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So, I want to fetch a car from a few miles away. I borrow a transit van and a trailer, but of course, because I passed my test after 1997, who knows what I can tow? Here is a wonderful explanitory contradictory piece from the DVLA site:
Cars with a maximum authorised mass of no more than 3500kg, having no more than eight passenger seats, towing a trailer up to 750kg. A car and a trailer, where the total maximum authorised mass of both is not more than 3500kg and the maximum authorised mass of the trailer is not more than the unladen weight of the car.
A car with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a maximum authorised mass of 2 tonnes towing a trailer with a maximum authorised mass of 1.25 tonnes could be driven under category B entitlement as the maximum authorised mass of both is not more than 3.5 tonnes and the maximum authorised mass of the trailer is not more than the unladen weight of the car.
I don't know if I've misread it, but it's making no sense, and I couldn't actually get a straight answer from the DSA when I called them.
Any ideas?
(The van weighs more than the car and trailer behind!)
*Thought - does the towing weight change, if I use a towing dolly?*
Hope someone can help ;D
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"A Pierburg carb? It would be more economical to replace it with a funnel..."
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ezzysi
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,189
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Towing dollys strictly for emergency removal of broken down cars as far as the laws concerned. Although it is a pretty grey area, sorry can't be any more help  |
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1991 Mk2 Golf Gti 8v
2005 Passat tdi (daily)
1971 Mk1 Escort
2004 Touran (her's)
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Basically you can have a COMBINED weight of 3.5 tonnes. For example, my landrover is 2 tonne. I tow a lightweight car trailer of 500 kg (.5 tonne) so i can put a 1 tonne car on the trailer to be legal.
you cant tow more than the weight of the tow vehicle. So if your car/van is 1.5 tonne, you cant legally tow more than 1.5 tonne.
Hope this helps and makes sense!!
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1987 Opel manta GT 2.0 16v
1976 Opel manta s project
1985 Opel Rekord E 2.2i
1992 Vauxhall Carlton 2.3TD
1989 Mercury Grand Marquis
2005 Landrover discovery 3
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kenb
Part of things
Posts: 604
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You need to be very careful here when it come to car towing weights/limits. Most cars since the mid nineties have a type approved towing limit as part of their design. If you exceed this you are technically breaking the law as being over weight, in the same way a lorry would be if it carried more than it was designed too. You should find the towing limit either on the cars chassis plate or in the handbook.
The whole towing laws thing(MAMS, a frames, dollies) can be a minefield not to mention the licence side of it. Generally its not the police you have to worry about pulling you, it the VOSA guys who carry out the roadside checks. (Not the Womble Patrols).
Going back to your question, I think with a transit you may be stuffed as the smallest transit MAM must be at least 2.5 tonne leaving you with a tonne to play with to include the Trailer MAM.
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Last Edit: Apr 3, 2009 1:44:15 GMT by kenb
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Just to add to your woes you'll need to find the gross train weight of the Transit too as you *might* need a tachograph.
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Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
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kenb
Part of things
Posts: 604
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The train weight only applies as the maximum vehicle can tow including weight of transit/whatever van is. Which reminds to point out the statement Sutty made is incorrect about no being able to tow more than the tow vehicles weight. You can in some cases if the vehicle train weight allows and of course your licence.
The only time anyone would need a tacho is if the combined MAM of transit and trailer goes over currently 3.5 tonnes. and being used for business purposes (if you look at your licence they actually allow 4.25 tonnes. made up of 3.5 and 750kg unbraked trailer)
Basically MAM and train weight are two different things.
Range Rovers and land rovers also have train weight on them as they are essentially commercial(utility) vehicles.
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Last Edit: Apr 3, 2009 9:18:08 GMT by kenb
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Towing help?Deleted
@Deleted
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Firstly u need to make sure u have B+E, If u have B alone then no u cant, If u do have B+E then the above rules apply. ;D
As for towing dollys they are the same as tow poles and ropes, Only to move a vehicle to a place of safety. From dangerous situation! Just a few yards only. In this situation car being towed (Disabled vehicle) must have tax, mot and insurance. Person doing the towing for in this situation does not need B+E.
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Last Edit: Apr 3, 2009 22:33:34 GMT by Deleted
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It's also worth noting that it goes off the rated axle weight, not the actual vehicle weight so a transit with a rated weight of 3.5 t weighs 3.5t in the eyes of the law, even when empty giving you a towing capability of 0.
Be carefull with trailers too because these have rated axle weights and you can be prosecuted for having the potential to be over weight.
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