdf
Catagory B(normal license) Motor vehicle with a MAM of up to 3,500kg, no more than eight passenger seats with or without a trailer – weighing no
more than 750kg.
With trailer-- As category B but with a trailer weighing more than 750kg. The total weight of the vehicle and trailer together can’t weigh more
than 3500kg. The weight of the trailer, when fully loaded, can’t weigh more than the unladen weight of the vehicle.
So basically.. if you have a new license with catagory "B" on it... you can tow a trailer provided the combined weight of the entire
caboodle (car, trailer, load) is LESS than 3500Kg.... BUT the trailer with load must weigh less than the tow car!
So I would say, towing a sierra with a landrover would not work... would weigh more than 3.5T..... (only guessing how much a landy weighs)
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Would the last person who leaves the country please switch off the lights and close the door!
www.verticalhorizonsmedia.tv
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eddie99
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| posted on 16/6/11 at 10:31 PM |
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Few Rules.
Total MAM of trailer + CAR must not exceed 3.5tonnes.
So any land rover is out of question with a sierra.
MAM of trailer must be less than unladen weight of the vehicle.
EDIT to say that i spent hours and hours figuring it all out to avoid doing the trailer test.
And thats about it i think. I have an audi with MAM of 1600 towing, plated trailer to 1300kg towing. Unladen weight of car is 1400kg. And im just on
the borderline.
[Edited on 16/6/11 by eddie99]
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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blakep82
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| posted on 16/6/11 at 10:54 PM |
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ignore this, don't know why dvla have to make it so confusing 
[Edited on 16/6/11 by blakep82]
________________________
IVA manual link http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?type=RESOURCES&itemId=1081997083
don't write OT on a new thread title, you're creating the topic, everything you write is very much ON topic!
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eddie99
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| posted on 16/6/11 at 11:01 PM |
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You would need to mess around with the plating on the trailer. As above its not what you are towing, its what the maximum authorised mass is. And if
the land rover has MAM of 3.5 tonnes. the trailer can have 0.
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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Charlie_Zetec
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| posted on 16/6/11 at 11:48 PM |
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Just as an example, my P38 Range Rover diesel weighs in at about 2,400-2,500Kgs, so only allows aroun 1,000-1,100Kgs to tow!
Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity!
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 12:57 AM |
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Don't forget that category E is for a trailer weighing more than 750kg. Never mind the confusing thing about the trailer can't be heavier
than the vehicle and the total mass mustn't exceed 3500kg on a full moon and if you have abs. You can't tow a 1500kg vehicle without the E
entitlement.
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morcus
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 01:10 AM |
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can you rent flat bed's where the whole bed moves to lower itself to the ground so yo can drive up? If you can that would probably be easier.
Another thought, go an see someone who rents out vans and trailers and ask them, they'll be able to tell you.
In a White Room, With Black Curtains, By the Station.
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Canada EH!
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 01:49 AM |
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So I can't tow my 1300 lb gross travel trailer behind my Locost because it has a higher gross weight than the towing vehicle in Britian. Ok here
if the trailer has brakes.
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Bare
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 03:35 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
ignore this, don't know why dvla have to make it so confusing
[Edited on 16/6/11 by blakep82]
When the RAJ left Injia, it settled in nicely back in the UK.
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Steve Hignett
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 05:18 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
ignore this, don't know why dvla have to make it so confusing
[Edited on 16/6/11 by blakep82]
Oh Blake, you make me larf...
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speedstar
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 07:28 AM |
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In a nut shell...
Trailer + Car on trailer can't weigh more then then the car thats pulling it, and must be less then the car's rated towing load.
Trailer + car on trailer+ car towing the trailer cant weigh more then 3500kg
There are other restrictions on towing an EMPTY trailer if the stamped MAM on the trailer is greater then the towing capacity of the vehicle being
used to tow it. Never really got my head around why, but thats the law.
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SJC
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 09:04 AM |
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Hi
I have been caught out by this, i thought i was ok, however the nice policeman did not......., basically if your trailer has the potential to tow more
then 750kg you can not tow it unless you have B+E on your licence. The MAM for me was under 3500kg and the trailer was empty. The fact it had the
potential to tow 3500kg they nicked me.
The easiest way is to do the trailer test then you are free.
They make it very confusing to understand and a massive grey area so once again the police can read it how they want to.
Stu
[Edited on 24/10/2006 by SJC]
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coozer
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 09:15 AM |
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Go do your C+E and then you can tow up to 44t!
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
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v8kid
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 11:30 AM |
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Or befriend an old git who has an ancient licence to do basically anything he pleases 
You'd be surprised how quickly the sales people at B&Q try and assist you after ignoring you for the past 15 minutes when you try and start a
chainsaw
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speedstar
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 11:53 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by SJC
Hi
I have been caught out by this, i thought i was ok, however the nice policeman did not......., basically if your trailer has the potential to tow more
then 750kg you can not tow it unless you have B+E on your licence. The MAM for me was under 3500kg and the trailer was empty. The fact it had the
potential to tow 3500kg they nicked me.
The easiest way is to do the trailer test then you are free.
They make it very confusing to understand and a massive grey area so once again the police can read it how they want to.
Stu
[Edited on 24/10/2006 by SJC]
750kg ONLY applies if the trailer is unbraked.
Sorry tot hrow another spanner in the works here but braked v unbraked trailers make this an even more complicated subject!!
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edspurrier
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 12:22 PM |
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With a cat B licence:
Category B: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to eight 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.
so you do not have to have a B+E licence if the MAM of the trailer and the MAM of the car combined is 3500kg or less.
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Benzine
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 12:36 PM |
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lol
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gdp66
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 02:06 PM |
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what if the trailer is home built, and doesn't have a plate with weights e.t.c on it ?
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 04:53 PM |
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You know I've no idea where the 750kg came from now, just checked my licence and the directgov website and there's nothing
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JoelP
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| posted on 17/6/11 at 07:51 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
You know I've no idea where the 750kg came from now, just checked my licence and the directgov website and there's nothing
the direct gov site does mention the 750kgs aspect. I was sure someone had posted it on this thread but cant see it now. Its really not complex once
you get your head round it! Hardest bit is finding the relevant weights.
the quote was posted by edspurrier above; the main bit that people get wrong is the bit he has clarified, that both the unladen weight and the MAM of
the tow vehicle are relevant.
[Edited on 17/6/11 by JoelP]
Beware! Bourettes is binfectious.
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Neville Jones
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| posted on 18/6/11 at 04:46 PM |
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If the trailer gross mass is over 750kgs, then it's got to have brakes. This means a trailer which weighs 750kg on its own, has got to have
brakes fitted.
And any home built trailers were built way back in the 80's, weren't they officer? 
One thing everyone seems to be confused on, and not mentioned, is the ACTUAL weight of a Sierra, not those numbers in Haynes manuals.
I've weighed in a few, and none has gone over 1000kg's. Might be dodgy scrappy scales, but i wouldn't say that they were that far
out.
Cheers,
Nev.
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eddie99
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| posted on 18/6/11 at 07:17 PM |
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Taken from DVLA website:
Category B: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to eight 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:
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
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.
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