Towing in excess of 8m?

[Surfer]

The Eterniti Genesis IB4 has a shipping length exceeding 8m by a fair bit, but the law states that trailers with a length exceeding 8 or more metres cannot be towed with a vehicle weighing less than 3500kgs. Many of these Eterniti Genesis IB4 are probably being towed illegally on our roads by normal 4 x 4s with the capacity to tow the MTPLM of the caravan. I wonder if the drivers know that they may be illegal and that third party costs can be claimed from them in the event of an accident?

 

[Sproket]

Gov.UK states max length of trailer is 7mts
Eternity Genesis IB4 states that is has a external body length of 6.99mts
From what I am led to believe the draw bar / A frame & coupling do not come into it.....
Have a look here on page 11 & 19

 

[Surfer]

Gov.UK states max length of trailer is 7mts
Eternity Genesis IB4 states that is has a external body length of 6.99mts
From what I am led to believe the draw bar / A frame & coupling do not come into it.....
Have a look here on page 11 & 19

Thanks. It makes you wonder why British built caravans generally have very short draw bars. I was under the impression that a longer drawbar added to stability? Can any one comment on the latter? Thanks.

 

[Parksy]

A longer drawbar means that the pivot point which is the axle(s) are further away from the towball and the CoG is further forward.
This is why commercial articulated trailers are more stable than caravans, because the pivot point is closer to the back of the trailer.

 

[Lutz]

A longer drawbar means that the pivot point which is the axle(s) are further away from the towball and the CoG is further forward.
This is why commercial articulated trailers are more stable than caravans, because the pivot point is closer to the back of the trailer.

The above statement applies only if the noseweight is adjusted to remain unchanged, regardless of the length of the drawbar. Normally, a caravan with a longer drawbar will have an inherently lower noseweight than one with a short one.

 

[Surfer]

The question then is why don't British manufacturers in general have longer tow hitches as there does not appear to be anything to stop them? I think in the states they have a connection between the towing vehicle and trailer to compensate for the noseweight issue. I can't recall what it is called but there is a thread on it somewhere.

 

[Gagakev]

A longer drawbar means that the pivot point which is the axle(s) are further away from the towball and the CoG is further forward.
This is why commercial articulated trailers are more stable than caravans, because the pivot point is closer to the back of the trailer.

The above statement applies only if the noseweight is adjusted to remain unchanged, regardless of the length of the drawbar. Normally, a caravan with a longer drawbar will have an inherently lower noseweight than one with a short one.

Just for clarity (and I appreciate you said normally) my Fleetwood has the 1.5m drawbar with a nose weight of 100kgs.
And out of curiosity obviously the Fleetwood was originally British built and was taken over by Adria, my van was built by Adria in Slovenia and imported back here, under the original Fleetwood banner did there vans all have the longer drawbar?.

 

[Sproket]

Kev
Where did you measure you drawbar from ?
From the front of my gas locker to the center of the towball on my Hymer is 1.2mts
From the center of the wheel to center of towball it is approx 4.2mts....

 

[Gagakev]

Kev
Where did you measure you drawbar from ?
From the front of my gas locker to the center of the towball on my Hymer is 1.2mts
From the center of the wheel to center of towball it is approx 4.2mts....

Oopps should have read 1.25cm from the locker to the towball
center of wheel to centre drawbar 4.55mts.
So wha's a "normal" drawbar 's length?