Been nabbed by the police for illegal towing

[214si]

whats the law on towing with a harvey frost or similar, for those that aint familiar with these

[ake]

I belive it is still classed as a trailer

[ginsambo]

Little off subject. I once used a 5 stud Transit 80/120 (?) Motorhome to tow a 1.5 tonne digger and 500kg trailer as my 190 Pickup was out of action that day. Have to say after towing 3 miles that van was never the same!! Wheel bearings, axle made all sorts of noises. I'm legal to tow 2 tonne max in a 190 pickup, laden (+3500kg) or unladen (+2000kg). I'd be illegal if I was caught pulling 2500kg, even if unladen.

What about an Ford F350/450 SuperDuty? I saw one of them in the US pulling an articulated (HGV tractor unit type) double decker car trailer with 6 cars on it!

[neilc5023]

that sounds like somthing id do!!!

[juliantlee]

I think we need a absolute definative answer on this as many of us are towing things, that might be construed as illegal, but we are safe and take our time and care. I am still bit consfused about what we can do and can, as I to have a compact tractor, couple of car trailers etc. Lets pool our experiences towards a definative solution/answer. Julian

[LSi]

Little off subject. I once used a 5 stud Transit 80/120 (?) Motorhome to tow a 1.5 tonne digger and 500kg trailer as my 190 Pickup was out of action that day. Have to say after towing 3 miles that van was never the same!! Wheel bearings, axle made all sorts of noises. I'm legal to tow 2 tonne max in a 190 pickup, laden (+3500kg) or unladen (+2000kg). I'd be illegal if I was caught pulling 2500kg, even if unladen.

What about an Ford F350/450 SuperDuty? I saw one of them in the US pulling an articulated (HGV tractor unit type) double decker car trailer with 6 cars on it!

Erm.... think I'll stick with my Transit

I think it's pretty conclusive from what I've been told so far that if I manage to drop the MAM of the van itself, the GVW will come down with it, and the most it will legally tow is 2t

This is going to mean that I have to get myself a new 2t MAM trailer, as the one I use now then is illegal.

Makes you think though, that if a 150 Transit hits the threshold at 2t on the back, that the amount of MPVs and even estate cars pulling hefty car trailers must be over the limit too!

[ginsambo]

You could get an £600-£800 Discovery / Range Rover just for the heavier stuff along with some low mileage insurance? They tow well and I believe some of them unladen can legally tow 3500kg.

[LSi]

Well, I have access to a Discovery & Defender if needs be, the stats of the Disco (Defender is simmilar) is:

Kerb weight 2053 kg
GVW 2720 kg
GTW 6220kg
Towing Weight 3500 kg

So I can still do what I need to do, I just need to borrow a Landrover to do it.... which although doable is still annoying. The principle reason I own a van is for this, it's one hell of a false economy to then use something else.

I just don't get why there's such a difference in towing weights.... it can't all be down to the 4 wheel drive can it?!

I might phone up VOSA on Monday and see if there is any possibility atall of having my van replated to increase the towing weight. I'm not holding my breath but this is extremely annoying.

[transitgeoff]

i wonder how doctor who is gonna fair up with this knowledge

[neilc5023]

i think if we print this and give to the plod when we are pulled they would just let us go for trying to understand!!!

[LSi]

It's a bit of a muddle isn't it

[vannut]

Luke has asked me to comment on this one. I have to say I have just returned from the pub, (it IS Friday night, after all!) but it sound's to me like plod has dropped a little bollock.

Can you post on here exactly what the plate on your van shows. It will have 4 weights listed on the plate, which will be front axle, rear axle, gross vehicle weight, and gross train weight. These may be shown as MAM, GVM, GTM, GCM etc etc, but whatever, there will be 4 numbers listed. just post them and I will advise you further. They will be something like: (guessing)

1250
1450
3350
5650

Just post them as shown on the plate.

I have to say that most plods haven't a clue when it comes to plates, weights, and dates!

[LSi]

I dare say I think they got this one right.

The plate shows:

3200
5200
1450
2000

As far as I'm aware that translates to:

3200kg - Gross Vehicle Weight

5200kg - Gross train weight

1450kg - Front axle loading

2000kg - Rear axle loading

Seems it is me that's at fault.... albeit unintentionally.

[vannut]

I'm fairly convinced plod is wrong in this case. You haven't exceeded the MAM for the Transit at the weight you were showing of 4941kg if your MAM is 5200kg.

If you had loaded the van up to it's 3200kg limit and then put your trailer on fully loaded then you would have exceeded the MAM.

Unfortunately about 90% of plods have absolutely no idea when it comes to towing trailers.

Let me have a bit of a dig around in the regs later today (when my headache's gone) and I'll come back to you, but don't sell the van yet!

[ginsambo]

Watching this post with interest. End of day Transits are just big cars and in reality the 2.5Di's don't want to tow loads of weight. I'm always surprised (Pissed off and slightly jealous) that Discos and 4x4's can legally tow a lot more than a Transit. I think a 2000kg Gross Trailer Weight is the limit as it probably associated with the rear axle loading?? BUt you'd think if unloaded it should be more and I would like to be able to tow 2500kg at least.

I've had a GTW of 7.6 tonnes with a (Tractor Hay Trailer) before in a Transit pickup but it ain't fun! Had to get some farm machinery to push me up the farm track onto the road as the clutch couldn't cope. Didn't exactly know which direction back home was and lost the two others in the convey (Another transit Trailer and a Disco with Trailer), never been so scared in my life!! I'm talking tight bendy country roads that included some very steep windy hills with a long trailer and no BHP/Torque. Swear the cylinders were glazed after that! Days of cold sweats and praying in 1st gear are over!! Now I know why they have to helicopter some jammed HGV's around. Nuts to that! I couldn't be an HGV driver. That really is skilled work Still it would be nice to tow 2500kg-3000kg legally.