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Feb 23, 2013 16:29:15 GMT
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Sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section! A friend of my father's has apparently been done for using a trailer which didn't have any brakes. This has shocked both my parents, who have been using an old trailer for over 15 years with I will say are tyres which are well and truly shot, a hand brake which system is in place but is not connected up, and no registration plate displayed on the rear. One good thing the lights work properly as I check and repair the lighting board. How many points and what fines would each fault get these days? At what size a trailer do you not need have brakes? A question my mother has asked me! As many people think of car faults/defects equals fines and points but don't even think of the trailer! When was the last time the trailer you use inspected, then checked to see if it meet current traffic laws? Please Note I am in the process of getting the trailer road legal and save to use on the road. And thought it might be a good topic of discussion. Here is the trailer and the wheels which have been removed to give you an idea of how bad things are. An old picture of the trailer.  inside of one of the wheels.  The outer facing side of the same wheel  |
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Feb 23, 2013 16:33:25 GMT
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Not sure about brakes but the trailer tyres and wheels are subject to the same rules as the car I.e good condition with 1.6mm tread
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Feb 23, 2013 16:53:58 GMT
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Brakes for trailers over 750kg's HOWEVER if the trailer is over 50% of the towcars curb weight it must also have brakes. Hence I cannot put a 700kg (for example) trailer on the back of my Fiesta that weighs around 800kgs! Trailer must have brakes if it's over 400kg's in this case. (I know my Fiesta is only legal for 300kg trailers anyway, just an example) Here is my little trailer Gross 300kg's. My tyres were changed last year as they were low on tread. They are great though, cheap tyres and do them my self at home. Keep adding stickers to it, it's my little scene whore. It's done some miles with me! Been all over the country!   Tyres, old and new   |
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Last Edit: Feb 23, 2013 22:06:21 GMT by Deleted
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Feb 23, 2013 18:27:39 GMT
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I wouldn't trust those tyres but if the tread is still good then they are still legal with regard to the cracking as long as no wire is visible....What on earth were you thinking of using the trailer as it was though, surely common sense says at least having a numberplate on it makes it look more legal?  |
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Feb 23, 2013 18:38:30 GMT
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How many points and what fines would each fault get these days? If stopped by VOSA then its £60 per fault ........ |
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Feb 23, 2013 19:20:25 GMT
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I got stopped by VOSA who checked over the nearly new, £1200, empty, Indespension trailer I was towing. They went over it "with a fine tooth comb", and came back with a warning about a light lense that was cracked, not showing white light, but still told me to get it changed asap. The check was done with a Police officer present.
Paul H
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Feb 23, 2013 21:42:56 GMT
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As already stated, the point at which your trailer requires a braking system is 750Kg, gross weight, assuming that your tow car does not affect this (as Weblefeck pointed out).
If you are looking for the simplest route to get this up to light duties, removal of all the braking rods and levers would be the sensible way to go. An unbraked hitch would be a good move too. Stamp up a plate stating the gross weight and fix it on the drawbar somewhere.
Strictly speaking, you can get away with lights and reg plate, providing your towing vehicle ones are still clearly visible at all times ( I have been told this is the case by two traffic officers that have pulled me on the motorway in the past), but common sense says make sure they are fitted and working, along with reflectors too.
Obviously, those tyres need swapping out. But strip the hubs and give the bearings a once over whilst you're down there.
Finally, I'm a big advocate of giving it a coat of paint. A couple of hours will transform the look of the whole thing! A tidy looking trailer is far less likely to attract unwanted attention when you're off to the tip of a Sunday morning!
Joe
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will
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,023
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Feb 24, 2013 20:18:15 GMT
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There's some great advise on this here thread, well done RR peoples.
In many many thousands of miles of multi wheeling with trailers big and small I have learnt the following.
1. In these days of vosa self funding a shonky trailer really stands out as a cash cow danger to the society.
2. Carry a spare. Despite doing a fraction of my overall mileage with a trailer on the back I've had many more blowouts on the trailers than on the tow vehicle.
3. Trailer light boards are fragile and don't take kindly to being run over/stepped on/reversed into things.
4. Trailers appeal to tea leafing types. Having a bike trailer outside your garage indicates there's value inside.
5. Big trailers are easier to reverse than small ones as they don't jack knife so quickly.
6. Big trailers swing (both ways ;D) when turning.
7. Hand written number plates are the law*
*For legal purposes statement #7 may not be true. It is however normally the way of things.
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jonw
Part of things
Can open a Mouse with a File
Posts: 768
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Feb 25, 2013 12:43:33 GMT
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As above really. I do a lot of trailer work with the Rowing club and we have a few rules to prevent us attracting attention.
Unbraked the trailer must weigh less than 750kg or half the kerb weight of the towcar, whichever is the lighter of the two and must be under the rated towing weight of the car.
Keep your tyres car standard legal. The trailer is more prone to aquaplane than the towcar.
Watch out for perished tyres. This is the most common cause of a flat or blowout.
Keep a spare locked to the trailer.
Make sure all the lights work. and have spare lamps, including and side running lamps.
Make the trailer board removeable so it isn't damaged or rusted during storage.
Use a proper numberplate.
Overhangs at the front and rear must carry a marker. Use red rag.
Slow down
Remember the trailer will tend to cut the corners.
If the trailer is below the visible line put a marker on it so you can see it in your rear view mirror.
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Suzuki SV650R The good
Triumph T20 The Bad
BMW G650GS The Ugly
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Toyota Hybrid One pint or Two?
Ingredients of this post
Spam
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Occasional pointless comments
Vile beef trimming they won't even use in stock cubes
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Feb 25, 2013 21:26:10 GMT
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Got to agree with all the above but would add ....
Mudguards ... make sure its got some, and they are secure and in good condition.
Any Jockey wheel / prop stand should be securely stowed in 'tow' position.
Tyres, esp on 'heavier' trailers, make sure they have the correct 'load rating', you may need to use trailer rated tyres rather than car type.
And most importantly, secure the load!! If Plod/Vosa/Highways Agency see a load sliding about, (even if it can't 'fall out') they'll still do you for insecure load ......
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Feb 25, 2013 21:29:08 GMT
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Finally, I'm a big advocate of giving it a coat of paint. A couple of hours will transform the look of the whole thing! A tidy looking trailer is far less likely to attract unwanted attention when you're off to the tip of a Sunday morning! Joe Massively agree with this. Also clean shiny motors are less likely to get stopped than shonky rusty sheds. |
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bigrod
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,654
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Feb 27, 2013 12:46:41 GMT
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Last month's PPC had an article on being stopped twice on the same trip while collecting a car.
Ammounted to a bunch of jobsworths, (although I think I'd have been inclined to make sure the brakes were functioning correctly befre I set off!!), picking holes for self gratification.
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If I have to explain, you won't understand.
Maximum signature image height = 80 pixels
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forde
Part of things
Posts: 377
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Feb 27, 2013 13:37:52 GMT
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usually 750 but you need to check what the tow car is rated to
my vectra is rated to 750kg unbraked and 1600kg braked
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Last Edit: Feb 27, 2013 13:39:32 GMT by forde
'15 Royal Enfield Continental GT
'95 CZ 125 Type 488
'91 Vespa PX125E
'77 Camino, '86 Camino
'82 Puch Maxi S '70 Puch Maxi N
'80 Maxi S "Sport"
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cavman
Part of things
feeling inspired :)
Posts: 233
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Feb 27, 2013 13:43:00 GMT
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Don't forget, what you can tow also depends on when you passed your test! The following is taken directly from here: www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driving-licence-rules-and-what-you-can-tow"Driving licence rules and what you can tow. The rules on what you can tow are different depending on when you passed your driving test. Licences issued from 19 January 2013 From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow: small trailers weighing no more than 750kg trailers weighing more than 750kg, where the combined weight of the towing vehicle and the trailer isn’t more than 3,500kg If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence. You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg. Licences held from 1 January 1997 If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can drive either: a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500 kilograms (kg) Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM) towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM (with a combined weight of up to 4,250kg in total) a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as it is no more than the unladen or ‘kerb’ weight of the towing vehicle (with a combined weight of up to 3,500kg in total) For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test. Licences held before 1 January 1997 If you passed your car test before 1 January 1997 you are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. This is the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road. You also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kg MAM. Towing heavier combinations If you want to tow heavier combinations, you’ll have to first apply for provisional entitlement to the new C1+E entitlement. You’ll then have to pass the category C theory test and C1+E practical test. Once you’ve done this you can drive vehicles and trailers with a combined weight of up to 12 tonnes MAM." Also don't forget that all the weights are worked out on Max Authorised Mass, not what you're actually carrying. I.e. if you passed your test after 1st Jan 1997, you can't tow a trailer that's rated to 900kgs (if that's heavier than the car like the Fiesta above) even if you've only got less than 750kgs in it. it has to be rated to no more than 750kgs (and obviously be actually carrying less than 750kgs!  ) You can tow a 900kgs trailer if it's lighter than the car and the whole lot doesn't exceed 3.5 tonnes. Finally, you're vehicles manufacturer stats are in some ways irrelevant. My old Landy was rated by Land Rover to be capable of towing something daft like 2 tonnes. This doesn't mean I was allowed to actually tow 2 tonnes as due to when I passed my test it would contravene British law as the whole lot would've weighed more than 3.5 tonnes. The law is what counts, not manufacturer ratings. Hope this helps a bit more. Jim |
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Last Edit: Feb 27, 2013 13:51:49 GMT by cavman
'78 Mk1 Cavalier Coupe - I wish I had a pound for every time someone told me "my dad used to have one of those"!!
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Feb 27, 2013 20:16:09 GMT
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Jim that' a nice bit of info there. There is something not commonly known though!
If you then have to declare that you are diabetic the can not only make you have to
apply to have your licence renewed every three years but they can restrict it down
to a later tye of licence so you can't drive the heavier or longer vehicles!
As I have found out after renewing mine, and I passed my driving test in jan 1994.
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crazymonkey
Posted a lot
ummm....what was I doing again???
Posts: 1,981
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Feb 28, 2013 23:34:38 GMT
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see I thought that now if you passed your car test (say this year) you had to take a separate test for any trailer but seems that only applies to over 750kg.
So if I passed this year does that mean that I could actually tow a small trailer (such as a single bike carrying one) as long as it was under 750kg, although I'm assuming thats the maximum plated weight (loaded).
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whoever said dogs were man's best friend....obviously never heard of cable ties
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The trailer world is very confusing, I've learnt that now in theory at least I can tow a trailer with the van, I never knew that. But as has been said the biggest part of not getting stopped in the first instance is to look above board, a presentable car and a tidy trailer with a neat load (with the weight distributed evenly heavier in the centre over axle/axles) isn't going to attract attention. In addition from experience big trailers are easier to reverse, twin axle trailers are easier still  |
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see I thought that now if you passed your car test (say this year) you had to take a separate test for any trailer but seems that only applies to over 750kg. So if I passed this year does that mean that I could actually tow a small trailer (such as a single bike carrying one) as long as it was under 750kg, although I'm assuming thats the maximum plated weight (loaded). Correct, yes they go by the plated weight. You can tow more than 750kg as above if the trailer is less than 100% the cars kerb weight and the whole lot is less than 3500kg's |
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forde
Part of things
Posts: 377
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Mar 10, 2013 14:57:08 GMT
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Finally, you're vehicles manufacturer stats are in some ways irrelevant. My old Landy was rated by Land Rover to be capable of towing something daft like 2 tonnes. This doesn't mean I was allowed to actually tow 2 tonnes as due to when I passed my test it would contravene British law as the whole lot would've weighed more than 3.5 tonnes. The law is what counts, not manufacturer ratings. Hope this helps a bit more. Jim they are relevant in the opposite way to what you are saying though. you are correct you couldnt tow two tonnes anyway since you didnt have the licence. but in a lot of cases you could end up towing more than the rated weight the car can take whilst not going over your licences limits. e.g. my vectra C weights 1.7 or 1.8 tonnes, and is rated to tow 750kg unbraked and 1600kg braked. if i was caught towing say a 900 or 1000kg unbraked trailer, the weights of the trailer and car combination would not be over the limits of my licence. but i would still get prosecuted for towing more than the manufacturer has rated the car to tow. |
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'15 Royal Enfield Continental GT
'95 CZ 125 Type 488
'91 Vespa PX125E
'77 Camino, '86 Camino
'82 Puch Maxi S '70 Puch Maxi N
'80 Maxi S "Sport"
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Mar 10, 2013 17:54:22 GMT
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Finally, you're vehicles manufacturer stats are in some ways irrelevant. My old Landy was rated by Land Rover to be capable of towing something daft like 2 tonnes. This doesn't mean I was allowed to actually tow 2 tonnes as due to when I passed my test it would contravene British law as the whole lot would've weighed more than 3.5 tonnes. The law is what counts, not manufacturer ratings. Hope this helps a bit more. Jim if I was caught towing say a 900 or 1000kg unbraked trailer, the weights of the trailer and car combination would not be over the limits of my licence. but I would still get prosecuted for towing more than the manufacturer has rated the car to tow. Now you're just confusing things. You'd get done due to the fact that any trailer over 750kg has to be braked. |
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) You can tow a 900kgs trailer if it's lighter than the car and the whole lot doesn't exceed 3.5 tonnes.
