Towing advice

[womble sri]

I have had a search through some posts and had a look on direct gov website and just wanted to confirm with someone (hopefully in the know) that I'm correct.

I'm changing jobs and starting a new business venture for which I will require a trailer.

Being as I don't have a liscence for towing, the guidance given states that -

'Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM'

Now I'm looking at a Toyota hilux which has a kerb weight of 1900kg and has a manufacturers recommended towing capacity of 2250kg (I am taking these figures as unladen weight and MAM).

Would I be correct in that I can tow a trailer with a MAM of 1250kg as the weight of the unladen hilux is greater than the the MAM of the trailer and the combined MAM is not greater than 3500kg?

Cheers in advance

Neil

[kent14sr]

Yes in theory.

The MAM of the car and trailer combined cannot exceed 3500kg

The MAM of the trailer cannot exceed the unladen weight of the car

I found there are very few braked trailers (other than tiny non braked aluminium ones) that have an MAM that will legally allow a non B+E licence holder to legally tow - for example a Brian James car trailer seems to be around 2500kg!, and box trailers seem to be around 1500kg

It seems the law changes next January, to go on actual weights rather than MAM but its rather unclear!

[Hobbit]

Sounds good to me. If you fully load the trailer you could have 350kg (inc you) in the hilux :thumb:

[womble sri]

Yeah from looking at 1250kg trailers I think I'm gonna have to do my license, would fit more gear on the back of the truck than one of those pony things, anyone been through it?

[kent14sr]

Its not difficult (from speaking to our DSA examiner) but its costly

[Paul]

No,

Tow car MAM + MAM of trailer must not exceed 3.5t

Unladen weight of tow car must exceed MAM of trailer.

[Paul]

The MAM of the hilux is not trailer weight its the MAM.

[Graeme]

I got told it was 750 kg unbraked trailer and I used to be just junder the limit with my Jetski, I looked into B&E and was told it was around £500 all in

[Mcgowan]

I swear my MAM weighs roughly 1250 kilos......She's one fat mamma!!!!!hahahahahahaaaaaa lol lol lol lol lol lol

[Hobbit]

No,

Tow car MAM + MAM of trailer must not exceed 3.5t

Unladen weight of tow car must exceed MAM of trailer.

See i read this...

"Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM."

So assumed you were fine as long as the total train weight was bellow 3.5t, but if you read the example it does say MAM of tow car and MAM of trailer must not exceed 3.5t.

Just do you trailer test, will be much easier lol

[Andy]

just do it anyway
ignorance is bliss

[Royston]

just do it anyway
ignorance is bliss

Just seen an astra van towing a 2 tonne trailer today, pulled into a layby with a Police car behind it, van was too light for the trailer and possibly no licence.

[Andy]

The thing is,all these replies on here vary and differ.
What i said was a joke btw,does the dvla site have all the rules??
Cos the last thing i would do would be to take some internet forum advice when it came to s licence lol
Also,how do they expect you to get weighed without comitting an offence in the 1st instance? lol

[Royston]

No your right Andy...........

Pikeys get away with it all the time.................

The DVLA rules are all there to see but are complex to apply, as Hobbit says, just do your test, you're then covered

[womble sri]

just do it anyway
ignorance is bliss

I'm gonna have to I think, looking at 1250kg trailers you can't tow sod all anyway!

[mowgli]

you will find that the training for b+e will not actually teach you how to reverse it.....well, all the local pony club people who took it still can't reverse when they come to my brothers yard to rent his horse arena