Saw a car towing an empty 3.5t trailer today. From the rear view the trailer was slightly wider than the car and so restricting rear view along the side of the car. The trailer top was about three quarters up the rear window and was restricting rear view over the trailer.
I would imagine it should be towed by a larger vehicle of similar capacity?
If a 3.5t vehicle tows a 3.5t trailer it needs a tacho so presumably the above should have one also?
global.
Yes it should.
A Car towing a 3.5t trailer that is slightly wider than the car. Quite normal and legal as the trailer may have a max gross weight of 3.5t but empty it will proabably weigh between 1 and 1.2t at most. As for the width untill recently the max width you could tow with a private vehicle was 2.3m much wider than the average 1.8m for a car. All you need if your view behind is obstructed is extension Mirriors the same as when towing a caravan. Now our unelected most would say unwanted EU dictators have said the max width for towing with a private vehicle is 2.4m the same as the rest of the EU. As for a tachograph it is not required for private use and a few other exemptions even with a commercial vehicle (Van Landrover etc) so why would it be required for a private car unless it was being used for commercial reasons.
Hiya if you take a close look at many two axle trailers they are only 2.5 tons. you’ll have to look at
the tow hitch to be sure. the pain is i cant even tow a empty 3.5 ton trailer behind my motorhome.
i’ve changed the hitch to a 1.5 tons so i can carry two motorcycles on my plant trailer, sort of
silly i think. the law is you might load your 3.5 ton trailer to max making the train weight of my
motorhome 7 tons, when the train is 5.4 tons legally.
John
Your not quite right there john ,if you are a old fashioned licence holder you can do what you want in any combination so long as you don’t exceed the train weight ,the olicence from my house limits me to 3.5t vehicle and a 3.5t trailer ,the old type merc is only rated at 6.3t I’ve been pulled quite a lot over the years, as you know if its safe and your axles are ok and gtw ,its the young licence holders entitlement that matters thats why such as ifor williams down rate some trailers to suit the trailer gross to the vehicle to add up to the drivers licence entitlement.i often run at 3t vehicle plus 3.3t trailer as the trailer loaded poorly can soon overload the drive axle when running at 3.5t.
Sounds fine to me.
Assuming rearward visibility is not an issue, weights certainly are not if the driver possesses +E.
Tacho for commercial use over 3.5t train which based on that post is not being exceeded.
Ian G:
Sounds fine to me.Assuming rearward visibility is not an issue, weights certainly are not if the driver possesses +E.
Tacho for commercial use over 3.5t train which based on that post is not being exceeded.
so if I understand this correctly ( 3.5tvehicle) as long as total weight of vehicle (with/without a load) and trailer (with/without a load ) doesn’t exceed 3.5t a tacho is not required for commercial use ■■? 
As usual there is great confusion here as to what you can and can’t legally tow with a car/van.
Firstly, other than a possible mirror issue if the car couldn’t see past the trailer properly, I see no problem with the OP’s scenario.
Assuming non commercial use and that the driver holds a B+E licence (i.e. passed their test before 1997 OR has done the B+E test since passing their car test), the plated weight of the trailer is irrelevant, what is important is the actual weight of the trailer and its load.
So an empty trailer that weighs 800-1000kg perhaps can be legally towed behind all but the smallest of cars.
If it is for commercial use then you have to consider tachographs if the MGW of the combination is over 3500kg.
If the driver doesn’t hold a B+E licence it gets more complicated and then the MGW of the trailer does come in to play.
Paul
syramax:
Ian G:
Sounds fine to me.Assuming rearward visibility is not an issue, weights certainly are not if the driver possesses +E.
Tacho for commercial use over 3.5t train which based on that post is not being exceeded.
so if I understand this correctly ( 3.5tvehicle) as long as total weight of vehicle (with/without a load) and trailer (with/without a load ) doesn’t exceed 3.5t a tacho is not required for commercial use ■■?
The requirement for a tacho for commercial use is GTW over 3500kg. Even if the vehicle and trailer are both empty and the actual weight are under 3500kg, if the maximum permissible weight of the combination is over 3500kg then a tacho is required.
Paul
3300John:
Hiya if you take a close look at many two axle trailers they are only 2.5 tons. you’ll have to look at
the tow hitch to be sure. the pain is i cant even tow a empty 3.5 ton trailer behind my motorhome.
i’ve changed the hitch to a 1.5 tons so i can carry two motorcycles on my plant trailer, sort of
silly i think. the law is you might load your 3.5 ton trailer to max making the train weight of my
motorhome 7 tons, when the train is 5.4 tons legally.
That is not the law at all and you have needlessly changed your trailer. Whoever told you that clearly didn’t know what they are talking about.
If that was the law then hardly anyone would be able to legally tow a 3.5t trailer as very few vehicles are rated that high.
Paul
repton:
The requirement for a tacho for commercial use is GTW over 3500kg. Even if the vehicle and trailer are both empty and the actual weight are under 3500kg, if the maximum permissible weight of the combination is over 3500kg then a tacho is required.Paul
An ‘O’ licence is also required.
repton:
3300John:
Hiya if you take a close look at many two axle trailers they are only 2.5 tons. you’ll have to look at
the tow hitch to be sure. the pain is i cant even tow a empty 3.5 ton trailer behind my motorhome.
i’ve changed the hitch to a 1.5 tons so i can carry two motorcycles on my plant trailer, sort of
silly i think. the law is you might load your 3.5 ton trailer to max making the train weight of my
motorhome 7 tons, when the train is 5.4 tons legally.That is not the law at all and you have needlessly changed your trailer. Whoever told you that clearly didn’t know what they are talking about.
If that was the law then hardly anyone would be able to legally tow a 3.5t trailer as very few vehicles are rated that high.
Hiya cheers paul…i thought the law was a bit stupid. the trailer is sort of over engineered for the job, but it follows
brillant and is the same width as my motorhome. I’ll say nothing to the chap who told me i could’t tow the trailer,
i fel out with him over something else and keep away nowadays.cheers mate.
John
Legal senario using a B+E licence
Vehicle
GVW 3500 = law
GTW 6000 = law
Recommended towing capacity 2500 = not law but could be used in court if set up unstable
Trailer
Unladen 1000
MAM 3500
Load trailer with 1500
There is an internet myth doing the rounds where some numpties are saying that the above is illegal because it has the capacity when all the GVW/MAM is utilised to exceed the GTW and towing capacity but there is no such law or rule
As all weight laws refer to all types of vehicles then if the myth was correct we would need to keep replating the weights on artic and drag trailers so they conformed with the GTWs on the towing units/trucks !!!