Downgrading the plated weight of a trailer

[Lowen Ki]

I've just emailed Ifor about this, but has anybody had it done? Just trying to find out if it's possible, and if you had it done how much did it cost?
Thanks in advance!

 

[peaceandquiet1]

I did this when I bought my trailer from IW. It didn't cost anything. The dealership dealt with it.

 

[Lowen Ki]

That's super news, thanks horsemadmum! Am after a 401 or a 403 and then planning to downgrade the plated weight so I can tow legally - actual laden weight of a 401 or 403 with my pony in it is only 1160kg, yet the plated weight of the trailer is 1600kg! Don't need all that extra weight plated on there really

 

[ROG]

That's super news, thanks horsemadmum! Am after a 401 or a 403 and then planning to downgrade the plated weight so I can tow legally - actual laden weight of a 401 or 403 with my pony in it is only 1160kg, yet the plated weight of the trailer is 1600kg! Don't need all that extra weight plated on there really

If you are towing with a B+E licence then there is absolutely no point in downplating a trailer

To conform to B licence towing it might be necessary

What licence and vehicle do you have?

 

[Lowen Ki]

No I don't have my trailer license, as I passed my test after 1997. We're done the sums with a 401/403 and with a marginally downgraded plated weight, I could tow this model with my BMW touring, without having to take my trailer test.

 

[ROG]

No I don't have my trailer license, as I passed my test after 1997. We're done the sums with a 401/403 and with a marginally downgraded plated weight, I could tow this model with my BMW touring, without having to take my trailer test.

Makes sense and it's good that you have worked out the correct figures

What weight do you have to downplate to so it conforms to the unladen weight and total GVW/MAM?

ADD -
I guess you need to downplate to 1500 becausee I found some BMW touring specs at
unladen 1575
GVW 2000
towing capacity 1700
?????

 

[shadowboy]

We did it to ours. Cost 30 pounds. No probs! But Im not insured on OHs car as its his company car so still can't tow!

 

[Lowen Ki]

Essentially the existing trailer MAM is 1600kg which added to the maximum permissible weight of my BMW is under 3.5 tonnes. The bit of the regs I can't conform to with this combination as it stands, is the rule whereby the MAM of the trailer must be less than the unladen weight of the towing vehicle - we're about 35kg out! Irritating huh?! But I bet we'd get pulled up on it if we risked it!

The actual combination weight of this trailer model plus my pony comes to 1167kg, so we're hoping to downgrade the MAM on the trailer plate to 1450kg - so we would easily remain within these new weight limits PLUS it would mean that the MAM of the trailer would be less than the unladen weight of my towing vehicle.

Think we've got it sussed... was a massive headache though!

 

[Lowen Ki]

Oh no Shadowboy that is irritating! After all the faff of changing the plate! Starting to get excited that I can make this work though

 

[ROG]

What a fantastic thread!!

It just shows what can be done to conform for B licence towing with a little bit of clever planning and understanding of the rules

PS - did you know these rules or did you pick them up on this site?

 

[Lowen Ki]

Thanks ROG! We researched the rules ourselves and read all the regulations just to be certain, but then thought we'd hit a brick wall with the 'trailer MAM must be less than the unladen vehicle weight' bit - until I was googling it and found someone mention on a forum in 2008 that they'd had their trailer plate downgraded. We did all the sums just to be sure, and I've emailed Ifor just for final confirmation but think we've found a nice little loophole! Means I could be out and about with my pony now without having to drag the hubby out in the rain every weekend, a perfect solution!! Thank you everybody for your help! x