Board logo

Another trailer weight question
Mr Whippy - 28/4/11 at 09:26 AM

Hi

A friend is wanting to borrow my double axle braked flatbed trailer but only has a licence to tow a trailer up to 750kg, their only wanting to move some fence panels but they are very light but bulky.

If I disconnect the brake link in mine making it effectively an unbraked trailer would that then allow them to use it, so long as they don't get the trailer all up weight over the 750kg mark?? I guess the trailer must be about 300kg empty.

God I hate all these new laws

thanks.

cloudy - 28/4/11 at 09:32 AM

Not sure where this braked/unbraked law is?

The short rule on DVLA is:

Car licences obtained on or after 1 January 1997

If you passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 you're limited to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised mass towing a trailer up to 750kgs, or a vehicle and trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle. You will need to pass an additional driving test in B+E if you wish to tow a caravan or trailer combination which exceeds these weight limits.


So you can in fact tow more than 750kg as long as it's MAM doesn't exceed the unladen mass of tow car... It doesn't mention braked trailers being an issue?

Norfolkluegojnr - 28/4/11 at 09:44 AM

As above - but any trailer + load above 750kgs needs to be braked.

Let him borrow it, leave the brakes and he should be fine. What i do is print of the paragraph from the direct gov site, and keep it in the car with me. If any plod takes issue, I'll get the print out and show them.

Not happened yet though. If the load looks safe, and you aren't braking speed limits etc, you're unlikely to get pulled anyway.

Mr Whippy - 28/4/11 at 09:45 AM

hmm well this is my thinking on the MAM of the trailer, as above 750kg you need a braked trailer meaning that any trailer that is braked naturally must have a MAM (i.e. maximum carrying capacity) of over the 750kg hence my thinking of just disconnecting the brakes...

It's this MAM that seems to be the problem that they now go by what a trailer is capable of carrying and not what it is carrying which is why folk are getting done just towing empty trailers!

Norfolkluegojnr - 28/4/11 at 09:53 AM

I believe (not 100% sure) that having brakes that are ineffective on a trailer is an offence, so probably not a good idea. i.e. if you have brakes, they have to be working.

If the trailer MAM is over 750kg leave the brakes as is. He'll be fine as long as he meets the vehicle MAM requirement.

Mr Whippy - 28/4/11 at 10:00 AM

ok will leave the brakes working, there is no plate on the trailer stating what it can carry, just the hitch has some weight ranges but that's an after market thing.

cheers

cloudy - 28/4/11 at 10:38 AM

Suggest making a plate to show the MAM specification... Just make sure it's correct

Richard Quinn - 28/4/11 at 11:26 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
It's this MAM that seems to be the problem that they now go by what a trailer is capable of carrying and not what it is carrying which is why folk are getting done just towing empty trailers!


Yup, a lad who worked for me was done towing an empty plastic tank (weight = 4/5 FA) on a trailer plated for 3500kg. Van and trailer were impounded by the police at a VOSA weighbridge. He got £60 and 3 points and someone else had to go and collect the van/trailer. Don't know how you would stand on a non-plated trailer.

Mr Whippy - 28/4/11 at 11:32 AM

It's a bit much tbh as I have never heard of the changes on the telly and only found out by chance on here. No one else I have spoken to about it has ever came across MAM weight's

JoelP - 28/4/11 at 12:16 PM

there has to be some proceedure for the police or vosa to follow in the case of unplated trailers. They cannot just accept your word about what its rated at. I have 3 unplated trailers, so could use knowing!

StrikerChris - 28/4/11 at 12:28 PM

Its not as simple as your just limited to 750kg's.I belive (but don't quote me) that you can tow more than 750kgs on a new license as long as the total train weight is less than 3 or 3.5 tonnes.

Chris

Mr Whippy - 28/4/11 at 12:37 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
there has to be some proceedure for the police or vosa to follow in the case of unplated trailers. They cannot just accept your word about what its rated at. I have 3 unplated trailers, so could use knowing!


I don't think there is any requirement to fit weight plates to a trailer. I have a 1 year old one (the double axle in the posts above) that I bought new (picked it up from the manufacturer) and it has no plate on it.

As I said earlier I think it is just the combination of axle load rating, brake rating and tow hitch rating that gives the trailer it classification for towing. Exceed any of these with a load and you not conforming to the law.

I posted an earlier question about a new trailer I was wanting to build for carrying model planes to be towed behind my Falcon but was going to be a huge box one but unbraked due to it carrying only about 100kg of models. I could see me getting pulled over all the time especially as I wanted 3 axles so it rolled very smoothly. So what would the trailer be rated for, ehem well with unbraked axles even though it would be huge then just 750kg, fine.

Dangle_kt - 28/4/11 at 12:52 PM

I had an unplated trailer, and was under the impression (though cant find the link) that in cases of doubt they have to take you to a VOSA station weighbridge to check. If they can be bothered.

Personally I'd drill the plate off and rivet it back on when he drops it back off - it'll take a few seconds.

The tow car comes into play too with all the MAM stuff. With my car I could tow anything up to 1200kg with my car and not go over the limit for my licence. My locost is 476kgs and the trailer is FAR less than 700kgs so I knew I was golden. But if I was driving a defender I couldnt tow anything cos it has a 3500kg MAM on its own!