Down-plating trailers?

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SnowGoose

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Help! Am very confused about trailer weights and whether I need to take trailer to be down-plated if towing with a car.

Towing vehicle is 2011 mondeo 2.0 with 2000kg towing capacity. Trailer is IW505 max gross weight 2340kg and unladen 905kg. I will be towing one horse (565kg) plus kit so basing calculations on max 750kg meaning total weight towed will never be more than 1655kg.

Do I need to have max gross weight on trailer changed from 2340kg to 2000kg to fit with towing capacity of car or is the fact that weight actually towed is under 2000kg sufficient?

Thanks for help.
 
Sorry, still confused:o

From gov.uk site:
Part 2:
Car towing weight and width limits
Most cars have a maximum weight of what they can tow. It’s usually listed in the handbook or specification sheet.

Alternatively the vehicle’s gross train weight may be listed on the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate on the car. This is normally under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door. The gross train weight is the weight of the fully loaded car plus fully loaded trailer and must not be exceeded.

So..
From what I can see the towing capacity is the gross train weight minus the gross vehicle weight so in this case 2000kg. Does the trailer have to be plated that it's max gross weight + the vehicle gross weight don't exceed the gross train weight? Currently if I fully loaded the trailer to its maximum gross weight (2340kg for an IW505) it would exceed the max train weight by 340kg. Does it therefore need to be plated to max 2000kg to fit the rules or is it just if they physically put it on a weighbridge it would have to be less and the plate is irrelevant?

Sorry if I'm being a numpty :o
 
SnowGoose said:
Sorry, still confused:o

From gov.uk site:
Part 2:
Car towing weight and width limits
Most cars have a maximum weight of what they can tow. It’s usually listed in the handbook or specification sheet.

Alternatively the vehicle’s gross train weight may be listed on the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate on the car. This is normally under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door. The gross train weight is the weight of the fully loaded car plus fully loaded trailer and must not be exceeded.

So..
From what I can see the towing capacity is the gross train weight minus the gross vehicle weight so in this case 2000kg. Does the trailer have to be plated that it's max gross weight + the vehicle gross weight don't exceed the gross train weight? Currently if I fully loaded the trailer to its maximum gross weight (2340kg for an IW505) it would exceed the max train weight by 340kg. Does it therefore need to be plated to max 2000kg to fit the rules or is it just if they physically put it on a weighbridge it would have to be less and the plate is irrelevant?

Sorry if I'm being a numpty :o
Click to expand...
Its ok - this is why I am here :)

Perhaps if I explain what each thing means it will help ...

GVW = max what vehicle can weigh when fully loaded
MAM (trailer) = max what trailer can weigh when fully loaded
GVW = max actual weight both can be together when loaded (not fully loaded)
Towing capacity = max actual weight deemed safe for vehicle to tow

EXAMPLE:-
vehicle GVW = 2500
vehicle GTW = 4500
Vehicle towing capacity = 2000
Trailer MAM = 3500

Actual weights for the above
vehicle 2500
trailer 2000
TOTAL for GTW = 4500

All the above have been complied with ...

GVW not exceeded
MAM not exceeded
towing capacity not exceeded
GTW not exceeded
 
So as long as I don't physically exceed the GTW when towing, the MAM the trailer is plated at is irrelevant?

(I'm presuming the MAM the same as the max gross weight stated for the IW505 at 2340kg?)

Thanks, just wanted to be sure as heard someone had been pulled over for having trailer plated with greater max weight than towing capacity of car and 'fully loaded weight' in gov regs is bit ambiguous as to whether that's what you actually load it to or what its plated as being capable of carrying!

Beginning to think the money pit that was my 7.5tonne lorry was actually less complicated :o
 
SnowGoose said:
So as long as I don't physically exceed the GTW when towing, the MAM the trailer is plated at is irrelevant?

(I'm presuming the MAM the same as the max gross weight stated for the IW505 at 2340kg?)

Thanks, just wanted to be sure as heard someone had been pulled over for having trailer plated with greater max weight than towing capacity of car and 'fully loaded weight' in gov regs is bit ambiguous as to whether that's what you actually load it to or what its plated as being capable of carrying!

Beginning to think the money pit that was my 7.5tonne lorry was actually less complicated :o
Click to expand...
Correct as long as you do not exceed trailer MAM
correct again
Internet myth which nobody can back up with any evidence of such happening
 
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