I know this is slightly off topic a bit, but I thought I’d ask here as you’d know the bigger things on our roads
What is the longest trailer permissable on a car? And when towing with a car, a long and reasonably heavy trailer (as described) what would the maximum speeds on a motorway be?
The chap in question, on another forum, was critisising other drivers while he was doing 70mph in a Rover 600 with trailer, total length of 35ft.
It sounded a little fast, and also a little long. I know Glider trailers are usually twin or triple axles and are long but also quite light (appropriately)
but i think its more to do with the weight then the actual size of the trailer i have seen a range rover pulling a dirty great boat on the back off it before( granted it was on its side on the m40 )
As far as I can gather it is down to weight rather than length… you sometimes see those Land rover or range rovers pulling those long traliers for carrying gliders… they must be around 30ft long or even more…
I think the maximum weight for a landrover to pull is a braked trailer up to 3.5 tonne… that what it says in the Handbook anyway…
After that plonker went down the banking (Flipping Heck) and caused that train crash.
Any vehicle with a train weight over 3.5 tons has to be fitted with a tacho.
There are the usual exemptions; 50miles radius from base ;less than 4 hrs driving per day ;agricultural; ■■■■■■ etc.
So is it legal for a Range Rover type “car” to pull a kind-a skeletal trailer with a 30ft long, 9ft(ish) wide house on the back of it, no yellow beacons and no wide markers and no second man either.
Towing vehicle under 3500kg GVW
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) 7.0 metres
Width Maximum 2.3 metres
Towing vehicle over 3500kg GVW
Length (excluding the coupling and drawbar) 12 metres if at least 4 wheels
Width Maximum 2.55 metres
Length of towing vehicle and trailer combined 18 metres
Maximum overhang of load from rear of trailer 3.05 metres
Motorbikes are limited to 2.5 metres for a trailer though
AndyM:
As far as I can gather it is down to weight rather than length… you sometimes see those Land rover or range rovers pulling those long traliers for carrying gliders… they must be around 30ft long or even more…
I think the maximum weight for a landrover to pull is a braked trailer up to 3.5 tonne… that what it says in the Handbook anyway…
They are called ‘Glider tarilers’ Andy, they carry Gliders (Sailplanes for the US readers)
Many many moons ago (Back in about ‘83 I think) my Father had to tow a 50ft static caravan to Wales to his Mothers’ for a holiday home. He towed it behind a gutless six cylinder long wheel base landrover stationwagon. Had a heck of a job manouvering it onto a concrete hardstanding. Had to push it up the lip which was about six inches high. Took him ages as the “gutless” was even worse as the engine was on the way out. He had had to drive up from the West Midlands in low range as that was the only way the thing could tow it Didn’t even have proper lights on the back. Just outside Brum he was joined by a police ■■■■■■ all the way up to the Welsh Borders where they kindly swapped to the Welsh Force. The Welsh had no problems with the load and just made him put some sidelights on the back somehow so he could continue!!! And then left him to it!!! Huh!?
my Father had to tow a 50ft static caravan to Wales to his Mothers’ for a holiday home. He towed it behind a gutless six cylinder long wheel base landrover stationwagon.
Thats the reason they call them statics.
Ther are not built to be towed, the chassis isnt strong enough, the tyres are from wheelbarrows and the bearings overheat. Sounds like he was very lucky,
Lucky that the police didnt nick him, and even more luckier the wheels didnt come off
AndyM:
As far as I can gather it is down to weight rather than length… you sometimes see those Land rover or range rovers pulling those long traliers for carrying gliders… they must be around 30ft long or even more
Glider trailers are allowed to be that long cos the glider you put in them doesn’t break down into smaller pieces (well, not in a way that you can reassemble ). My dad flies gliders and someone at his club once got nicked as he was using his glider trailer to carry some logs which were only about half the length of the trailer, which isn’t allowed.
My last new house, a 30’ x 10’ static caravan, came from near Corby into the middle of Brum (Small Heath) behind a SWB LandCruiser. It was on a monster trailer and had no markers, just a lightboard on the back. The driver said he did it like that all the time and had never had any problems.
I once towed an 18’ touring caravan from just outside Bridgnorth into Brum. Ho hum, you would rightly say, except that I towed it with a Bedford Rascal (and I have the photos to prove it). Now that trip had it’s fair share of brown-trouser moments.
I bought a twin-axle Arrow Travella once (chrome, ■■■■■-type trailer with all the cut glass cupboards and stuff). When I picked it up I forgot to check the wheelnuts and lost a wheel on the way home. I towed it about 30 miles on three wheels, luckily mostly on back roads.
Loosing wheels on trailers isn’t new. It gets complicated when axles fall off…
Many moons ago I towed a 6 ton trailer with a short wheel base two litre petrol landrover. I thought it was 3 ton, but because I’d never towed before didn’t know there was a problem. A pal was pulling an identical load with his motor and he had a perkins diesel under the bonnet
Of course, if I knew then what I know now, I would never have done it. But these things come with experience. One More Mistake into the line!
i have seen a range rover pulling a dirty great boat on the back off it before( granted it was on its side on the m40 
)
Didn’t even have proper lights on the back. Just outside Brum he was joined by a police ■■■■■■ all the way up to the Welsh Borders where they kindly swapped to the Welsh Force. The Welsh had no problems with the load and just made him put some sidelights on the back somehow so he could continue!!! And then left him to it!!! Huh!?