Am I right or wrong (1 Viewer)

[Mikey RV]

Looking at getting a tow car next year. Do I look at kerb weight of car as that is what it weighs when I am towing it, or max weight which is what it can be loaded up too when I go for a drive about. Very confused as when hooked up it will be empty so I thought kerb weight is what to look for. I know I have to allow for A frame also. Got one ton to play with as my Burstner max at 5000kg with toad 6000kg. Help please before my head explodes with info overload. oh:

 

[scotjimland]

My understanding is that it's the the car's Gross .. or MAM , (Max Authorised Mass) .. that you use for calculations for train weight ..

the car or toad falls under 'trailer regs'

 

[Larrynwin]

On an a frame it is the gvw of the car, on a trailer it is the plated gvw of the trailer .

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[Geo]

You are wrong:Sad:
You could get prosecuted for towing an empty trailer oh:
That could theoretically take you over weight if it was loaded
its the all up possible full weight that counts

 

[estcres]

My understanding is the Towing vehicle's GVW + Trailer GVW + kerb weight of trailer load must not exceed the train weight of the towing vehicle.

 

[Mikey RV]

Cheers for answers guys, it really is confusing for me, can't get my head round it. If a car is 900kg kerb weight which in my head is how I would be towing it and 1250kg max weight,it's not like i'am going to be towing that car with four peaple in at 1250kg max weight. So why do they go on max weight. So if I hook my car up to M/H at 900kg and I get stopped and go on weighbridge so I am under the 6000kg on my plate I can still get done as the max weight for the car was 1250kg taking me over my 6000kg. oh I need a beer. :thumb:

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[old-mo]

It`s what your car is stamped/marked at with all passengers etc... M.G.W.

Load of oblocks I think..

Cos it`s "Illegal" to carry passengers on an "A" frame or on tow, other than the driver.. (I think)..

If I was pulled and found to be over the Max Kerb Weight "Car weight opposed to what I can tow... (I`m not).... That is one time I would stand my ground in court... for the above reason..

 

[estcres]

Just to make it more complicated if the towed weight is less tan 750Kg you do not need the trailer to be braked.

Ie: if towing a Smart car on an A frame it doesn't need to be the braked type.

 

[DP+JAY]

It`s what your car is stamped/marked at with all passengers etc... M.G.W.

Load of oblocks I think..

Cos it`s "Illegal" to carry passengers on an "A" frame or on tow, other than the driver.. (I think)..

If I was pulled and found to be over the Max Kerb Weight "Car weight opposed to what I can tow... (I`m not).... That is one time I would stand my ground in court... for the above reason..

Ah, but it could be full of beer or wine, or even dogs.
As stated it by OP it goes on the MAM of the trailer.

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[TheBig1]

Just to make it more complicated if the towed weight is less tan 750Kg you do not need the trailer to be braked.

Ie: if towing a Smart car on an A frame it doesn't need to be the braked type.

sorry but you are totally wrong with that assumption. trailers, which is what you are claiming a towed car is, must have working brakes on all axles on which they are fitted. even if a trailer is under 750kg laden weight, ALL the brakes must work if fitted

as for using the maximum gross weight for a trailer or car, it covers the exception where you have goods or maybe a mobility scooter in the back. if you tow a car on a trailer, the max plated weight of the trailer is used in train weights and must be kept below this regardless. so car + trailer must not exceed the trailer limit or the train weight. some manufacturers quote maximum weight a vehicle can tow in excess of the the max train weight so dont get caught out, as it gets very expensive. plus there have been rumours for a long time that towing a car trailer behind a commercial vehicle, even a private one may need a tachograph fitted soon.

 

[Reallyretired]

I've always worked on the basis that it is the MAM of the toad (plus the weight of the Aframe), that is the figure to use when checking you are within the MHs train weight.
Although the toad won't have people sitting in it, we sometimes put things like chairs, wine etc in the toad.

 

[Landy lover]

Beware of towing a trailer with a plated weigh in excess of your tow limit - VOSA / Police have already started issuing fines on people for 'technical overload' generally on L200 or similar where the maximum tow limit is shown on the weight plate as 2200kg or Ford Ranger at 2700kg and the vehicle has a 3500 gross kg trailer on the back. It does not matter whether you are loaded or not your potential carrying capacity is in excess of the legal limit for the rig which is against the law.

At the moment I have only heard of commercial people generally farmers being done - common sense says it will not be long before they start on other groups

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[TheBig1]

the other problem i heard about recently was the plan in the pipeline to limit those driving privatehgv vehicles, so over 3500kg to trailers under 750kg max even for those that passed their test pre 1997. in effect this would stop toads and car trailers behind bigger motorhomes and horseboxes towing trailers. will ask a few contacts over the next few days if there is anything in this. I know vosa have been pretty busy with stopping horse boxes and horse trailers recently. sometimes they set up camp just down the road from a weekend horse event and pull in anything that looks like it might be a problem. has caused a lot of fuss with the horse riding community from what ive been told by family and friends. motorhomes and other leisure vehicles like 4x4s towing boats are also of interest to vosa.

 

[icantremember]

No more VOSA

All the above advice is correct except that now ......

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) closed on 31 March 2014

It has been replaced by Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

The regulations have not changed, it's probably just another excuse for passing the buck to a now defunct organisation by the same staff that used to run it.oh: