Trailer limits etc

[bazzap8389]

I'm away to do my trailer test in the next few months so I have a few questions.

I've be currently got an a3 tdi as my daily, will it be up to the task towing a trailer with a nova on it?

I've found some info saying it can tow 1,800kg braked.

Will it be up to the job?

Cheers.

[pottersrebel]

there should be a plate on your car stating what the maximum towing weight is, I could be wrong but 1800 kg sounds a lot to me when my citreon relay van is rated the same?

[bazzap8389]

This is all I can find? No idea what they are lol

http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu329/bazzap8389/5C6B6C40-6AC8-4997-8631-A9FFD8209A7E_zpswjreczos.jpg (http://s660.photobucket.com/user/bazzap8389/media/5C6B6C40-6AC8-4997-8631-A9FFD8209A7E_zpswjreczos.jpg.html)

[bighed]

Possibly braked trailer weight 1075 kg and unbraked weight 975 kg. if right either way it's a no go.

[bighed]

I've just looked on google and there is all sorts of answers lol

Looks like you should be ok with a braked trailer but I think the whole thing (a3 trailer and nova) can't weigh over 3.5 tonnes.

[bazzap8389]

So what's the 1890 kg? Lol

the a3 is something like 1340kg so nova and trailer would have to be circa 2 tonnes max. Is that safe to pull in an a3? Lol

[bighed]

Braked or unbraked trailer?

how far you planning to tow

[bazzap8389]

Around 500 miles so I can take the nova to shows etc.

[bighed]

Braked or unbraked. A braked trailer gives you a lot more towing capacity

[Royston]

This any use?

http://www.uktow.com/towing%20capacity.asp?make=Audi&model1=A3%202.0%20TDI%20Attraction

But the answer to your question is no......

The hand book should have guidance, if you have one

[8valve-craig]

1890 is your cars max loaded weight, next one down is train weight.

On a post 97 license you can only tow the UNLADEN weight of the A3 (logbook).

The Long and short of it is that yes You can tow a nova / trailer combo with it, as long as you use the right trailer (with plated weight to suit A3)

[8valve-craig]

Don't pay too much attention to the towing weights on the log book, they are not law, just recommendations due to engine / body.

[Iain]

The 1 and 2 are front/rear axles of the A3 I believe so ignore those

I read that as 3340kg max train weight, and 1890kg is max laden weight of the A3.

So 3340-1890 = 1450kg max towing capacity (which keeps you under the 3.5 tonnes which means you can do it on your licence)

So my trailer for example, a Woodford Lightweight, is plated at 1300kg with a max capacity of 980kg, which means you can use that with the A3 to tow your Nova (1300+1890 = 3190, which is < 3500, so OK)

[Andy]

The back end will be on the deck!

[Stuart]

depends how you load it...

[bazzap8389]

Thanks for the info guys it's all new to me! Although I'd still be under the 3500kg I'd still have to do a trailer test because I'm towing over 750kg though yeah?

Also Iain, I'm a bit confused. What do you mean it's plated for 1300kg with max of 980kg?

excuse me being thick as I've said it's all new to me!

[Iain]

Nope, I'm towing my Nova all legally (hopefully) on a braked trailer

1300kg max weight of the trailer, assume about 300kg of that is the trailer itself, so its plated maximum capacity to go on it is 980kg- plenty for a Nova unless you have 10 subwoofers and a stack of neons in there (which looking at your Celica may well be lol)

[bazzap8389]

Ah ok thanks for the help! And for the last time the gt4 isn't chavy!! lol

[bighed]

The way the dvla chap I called explained it to me (licence rules only not weight) is as long as everything, towing vehicle, trailer, load, contents etc don't weigh in over 3.5 tonnes alls ok. I was two weeks late passing my test in 97.

[bazil]

The way the dvla chap I called explained it to me (licence rules only not weight) is as long as everything, towing vehicle, trailer, load, contents etc don't weigh in over 3.5 tonnes alls ok. I was two weeks late passing my test in 97.

If your trailer and load weigh more than the unladen weight of the prime mover your fcuked mate,

Barry you need to watch your weight on the hitch, it's often overlooked and an easy way to be caught out by a cop that knows his stuff, usually it's 50kg

[Iain]

If your trailer and load weigh more than the unladen weight of the prime mover your fcuked mate,

Yeah that's what bighed said, DVLA spoke regarding your licence not weight laws...

Two weeks late for pre 97 is gutting lol

[8valve-craig]

Nice to see some accurate info on here as opposed to the usual mis-guidance.

As advised, watch your weights, load sensibly, do your homework and you will be fine. Ignorance is no defence, but after a brief study you will probably know more on the subject than the average traffic officer anyway.

[bighed]

It's always been a funny area trailers and loading etc. getting a braked trailer will help massively. Have you done much towing before?

yeah I missed by 2 bloody weeks. Even called round local test centres for a cancellation butI think everyone had the same ideas.

heres my 2 trailers.

i bought the big one for 20 quid looking like this.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140903_135633_zpsgsi2udk6.jpg

which now looks like this. Total rebuild but it's had new tyres now.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140915_164153_zpsz7tmdnf3.jpg

Ive also got my little erde for camping. Stripped it all down and replaced all nuts and bolts, repainted etc, then fixed the roof box down. Does the trick.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r116/bighed123/20140812_144800_zpslakqmrij.jpg

[therealnovaboy]

I have been looking at a trailer for my b5 Audi s4 lately. MAM of car is 2060kg (max laden weight). Max towing weight is 1600kg. Usually an Audi towing weight is 85% of the kerb weight. I can only tow a max train weight of 1440kg as the MAM of car plus the MAM of the towing weight = 3500kg. I am purchasing a trailer that has a MAM of 1600kg and weighs 400kg so can manage a 1200kg load. I'm getting the trailer Down rated to 1400kg so the max load weight is 1000kg. Plenty for a nova. If I ever do my test I can get it re tagged to 1600kg.

You our also have to make sure that the towing weight does not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle and the towing vehicle does not exceed its MAM So my car will have to weigh 1400kg when towing and less than 2060kg

The nose weight of my towbar is 75kg.

Is is your audio a b5 platform. I can check my manual for the towing weight as it has all the b5 Audi weights in it.

[bazzap8389]

As Craig said lots of useful info here thanks guys.

bighed, I've never towed a trailer on the road but I use them often at work but both the front and rear axles are used for steering and when used with a forklift (rear wheel steering) it's rather tricky to reverse!


novaboy, I'm unsure of the platform tbh it's a 2008 a3 2.0 tdi

[therealnovaboy]

Ok we'll in that case I don't have the weights. I thought you said a4

[bazzap8389]

Found this in my handbook.

http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu329/bazzap8389/8FD8C72F-D5B6-4196-8058-B2E1A38775CB_zpsevgpbvn2.jpg (http://s660.photobucket.com/user/bazzap8389/media/8FD8C72F-D5B6-4196-8058-B2E1A38775CB_zpsevgpbvn2.jpg.html)

[8valve-craig]

I have been looking at a trailer for my b5 Audi s4 lately. MAM of car is 2060kg (max laden weight). Max towing weight is 1600kg. Usually an Audi towing weight is 85% of the kerb weight. I can only tow a max train weight of 1440kg as the MAM of car plus the MAM of the towing weight = 3500kg. I am purchasing a trailer that has a MAM of 1600kg and weighs 400kg so can manage a 1200kg load. I'm getting the trailer Down rated to 1400kg so the max load weight is 1000kg. Plenty for a nova. If I ever do my test I can get it re tagged to 1600kg.

Nearly all of the above is bad information.

Edit... So is this


You our also have to make sure that the towing weight does not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle and the towing vehicle does not exceed its MAM So my car will have to weigh 1400kg when towing and less than 2060kg.

[mowgli]

why are people getting all het up about this info again???

it is dead simple. if you don't have a trailer specific licence, you can only go up the road with a MAM of 3500kg, fully laden. end of argument. if your car is legally capable of pulling more than 3500kg minus the weight of the car(laden- load it & weigh it) then you can still only pull a trailer that is both built & plated correctly & still puts you under the 3500kg MAM max.

that's the legals out of the way...

now, the most important thing is to not put very much weight on the pin... seriously, use an axle stand & a bathroom scale & check it.. you should be getting something like 25 - 50 kg on the drawbar. this means that you will actually need to have the trailered car on backwards, or pushed right back on the flat-bed.

[8valve-craig]

I think the definitive answer Bazza P, is for the law, just read the documents on Gov.uk. They are accurate, unlike most internet forums.

[Andy]

It really is easy.People over-complicate their responses with MAM and all that bollox.
There seriously isn't a lot to know about it.

[mowgli]

lifted from the gov.uk site

Licences issued from 19 January 2013From 19 January 2013, drivers passing a category B (car and small vehicle) test can tow:


small trailers weighing no more than 750kg
a trailer over 750kg as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg Maximum Authorised Mass (MAM)

If you want to tow a trailer weighing more than 750kg, when the combined weight of the towing vehicle and trailer is more than 3,500kg, you’ll have to pass a further test and get B+E entitlement on your licence.
You’ll then be able to tow trailers up to 3,500kg.
Licences held from 1 January 1997If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:


drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

For anything heavier you need to take a category B+E driving test (http://www.pngclub.com/towing-with-car/car-trailer-practical-test).

ok, now i'm being pedantic here, but is there actually any legal difference between the pre & post 2013 rules??

[Stuart]

Think it places a limit on driving van type vehicles...as the key bit is 'vehicles upto 3500kg'

[mowgli]

i'm seeing that bit in both sets of rules Stu..... i think whoever wrote it was confused themselves.

[Andy]

The trailer test is laughable aswel Its a mornings work and costs 160quid.
Activities include learning speed limits couple and uncouple and some reversing.
Sounds like a cbt lol

[blue_peg_16v]

Mowgli it ain't that simple rules changed again last January obviously the above still applies to after 97 till then but is different again now

and yes after 2013 dosent go on man just actual weight so they would have to stick you on a weigh bridge

[meritlover]

The trailer test is laughable aswel Its a mornings work and costs 160quid.
Activities include learning speed limits couple and uncouple and some reversing.
Sounds like a cbt lol

Have you done the B+E test?

[blue_peg_16v]

I have its a cross between the normal b licence and the Hgv one.

so you have to drive similar to when you took your driving test extra mirror checks when turning and extra signals for parked cars cyclists etc things that aren't neccersary on the b licence you have to do the reversing exercise which isn't to bad your allowed 2 shunts to correct it if needed, and the unhitching and rehitching treating the trailer like its a new trailer you have never seen, there's also 5 show me tell me questions asked again only basic questions. Test is £115 plus any training course I did was 2 days and cost £395 including the test, it's a farce tbf passed towing a little box trailer and now tow an 8m long caravan absolutely no relevance to what I tow now but I'm legal.

[mowgli]

so am I right in thinking that as long as the MAM is no more than 3500kg, and the towing vehicle is a car, its fine after 2013, but not for a van?

its a pity they didn't say so.....

[Stuart]

I imagine there are some "vans" that have a lower than 3500MAM, and a few cars/pickups that are over it, so have to simply differentiate on the weight.
and now I think they are dropping the van class from some auto entitlements.

[meritlover]

Mass is measured in Newtons

[mowgli]

but the problem is that the definition needs a measurable weight, and that is done with a static measurement in kg on a weighbridge.

10 kg = 98.066N

GTW or gross train weight is the hgv version, and is a bit more precise a name

[meritlover]

3.5t = MAM of 34324N (on planet earth) so you are way under the legal limit. Nothing to worry about.

[therealnovaboy]

Nearly all of the above is bad information.

Edit... So is this

please se somebody tell me how this is not right. This is what I was told when I phoned the dvla