Towing !

Horseback Rider

Horseback Rider

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Ok so I have managed to find a couple of cheapish Rice trailers but as they are on the mainland and I have to get one of them back to my little Island I need to work out if my Ford Focus 1.6 would be ok to pull an empty one.

So am I just looking to find out what the unlade weight of the trailer is and then I have to check the total amount that my car can tow ? e.g car can tow a total of 1200kg trailer weighs 300kg so car cannot weigh more than 900kg ?

I know I can't tow it with the horse in it but just need to be able to collect it.

Excuse my complete ignorance on this subject I have never been in a position where I have had both horse I actually want to take to shows and the limited funds to buy the transport :-)
 
Your car can tow a maximum of 1200 kilos. A Rice trailer is between 1150 and 1400 kilos depending on model not 300kilos. If it is 1200 kilos or less then you should be okay.
 
The trailer weight should be written on the tow bar, I'd be suprised if its 300kg, my Bakewell is 800kg and thats light, my Vitara can tow 1850kg so my horse and a pony, but usually on take mine
 
flying solo said:
You need to check your cars maximum towing weight and the unladen weight of the trailer. The trailer weight should not exceed the cars towing weight (i think this is right) x
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Almost right - the actual weight of the trailer and its load must not exceed the listed towing capacity - that is true for towing on both B and B+E licences

There are of course other rules but they are specific depending on which licence (B or B+E) the driver has
 
Thanks for all the replies. I do know the trailer is more than 300kg - this was just to show the mathematical example.

Rog - I can't tow on my licence so it will either be my brother / OH who passed there tests donkeys ago
 
I doubt very much if the trailers 300kg, perhaps 1300kg!!

As someone said there should be a metal plate on chassis saying what the unladen and gross weight is.
 
Horseback Rider said:
Thanks for all the replies. I do know the trailer is more than 300kg - this was just to show the mathematical example.

Rog - I can't tow on my licence so it will either be my brother / OH who passed there tests donkeys ago
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You CAN leaglly tow if you have a B licence but it is very restrictive

Legal example
Your car has a max weight when loaded of 2000kgs (handbook will tell you or find specifications on internet)
Your car weighs 1200kgs when empty (handbook will tell you or find specifications on internet or trip to weighbridge)
The trailer is plated at 1200kgs, weighs 500kgs empty so can carry 700kgs
The towing capacity listed for your car is 1200kgs (handbook will tell you or find specifications on internet)

As the towing capacity (1200) for the car has not been exceeded, the plated weight on the trailer (1200) is not MORE than the unladen weight of the car (1200) and the max weight of the car (2000) plus the plated weight of the trailer (1200) is only 3200 which is lower than 3500 then you are OK to tow it
 
I looked into this a little further - towing with a ford focus 1.6 on a B licence

Not certain if I have these specs correct though ....
http://www.config.ford.co.uk/fordconnection/multimedia/gbr_en/00i/yyh/gbr_en00iyyhmodelspc.htm
Unladen/kerb weight 1344
Gross vehicle mass/GVW/MAM 1900
Gross train weight/GTW 3100
Max towing mass/capacity/actual weight being towed 1200

I not a horsey person but I think the weight of a horse is about 500kgs ??

Allowing an extra 100 for other bits then the trailer needs to be able to carry 600kgs
To carry 600 it needs to weigh no more than 600 unladen/empty for the 1200 rule
It needs to be plated at not much more than 1300 to be within the 1344 rule
1900+1300=3200 so thats within the 3500 rules for B towing
Dont worry about the 3200 being over the 3100 as that 3100 refers to the actual weights and not the plated weights being used

I am sure others with more knowledge on the actual weight of trailers and horses will come along with their input ...... please .....
 
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