Welcome to HHO Towing Clinic

[Willow1306]

Me again!

Please can you advise if the following would be suitable for towing a lightweight trailer and 500kg thoroughbred on a B license as I still can't get my head around it:

Car spec:
Kerbweight: Min 1450
GVW: 2060
Braked towing limit: 1400

Thank you

 

[ROG]

Me again!

Please can you advise if the following would be suitable for towing a lightweight trailer and 500kg thoroughbred on a B license as I still can't get my head around it:

Car spec:
Kerbweight: Min 1450
GVW: 2060
Braked towing limit: 1400

Thank you

YES - GVW 2060 means you can tow a trailer plated at 1400 (1400 also happens to be your max tow limit so pointless having a plated MAM higher)

Examples
IW HB401/3 Empty 787kg with 1600 MAM down plated to 1400 leaving max trailer load of 633kg
Bateson Derby 675kg empty with 1700 MAM dow plated to 1400 leaving max trailer load of 725kg

About £50 to down plate with IW
About £10 to down plate with Bateson

You contact trailer manufacturer
You remove original plate and send it to manufacturer with money
Manufacturer sends you new plate
You fit new plate

 

[Willow1306]

Thanks! I've just double checked and the GVW is actually 1980, not 2060. Does that change the outcome?

Sorry!

 

[ROG]

Thanks! I've just double checked and the GVW is actually 1980, not 2060. Does that change the outcome?

Sorry!

Not really because although the trailer can be plated at 1500 with a 1960 GVW the max tow is only 1400 so if you plate at 1500 you can still only use the max trailer load figures I posted

 

[friesianfan69]

I need the car GVW before giving you a definitive answer which will be between 2100 and 2300

post 3000 gives how to get that figure

Hi Again, My hubby wants to buy me a new car, an Nissan xtrail Tekna Dci 2 litre
Would that still be ok?

 

[ROG]

Hi Again, My hubby wants to buy me a new car, an Nissan xtrail Tekna Dci 2 litre
Would that still be ok?

I think - not certain for the model you mentioned - that the GVW is just under 2100 so that means you can tow a trailer with a 1400kg MAM on a B licence

 

[friesianfan69]

I think - not certain for the model you mentioned - that the GVW is just under 2100 so that means you can tow a trailer with a 1400kg MAM on a B licence

is the gvw inside the drivers door?

 

[ROG]

is the gvw inside the drivers door?

Can be or under the bonnet
They like hiding those plates with the 4 numbers on them - top number is GVW - second number is also useful

 

[friesianfan69]

I think - not certain for the model you mentioned - that the GVW is just under 2100 so that means you can tow a trailer with a 1400kg MAM on a B licence

 

[ROG]

GVW 2170
Max tow limit 2000
Max plated MAM on a trailer with a B licence is 1330

With a 1330 MAM trailer -
IW HB401/3 which is 787 empty would be a max trailer load of 543
Bateson Derby which is 695 empty would be a max trailer load of 635

 

[friesianfan69]

GVW 2170
Max tow limit 2000
Max plated MAM on a trailer with a B licence is 1330

With a 1330 MAM trailer -
IW HB401/3 which is 787 empty would be a max trailer load of 543
Bateson Derby which is 695 empty would be a max trailer load of 635

I have a 401 , so pony tack etc would have to be 543 max?

 

[ROG]

I have a 401 , so pony tack etc would have to be 543 max?

If you can get IW to down plate it to 1330 then yes BUT it could be the nearest they can down plate to is 1300 sp max trailer load will be 513 in that situation

Tack could go in boot of car

 

[friesianfan69]

If you can get IW to down plate it to 1330 then yes BUT it could be the nearest they can down plate to is 1300 sp max trailer load will be 513 in that situation

Tack could go in boot of car

And that car, trailer and pony weight would all be safe to tow?

 

[ROG]

And that car, trailer and pony weight would all be safe to tow?

Nissan X trail towing a trailer that weighs say 750 empty loaded with a 500 horse and 50 tack making 1300 with a vehicle that can tow 2000 is easily safe

 

[friesianfan69]

Nissan X trail towing a trailer that weighs say 750 empty loaded with a 500 horse and 50 tack making 1300 with a vehicle that can tow 2000 is easily safe

at present its downplaited to 1450, so i need to go down more?
Pony weighs about 440

 

[ROG]

at present its downplaited to 1450, so i need to go down more?
Pony weighs about 440

Yes
2170 + 1450 = 3620 so 120 over 3500 limit for B licence

 

[AyDavey21]

Absolutely amazing write up. Very informative.

Some more details about the B+E driving test too... https://www.trainforgroup.com/about-the-b-plus-e-test

 

[ROG]

Absolutely amazing write up. Very informative.

Some more details about the B+E driving test too... https://www.trainforgroup.com/about-the-b-plus-e-test

Not happy what they wrote =
You can only tow a trailer with a car or van as long as the TOTAL weight of both DOES NOT exceed 3,500kgs / 3.5 tonne.
that should read the TOTAL of the plated (MAM+GVW) weights or people will think it means the actual weight when loaded

 

[friesianfan69]

Yes
2170 + 1450 = 3620 so 120 over 3500 limit for B licence

Hi Rog can you message me please?

 

[ROG]

Hi Rog can you message me please?

Messaging turned off permanently

 

[friesianfan69]

Messaging turned off permanently

So 1300 or 1330?

 

[ROG]

So 1300 or 1330?

1330 if trailer manufacturer will do that but settle for 1300 if not

 

[friesianfan69]

Ok Thankyou for your help.
And I’d be totally legal?
What if you are pulled over and weighed? Or does it not work like that?

 

[ROG]

Ok Thankyou for your help.
And I’d be totally legal?
What if you are pulled over and weighed? Or does it not work like that?

Car GVW 2170 + trailer 1330 or 1300 means the total of the plated weights are not over 3500 so legal to tow on a B licence

If you think that either the vehicle or the trailer might be over their respective plated weight limits then you are legally allowed to go to your nearest public weighbridge and have them weighed
If found to be overloaded then you are legally allowed to back to where you loaded them and reduce the excess weight
Unlikely that you will overload either if you know you max load limits and you know the weight of what you are loading

 

[friesianfan69]

Car GVW 2170 + trailer 1330 or 1300 means the total of the plated weights are not over 3500 so legal to tow on a B licence

If you think that either the vehicle or the trailer might be over their respective plated weight limits then you are legally allowed to go to your nearest public weighbridge and have them weighed
If found to be overloaded then you are legally allowed to back to where you loaded them and reduce the excess weight
Unlikely that you will overload either if you know you max load limits and you know the weight of what you are loading

I see that’s great then, I think we have a local weigh bridge so might go at some point. I think I’m well under though . Thankyou do much for your advice.

 

[ROG]

I see that’s great then, I think we have a local weigh bridge so might go at some point. I think I’m well under though . Thankyou do much for your advice.

If you do go to a standard weighbridge - the type with the large metal plate that an artic can fit on - then get 3 weights by doing this = no need to unhitch
Drive vehicle onto the plate leaving trailer wheels just before the plate - note weight 1 = vehicle
Now drive forward putting both vehicle and trailer onto plate - note weight 2 = total of both
Now drive forward so rear wheels of vehicle are just off the plate - note weight 3 = trailer
You will find that 1 + 3 will equal 2

 

[friesianfan69]

If you do go to a standard weighbridge - the type with the large metal plate that an artic can fit on - then get 3 weights by doing this = no need to unhitch
Drive vehicle onto the plate leaving trailer wheels just before the plate - note weight 1 = vehicle
Now drive forward putting both vehicle and trailer onto plate - note weight 2 = total of both
Now drive forward so rear wheels of vehicle are just off the plate - note weight 3 = trailer
You will find that 1 + 3 will equal 2

Ok I will Thankyou, do I have pony to?

 

[ROG]

Ok I will Thankyou, do I have pony to?

Load both vehicle and trailer as though you were going out with them for a hack etc

 

[zoon]

Hi ROG

currently have B licence, was planning on B+E but lockdown has put a hold on that, so wondering whether I can tow on my current licence?

I have a 2016 Kia Sportage KX4. This ifo if from a quick google, so I hope correct. Will have to double check plate in car.
Unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle - 1600
GVW of the towing vehicle - 2140kg
GTW and/or towing capacity of the towing vehicle - 2200
Plated MAM of the trailer or if no plate then the load rating on the tyres - 1600
Unladen/empty weight of the trailer - 767 (ifor Williams 403) or 750 (cheval liberte touring one)

 

[ROG]

Hi ROG

currently have B licence, was planning on B+E but lockdown has put a hold on that, so wondering whether I can tow on my current licence?

I have a 2016 Kia Sportage KX4. This ifo if from a quick google, so I hope correct. Will have to double check plate in car.
Unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle - 1600
GVW of the towing vehicle - 2140kg
GTW and/or towing capacity of the towing vehicle - 2200
Plated MAM of the trailer or if no plate then the load rating on the tyres - 1600
Unladen/empty weight of the trailer - 767 (ifor Williams 403) or 750 (cheval liberte touring one)

2140 GVW leaves you 1360 for a trailer MAM
You need to down plate trailer via a call to the manufacturer
Down plating the trailer to 1300 would leave a max trailer load of 533 for a 403 or 650 for cheval

What weight do you need to load into the trailer?