The Law And Car Trailers

[Guest rizla]

ive been given a lightweight car trailer,single axle,but it has no brakes,anyone know the law about trailers,weight etc that needs brakes

 

ive got it to take the vortx to barkston so i can load the car up with the family and camping gear

[Guest mike]

Hi Rizla

It all depends on the car towing it, the manufacturer sets out weight limits for braked and un-braked trailers, possibly in your handbook or if not ask a main dealer, as they should have the information. But a car trailer loaded will definatelly be over any unbraked weight allowances I think

 

Mike

[Guest chris brown]

I believe it is 5cwt gross weight but may be 250Kg these days of metrification.

 

Got that wrong see here What unbraked trailer can I tow? You can tow a maximum of 750 Kg with an unbraked trailer but you cannot exceed half the kerb weight of the towing vehicle. You can tow a trailer with a Gross Weight higher than your car’s towing limit as long as you only load it up to that limit. It is illegal to exceed the car’s towing limit.

Edited August 10, 2005 by chris brown

[Guest rizla]

bugger............sod it il drive slowly

[Guest rizla]

yippee,car is 420kg,trailer is 230kg,total 650kg

 

so im ok then

[Guest Battery Bill]

Riz

The car trailer we use has no brakes and the Mondeo easily pulls and stops with a Hood on board.

Are you using the Granada or what?

[Guest rizla]

thats gone to the fords retirement home,got a 2.0 sierra estate now,and the mrs has a lwb frontera

[Guest micky bigthumbs]

Quote from caravan camping thing

 

What are the legalities involved in towing?

A driver can tow on his ordinary car licence.

A vehicle is limited in what it can legally tow by:

a) the capacity of the towbar (stamped with a weight figure) and

the ATM of the trailer/caravan and the ball weight limits specified by the tow vehicle manufacturer.

 

 

 

What does ATM and ball weight mean?

ATM means aggregate trailer mass or the complete weight of the loaded trailer or caravan.

Ball weight is that share of the ATM placed on the tow vehicle's towbar.

 

Why is ball weight critical?

The ideal ball weight is usually about 10% of the caravan or trailer's ATM.

If it's too light, there's not enough downward pressure to ensure safe towing. The combination will 'snake' under tow, especially down hills.

If it's too heavy the tow vehicle's rear suspension will be forced down, affecting the vehicle's braking and steering.

If it's not within the limits specified by the vehicle manufacturer, it's illegal.

 

 

 

Do trailers, campers and caravans need brakes?

Up to 750 kg GTM (GTM is the ATM minus the ball weight) no brakes are required.

From 750kg to 2,000kg GTM, efficient brakes are required on at least one axle. (The caravan industry has it's own 1600kg limit for 10" electric brakes on a single axle.)

Above 2,000kg GTM brakes are required on all wheels, they must be capable of activation by the driver and a breakaway (brakes activate automatically should the trailer be disconnected) must be fitted.

 

 

think your on the limit but legal

Mick

[Grim]

I nkow it wont apply to you, but for anyone else reading, don't forget if you passed your driving test after ~1998, you can't tow very much at all without l plates or further driving tests.

[Guest Alasdair]

got a 2.0 sierra estate now

Well - we'll have the engine out of that for a start then!

[stevedohc2b]

Andy I could have used the Granada for a spar engine it was a 2li DOHC?

 

Have been on a training course this week and one of the lads is a biker and showed me some bike speed specks He has a Honda black bird 0 to 160 mph 25 secs

and a Hya Bussa 0 to 160 mph 17 seconds. so after seeing both of the Hya bussa cars at the weekend that are going to Barkston heath. I think my money is on them I am afraid to Say.

 

 

 

stephen

[Guest rizla]

it was a dohc but the chain went and buggered it mate,but the sierra is the same engine that i got so it may be up for grabs soon

 

bike times meen nowt,its a bifferent ball game when its in a car

[stevedohc2b]

Yes but they also have the camber comp thing/system.

 

 

who is running the book this time? got to be worth a few quid!

 

stephen

[Guest Busa Rush]

true yes

 

first time i done anything like this with it .....

me and steve are looking forward to this .... it will be a great day....

[Guest salty_monk]

Can I put my name down on the waiting list for a passenger ride in at least one of the loopy stoopid bike engine machines... I don't mind which flavour!!