|
|
Sept 1, 2007 13:03:04 GMT
|
I think nowadays all trailers have to be plated with their max gross weight... If the plate isnt there they wont know if its over the limit or not!
Towing A frames are technically not allowed but ive head of people being pulled up by VOSA at a random check point and nothing has been said about it.
The law seems so obscure on this topic that its very hard to do anything and be 100% sure your totally legal.
|
|
1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 1, 2007 13:25:09 GMT
|
It doesn't matter what the trailer is plated at...it all down to tow vehicle limits and gross train weight. My trailer has a coupling and axles to cope with 2800kg but I's have to be towing with some something huge to get away with actually pulling that much legally.
I find that if you don't tow with something silly and the load is well strapped on with proper ratchet straps, the lights and brakes all work and the number plate is legal then you shouldn't get and real hassle, even if you are technically a bit overweight. They are much more likely to kick your ass if you're overweight on a car than a 4x4. $x4's have the kerb weight to cope and are really stable with a trailer behind. My Terrano has vented discs all round and could stop my trailer with a car on board with no problem even when the trailer brakes weren't working at all. There's no way any car I've ever towed with could do that.
|
|
1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
|
|
|
|
Sept 1, 2007 13:52:03 GMT
|
They go off the maximum gross weight of the trailer, so youre still overweight if your towing with a vehicle thats got a max trailer weight of 1500kg an empty trailer that weighs 500kg if the max gross weight of the trailer is 2000kg. In this case youd be pulling a trailer thats 1000kg less than your towing vehicles limit but still be technically overweight by 500kg.
Thats why they insist on the trailer to be plated with its max gross weight so the can compare it with the max trailer weight of your tow vehicle. You can be underweight but still be done for being overweight.....
Ive just read that back to myself and its confusing but you get my drift......
|
|
Last Edit: Sept 1, 2007 13:55:51 GMT by Lankytim
1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.
|
|
|
|
Sept 1, 2007 14:12:07 GMT
|
They go off the maximum gross weight of the trailer, so youre still overweight if your towing with a vehicle thats got a max trailer weight of 1500kg an empty trailer that weighs 500kg if the max gross weight of the trailer is 2000kg. In this case youd be pulling a trailer thats 1000kg less than your towing vehicles limit but still be technically overweight by 500kg. Thats why they insist on the trailer to be plated with its max gross weight so the can compare it with the max trailer weight of your tow vehicle. You can be underweight but still be done for being overweight..... Ive just read that back to myself and its confusing but you get my drift...... Sorry dude, but that's not true at all. They cannot actually prosecute you unless you are physically overloaded. That's either an overloaded trailer, regardless of what's pulling it or and overloaded tow vehicle. The actualy law only gives limits for gross trailer or train weight which is ludicrous but it is enforced using other discretionary things such as unsafe load. The law has been very vuague on towing limits for years and i am suprised they haven't tightened it up yet. I used to work in the trailer industry and even within the NTTA there was much confusion about what was legal and what wasn't so they and the Caravan Club just go by the 85% rule. That isn't law it's just an advisable limit.
|
|
1962 Datsun Bluebird Estate - 1971 Datsun 510 SSS - 1976 Datsun 710 SSS - 1981 Dodge van - 1985 Nissan Cherry Europe GTi - 1988 Nissan Prairie - 1990 Hyundai Pony Pickup - 1992 Mazda MX5
|
|
|
|
Sept 1, 2007 18:36:32 GMT
|
Max trailer weight of the volvo is 1300kg so if you had a light trailer, say 1500kg max gross weight youd only be 200kg overweight...... just tell mr vosa you like his hair or something. Failing that fake a heart attack. Top Advice!!!1111 Love it. I hate towing, trailers and VOSA.
|
|
|
|
Dez
Club Retro Rides Member
And I won't sit down. And I won't shut up. And most of all I will not grow up.
Posts: 11,715
Club RR Member Number: 34
|
|
|
'we eez frrrom de VOSA, weee haZ stoppied yooou to EEEnspekt yooor trrrailerZ'
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 2, 2007 15:49:30 GMT
|
*Unofficial* line used to be that up to 5% over weight you were bo11ocked but could go on your way. 5-10% big fine, not allowed to continue journey and big shouting out. Over 10% pull your pants down and await an a.rse raping of immense measure. Not heard about getting points for this though, and my 'knowledge' above is based on vans and trucks. I should also point out that allegedly VOSA (or the ministry in old money) don't work weekends or come out in the rain. Wouldn't like to deliberately go overweight and prove that wrong or right.
|
|
Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
|
|
|
|
Sept 2, 2007 17:19:26 GMT
|
They go off the maximum gross weight of the trailer, so youre still overweight if your towing with a vehicle thats got a max trailer weight of 1500kg an empty trailer that weighs 500kg if the max gross weight of the trailer is 2000kg. In this case youd be pulling a trailer thats 1000kg less than your towing vehicles limit but still be technically overweight by 500kg. Thats why they insist on the trailer to be plated with its max gross weight so the can compare it with the max trailer weight of your tow vehicle. You can be underweight but still be done for being overweight..... Ive just read that back to myself and its confusing but you get my drift...... Sorry dude, but that's not true at all. They cannot actually prosecute you unless you are physically overloaded. That's either an overloaded trailer, regardless of what's pulling it or and overloaded tow vehicle. The actualy law only gives limits for gross trailer or train weight which is ludicrous but it is enforced using other discretionary things such as unsafe load. The law has been very vuague on towing limits for years and I am suprised they haven't tightened it up yet. I used to work in the trailer industry and even within the NTTA there was much confusion about what was legal and what wasn't so they and the Caravan Club just go by the 85% rule. That isn't law it's just an advisable limit. Are you absolutley 100% on that? If I tow a 2 ton trailer with my Volvo 940 which has a max trailer weight of 1800kg does that mean I'm not overloaded unless the gross weight of the trailer exceeds 1800kg despite it being plated at 2000kg? If so thats taken a weight off my mind! (no pun intended!)
|
|
Last Edit: Sept 2, 2007 17:22:57 GMT by Lankytim
1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.
|
|
|
|
Sept 2, 2007 20:43:24 GMT
|
/\
That kinda makes sense (to me) as it's the 'gross' part that's relevant the way I understand it. I would assume that if, for example, the trailer actually weighs 500kgs then you could tow it with a car on the back that weighed up to 1300kgs which is within your permissable weight of the Volvo's maximum towing weight AND within the trailer's mgw.
|
|
Corsa Apology Champion 2014.
|
|
|
|
Sept 2, 2007 21:10:51 GMT
|
I'm confused.... Ive definately been told they go off the max gross weight of the trailer as seen on the trailer plate. If its MGW is 2 ton then according the the feds it weighs 2 ton, even if its empty!
like I said... I'm confused!!! If I can remember all of this I can bamboozle the VOSA peeps when they pul me, lol Maybe I should give up all this trailer lark and take up ludo.
|
|
1987 Maestro 1.6 HL perkins diesel conversion 1986 Audi 100 Avant 1800cc on LPG 1979 Allegro Series 2 special 4 door 1500cc with vynil roof. IN BITS. HERITAGE ISSUES.
|
|
|
MrT
Posted a lot
Just who did Mr Hitler REALLY think he was kidding?
Posts: 1,773
|
|
Sept 2, 2007 21:22:20 GMT
|
Caravaners are being targetted for overweight towing too - and about time. I'm OK though - my S60 is rated to tow 1500kg braked, and my 2004 Abbey Archway Royale 520 is 1250kg unladen, MTPLM of 1500kg. I once saw a MK3 Escort towing one of those massive Lord Munsterland caravans that the pikies live in! Mind you, in my youth, I towed a broken down Renault 9TLE 3 miles home (at night) using a Yamaha XS250...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sept 2, 2007 22:22:37 GMT
|
Quick tip: If your trailer has a plate - remove it! The law is based on the TOTAL GROSS weight of trailer & its load, so even if your towing an empty but plated trailer & the car is within the limit (but would'nt be fully loaded) - you are commiting an offence. Remove the plate & your not Also the 85% rule is not enforceable in law, so though will try & pin something else on you. Helps if you have a J imported tow vehicle too as these often don't have tow weights on the plate, which can be very handy.
|
|
Resident Toyota Geek Current Fleet: HDJ81 Landcruiser, GZ20 Soarer, JZX81 Cresta
|
|
|
|
|
Just read this thread all the way through and to be honest it´s still not clear what´s allowed and not.
Over here in Deutschland it´s very simple. When your car gets fitted with a towbar the maximum load for the car/ towbar is written in your car docs. (Sometimes towbars from different manufacturers have different weight allowances for the same cars, depending on how good the towbar has been built.)
As trailers over here have seperate docs (they are also taxed, tested and serately insured) the max. weight is also written in.
When the boys in blue pull you over they check both sets of paperwork and if the loaded trailer is heavier than allowed then your in the sh*t.
If they think your overloaded they sometimes have a mobile digital weighbridge with them and will weigh you on the spot...which normally means your really in the sh*t then.
I do a lot of towing and i am nearly always over the limit but if your sensible about it and the Car/ trailer combination looks right then you normally get away with it!
If the back axle is scrapping along the autobahn then it´s not really surprising that you´re going to get pulled.
|
|
|
|