Trailer wights

[madkayaker]

I know this subject has been done to death on here but its not about building one or is this allowed etc etc etc.

Works van Ford transit on 59 plate. was looking on the data plate the van can weigh 3T MAM with a total train weight of 3.5T . so it can only tow 500KG regardless of braked or un-dreaked! it seams there is a rule in play about commercial vehicales and Tachograthes saying that if over 3.5T it must have one (even if you have one of the few exemptions for using it) so Ford and maybe all van manufacturers are down plating if the customer chooses to not have a tachograph supplied with the van. so we have now taken the towbar off as we don't have a trailer small enough! so might be worth people checking you data plate as the "nice" vosa man would love to crawl up your rear passage with this if he had a chance.

 

[Mikey D]

the merc sprinter i had ,had a MAM 3500kg and max train weight of 6.3 tonne .
IT didnt HAVE to have a tacho fitted (i speced the vehicle myself ) , i only towed for personal use (caravan etc ) not for business tho .
If i was gonna tow for hire or reward i could of got a tacho retro fitted .

I drive a lorry for a living now so use a tacho daily , later in the week i will be driving on road maintaince so no tacho required , quite a few other jobs are exempt as well e.g. milk collection from farms ,

cheers mike

 

[madkayaker]

this van was provided direct to a business so only for commercial use

 

[Wedg1e]

Hmmm, best check my Connect, I took the towbar off the old one but haven't got round to fitting it on the new ('09) one.
Once towed a twin-axle car trailer with a Lotus Esprit on top from Marlborough in Wilts, back to Teesside with the old Connect... nobody said a word but I'm sure I worked out later that it was overweight.

 

[SC_BK]

Ford Transit are available to buy with a variety of gross vehicle and gross train weights, from about 2.6 to 6.5 tonne

Bet your's is a T300?


Oh and you an tow more than 500kg, depending on how much load is in the van, and your licence

 

[madkayaker]

Ford Transit are available to buy with a variety of gross vehicle and gross train weights, from about 2.6 to 6.5 tonne

Bet your's is a T300?


Oh and you an tow more than 500kg, depending on how much load is in the van, and your licence

didn't think it worked that way? i thought it was what the MAM of the van + MAM of the trailer regardless of whether it is loaded or not?

not sure what it is TBH as i dislike transits as they are very uncomphy things especially as a passenger

 

[SC_BK]

The double passenger seats are horrid for more than 50 miles, but you can get single passenger seats, or straight swap for a drivers seat, which are perfect

 

[madkayaker]

that would be good but the criteria for work choosing the van was can carry three and tow cherry picker now it can only do one of those so might be getting changed for land rover defender

 

[SC_BK]

Or you could tell them to get a better transit?

Get a nice ex network rail/utilities LWB crew mess van. Loads of space for passengers, microwave, hot water on tap, tea boiler, sometimes a toilet, and most will have a gross train weight of around 5500-5750