Towing question trailer weights

[Billggski]

There are two different issues here.
What your vehicle can tow, and what your licence allows you to tow.
(Post 1997 licences are different as well)

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Billggski

There are two different issues here.
What your vehicle can tow, and what your licence allows you to tow.
(Post 1997 licences are different as well)

Absolutely - and hence two different offences.

[Rooster]

Originally Posted by Rversteeg

Don't know about the UK, but here on the continent it is quite simple:

If you just have B then they can fine you based on just the registration papers of the vehicle and trailer. No matter what the actual weight is, the max allowable trailer weight should be lower than the maximum allowable trailer weight on the vehicle registration. The total allowable mass of car and trailer together should also be less than 3500 kg. This could mean you have to have to downgrade the max trailer weight on the trailer document.

If you have B + E they always have to take you to a weighing bridge to determine the actual trailer weight to see if you are over the limit. With B+E you can legally tow any trailer as long as the ACTUAL weight is below the maximum allowable trailer weight of the towing vehicle.

As long as you are still within the EC I guess this will also be applicable to the UK ;-)

Yup you are correct from what i was told when i did my B+E licence by the instructor,

Legally i can tow a 3.5t plated trailer with my 2200kg max towing weight XC90 as long as the trailer doesn't exceed the 2200kg max towing weight of XC90 as i have B+E licence,

If i didn't have the B+E then the plate would have to be significantly reduced to make the train weight less than 3.5 ton

[green van man]

Just to confuse the issue I was told no you could not tow a trailer rated above the max towing weight of your vehicle even empty as it had the potential to become over weight if loaded when I did a recent C&G trailer course, unless it was de rated to the correct weight by fitting a new rating plate.

Paul.

[Baxlin]

I've just had to apply for my 'over70' licence, all categories were grandfathered, apart from C1 and D1, which, on my pre 97 Licence allowed me to drive op to 7.5 tonnes. Before submitting my application, I phoned DVLA for clarification of the 3500kg limit, and without C1, it is literally the maximum weight i can drive, this being the same as a post97 licence.

3500kg is the weighbridge weight, including fuel, load, passenger, driver (and his lunch!), and, if your licence allows towing, the weight of the trailer, again including everything in or on it, is part of the 3500kg.

From this, it seems to me that the plated weight of the trailer, for these purposes, is irrelevant, but I suppose the rule of thumb 85% rule, for controllabilty's sake, would still apply.

[pagan8c]

As far as I understand it the only weight that counts with a B+E licence is the max train weight of the vehicle. When towing a caravan the police use the max weight of the car + the max weight of the caravan to determine this. With the B licence then they use the max weight of the car taken from the 3500 kgs to determine the max weight you are allowed with the caravan. So it would appear to be different for trailers ! There is no offence of towing a caravan which is heavier than the car weight as such but may be other offences under Contruction an Use etc.

[Baxlin]

Originally Posted by pagan8c

As far as I understand it the only weight that counts with a B+E licence is the max train weight of the vehicle. When towing a caravan the police use the max weight of the car + the max weight of the caravan to determine this. With the B licence then they use the max weight of the car taken from the 3500 kgs to determine the max weight you are allowed with the caravan. So it would appear to be different for trailers ! There is no offence of towing a caravan which is heavier than the car weight as such but may be other offences under Contruction an Use etc.

In practice, I suppose this is correct, but what is to stop someone exceeding the max gross weight of car or trailer? The DVLA refer, for licence purposes, to the 3500kgs being the MAM weight, which they defined to me as the actual weight as driven, i.e. Weighbridge weight.

This makes sense, although inconvenient to prove as weighbridges aren't found on every corner, as accidents happen in real life, not on paper stats.

[Whyman]

Many years ago I had to deal with a trailer that weighed significantly more than the Landrover that was towing it but was under the plated towing weight of 3500kg.

The simple reply was to tow it safely and use your common sense (seems to be in short supply in some places?) such as keeping your speed down and not going on to a motorway if you can only drive at 20mph without it starting to snake.

[Billggski]

I did my C1+E medical last year to retain my "grandfather's rights". It took 20 min and £56 with an HGV/taxi doctor who specialises in that end of the business.

[skyship007]

Originally Posted by green van man

Just to confuse the issue I was told no you could not tow a trailer rated above the max towing weight of your vehicle even empty as it had the potential to become over weight if loaded when I did a recent C&G trailer course, unless it was de rated to the correct weight by fitting a new rating plate.

Paul.

Sounds correct.

If you have a horse box, any Volvo can tow it with just one horse, BUT be careful to check the owners handbook limits and box weight, cos many Volvo's can't tow a box with 2 big horses. So I suppose my horse box should have the placard changed. Alas it does not have one fitted at present.