jimmy_neutron Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 My knowledge of towing has always been. Dodgy trailer = drive slowly, Good trailer follows landy nicely. I just read an article in LRM about towing etc that blew that theory away. Firstly i've got a good but very old Richardson cattle trailer. Its only the little 8ft box one with no decks. It came with one of them stick on plates many years ago, but when i went to look at it, its no longer there. So i have no idea of its weights etc. Also does it legally need to display the plate ? I have no idea how old the trailer is cos i bought it 2nd hand years ago as a scrapper and did a bit of work on it to get it back to a good un. Also, my Mrs only got round to passing her driving test 2 years ago, so has got the new driving license with restricted towing limits. Does this mean she can't even pull the little cattle trailer with the landy on her license ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiall Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 your wife will be restricted to a 750 kg unbraked trailer , to drive to the 3.5 tonne limit ( am i correct? ) she will need to take a test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mortus Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 i think she cannot tow anything until she has taken the trailer test. a richardson cattle trailer is fine for towing at high speeds with a landy...just i know you get wobble if you tow it with a freelander. the age of the trailer doesnt matter, it is law to display the towing vehicles number plate on the trailer. altho i dont think this is enforced very stronly just draw it on with a marker pen, you will be fine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy_neutron Posted February 3, 2008 Author Share Posted February 3, 2008 The number plate isn't a problem, its the ID plate i'm bothered about. The one with the year of manufacture and the weights etc. Figures that i have no idea about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 this should help ---------- NTTA UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmatt Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 i think she cannot tow anything until she has taken the trailer test.a richardson cattle trailer is fine for towing at high speeds with a landy...just i know you get wobble if you tow it with a freelander. the age of the trailer doesnt matter, it is law to display the towing vehicles number plate on the trailer. altho i dont think this is enforced very stronly just draw it on with a marker pen, you will be fine! Your wife will be able to tow a trailer upto 750kgs braked or unbraked If she passed her test after th 1/1/1997. If she wants to tow above that then she needs to take a B+E test. Its about £90 and is done at a HGV testing station its a all the exercises on test are the same as for Artic, but scaled down to suit your rig. There are strict rules on landy/trailer combos for the test. May well be worth seeing the local drivng school particularly the bigger ones that do HGV as they should have a pick up and box trailer and be used to the test set up. A days training wouldn't hurt the test isn't as easy as many make out. Info can be found on DSA site Richardson trailers are good, but I'd never recommend anyone to tow a stock trailer fast if it has stock in!! cow's, sheep, and well all animals will object to be straped down with ratchets, so you are driving along with a loose cannon waiting to go off. Its amazing how a trailer reacts with a couple of big cows swaying about. I did the B+E test a few years back any questions just ask May be worth checking with Richardson about the ID plate they may well be able to issue another in the right circumstances. I would imagine VOSA will be touchy if your pulled over with out it in tact. If your running in and out of markets, VOSA are starting to camp out at our local market! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted February 3, 2008 Share Posted February 3, 2008 The details of what you can tow are well covered in the NTTA link. As for the weight of your trailer find a weighbridge near to you (ring the local council & ask them for the location of your nearest public one) get the trailer weighed & ask the operator to do a printout for you. Keep the printout in the tow car so if you get pulled you can produce it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OilIT Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 1982 regulations demand that all trailers, including unbraked ones, must be clearly marked with their maximum gross weight in kg. This may be checked at any time by the police at a weighbridge. Since 1st January 1997, all unbraked trailer plates must show the year of manufacture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy_neutron Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 So i get the trailers weighed like paintman suggests .. How do i get the carrying capacity of the trailer And the year of manufacture. It all seems like a huge nonsense to me. Who weighs every item they load into a trailer anyway ?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Richardson trailers are good, but I'd never recommend anyone to tow a stock trailer fast if it has stock in!! cow's, sheep, and well all animals will object to be straped down with ratchets, so you are driving along with a loose cannon waiting to go off. Its amazing how a trailer reacts with a couple of big cows swaying about.May be worth checking with Richardson about the ID plate they may well be able to issue another in the right circumstances. I would imagine VOSA will be touchy if your pulled over with out it in tact. If your running in and out of markets, VOSA are starting to camp out at our local market! yes towing live stock is a slow carefull job. some one who can't tow a trailer well, should think twice before towing any animal. I'd agree trying to get richardsons to tell you the max gross weight or buy a new plate. As a ruff gide the max weight on the tyres will tell you what thay will carry but a plate would be needed if you got pulled over as thay may inpound the trailer if thay think it's carrying to much all so if thay find you to be over weight thay fine you about £10 per KG over the max weight Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 A general rule is that trailers with 4 stud wheels will not be morew than 2 tonnes gross. Above this they must have 5 or more studs. If you add the combined rated carrying capacity of the tyres on the trailer and round it down to the nearest 1/4 tonne then you won't be far out on the gross weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy_neutron Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 Thanks for the Richardson/rice tip. Strangely i hadn't really considered contacting them. I'll take a picture of it and email it to them. As for overloading the trailer ... The most weight it ever gets in it is when i go to our local coal yard. On that run it gets loaded with 1000Kg. On lifting the nose of the trailer when empty i estimate its weight at 600kg give or take a little bit. So total is around 1600kg. It sometimes carrys a pony very short distance. So about 500kg for the pony. Even with a coo un calf in the box is still under the weight of the coal. Sheep weigh nowt. 1000kg is about the maximum i would consider as a safe weight in the box. Bet it ends up plated well over that though. I agree transporting is a slow business and should be well planned. I have never asked any of my animals if they object to being ratcheted down though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy_neutron Posted February 4, 2008 Author Share Posted February 4, 2008 The trailer has got knott-avonride indespension axles. I have been on their web site and from the wheel size 12" and 3/8" nuts etc. From that i've worked out that the single axle loading is a maximum 900kg. The tyres are over rated cos i got them hardened wall types last time to prevent wall bulbs from turning in the yard. Anyway .. does this mean that the maximum load including the trailer is 1800kg. Or is there some fancy formula to allow for nose rocking and turning ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmatt Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 A general rule is that trailers with 4 stud wheels will not be morew than 2 tonnes gross. Yikes! Can you nip down and enlighten Mr Ifor Williams! My shiny new Ifor grosses at 2800kg and is only on 4 studs per wheel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orgasmic Farmer Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Only what i read the other day when trying to buy some trailer tyres! I happily stand correected.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmatt Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Only what i read the other day when trying to buy some trailer tyres! I happily stand correected.... LOL don't worry mate I'm only teasing I read a similar thing a few years back, of course I could start ranting on Mr ifor skimping on costs etc, but I wont lOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 As has been said she can tow upto 750kg unbraked, OR over 750kg (must be braked) as long as the combined train weight does not exceed 3500kg, and the trailer does not exceed the unladed weight of the tow vehicle, thus she could tow upto 1750kg braked if towed with a vehicle weighing 1750kg without the need for another test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmatt Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 As has been said she can tow upto 750kg unbraked, OR over 750kg (must be braked) as long as the combined train weight does not exceed 3500kg, and the trailer does not exceed the unladed weight of the tow vehicle, thus she could tow upto 1750kg braked if towed with a vehicle weighing 1750kg without the need for another test. Thats what I was told too before I did my test, However, I was advised that was ok provided using the above figures as an example the trailer ID plate had the gross weight stamped at 1750kgs. In other words you can't drive 1750kg vehicle and a trailer that weighs 1750kg if the trailer ID plate says its capable of grossing at 2000kg Whats your understanding of it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 Thats what I was told too before I did my test, However, I was advised that was ok provided using the above figures as an example the trailer ID plate had the gross weight stamped at 1750kgs.In other words you can't drive 1750kg vehicle and a trailer that weighs 1750kg if the trailer ID plate says its capable of grossing at 2000kg Whats your understanding of it? I'd not thought of it in terms of the plate - my car trailer is plated at well over my legal maximum, however at the end of the day the only way to prosecute is to prove actual weights on a weigh bridge, thus the plated weights mean nothing unless you have exceeded them. You cant be prosecuted for being "overweight" just because its capable of carring more weight than you are - thats like being convicted of speeding just because you car can expeed the limit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmatt Posted February 4, 2008 Share Posted February 4, 2008 I'd not thought of it in terms of the plate - my car trailer is plated at well over my legal maximum, however at the end of the day the only way to prosecute is to prove actual weights on a weigh bridge, thus the plated weights mean nothing unless you have exceeded them. You cant be prosecuted for being "overweight" just because its capable of carring more weight than you are - thats like being convicted of speeding just because you car can expeed the limit! Yep I agree with your theory however I know of a lad that drives 7.5 tonner his licence covers him for this plus a trailer upto 750kg, he towed an empty plant trailer that weighed 500kg and was stopped and done for not having the apropriate licence as the gross weight of the trailer was stamped 2800kg. Like you say potetial to speeding comes to mind but its a stranhe world. Glad I did my test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
101nut Posted February 5, 2008 Share Posted February 5, 2008 I'd not thought of it in terms of the plate - my car trailer is plated at well over my legal maximum, however at the end of the day the only way to prosecute is to prove actual weights on a weigh bridge, thus the plated weights mean nothing unless you have exceeded them. You cant be prosecuted for being "overweight" just because its capable of carring more weight than you are - thats like being convicted of speeding just because you car can expeed the limit! For a goods vehicle, the plated weight of the trailer must be used to calculate the gtw (source: VOSA). For a private vehicle (source: my nice chief constable) it's the actual weights measured on a weigh bridge that matter. In other words, for a goods vehicle, if you are allowed to tow five tonnes and the trailer is plated to a mam of 6 tonnes you are illegal even if it's empty and can be pulled. AndyG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpasman Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 Good artical on this subject in the March edition of Land Rover Monthly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy_neutron Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 Oh dear.. Ya would of thought that laws could be made simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smo Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 For a goods vehicle, the plated weight of the trailer must be used to calculate the gtw (source: VOSA). For a private vehicle (source: my nice chief constable) it's the actual weights measured on a weigh bridge that matter.In other words, for a goods vehicle, if you are allowed to tow five tonnes and the trailer is plated to a mam of 6 tonnes you are illegal even if it's empty and can be pulled. AndyG Thats cool, im not a good vehicle so my take on it stands which is nice to know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Rogers Posted February 6, 2008 Share Posted February 6, 2008 hmm, i've always heard it works via the plated maximum trailer mass but maybe i stand corrected! Currently looking into trailer tests atm, anyone done one of these courses? i *think* my trailer driving is reasonable good, just like my driving. But i guess i could be wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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