Delinquent
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 09:29 AM |
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Braked Trailers?
Getting conflicting info from people on trailer braking requirements...
Is it over 2500kg unladen, or 2500kg laden weight that puts a trailer into the braked requirements?! Looking at 8ft x 4ft trailer, which I intend
amongst other things to shift my Dads ride on mower and rather a lot of rubble with. I'm useless at estimating weight but I reckon 8ft x 4ft x
2ft of rubble has got to weigh more than 2500kg before it even gets on the trailer...
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focijohn
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 09:35 AM |
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I think anything over 750kgs loaded or un, needs brakes, also look at the cars specs on what it can manage, will stand corrected but i am 20 so their
(DVLA) are nice and tight with me!
So this is what i go by.
ATB
John
Anyone going slower than you is an idiot. Anyone going faster than you is a maniac.
Too many targets but too few bullets.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 09:42 AM |
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make sure you have something big to tow with. Might be cheaper just to hire a flat bed transit for the day
[Edited on 1/7/08 by Mr Whippy]
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mcerd1
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 09:48 AM |
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its max 750kg gross for an unbraked trailer (on any vehicle)
but you car will have a max. unbraked gross weight and a max. braked gross weight - and you've got to stick to these design weights to be
legal
I think my focus is only 1200kg for a braked trailer and most other 'family hatch' size cars are similar
landrovers (and older nissan navara's I think) are up at 3500kg but I think thats well into the capacity that requires powered brakes on the
trailer (i.e. air brakes)
[Edited on 1/7/08 by mcerd1]
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Delinquent
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 09:48 AM |
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Got use of either a LWB landy or in a couple of weeks a Ural 375B (!!!) to tow the heavier loads with so the weight shouldn't be a problem, but
the loads are spread over weeks rather than on a day so I though a good size trailer I can use behind the Audi (max tow load of 1600kg) would be a
better spend in the long run.
Cheers for the clearing it up though, it's definitely going to be above 750kg total so braked it is... which is a bit of an arse as it literally
doubles the cost!
[Edited on 1/7/08 by Delinquent]
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Davey D
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 10:48 AM |
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Ive got a small trailer with Internal dimensions 120*92*35cm we filled it with soil to get rid of at a disposal centre. when we got it on the weigh
bridge it weighed in at around 520kg
what license entitlements do you have? as you may need to take note of this:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073
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Delinquent
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 11:05 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Davey D
Ive got a small trailer with Internal dimensions 120*92*35cm we filled it with soil to get rid of at a disposal centre. when we got it on the weigh
bridge it weighed in at around 520kg
what license entitlements do you have? as you may need to take note of this:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073
One of the benefits of being of slightly older persuasion (well there had to be one!!!).
Licence entitles me to drive up to 8.25 tonnes maximum authorised mass inc trailer exceeding 750kg
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richardlee237
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 11:14 AM |
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Just for information
loose sand and gravel has a density of around 1.8 tonnes/cu m
Compacted this goes upto around 2.2.
Loose rubble would not normally be more than this.
8ft by 4ft by 2ft is 1.8 cu m so the load weight will be in the order of 4 tonnes or under.
Yup, you need brakes !!
Quote Lord Kelvin
“Large increases in cost with questionable increases in performance can be tolerated only in race horses and women.”
Quote Richard Lee
"and cars"
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owelly
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 12:07 PM |
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I like to think that a cubic metre of concrete weighs in at 2.2tonnes or thereabouts. When estimating loads of rubble, sand soil etc, I think of a
dumpy bag as a cubic metre. That makes it about a cubic metre for the guestimate.
On the trailer regs thing. The trailer has to be plated with the gross weight. If the trailer is plated at 2000kg for example, the tow vehicle must be
able to tow that weight even if the trailer is empty.
The BiB also use the 'maximum train weight' which is the combined weight of the towcar and the trailer and they calculate it as if both
the car and the trailer were fully loaded even if they are empty! They take the manufacturers gross vehicle weight (fully laden including a roofrack
even if it hasn't one fitted) and add it to the manufacturers maximum towable limit. If the plated weight of the trailer exceeds the total of
the weight of the 'total train weight', you're in bother. If you have no plate, you're in bother.
Does that make any sense??
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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Delinquent
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 12:57 PM |
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makes perfect sense thanks owelly - or at least, your explanation does 
The rules as you've stated them make absolutely no sense at all, which is as usual in this country!
Only question remaining is what exactly do these plates look like.... 
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owelly
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 01:17 PM |
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The plates are fitted by the maunfacturer of the trailer and should include trailer ID, max gross weight, unladen weight etc. they often included tyre
pressures, tyre sizes etc and perhaps a picture of a cat eating a vole.
And for those of us who don't buy trailers...
By law, the plate must included the Max Gross Weight. My last big trailer had a double sided plate. One which was stamped as 3500kg for towing behind
the Discovery and the other side as 1500kg for towing behind the Volvo....
Incidently, the plate isn't the same as the plate or marking on the tow hitch. Those figures apply to the hitch only.
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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Delinquent
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| posted on 1/7/08 at 01:42 PM |
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excellent stuff, cheers.
I take it you make your own then? I was planning to originally, but just don't have the time or space at the moment, due to the project I need
the trailer for...
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