Towing Experts...some help pls

Shutterbug

Shutterbug

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Im thinking of buying an Ifor Williams 403 - am aware that it is possible to tow this without the need for a towing license if the right car is selected.

So, does anyone know what kind of car I would have to be driving to tow a 403 legally without the need to pay a fortune for a flippin towing test?

Thanks
 
I'm in a similar situation, there isnt clear legislation on what age you can be to tow, what weight the trailer and laden weight of the towing vehicle etc

i'v been told by the chap who's going to do my test for me, that if your licence was issued after 1997 (some people have said 1990) that you have to have a licence regardless ??

be great if some one could just nail it for the rest of us LOL ... if your in s.wales i can put you intouch with someone who does the trailer test for £80 xx
 
Im going from information from the Ifor Williams website which states:

"A 4x4 may not be necessary to tow the HB403 (depending on vehicle’s towing capacity) and also provides towing options for drivers without the B+E category on their driving licence."

linky http://www.gttrailers.co.uk/ifor_williams_hb403.php?submenuheader=5

sorry not the actual Ifor Williams website - a towing website

Unfortunately Im in Scotland - but its about £500 to do the trailer test up here - thats the cheapest I could find - would probably be cheaper driving to Wales lol
 
Car licences held before 1 January 1997
All drivers who passed a car test before 1 January 1997 retain their existing entitlement to tow trailers until their licence expires. This means they are generally entitled to drive a vehicle and trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes MAM. They also have entitlement to drive a minibus with a trailer over 750kgs MAM.
Drivers who hold subcategory C1+E - limited to 8.25 tonnes MAM, may apply for provisional entitlement to the new subcategory C1+E, in order to take and pass the test which will increase their combined vehicle and trailer entitlement to 12 tonnes MAM. It is not necessary to gain subcategory C1 entitlement first but drivers have to meet higher medical standards, and pass both the category C theory test and the subcategory C1+E practical test.

Car driving licence first obtained since 1 January 1997
Drivers who passed a car test on or after 1 January 1997 are required to pass an additional driving test in order to gain entitlement to category B+E and all larger vehicles. In addition to the new driving tests, drivers of vehicles which fall within subcategories C1, C1+E, D1 and D1+E also have to meet higher medical standards.-

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_4022564
 
to tow without B+E entitlement, your train weight (trailer+car+all load) has to be within 3.5t, your trailer's MAM has to be no more than the vehicles unladen weight.
So, I tow with my X-trail (unladen around 1500kg) a trailer with a MAM of 1400kg, X-trail gross weight is 2050kg, therefore I am just within the 3.5t limit.
 
So it stands as it was then if you took your test after January 1997 you have to take the new test.

Just a thought but the Caravan and Camping club started doing towing training and tests they were £99 but that was abgout 3 or 4 years ago. Ignore if they do not do it anymore but they used to do them all over the country.
 
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