Confused - towing

alsxx

alsxx

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I was under the impression that as I passed my driving test about 5 years ago I wasn't able to tow a trailer unless i took a test, or had someone in te car with me and L plates on.

As I may be getting a 4x4 (see post earlier today) and have been looking into the weights of trailers etc to see what potential purchase can tow, and how heavy trailers are etc - I have come across on a number of trailer manufacturer sites the phrase 'If the total weight of car trailer and load is less than 3500kg it can be used with the new standard car driver’s license'

Now, should that read ' total weight of car, trailer and load' or is the above right??? does that mean with say, a single horse trailer (approx unladen weight 700kg) and my 14.2hh mare that i could tow legally without taking my test???

I have looked on the DVLA website and its about as helpful as if it were in chinese!! Someone please help!
 
It's right - up to 3,500 kg you can tow on your existing licence
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Its the MAM that matters, not what you put in it.
So MAM of car plus MAM of the trailer.
NO hrose trailer would be MAM of 750kg, so its

" or a vehicle and trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle"

Single Ifor Williams is 1600kg
So that leaves MAM of 2.9kg max for towing vehicle.
 
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I have an 2year old ifor williams 505 unladen is only 970kg which would allow over 2500kg for the remainder if it is right that you can tow 3500kg

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Nope, you have the wrong end of the stick there.

Car + unladen trailer + horse + stuff, water/tack etc needs to be less than 3500kg

so, this would work:

something with curb weight about 1.8-2.0 ton, that is capable of towing 1500kg at least. A decent estate or mid size 4x4 should manage, something like the freelander, but you will need to check the exact model capability.

trailer - single IW (unladen 750kg) downrated to 1500kg

600kg horse (this isn't a big one -op talked about a 15hh med weight)

leaves 150kg for stuff - bear in mind - this is NOT a lot and your cars curb weight may only include 1 person & a tank of fuel.

so - 2.0t car + 750 trailer + 600kg horse + 150kg stuff and that's bang on 3.5t. However, it's very tight.

Single trailers are also quite hard to come by second hand, and you may find that the extra money spent on a new one of these would pay for your trailer test and open up much better value for money and piece of mind.

F x
 
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Its the MAM that matters, not what you put in it.
So MAM of car plus MAM of the trailer.
NO hrose trailer would be MAM of 750kg, so its

" or a vehicle and trailer combination up to 3.5 tonnes MAM providing the MAM of the trailer doesn't exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle"

Single Ifor Williams is 1600kg
So that leaves MAM of 2.9kg max for towing vehicle.


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This is correct (apart from the MAM for the towing vehicle only being 1.9t!), it is based on the MAM of both vehicle and trailer.

I have managed to stay within this ruling, but it's very tricky to do! My set up is;

Vehicle: Ford Mondeo (2L tdi, 130bhp engine, 6-speed gearbox, really good power/torque) with kerb weight 1505kg and MAM 2035kg (as per V5 logbook/chassis plate). The manufacturer's towing capability is stated as 1800kg.

Trailer: 3 year old IW HB401, unladen weight 770kg, manufacturer's MAM is 1600kg, but it has been replated (by IW themselves) to MAM = 1450kg. This still leaves a payload of 680kg but means the trailer's MAM is less than the car's kerb weight and the total MAM = 2035 + 1450 = 3485kg, which is less than 3500kg.

Hope that makes sense. The car pulls the trailer really well, we've had no problems and my mare travels really well in it. Obviously the ideal situation is a big 4x4 and taking the test, but not everyone can afford to run a 4x4 every day just so they can go to the odd lesson at a local show centre or similar.
 
Basically, the MAM of your car plus the MAM of your trailer cannot exceed 3.5t. It's pretty impossible if you want to tow safely IMO.
 
The problem you have got is if the trailer is braked and has two axles, then it is usually classed as being 2.5tons, it does not matter that the trailer empty weighs 750kgs, for example average family cars curb weight is around 1.5ton a 4x4 is around 2ton and a normal horse trailer is classed as 2.5ton you have 4-4.5 ton train weight, even though if put on a weigh bridge it would only weigh in at 2.25-2.75ton.
for example, I got a warning a few years ago from VOSA for towing an ifor williams 510 behind a Bedford tl horsebox, I had weighed the truck (5.5 ton) and empty trailer (800kg) so I thought I was within my maximum weight of 8.25ton, but I was acctually rated at 10ton, because that was what the combined train weight could carry.
 
Oh I did so much reading up on this after I posted last night - it really is a minefield - and naughty trailer co's for implying you dont need a test!

I also found out that the towing weight cannot be more than the unladen wight of the vehicle towing! Whoever said its probably cheaper to take the test and get a 2-horse trailer is probably right. After looking at my proposed vehicle's curb weight i could probably get away with it even with a lightweight 2-horse, such as the 505 and my 14.2hh mare - who weighs in at 450kg, however its interesting to find out that its the classified weight not the actual weight that you can get caught on!
 
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This is correct (apart from the MAM for the towing vehicle only being 1.9t!), it is based on the MAM of both vehicle and trailer.

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Oops yes, typing error.
3.5 - 1.6 = 1.9
 
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its the classified weight not the actual weight that you can get caught on!

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Yes, otherwise they'd have to be forever putting outfits on weighbrdges.
 
OP......

there is no way that you will be able to legally tow..

i'd just bite the bullet and take your test...go straght for an HGV rather than just the trailer test as you would need to take another to drive a lorry...
 
JM07 - I agree re just doing the test, but HGV (or rather LGV category C!) doesn't allow you to tow trailer so if she wants a trailer might as well take B+E, then if you ever need to drive a lorry, well, cross that bridge when you come to it! I have now done my B+E and my C so can drive either.
 
A lot of helpful but confusing advice, to try and simplify, when stopped by the nice policeman or VOSA agent they will look at the back of your driving licence, they will not bother with weights and calculations they will go off what they see on the lience. If it shows a car (B) only you cannot tow a trailer, if it shows a car (B) then a picture of a car and trailer (B+E)you can tow a trailer.
 
One important thing that needs to be mentioned is the safety of your horse, yourself, your pasengers and other members of the public.

If you are going to tow a horse or horses in a trailer then you really need a good heavy 4 x 4. Towing with a Freelander or any of the smaller 4 x 4's is just not safe. These vehicles are not designed for towing.

All you need is a situatuon where you have to brake suddenly, there is side wind or a large vehicle overtaking you and you can have serious problems.

It is just not worth the risk.
 
Thanks everyone for replies. I realised last night after I had posted that I would still need to take my test, and everyones replies have confirmed that. I had planned to do it in the first place - was just thrown from what i was reading on trailer manufacturer websites.

I would just take my B+E for now, as I would only need to cart 2 around max, so need for a lorry!
 
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