Not sure if I should be posting this in the ‘Newbie’ section but I’m looking for some advice re towing a car trailer with a 7.5 lorry which I can drive because I am 54, not because I have ever taken a lorry test.
If I tow the car I will be overweight for what I can tow on my license so this might sound a silly question but do I need to take a trailer test like what you would do in a car to tow a trailer or do I need to take a HGV test? If so would I need to do theory and cpc?
Have a look on your licence if you’ve C1 I think you’re good to go! Rog or tacho will be on shortly does one drive for a living? Has the 7.5 tonner got a speed limiter and a tacho head?
As far as I know, the older guys who had c1e as standard on their licence could tow upto a combined weight of 12,000kg, so if the 7.5t was weighing in at 7.5t then the trailer and it’s cargo can weigh upto 4.5t…
Now, unlike HGV’s it’s the ACTUAL weight, not the plated weight that matters, so as long as you’re not over 12t combined if/when pulled, then you’re fine.
Just make sure you load it well and drive sensibly, a car trailer with a car is actually a rather weird drive, and if it’s a rented trailer they have a habit of ‘winding the brakes off’ a touch so as not to wear them out as quick, which is fine unless you’re going down hill and braking, then you can get the trailer trying to overtake the 7.5t (or in my case it was trying to overtake my car down Birdlip)
Sam113:
Not sure if I should be posting this in the ‘Newbie’ section but I’m looking for some advice re towing a car trailer with a 7.5 lorry which I can drive because I am 54, not because I have ever taken a lorry test.
If I tow the car I will be overweight for what I can tow on my license so this might sound a silly question but do I need to take a trailer test like what you would do in a car to tow a trailer or do I need to take a HGV test? If so would I need to do theory and cpc?
Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.
You will have C1+E with a 107 restriction code which means a max combined MAM of 8.25 tonnes
If the lorry is 7.5 tonnes MAM/GVW then the max plated MAM for the trailer is 750 kgs
There is also the brakes issue if the trailer is over 750 kgs plated MAM because I THINK that the trailer would need air brakes and not just over-run brakes ■■? - check construction and use laws for that
What is the GVW (MAM) of the lorry? What is the plated MAM of the trailer? If over 750 kgs plated MAM then does it have air brakes?
So if the trailer is over 750kgs he will need an additional test. As it’s a 7.5 used to tow does he need to get the full E category (essentially class1) or can he do a test with just the car trailer (I.e. tow up to 3500kgs)
Sam113:
Not sure if I should be posting this in the ‘Newbie’ section but I’m looking for some advice re towing a car trailer with a 7.5 lorry which I can drive because I am 54, not because I have ever taken a lorry test.
If I tow the car I will be overweight for what I can tow on my license so this might sound a silly question but do I need to take a trailer test like what you would do in a car to tow a trailer or do I need to take a HGV test? If so would I need to do theory and cpc?
Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.
You will have C1+E with a 107 restriction code which means a max combined MAM of 8.25 tonnes
If the lorry is 7.5 tonnes MAM/GVW then the max plated MAM for the trailer is 750 kgs
There is also the brakes issue if the trailer is over 750 kgs plated MAM because I THINK that the trailer would need air brakes and not just over-run brakes ■■? - check construction and use laws for that
What is the GVW (MAM) of the lorry? What is the plated MAM of the trailer? If over 750 kgs plated MAM then does it have air brakes?
Rog, I think the 8.25 limit was just for C1, not C1E…
You have class C1 (any ridged vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes MGW) and C1E (C1 towing vehicle, plus trailer up to the max train weight on the VOSA plate in the cab, normally 11.5 tonnes).
You said that you have the license through acquired rights - in that case next to the ‘C1E’ you will have code 107. That means your maximum train weight (the max plated weight of the truck + max plated weight of the trailer, regardless of the actual weights being less is weighed) must not be over 8250 kg.
That limits you to a trailer with a MGW of 750 kg or less. A few are, but only the very small ones. Just be careful what you pull.
If you need more than that, you need to do a ‘C1E’ test. You dont need to do the CPC (Mod 2 & 4), but I think would need to do a medical, theory (mod 1), and then C1E training/test.
Sam113:
Not sure if I should be posting this in the ‘Newbie’ section but I’m looking for some advice re towing a car trailer with a 7.5 lorry which I can drive because I am 54, not because I have ever taken a lorry test.
If I tow the car I will be overweight for what I can tow on my license so this might sound a silly question but do I need to take a trailer test like what you would do in a car to tow a trailer or do I need to take a HGV test? If so would I need to do theory and cpc?
Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.
You will have C1+E with a 107 restriction code which means a max combined MAM of 8.25 tonnes
If the lorry is 7.5 tonnes MAM/GVW then the max plated MAM for the trailer is 750 kgs
There is also the brakes issue if the trailer is over 750 kgs plated MAM because I THINK that the trailer would need air brakes and not just over-run brakes ■■? - check construction and use laws for that
What is the GVW (MAM) of the lorry? What is the plated MAM of the trailer? If over 750 kgs plated MAM then does it have air brakes?
Rog, I think the 8.25 limit was just for C1, not C1E…
No, restriction 107 id for C1E only. You couldn’t have a restriction to 8250 kg on a class that is only legal to 7500 kg. If you go about half way through your link the C1E with code 107 is listed and explained. This acquired rights lark can be quite confusing some times!
Edit: Between 1986 and 1990 is the section I am referring to
Race Trucker:
You have class C1 (any ridged vehicle up to 7.5 tonnes MGW) and C1E (C1 towing vehicle, plus trailer up to the max train weight on the VOSA plate in the cab, normally 11.5 tonnes).
You said that you have the license through acquired rights - in that case next to the ‘C1E’ you will have code 107. That means your maximum train weight (the max plated weight of the truck + max plated weight of the trailer, regardless of the actual weights being less is weighed) must not be over 8250 kg.
That limits you to a trailer with a MGW of 750 kg or less. A few are, but only the very small ones. Just be careful what you pull.
If you need more than that, you need to do a ‘C1E’ test. You dont need to do the CPC (Mod 2 & 4), but I think would need to do a medical, theory (mod 1), and then C1E training/test.
Once again, are you sure?? Does it depend on when he passed his test? See link above, that’s the gov website, it’s a bit confusing but as I read it, if he passed between 76 and 86, even with those codes, he’d still be upto the 12t train weight.
Also, again, are you sure about it being plated weights, because I ‘nearly’ got done years ago for towing a caravan because I had one of the newer licences, but it turned out I was fine.
And when I questioned towing the horse box I rent on here, which is plated at 2700kg, with my car which has a max towing capacity of 2000kg, I was told - and shown the research, that I was fine as long as the trailer didn’t actually exceed 2000kg.
Sam113:
Not sure if I should be posting this in the ‘Newbie’ section but I’m looking for some advice re towing a car trailer with a 7.5 lorry which I can drive because I am 54, not because I have ever taken a lorry test.
If I tow the car I will be overweight for what I can tow on my license so this might sound a silly question but do I need to take a trailer test like what you would do in a car to tow a trailer or do I need to take a HGV test? If so would I need to do theory and cpc?
Any help or advice would be appreciated, thanks.
You will have C1+E with a 107 restriction code which means a max combined MAM of 8.25 tonnes
If the lorry is 7.5 tonnes MAM/GVW then the max plated MAM for the trailer is 750 kgs
There is also the brakes issue if the trailer is over 750 kgs plated MAM because I THINK that the trailer would need air brakes and not just over-run brakes ■■? - check construction and use laws for that
What is the GVW (MAM) of the lorry? What is the plated MAM of the trailer? If over 750 kgs plated MAM then does it have air brakes?
Rog, I think the 8.25 limit was just for C1, not C1E…
No, restriction 107 id for C1E only. You couldn’t have a restriction to 8250 kg on a class that is only legal to 7500 kg. If you go about half way through your link the C1E with code 107 is listed and explained. This acquired rights lark can be quite confusing some times!
Edit: Between 1986 and 1990 is the section I am referring to
ROG:
waynedl:
Rog, I think the 8.25 limit was just for C1, not C1E…
Its for C1+E on a pre 1997 licence
It allows the driver to say use a 6 tonner GVW and tow a 2.25 plated MAM trailer = 8.25 tonnes total MAM
To get the 12 tonnes GTW (actual weight max) a DSA test covering C1+E must be taken
The OP would need to do the LGV C1+E test (he has full C1) which would mean doing the theory HPT and the practical/reverse/drive/uncouple tests
This is in the bit - Licences acquired between 1976 and 1986.
A Vehicles between 3,500kg and 7,500kg carrying no more than 8 passengers plus driver with trailer over 750kg if combined vehicle and trailer weight isn’t more than 12,000kg C1E (with restriction code 79 or 107)
I’m making the assumption that the guy was born in 1960, so chances are that’s when he passed his test, between being 16 and 26yrs old.
ROG:
I had a careful look at the link with the old licences and at the side it says about restriction codes so the very important question …
Does the OP have a 107 restriction code next to the C1+E ?
But in my above quote, it still says 12,000kg WITH the code 79 or 107
So, does it also depend on when he passed his test?
The 107 code over-rides the 12 tonnes GTW
What would be the point of the code if it did not do that?
No idea, I am only saying what it states above on the government website - which definately says 12,000kg WITH the code 79 or 107
I think you are reading it incorrectly
Firstly it states what the general rules are for a category THEN it states in the left column what the change would be if a code was applied - unless you can copy and paste a bit that says different …
if you’ve C1 
I think you’re good to go! 
Rog or tacho will be on shortly 
does one drive for a living? Has the 7.5 tonner got a speed limiter and a tacho head?