Welcome to HHO Towing Clinic

A

Akkalia1

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 October 2008
Messages
358
Visit site
Aha, I was about to post my own thread, but this is far better. I have a question... I have been tormenting myself with weights of cars, weights of trailers and what I can tow for some time now, I keep thinking I understand it but I'm not totally sure.

I'm taking my trailer test in June and assuming I pass I shall be buying a trailer. Now this may well be a stupid question coming up... I have a Seat Leon 1.4 turbo hatchback which I love, it's economical to run and road tax is low. I'm so reluctant to go to a gas guzzling 4x4 with astronomical road tax. But I don't think I've seen a hatchback towing a trailer, ever. However I did some investigations.

My car has a braked towing capacity of 1500kgs. If I get a Bateson lightweight double at 675kg unladen weight and add my horse at 500kg I'm well under the limit. The MAM of the trailer is 1700kg, what I'm struggling to find out is does my car need to be capable of pulling the MAM of the trailer to be legal? Help please ROG?!! I also saw something about the weight of what you're towing shouldn't be more than 85% of the kerb weight of your car? Is this also the law or was that not true?

Also, even IF my car would be legal to tow this trailer and my horse, would it be wise? Seems like it's an awful lot to tow with a small car. Plus I couldn't park in a muddy field with any hope of getting out. :D But I love my nice economical car :(
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
Akkalia1 said:
Aha, I was about to post my own thread, but this is far better. I have a question... I have been tormenting myself with weights of cars, weights of trailers and what I can tow for some time now, I keep thinking I understand it but I'm not totally sure.

I'm taking my trailer test in June and assuming I pass I shall be buying a trailer. Now this may well be a stupid question coming up... I have a Seat Leon 1.4 turbo hatchback which I love, it's economical to run and road tax is low. I'm so reluctant to go to a gas guzzling 4x4 with astronomical road tax. But I don't think I've seen a hatchback towing a trailer, ever. However I did some investigations.

My car has a braked towing capacity of 1500kgs. If I get a Bateson lightweight double at 675kg unladen weight and add my horse at 500kg I'm well under the limit. The MAM of the trailer is 1700kg, what I'm struggling to find out is does my car need to be capable of pulling the MAM of the trailer to be legal? Help please ROG?!! I also saw something about the weight of what you're towing shouldn't be more than 85% of the kerb weight of your car? Is this also the law or was that not true?

Also, even IF my car would be legal to tow this trailer and my horse, would it be wise? Seems like it's an awful lot to tow with a small car. Plus I couldn't park in a muddy field with any hope of getting out. :D But I love my nice economical car :(
Click to expand...

see post number 2728 above

85% issue is for caravans only
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
pinkypug1 said:
I got the 2000 from the online specs of the vehicle not under the bonnet. Is 2000 low or high?? Will have a look there later. Mare is def below 600kg
Click to expand...
I would deffo double check GVW but if higher than 2000 then down plate trailer further perhaps to 1400
 
A

Akkalia1

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 October 2008
Messages
358
Visit site
Ooops, sorry ROG, didn't read previous posts. Ok, so my car should be able to tow it then? Is it bonkers to consider towing a horse trailer with a seat leon 3dr hatchback, despite it seeming to be legal, don't want to put too much strain on my car?
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
Akkalia1 said:
Ooops, sorry ROG, didn't read previous posts. Ok, so my car should be able to tow it then? Is it bonkers to consider towing a horse trailer with a seat leon 3dr hatchback, despite it seeming to be legal, don't want to put too much strain on my car?
Click to expand...
Vehicle towing limits have been carefully considered by the manufacturers because if they did not they they would get sued in court a lot !
 
A

Akkalia1

Well-Known Member
Joined
3 October 2008
Messages
358
Visit site
ROG said:
You do not need B+E to tow that set up if you down plate the trailer
Click to expand...

Oh rubbish! I had calculated it all and knew I couldn't do it on my B license, but I didn't know about the option of downplating then. So I've already booked and paid for my test. Still I think it'll be useful to have for the future and also good to know that if I fail I can still tow by downplating!
 
W

winstonator

New User
Joined
5 March 2014
Messages
6
Location
Acomb Northumberland
Visit site
Hi ROC

I would apprecaite confirmation that I can legally tow the following:

1 - What licence they hold - B or BE
B, B1 and BE

2 - Unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
Is this "Mass in Service" as per my V5C? If so, its 1625kg

3 - GVW of the towing vehicle
Is this "Revenue Weight" or "Maximum Permissable Mass" as per my V5C? If so, its 2180kg (both are same)

4 - GTW and/or towing capacity of the towing vehicle
"Techincal permissable maximum towable mass" as per V5C is 1800kg

5 - Plated MAM of the trailer or if no plate then the load rating on the tyres
Is this fully ladden weight of trailer? If so its 1600kg

6 - Unladen/empty weight of the trailer "
Unladden 767kg.

Horse is approx 450kg (max 500kg)
Trailer is IFOR Williams 403 current year model

Thank you.
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
winstonator said:
Hi ROC

I would apprecaite confirmation that I can legally tow the following:

1 - What licence they hold - B or BE
B, B1 and BE

2 - Unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
Is this "Mass in Service" as per my V5C? If so, its 1625kg

3 - GVW of the towing vehicle
Is this "Revenue Weight" or "Maximum Permissable Mass" as per my V5C? If so, its 2180kg (both are same)

4 - GTW and/or towing capacity of the towing vehicle
"Techincal permissable maximum towable mass" as per V5C is 1800kg

5 - Plated MAM of the trailer or if no plate then the load rating on the tyres
Is this fully ladden weight of trailer? If so its 1600kg

6 - Unladen/empty weight of the trailer "
Unladden 767kg.

Horse is approx 450kg (max 500kg)
Trailer is IFOR Williams 403 current year model

Thank you.
Click to expand...
ALL LEGAL
Max load for trailer = 833kg (1600-767=833)
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
winstonator said:
Hi ROC

I would apprecaite confirmation that I can legally tow the following:

1 - What licence they hold - B or BE
B, B1 and BE

2 - Unladen/empty weight of the towing vehicle
Is this "Mass in Service" as per my V5C? If so, its 1625kg

3 - GVW of the towing vehicle
Is this "Revenue Weight" or "Maximum Permissable Mass" as per my V5C? If so, its 2180kg (both are same)

4 - GTW and/or towing capacity of the towing vehicle
"Techincal permissable maximum towable mass" as per V5C is 1800kg

5 - Plated MAM of the trailer or if no plate then the load rating on the tyres
Is this fully ladden weight of trailer? If so its 1600kg

6 - Unladen/empty weight of the trailer "
Unladden 767kg.

Horse is approx 450kg (max 500kg)
Trailer is IFOR Williams 403 current year model

Thank you.
Click to expand...
I know you have BE licence but for those wondering ...... if the trailer was down plated via contact with IW to 1300 then it would be legal for B licence towing with a max trailer load of 533kg
 
B

Blythwind

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 April 2010
Messages
352
Visit site
Ok that makes sense. it wasn't a generic towing query though - it was about getting some reversing practice help before b+e test! On another post, you offered help to those near to Leicester, so I wondered if that offer was still open?
 
C

Chloeap

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 September 2015
Messages
220
Visit site
Hi. I'm looking for some advice to whether I would be legal to tow with my Peugeot 407 sw. Posted a while ago but couldn't find all of the info which I have now gathered.
1. B licence
2. 1645 kerb weigh
3. Gvw 2105
4. Gtw 3605
5. Not sure of this part..
6. 675

Wondering if this is possible without doing trailer test, I am thinking of doing the test in the future though.

Thank you for your help!
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
Chloeap said:
Hi. I'm looking for some advice to whether I would be legal to tow with my Peugeot 407 sw. Posted a while ago but couldn't find all of the info which I have now gathered.
1. B licence
2. 1645 kerb weigh
3. Gvw 2105
4. Gtw 3605
5. Not sure of this part..
6. 675

Wondering if this is possible without doing trailer test, I am thinking of doing the test in the future though.

Thank you for your help!
Click to expand...

Is it a bateson derby trailer plated at 1700 kg ? = number 5 on the list = very important for licencing

If it is then it needs down plating to a maximum of 1395 to make it legal for B towing

Your vehicle has a max towing capacity of 1500 (3605-2105=1500)

If you down plated the trailer to 1350 then you can still load 675 into it
 
C

Chloeap

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 September 2015
Messages
220
Visit site
ROG said:
Is it a bateson derby trailer plated at 1700 kg ? = number 5 on the list = very important for licencing

If it is then it needs down plating to a maximum of 1395 to make it legal for B towing

Your vehicle has a max towing capacity of 1500 (3605-2105=1500)

If you down plated the trailer to 1350 then you can still load 675 into it
Click to expand...

Hi no it is a rice concours. Not sure what it's plated at.
Is it legal with towing licence? As dad can tow for me in the mean time :)
 
ROG

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
Chloeap said:
This might be a stupid question but where is the plate? I have photos of the trailer but can't see it on there?
Click to expand...
As it is a rice it may not have one and as they are no longer trading it means you cannot get one
The total of the tyre load ratings are now used as the trailer MAM = http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating

Chloeap said:
Hi no it is a rice concours. Not sure what it's plated at.
Is it legal with towing licence? As dad can tow for me in the mean time :)
Click to expand...
After finding the trailer MAM via the tyre load ratings you then add that number to the 2105 GVW and if it total more than 3500 you cannot tow it on a B licence
You can tow it with dad or another sat next to you providing .......

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.

All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.

The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner
The supervising driver does not need to be insured unless they are driving


You really need a lightweight trailer by a company that is still trading so you can down plate it for B towing
 
C

Chloeap

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 September 2015
Messages
220
Visit site
ROG said:
As it is a rice it may not have one and as they are no longer trading it means you cannot get one
The total of the tyre load ratings are now used as the trailer MAM = http://www.blackcircles.com/general/load-rating


After finding the trailer MAM via the tyre load ratings you then add that number to the 2105 GVW and if it total more than 3500 you cannot tow it on a B licence
You can tow it with dad or another sat next to you providing .......

SUPERVISING A B+E LEARNER
In April 2010 new rules were introduced for those supervising certain learner drivers but they only affected those supervising VOCATIONAL categories such as C1 C1+E D1 & D1+E where the supervising driver had those categories given to them for free when they passed a pre 1997 car test.
They do not affect those with a pre 1997 B+E licence who wish to supervise a B+E learner.

All B licence holders have B+E provisional on the paper part of their licence and can tow an empty or loaded trailer on all roads including motorways.

The usual rules apply when a learner is driving -
The supervising driver must be aged over 21
The supervising driver must have held a B+E licence for at least 3 years
L plates must be fitted to the front of the vehicle and the rear of the trailer
Correct insurance for a B+E learner
The supervising driver does not need to be insured unless they are driving


You really need a lightweight trailer by a company that is still trading so you can down plate it for B towing
Click to expand...


Brilliant thanks for that!

The tire load rating is 79 so 437.
Horse is 16.1 who i would weigh more than this.. Anyway of this being legal?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top