Having spoken to one of the top people in VOSA, I can now give the CORRECT information for train weights: -
It is the ACTUAL weights of the total combination that determine the train weight and not the plated weights.
1 - The plated weights of the prime mover (towing vehicle) and the trailer (if it has a plate) must not be exceeded.
2 - If the tyres on the trailer have load ratings then they must not be exceeded.
3 - The load on the towing hitch must not exceed manufacturers safe limits
4 - It is RECOMMENDED by manufacturers that the trailer does not exceed the weight of the towing vehicle at any time for safety purposes - this is not written in LAW but may lead to a safety prosecution if not followed
EXAMPLES
smontagu wrote:my 90 t350 has a gtw of 5750kgs, i have a car trailer with a wax weight of 3500 kgs, i understand this to mean that i could theoretically put a few hundred kilos of "crap" in my van and as long as it only weighs 2250kgs i would be able to pull the max of 3500 behind (750kg trailer with 2750kg porsche cayenne on it) and still be legal
The train weight would be legal but as the trailer would weigh more than prime mover then, although not illegal to do that, it would be super unsafe and probably against the manufacturers recommendations
Any incident would land the driver in very hot water with the authorities - probably a charge of driving a vehicle/combination in an unsafe manner or suchlike...
smontagu wrote:on the other hand i could load my van up to 3500 kgs and tow my trailer as long as car on trailer was no heavier than 1500 kgs (trailer 750/car 1500 total 2250) i would be ok
Perfectly safe and weight legal
smontagu wrote:somebody has told me that becaulse my van has gvw of 3500 and gtw of 5750 the trailer i could tow (trailer and car combined) MUST not exceed 2250 kgs even if my van was empty as gtw is subject/worked out by GVW of van plus trailed weight, not ACTUAL weight of van plus trailed weight.
Not true - the train weight goes on the total ACTUAL weight and not the plated weights but each plated weight must not be exceeded.
LSi wrote: I have a Mk5 SWB 150 rated at 5,200kg GTW
I got the van on a weighbridge a while back with a full tank of fuel, a usual supply of tools and me in it, and it weighed just under 2200kg, I never have more than this in it for towing. So we can safely assume my 'job ready' kerb weight is under 2200kg.
I use a Brian James trailer which is plated at 3000kg, and weighs 750kg... it has a load capacity of 2250kg
I got pulled over and taken to a weighbridge just a couple of miles after leaving, which was a first for me. The GTW with the landrover on the trailer come in at 4941kg
LEGAL as neither the GVW of the prime mover or trailer has been exceeded and nor has the total of both ACTUAL weights exceeded the train weight
Geoffers wrote:My 260 with a GVW of 2600kgs and a GTW of 3500kgs. Which if these scenarios would I be legal (if any)?
Scenario A - I get weighed and the van weighs 2000kgs. I am towing an unplated caravan or boat that weighs 1500kgs
Scenario B - I get weighed and the van weighs 2000kgs. I am towing a boat with a trailer plated for 1000kgs but the actual weight of the trailer and boat weighs 900kgs
A = legal
B = legal
LICENCES
Towing with vehicles under 3.5 tonnes
The rules on B & B+E licences are a bit weird...
The licence required to drive a van of 3.5 tonnes plated weight or under is a B
B licence holders can tow a combination up to 3.5 tonnes so a 2 tonne car towing a 1.5 tonne trailer/caravan is legal OR the towing vehicle (prime mover) was 3.5 tonnes and the trailer was 750kgs max making a total of 4.25 tonnes
B+E would be required if the combination was above those examples
ME wrote:.. a C1 licence holder can legally drive a Unit as long as its under 7490 kgs and solo
If the PLATED weight is 7.5 tonnes or under then yes
... my B+E entitlement means that the MAM of the trailer doesn't have to be less than the unladen weight of the towing vehicle.
Correct but see prime mover & trailer weight issues above
TACHOGRAPHS & EU REGS
A tachograph will always be needed when towing a trailer commercially where the combination weight is over 3.5 tonnes and will be required for the rest of that day whether the trailer is used or not
On any day when the trailer is not used then the tachograph does not need to be used either but if the tacho has been used in that WEEK (mon 0000 to sun 2400) then the other days must be officially recorded as other work.
This is because the weekly rest requirements for the EU driver regs MUST be adhered to.
In any week (mon 0000 to sun 2400) where you drive under EU regs then, for all the other days that week you worked an official record must be made either by inputting the info into a digi (time consuming) or using a seperate digi printout or a seperate analogue card (easiest option IMO) for each day.
Each seperate record must have your name, date, start & finish time on it.
After 28 days the records for the time spent on non-tacho days can be binned as the operators of the vehicle(s) you drove only want the records for the days that you drove their vehicle(s)
Any WTD concerns are easily sorted because non-tacho days are under the 'normal' WTD which can be opted out of.
Driving days that come under EU regs count for the RT(WTD)R - the 'mobile workers' WTD
I hope all this helps and has not confused anyone too much !!