towing a trailor

[ashw831]

it is a ph1 172, with nothing in it at all, plastic windows, basic wiring loom, door and boot skins cut out, alloy bonnet, one seat, no dash just the wheel, our clio is much lighter than 980kg, i would guess it to be about 750kg, and frontera is 1727kg (2.2 tdi) add all these together = 3177kg.

The weights are all based on unladed units also, so tools, and wheels etc are not going to be included, even if they where, they will not total over 300kg considering they are only 15" and we only take one 20l tin each time!

[Horney]

it is a ph1 172, with nothing in it at all, plastic windows, basic wiring loom, door and boot skins cut out, alloy bonnet, one seat, no dash just the wheel, our clio is much lighter than 980kg, i would guess it to be about 750kg, and frontera is 1727kg (2.2 tdi) add all these together = 3177kg.

The weights are all based on unladed units also, so tools, and wheels etc are not going to be included, even if they where, they will not total over 300kg considering they are only 15" and we only take one 20l tin each time!

Get on weigh bridge, my fully stripped out MKII with poly carb windows etc is still over 800KG. I can't see the Clio being lighter.

Nick

[ashw831]

Your golf is a heavier car to start with though isnt it?

We have gone to a further stage as a friends clio and his is 800kg on a weigh bridge - even if it was say 850kg, we would still only total 3277kg which is still under the required.

[Horney]

Your golf is a heavier car to start with though isnt it?

We have gone to a further stage as a friends clio and his is 800kg on a weigh bridge - even if it was say 850kg, we would still only total 3277kg which is still under the required.

I guess the only way to be sure is to load it up as you wuold for a trackday and park the whole lot on a weigh bridge, after all that's what could happen to you with VOSA etc. Better to be sure than sorry.

Nick

[ashw831]

We are planning on trying to get that done to be 100% staisfyed! 

Hi guys

I just wanted to confirm something.

From my understanding you can tow a trailer with a standard car license with a car on it as long as the WHOLE weight of everything is under 3.5 tonnes.

Now i drive an audi a4 2003 reg, and I want to tow a flat bed trailer and my golf. The golf is a rolling shell, no engine, interior, and stripped to the bone. Now that will be definitely under that weight,

Yet one of my friends about a month ago towed a trailer, he had nothing on it yet he police pulled him over and said you can't be towing that, as it's capable of towing 2.5 tonnes? They took the trailer off him and fined him as well.

Now i think that is nuts, as i have read up on the DVLA website, and it says as long as it is under 3.5 tonnes you can tow it?

Can someone please clarify for me?

THanks

And Jake.. i hope our converstaions have answered you original question lol! 

Ash

[vaughn]

i`m not 100% sure on the law regarding towing with a license obtained after 97. but just to let you know, vosa are now self funding and if they pull you over they can give you a fixed penalty notice for every fault they find. so if they find 6 faults you get 6 fines which can soon add up .
so please make sure you are 100% legal before setting out.
i would even phone/email vosa to see what there take on it is as they will know the law

[ashw831]

i`m not 100% sure on the law regarding towing with a license obtained after 97. but just to let you know, vosa are now self funding and if they pull you over they can give you a fixed penalty notice for every fault they find. so if they find 6 faults you get 6 fines which can soon add up .
so please make sure you are 100% legal before setting out.
i would even phone/email vosa to see what there take on it is as they will know the law

Thanks very much for that info matey, we will give them a call and see where we stand! 

[Diamond Hell]

I guess the only way to be sure is to load it up as you wuold for a trackday and park the whole lot on a weigh bridge, after all that's what could happen to you with VOSA etc. Better to be sure than sorry.

This, because this is what plod will do if he thinks you're a) fair game b) a smart ar$e.

[Nige]

An often missed but very important point is the PLATED weight of the trailer.

If you have a twin Axle trailer, PLATED to carry 2.5Te, even if its empty, you`d still be over the 3.5Te limit if towing with a 1500kg tow car. The plated weight is added to the towcar weight, regardless of whats on the trailer.

For those who don`t have a trailer license and passed their test after 97, this is something regularly misunderstood but extremely relevant.

[ashw831]

I think our trailer has got a plated weight of 1450kg... may be mistaken but i am pretty sure it is.
So does that mean that you would add the 1450 to the 1720 of our towing car to make 3170, and that is the overall figure used??