Welcome to HHO Towing Clinic

[chestnutx]

Thanks rog. So if I tow my pony and the trailer and him weigh 1.7t or less then I am legal regardless of the fact the mam of trailer is 3t?

Sorry just double checking!

Have you any idea how much these really old trailers are? I.m sure they are a lot heavier than current trailers!

 

[chestnuttyy]

Lets say a car is 1500 unladen/kerbweight and 2000 GVW - that means 500 can go in the car

Lets say the trailer is 800 unladen/empty and has a MAM of 1400 - that means 600 can go in the trailer

As long as the GTW for the vehicle is 3400 or over then all can be fully loaded
GTW is usually, but not always, the GVW plus the towing capacity

The GTW is the top number on the plate in the vehicle
The GVW is the second number
The two lower numbers are max axle weights with the front listed first

Well, I did not know that!!

So my total weight - car, trailer everything IS allowed to be over 3.5 tonnes providing the GVW of the car + trailer MAM is 3.5 tonnes or less? (obvs taking kerb weight into consideration too)

 

[ROG]

Thanks rog. So if I tow my pony and the trailer and him weigh 1.7t or less then I am legal regardless of the fact the mam of trailer is 3t?

Sorry just double checking!

Have you any idea how much these really old trailers are? I.m sure they are a lot heavier than current trailers!

You could alway take it to a weighbridge empty to find out the true unladen weight

With a B+E licence then having a trailer/load of 1.7 with a towing capacity of 1.8 should be no problem

 

[ROG]

Well, I did not know that!!

So my total weight - car, trailer everything IS allowed to be over 3.5 tonnes providing the GVW of the car + trailer MAM is 3.5 tonnes or less? (obvs taking kerb weight into consideration too)

You cannot have a total weight over 3500 when the totals of the GVW+MAM are 3500 as that would be illegal
The same applies if the GTW is say 4000

Each part has a weight limit and there is also a total weight limit gor everything
None of those parts must have their max weight exceeded

Vehicle GVW 2000
Vehicle GTW 4000
Trailer MAM 1500
As none of those above weights must be exceeded then the max actual weight cannot be more than 3500 (2000+1500=3500)

On a B+E licence this can be the case
Vehicle GVW 2000
Vehicle GTW 4000
Trailer MAM 3500
Although th GVW+MAM add up to 5500 the GTW of 4000 will kick in first so if the vehicle is loaded to 1700 then the trailer max will be 2300 (1700+2300=4000)

 

[Billabongchick]

Thank you for the information! Much appreciated.

 

[chestnuttyy]

So I was right in the first instance?! If my gvw is say 2000, trailer weight is 1300 with horse in then I would have 200kg left for people, tack, water etc?

All above weights are examples btw!

 

[chestnuttyy]

Above post is for B Licence

 

[ROG]

So I was right in the first instance?! If my gvw is say 2000, trailer weight is 1300 with horse in then I would have 200kg left for people, tack, water etc?

All above weights are examples btw!

If the car is 2000 GVW and has a kerbweight of 1500 then you can put 500 into the car

If the trailer is 1500 MAM and 800 unladen then 700 can go into the trailer

If the GTW on the vehicle plate is listed below 3500 then both cannot be loaded to max capacity

Lets say the GTW is listed as 3300 on the car weight plate then you could have any of these examples ... actual weights given not GVW/MAM weights but GVW/MAM weights must not be exceeded
Car 1800 + trailer 1500
car 2000 + trailer 1300
car 1900 + trailer 1400
etc etc

 

[chestnutx]

You could alway take it to a weighbridge empty to find out the true unladen weight

With a B+E licence then having a trailer/load of 1.7 with a towing capacity of 1.8 should be no problem

Thank you! You are a towing superstar!

 

[chestnuttyy]

If the car is 2000 GVW and has a kerbweight of 1500 then you can put 500 into the car

If the trailer is 1500 MAM and 800 unladen then 700 can go into the trailer

If the GTW on the vehicle plate is listed below 3500 then both cannot be loaded to max capacity

Lets say the GTW is listed as 3300 on the car weight plate then you could have any of these examples ... actual weights given not GVW/MAM weights but GVW/MAM weights must not be exceeded
Car 1800 + trailer 1500
car 2000 + trailer 1300
car 1900 + trailer 1400
etc etc

OK.. so is the kerbweight the unladen weight of the car and the GVW is the max the car is allowed to weigh with a load in it?

So GVW-Kerbweight = amount you can put in the car?

 

[ROG]

OK.. so is the kerbweight the unladen weight of the car and the GVW is the max the car is allowed to weight with a load in it? So GVW-Kerbweight = amount you can put in the car?

YOU GOT IT

 

[chestnuttyy]

YOU GOT IT

Ohhhhh I thought GVW was the actual weight of the car!

Light bulb moment!!

Oh so actually... *Scampers off to review car hunt*

If I post some workings out... can you check them for me?! I don't trust myself now

 

[ROG]

If I post some workings out... can you check them for me?!

That is why I am here

Just remind me each time what licence you will be towing with (B or B+E)

What I need is this....

Licence B or B+E

Vehicle
Kerbweight
GVW
towing capacity

Trailer
unladen
MAM

 

[chestnuttyy]

OK soooo...

B LICENCE

Honda CRV:

GVW = 2140
Kerbweight = 1631
Towing weight = 1500
Trailer = 770 unladen
Horse (load) = 500KG

SOOOO

Loaded Trailer weight = 1300 KG (rounded up)

Kerbweight + loaded trailer weight = 2931

3500 - 2931 = max load of 569KG in the car?!

do i get extra points for my working out?! lol

sorry i need to go by trailer MAM because of my licence don't i? so my trailer is plated at 1420KG... so I just minus 120KG off that total...

 

[ROG]

OK soooo...

B LICENCE

Honda CRV:

GVW = 2140
Kerbweight = 1631
Towing weight = 1500
Trailer = 770 unladen
Horse (load) = 500KG

SOOOO

Loaded Trailer weight = 1300 KG (rounded up)

Kerbweight + loaded trailer weight = 2931

3500 - 2931 = max load of 569KG in the car?!

do i get extra points for my working out?! lol

sorry i need to go by trailer MAM because of my licence don't i? so my trailer is plated at 1420KG... so I just minus 120KG off that total...

1420-1300=120 spare in trailer

2140+1420=3560 = OOPS 60 kgs over legal B towing limit
1420 is not more than 1631 so thats ok

 

[chestnuttyy]

1420-1300=120 spare in trailer

2140+1420=3560 = OOPS 60 kgs over legal B towing limit
1420 is not more than 1631 so thats ok

OK so if I knocked my trailer plated weight (MAM) down by 60KG, I can put 509 KG in the car?!

 

[ROG]

OK so if I knocked my trailer plated weight (MAM) down by 60KG, I can put 509 KG in the car?!

You got the 509 right

And yes, reduce the trailer plated MAM by 60 from 1420 to 1360 and that will then be ok

1360-770=590 for the horse/load

 

[chestnuttyy]

You got the 509 right

And yes, reduce the trailer plated MAM by 60 from 1420 to 1360 and that will then be ok

1360-770=590 for the horse/load

OK so when I'm working this out I need to first do:

GVW + Trailer MAM

See if that = 3500 or less. If it doesn't work out what alteration I would have to make to my plate & see if it's sensible. In this case 590KG is more than enough.

THEN do GVW - Kerb weight = amount I can shove in the car in the form of people/ water/ tack/ general stuff.

I hope I've got it this time never was very good at maths!!

 

[ROG]

OK so when I'm working this out I need to first do:

GVW + Trailer MAM

See if that = 3500 or less. If it doesn't work out what alteration I would have to make to my plate & see if it's sensible. In this case 590KG is more than enough.

THEN do GVW - Kerb weight = amount I can shove in the car in the form of people/ water/ tack/ general stuff.

I hope I've got it this time never was very good at maths!!

GVW+trailer MAM must not add up to more than 3500
Trailer MAM must not be more than kerbweight
Those are the two main rules for B licence towing

GVW-kerbweight=amount you can put in car
Trailer MAM-trailer unladen weight = amount that can go in trailer

 

[chestnuttyy]

GVW+trailer MAM must not add up to more than 3500
Trailer MAM must not be more than kerbweight
Those are the two main rules for B licence towing

GVW-kerbweight=amount you can put in car
Trailer MAM-trailer unladen weight = amount that can go in trailer

Got it! Thanks ever so much

So i CAN go for a Honda CR-V! Shame they're so hard to find!

 

[Beetlebug]

Quote:

HB505 max gross weight is 2340KG, unladen weight is 905KG
The maximum trailer plated MAM on a B licence where the vehicle has a GVW of 2080 will be 1420 so the trailer will need to be down plated to a max of 1420 and that can be done by contacting Ifor williams - the cost will be little or nothing but will need taking to an Ifor dealer to be changed

At 1420 kgs plated MAM and a 905 unladen weight the trailer will be able to be loaded with a max of 515 kgs which is not enough for your 550 kgs horse etc

You have the right vehicle but not the right trailer for B licence towing

Something with a lower unladen weight is needed - perhaps an ifor HB401 or 403 which has an unladen weight of about 770 kgs which would leave 650 kgs for the horse/load
Last edited by ROG; 27-01-13 at 12:35 PM..

Hi Rog as I am hiring a trailer I will have to change the car which car do you recommend?? Thanks

 

[Beetlebug]

Sorry using my phone and you cannot quote what some has wrote

Due to me hiring a trailer (505) and my horse been 520kg (got him weighed) and my dad driving on a B licence. What car can I get to tow so it's legal???

Thanks

 

[ROG]

Sorry using my phone and you cannot quote what some has wrote

Due to me hiring a trailer (505) and my horse been 520kg (got him weighed) and my dad driving on a B licence. What car can I get to tow so it's legal???

Thanks

Hired trailers will not have the MAM downplated so it is impossible to use them on a B licence

 

[Beetlebug]

Thanks Rog if you have a licence before 1997 would that be suitable as per the above? My dads licence is ore 1997 sorry I got it wrong it's only when I have researched it says on the gov website that they can drive a vehicle and trailer combo up to 8.25 tones ...

I might just take my B&E test at this rate

 

[ROG]

Thanks Rog if you have a licence before 1997 would that be suitable as per the above? My dads licence is before 1997 sorry I got it wrong it's only when I have researched it says on the gov website that they can drive a vehicle and trailer combo up to 8.25 tones ...

I might just take my B&E test at this rate

No problems at all on a B+E licence for what you want to do

Techniically he can drive a B+E with no upper weight restriction

The 8.250 max is for the pre 1997 LGV C1+E which he has

 

[Beetlebug]

No problems at all on a B+E licence for what you want to do

Techniically he can drive a B+E with no upper weight restriction

The 8.250 max is for the pre 1997 LGV C1+E which he has

Thank you so much this Tread has been the most helpful tread on here I now can make sure I tow my horse legally and safely so thanks for your help

 

[ROG]

Thank you so much this Tread has been the most helpful tread on here I now can make sure I tow my horse legally and safely so thanks for your help

Using a B+E licence the one thing to really abide by is the manufacturers recommended towing capacity which is the actual weight that they have designed their vehicle to tow

If the towing capacity is 1500 and the weight of the empty trailer is 900 loaded with a horse of 600 then that is ok providing the plated trailer MAM is at least 1500 of course !!

 

[orionstar]

I've got a Mitsubishi l200, and a horse thats 17.2hh around 720kg at last check, I'm looking to buy a 510 or 511 (she's travelled in a 510 a few times no problem), but I'm worried that I'll be over weight if I agree to take another horse to a show, now I have an ancient licence, so I'm not restricted that way, but dont want to struggle to tow, and I'm not one for overdoing it with horses on board, but unsure about the maximum tow weights as everyone has their own advice!

 

[ROG]

I've got a Mitsubishi l200, and a horse thats 17.2hh around 720kg at last check, I'm looking to buy a 510 or 511 (she's travelled in a 510 a few times no problem), but I'm worried that I'll be over weight if I agree to take another horse to a show, now I have an ancient licence, so I'm not restricted that way, but dont want to struggle to tow, and I'm not one for overdoing it with horses on board, but unsure about the maximum tow weights as everyone has their own advice!

The L200 has at least a 2700 kgs towing capacity but can be uprated for more apparently !!

A HB510/511 is about 900 kgs empty
Your horse is 720 kgs

That is 1620 being towed with a 2700 capacity and at least a 1000 to spare

 

[D66]

Advice needed please ROG.

What size vehicle will I need to take one large horse say 500kg but still growing, a four wheeled carriage (180kg) and harness etc with overnight living accommodation. Oh says we can have (a cheap) lorry, but will I need an HGV licence or is there a way of doing it without.


One option is to have horse and living on the lorry and tow a trailer with the carriage on it, How does this affect the weights?

Test passed in 1976! I'm a confident driver inc towing and reversing, etc.