mmgemini Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 No worries for me ? Passed my test December 1959 !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Ed, as you've done your test.... Anything up to a 3500kg with any trailer upto 3500kg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Very subtle, but no, sorry He can tow a heavier trailer with a lighter car, which in combination is not over 3500Kg MAM. MAM is not weight, but maximum authorised mass.... I guess they realised no-one had a weighbridge at home, and actually asking people to estimate the weight of their truck was never going to be right. He can also tow up to a 750KG MAM trailer (90% of these will be unbraked as not required) with any vehicle as long as it is 3500Kg MAM or less. confused? You should be Haven't looked again for it.... But the wording certainly used to have something about the MAM of the trailer being less than the unladen weight of the car too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephencdavies Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 I'm going to get my lad to grow a beard and borrow my mother in-laws licence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Ed, as you've done your test.... Anything up to a 3500kg with any trailer upto 3500kg Ah but...I drive Series 3, and the bible says 2000Kg max on over run brakes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 licence limitations and vehicle limitations are two different things. you have to comply with both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 Indeed, as far as towing weights for vehicles, that is in the manufacturer's handbook. Some hybrid SUVs, for example, can only tow 500Kg There was the recommendation that you should not two more than 85% of your vehicle weight, but I think that was some spurious nonsense spouted by the caravan club, and has been enshrined in urban legend since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tal Posted July 29, 2016 Share Posted July 29, 2016 nice to know I am good upto 8 1/4 tons thats way more than a disco one towing another disco even on a trailer. but definitely means i can recover my own vehicles with an A frame as long as they're road legal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephencdavies Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 HHHmmm. Based on Tal's post. i assume towing another car for recovery purpose could also be problematic for those with newer licences. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Sometimes I'm glad I'm so ancient Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 HHHmmm. Based on Tal's post. i assume towing another car for recovery purpose could also be problematic for those with newer licences. no, recovering a car on a bar or rope is an exception. anyone can do that. fun thins licenceing thing isnt it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I always understood it was only to a place of safety though, such as dragging something off the motorway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Sometimes I'm glad I'm so ancient There's a lot to be said for it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 I always understood it was only to a place of safety though, such as dragging something off the motorway yes but you could argue the nearest place of safety is your driveway... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoSS Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Ahh it's good to be old sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Oh yes.... Only just mind, passed in 1994. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Indeed, as far as towing weights for vehicles, that is in the manufacturer's handbook. Some hybrid SUVs, for example, can only tow 500Kg There was the recommendation that you should not two more than 85% of your vehicle weight, but I think that was some spurious nonsense spouted by the caravan club, and has been enshrined in urban legend since. So you have to:- 1) Drive a combination within you Driving License Limits 2) Drive a combination within what the Manufacturers say it is capable of (include nose weight on tow ball) 3) Not Drive dangerously or without due care and attention 4) Drive a vehicle that is safe and road worthy So that 85% rule goes with item 3/4 on the list, it is bit of a grey area as What is driving dangerously?. I think it has been argued that a professional body in the related area (The caravan club) has stated that it can be dangerous to drive with a trailer/caravan that is over 85% the weight of the vehicle. How that holds up in court I don't know. I think the 85% rule was decided upon to give you some leeway from the towed vehicle being over 100% without actually having to weigh everything. I would think that towing a vehicle that is over 100% of the vehicle doing the towing is more likely to be a problem if stopped. You could then argue what about articulated lorries, what they are towing is over 100% of the vehicle towing it, but I guess they would argue that they have an active braking system making it less dangerous. So to sum up a trailer over 85% the weight of the vehicle could be a grey area with the police and probably your insurers as well and if over 100% it would be even harder to argue that it is OK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwakers Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 there is no grey area. it is safe and legal to tow 3.5 ton behind a discovery. that is what the law says and that is what matters. the caravan club 85% garbage came from a article published years ago and was simply there to guide people on what car to buy for their caravan so that the car had a easier time and a badly loaded trailer (like 50% of all caravans on the road because a lot of caravanners have no idea on how to load a trailer) has less effect on the car. rant over. sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Qwakers got that one for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephencdavies Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Yep, agreed. living in the west country we see more than our fair share of badly loaded caravans. i do see a lot of Land's towing trailers and wood chippers etc. they look safe. i always laugh when i see the caravan white knuckle riders on our country lanes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW8IZR Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 No worries for me ? Passed my test December 1959 !!! Till you hit 70 when there are some additional hoops to jump to retain what you have had for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Just a note on the BE Category B+E You can drive a vehicle with a MAM of 3,500kg with a trailer. The size of the trailer depends on when you passed your test. If you passed your test: before 19 January 2013 you can tow any size trailer on or after 19 January 2013 you can tow a trailer with a MAM of up to 3,500kg Something that nearly scuppered me. Does anyone have any information on towing a trailer with a MAM over the vehicles towing limit? Is it still weight on the day or is nearly every jap pickup towing illegally? Another good one I heard was no trailer license required if your towing with a NATO hook! Will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 Another good one I heard was no trailer license required if your towing with a NATO hook! Right on, would love to see that stand up in court Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tal Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 With regards to my post if you want to tow a vehicle, it has to be taxed and insured to be legal with any of its wheels on the road. If its an offroader, out of tax, or un-insured it has to be all four wheels on a trailer. And if you want to tow on an A frame the frame strength must exceed the weight of the vehicle and you can't go over 25mph. Having done 30ish round a corner off road (with a peugeot estate on the frame) and felt the consequences I can highly reccomend sticking to that speed limit too. As i understood it I can tow something over the towing vehicles actual weight as long as the trailer is properly braked....(I think, so please dont quote me to a policeman though) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GW8IZR Posted July 30, 2016 Share Posted July 30, 2016 And if you want to tow on an A frame the frame strength must exceed the weight of the vehicle and you can't go over 25mph. Bit of confusion here, an A - frame has no such restriction on speed although lots of other regulations apply. I think you may be confusing an A-frame with a dolly? in which case two limits apply, 20MPH on normal roads and 40MPH on the motorway But they are a b***** nightmare and your right.. the speed limits are worth observing :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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