Searching tow cars by weight?

[Raywood]

Just checked the regulations and the Prof is correct in that the total of the max weight for the car and MTPLM off the caravan cannot exceed 3,500kg. My information was from an enforcement officer who was wrong, so you might still get away with it.
I think most cars in the Mondeo class have suitable tow cars in them, but you do have to check the spec of the model you are looking at.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Just checked the regulations and the Prof is correct in that the total of the max weight for the car and MTPLM off the caravan cannot exceed 3,500kg. My information was from an enforcement officer who was wrong, so you might still get away with it.
I think most cars in the Mondeo class have suitable tow cars in them, but you do have to check the spec of the model you are looking at.

I'm sorry Ray but I doubt it. Most enforcement officers should know teh difference, and after all its a very simple thing to check on an outfits as both the cars GVW and the caravan's MTPLM are printed on teh data labels and a simple addition of the two will show whether you are over 3500kg licence limit.

The officer would be correct if he were referring to the cars capability rather than the drivers licence.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Of course, the other part of the law is that you can go over the 3,500kg total MAM limit IF the trailer is 750kg or less and the towing vehicle is 3,500kg or less. Not sure if there are any caravans 750kg or less other than small tear-drops.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Of course, the other part of the law is that you can go over the 3,500kg total MAM limit IF the trailer is 750kg or less and the towing vehicle is 3,500kg or less. Not sure if there are any caravans 750kg or less other than small tear-drops.

I've never seen one but if a sub 751kg trailer were to be fitted with brakes it would be treated as if it were more than 750kg!

 

[Hutch]

Prof, Why is that, the goverment website states nothing about braked or unbraked. ?

 

[Raywood]

Prof, Why is that, the goverment website states nothing about braked or unbraked. ?

I think you need to ask the government that one.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Hutch,

Why does the Government portal not quote the requirement for all categories correctly??? - because mandarin who doesn't know anything abut the subject has been told to precis the act of parliament, and has got it wrong in several area's

As with any internet page don't trust it unless you can verify it.

 

[Mel]

.

I've never seen one but if a sub 751kg trailer were to be fitted with brakes it would be treated as if it were more than 750kg![/quote]

This is Completely beside the point: but I Have seen one. In fact own one. Elderly trailer tent, plated weight of 649kg with an overrun brake. As I said, beside the point.
Mel

 

[Hutch]

Prof, where is this info about braked trailer being classed.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Prof, where is this info about braked trailer being classed.

Hello Hutch.

I got it wrong. I have just looked up the regulations in the Act of Parliament, and with regards the driving licence category B there is no mention of braking systems on trailers.

Quote
"1999 No. 2864
ROAD TRAFFIC
The Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations 1999
SCHEDULE 2 Regulations 4 to 6 and 43
CATEGORIES AND SUB-CATEGORIES OF VEHICLE FOR LICENSING PURPOSES
PART 1

B
Motor vehicles, other than vehicles included in F, K and P
category A, F, K or P, having a maximum
authorised mass not exceeding 3.5 tonnes and not
more than eight seats in addition to the driver’s
seat, including:
(i) a combination of any such vehicle and a trailer
where the trailer has a maximum authorised mass
not exceeding 750 kilogrammes, and
(ii) a combination of any such vehicle and a trailer
where the maximum authorised mass of the
combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and the
maximum authorised mass of the trailer does not
exceed the unladen weight of the tractor vehicle."

However in the Construction and use regs a trailer of up to 750kg MAM does not require brakes, but over 750kg MAM must have an automatic braking system.

So my contention was wrong

 

[camel]

Any technical information I require for a particular car including braked or unbraked towing weights I go to a major car leasing web site and the information is there,

 

[ProfJohnL]

Any technical information I require for a particular car including braked or unbraked towing weights I go to a major car leasing web site and the information is there,

Hello Camel,
There is a significant danger of using any third party web site for detailed technical or legal information. Even the Government's own portal which carries a wealth of information for drivers has been clearly shown to contain some quite significant errors.

I prefer if possible to go to the actual Acts of Parliament on which the law is based , but that is not always easy firstly not all the acts are available online, and secondly when you do finds them the way they are written takes a strong constitution to understand them.

As for vehicle data, again there have been some proven anomalies with the data in some third party databases, after all its humans that enter the data and mistakes and omissions occur, and as you can't know which data is correct and which may be erroneous they cannot be trusted implicitly. Its also very important to make sure the data relates to your specific enquiry, make model engine variant, year and trim levels becasue even with the same model range detail variations can occur which are model specific, so you cant for example assume that a Acme 1600L and a Acme 1600GL will have the same weights or towing details. Even the same model sold in different countries can have important technical differences.

I always try to get as close to the source of the information as possible to avoid errors in translation, and I encourage others to do the same.