rcx132
Philip
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Don't we like it when VOSA get told off: http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...69i57j69i58.1422j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
- Thread starter rcx132
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Sorry to hijack just want to clear something up, say my car has a maximum towing weight of 1100kg and my trailer has a maximum plated gross weight of 1400kg would I be legal to tow this trailer will my car if I keep under 1100kg that my car is allowed?
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See post #46
rcx132
Philip
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@Justme will probably clarify when he can as he's the expert, but from my knowledge, yes, the trailer can have a gross weight that's more than the car is allowed to tow, so long as the actual weight is within limits. There seems to be a widespread myth across the internet that it's the gross weight that counts but now with the fabulous .gov.uk website it's easy to get to the truth.
Can I ask, where do you get you cars "towing limit" from? None of my cars have a towing limit per se, they have a "gross train weight" on the VIN plate but that sets the limit on the weight of my entire outfit. So to find the max load I can put on my trailer I have to take my train weight, deduct weight of my car, my weight, weight of my baggage that's in the car (i.e. my dog, my toolkit, and my back pack), and weight of my trailer. What's left is the weight I can put on my trailer.
colnerov
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Hi, There was, I believe, a brief period when the potential gross weight was being enforced but it was amended to actual gross weight. That is where the myth stems from.
Colin
on the data plate for the vehicle, there will be two weights, the first is the mgw of the vehicle, in the case of my works truck its 2650kg (i just popped outside to check!!) this is the maximum that the vehicle is ever permitted to weigh including evrything, vehicle, passengers, load etc. the second weight is the gtw, or gross train weight, which is the maximum that the whole lot can ever weigh including trailer, in the case of my pickup, 4650kg. The difference between the two is what you may legally tow as a maximum.....
KemppiFrog
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Wasn't part of the 'myth' that Indespension refused to rent trailers to anybody that turned up with a tow vehicle that was not rated for the max weight of the trailer?
colnerov
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Hi, That's to make sure people are not using unsuitable vehicles, the same as when I rented a car trailer some time ago they wanted to know what I was going to put on it. Presumably to make sure I was not going to over load it.
Colin
rcx132
Philip
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That doesn't look right.
My cars GTW is 4000kg
My cars GVW is 2500kg
So by your theory I can legally tow only 1500kg.
My car weighs 1800kg
Me and my gear weigh 100 kg
My trailer weights 500kg
The jeep sitting on my trailer weighs 1200 kg
So my cars total weight is 1800 + 100 = 1900kg so is within limits.
My outfit weighs 1800 + 100 + 500 + 1200 =3600 kg so is also within the GTW. So everything is within limits.
And yet I am towing 1700 kg which is 200kg above your theory.
In fact I can tow 2100 kg and still be within the limits of my vin plate.
Your theory is another common myth.
normspanners
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about 5/6 years I think, its the wife ex's, new wife, I know he got her a 400 yam, that she could legally ride with her license and she has never rode a bike before!!, she said that she had ALL cat's available including all the trucks. I dont thinks she bothers with the bike now couldnt get on with it.
Wrong. The difference is what you can tow IF the car is fully loaded.
If the car is partially loaded you can tow more.
Thats interesting, all the case I have seen VOSA won in similar situations.
All down to who you get on the day & how good your brief is.
I was under the impression that that figure was what the manufacturer of the vehicle had deemed as the maximum safe towing capacity, and had the chassis type approved at?
normspanners
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normspanners
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I still dont understand the point, gross train weight is the gross train weight which is 3450 kg it doesnt mention the towbar.
normspanners
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normspanners
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either way the max that car can be with its trailer is 3450, so minus what ever is the weight of the car, UP to gvw max of 2115kg, eguals, min 1335 and max 1844 of towed mass.
normspanners
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But it states there is a proviso that weight of the trailer can be increased to within the GTW of 3130 so minus 1469 for the car, trailer weight therefore can be 1661 and is still within the 3130 gtw but towing with a heavier trailer might have an impact of the handling... so beware
it doesnt state that ALL of those stated weights (bar the GVW and GTW) are max weights, only the recommended.
and the GTW is 3130 so you are legal up to that.
I think the 1300 is to give a driver an idea of say a caravan weight that the car will handle.
But this can be increased BLAH BLAH
The GTW is enforceable in law & is based on the real weight of car & trailer as is.
The makers towing limit for braked trailers is a recommendation only.
The limit for unbraked trailers is enforceable as it is 50% of kerb weight as per C&U regs.
