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Road registering a Sankey trailer - How?


alfaman

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for UK use you need to add a breakaway cable so the brakes get pulled on if the trailer becomes detached from the towing vehicle, rear number plate to match the tow vehicle & must be reflective if after 1973, a bit more here http://forums.lr4x4....showtopic=61271

if you want to convert the electrics to the Civvilian 12N plug/socket the info here will help http://landroveronet...34-ton-trailer/

on the military ident plate there should be a build or into service date, that should satisfy any age related questions.

these 2 might be able to assist

http://www.mvt.org.uk/

http://www.emlra.org/web/index.htm

general Sankey type trailer info http://www.emlra.org/articles/sankey_trailers.htm

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Normal rear yellow number plate is fitted. Brake-away cable is fitted and the whole wiring/lighting is now normal civvilan stuff.

Unfortunately the EU does have a habit of changing laws that affects those of us in UK, when we decide to visit them.

Also the EU does love it's paperwork.

I've been using the trailer with no issues, so far, but I would like something to wave/point at, if/when I do get stopped.

As this ex-military does not have any EU markings, I was wandering as to how one could produce/provide paperwork (identification plate) to confirm proof of legality, to anyone who wanted to know if the trailer is allowed on the road.

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Be aware that most recovery company's will only recover your trailer if fitted with a 50mm ball hitch NOT a NATO hitch if you break down somewhere. My insurance company were happy with the standard plate Id on the trailer and paid out when the trailer came unattached recently. Also be aware that the break away cable WILL cause your trailers nose to dig into the ground and flip end over end if if comes off your truck due to the single axle! I learnt this from my experience.

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Also be aware that the break away cable WILL cause your trailers nose to dig into the ground and flip end over end if if comes off your truck due to the single axle! I learnt this from my experience.

:o I wont be fitting one then!

I have been wondering the same thing about Sankey trailers for our upcoming overland trip across Central Asia/Russia/Mongolia. I cant really see a way to do it and it would be expensive. I think im just going to 'make' something for the Russians. Western Europe shouldn't be a problem as they probably know that the UK does not register trailers. Problems arise when you head out east and 'no' means no at borders.

G

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:o I wont be fitting one then!

Problems arise when you head out east and 'no' means no at borders.

G

'no' does not always mean 'no.' 'No' means give me £5.00 and 'you have a nice day!'

On the issue of sankey brakes, I don't know what weight the trailer is but could you get away without a breakaway cable - just fit a auxiliary method of connection? I've a 1/2 ton trailer without brakes - that just has a chain that fastens to the ball hitch. Simples!

Julian.

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"no" can also mean "go away or lose your trailer", been there, done that. In some countries, no paperwork = confiscated.

Also in some countries, no breakaway cable/chain = not allowed. Also been there & done that with a sankey-alike.

It's not that recovery companies will refuse to recover your trailer, it's that most recovery vans/trucks don't have a NATO hitch, and standard pin hitches can't accept the NATO ring.

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When you consider the damage or injury that a wandering trailer could have to oncoming traffic, it makes sense to fit a proper breakaway cable to pull the brakes on.

If the trailer does not have brakes then fit a strong chain so it stays behind you therefore giving you a chance to stop it.

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It's not that recovery companies will refuse to recover your trailer, it's that most recovery vans/trucks don't have a NATO hitch, and standard pin hitches can't accept the NATO ring.

Presumably it would be a simple matter to fit a standard 'ring' to a Sankey?

Julian.

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Unfortunately the EU does have a habit of changing laws that affects those of us in UK.....As this is an ex-military trailer and does not have any EU markings, I was wandering as to how one could produce/provide paperwork (identification plate) to confirm proof of legality, to anyone who wanted to know if the trailer is allowed on the road.

For those that don't know why I'm asking, read this post.

My current LR used to be registered in Spain and every 6 months I had to de-mod it for it to pass the MOT. Including the towbar because it didn't have the required Spanish paperwork, I bought the towbar in UK.

Germany has a law that requires a trailer to have it's own MOT with it's own number plate.

My LR is now UK registered and now it looks like my Overland trailer project will have to be scrapped due to the new EU proposal, soon to be Law.

In other words, what steps does one have to do to get an ex-military trailer into the DVLC/VOSA system.

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DVLA do, if memory serves, have a sort of optional V5-alike for things like quad bikes, trailers, caravans, etc. where you can record the serial number & your name & address as proof of ownership and whatnot. My mum's caravan came with paperwork. I believe they're happy enough for you to put any sort of identifying number on there, even if you've stamped it on there yourself.

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Just an idle thought, which may be rubbish as I've no experience, apart from reading this thread. :-)

Would it be possible to get the trailer registered in Germany, say, while passing through from the UK?

Then you would have EU relevant official looking registration documents available for anyone who asked.

Good Luck

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DVLA do, if memory serves, have a sort of optional V5-alike for things like quad bikes, trailers, caravans, etc. where you can record the serial number & your name & address as proof of ownership and whatnot. My mum's caravan came with paperwork. I believe they're happy enough for you to put any sort of identifying number on there, even if you've stamped it on there yourself.

I guess you haven't seen a recent V5 then; it has "This document is NOT proof of ownership" written in large, unhelpful letters on the cover.

Just an idle thought, which may be rubbish as I've no experience, apart from reading this thread. :-)

Would it be possible to get the trailer registered in Germany, say, while passing through from the UK?

Then you would have EU relevant official looking registration documents available for anyone who asked.

Good Luck

Err, and get letters in German demanding tax and that you present your trailer for TuV at an official testing station at a time and place to suit the Beamten?

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Just got back but will add my findings,

I have a break away cable, I can't see how it would cause the trailer to flip, as I would expect the clip to break once the handbrake had been applied as part of the falling off process, it was an MOD amendment that never happened most were cast before the cable was retrofitted, therefore there are loads of cables available from Newbury etc I added mine in about 30 seconds as its just a large key ring type end that adds onto the hand brake lever it cost around £4. if the hitch became detached the big metal shoe under the hitch would dig into the ground this may cause a trailer to flip but no a cable that is just designed to apply the hand brake.

I would recommend one and it could be the difference between jail if the trailer was to become detached and go into the path of an oncoming car as it was not able to stop on it's own.

I wrote to the DVLA when I had finished my trailer trying to get a registration for it as envisaged I would need one for further away places, I spoke to them about trying to get my trailer through the new registration process, but was told it was not possible to even have an SVA type test at the moment, and as my trailer was made in 1992 it was unlikely to require retrospective type approval.

In the end I purchased a trailer ID plate from eBay and stamped it up with my own details including weight etc and made up my own serial number, I kept the MOD issue plate just in case. To back that up I made a certificate that looks like a log book and has the details from the plate on it.

I too had problems with recovery and the 50mm hitch thing and made a conversion plate last year however I didn't have issues earlier this week so if you want Sankey trailer recovery use ADAC and if you don't use them anyway!!

ADAC asked me for the trailer papers when they were going to ship the trailer home, I explained we didn't need one in the UK as I didn't want to leave my home made one with the car and trailer on it's own as UK customs may have got funny about things, ADAC were happy that it just didn't have one.

From all my reading over the past few years a Sankey MK111 is the closest to acceptable you can get in the ex-mod type not including the current Penman trailers although these are not technically EU legal.

My understanding is the following:

  • No auto reverse (fixed on the Penman)
  • Hydraulic brakes are not technically legal by the letter of the law, but the hand brake is a cable so sort of (grey area) gets around this.
  • Brake away cable (fixable for £4)
  • No type approval for a trailer over 750kgs

The options would be to downgrade to 750kgs or just see how it goes, I have been stopped by various law enforcement agencies including VOSA and some foreign forces and border agencies, most are just curious about the trailer some have been funny but I have always got round things. I think the biggest problem is that a NATO hitch is not Type approved therefore even if you were trying to register a trailer and could do in Spain or Germany you couldn't have a type approved NATO hitch.

Jason.

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I think the biggest problem is that a NATO hitch is not Type approved therefore even if you were trying to register a trailer and could do in Spain or Germany you couldn't have a type approved NATO hitch

on Dixon-Bate now part of Bradley Doublelock on the NATO pintle page is clearly states TUV Approved

http://www.dixonbate...PartNo=FV987958 scroll up on the page insert slider, it is not a clickable link, so maybe a e.mail to BD would get a copy of the TUV Approval certificate.

t's not on the 7tonne pintle page as these are for large 4x4 HGV type vehicles.

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on Dixon-Bate now part of Bradley Doublelock on the NOTO pintle page is clearly states TUV Approved

http://www.dixonbate...PartNo=FV987958 scroll up on the page insert slider, it is not a clickable link, so maybe a e.mail to BD would get a copy of the TUV Approval certificate.

t's not on the 7tonne pintle page as these are for large 4x4 HGV type vehicles.

So that's new, it was not approved last year when I was looking for a certificate for mine, they must have done it when I asked they said that there were no plans to do that.

Jason.

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Seriously? Mine had the proper breakaway cable and was the latest spec disk braked version. I'm not questioning the law and I complied fully BUT the cable pulled the brakes on and then broke away as it should, the problem arose because the jockey wheel is a fold away affair on the later trailers and as the trailer fell the nose dug in to something (the road or bank) and hey presto the trailer flipped! If anyone had been on the other side of the road they would be dead, FACT, regardless of a cable. I also believe the hitch mechanism to be illegal for highway use as they do not have auto reverse overrun dampers. My insurance company were happy enough with the circumstances to pay me out fully for the trailer and I won't be buying another!

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Non HGV trailers [at or below 3500kgs gross weight] are not subject to DVLA & VOSA databases, under existing UK law, trailers do not require MOT or VOSA testing & take on their parent tow vehicles registration number.

I've just found this bit of info, changes are a coming!!??

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I wrote to the DVLA when I had finished my trailer trying to get a registration for it as envisaged I would need one for further away places, I spoke to them about trying to get my trailer through the new registration process, but was told it was not possible to even have an SVA type test at the moment, and as my trailer was made in 1992 it was unlikely to require retrospective type approval.

In the end I purchased a trailer ID plate from eBay and stamped it up with my own details including weight etc and made up my own serial number, I kept the MOD issue plate just in case. To back that up I made a certificate that looks like a log book and has the details from the plate on it.

According to here

1982 regulations demand that all trailers, including unbraked ones, must be clearly marked with their maximum gross weight in kg

Any idea what the official G.V.W. of a MKIII Wolf Sankey is?

The plate fitted does not show any details regarding weights.

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