When I was at Co-op, our TM wouldn’t let drivers pull a decker with a 4x2 because the plated weight wasn’t the same, they had to be pulled by 6x2’s, the trailer and unit combos used to weigh in at 32-36t depending on the orders.
Own Account Driver:
it’s a 10 second job to change the plate.
The only legal way to change a plate is to have the manufacturer of the trailer do it for a trailer not more than 3500 MAM so are you stating that the law is being broken?
NewLad:
When I was at Co-op, our TM wouldn’t let drivers pull a decker with a 4x2 because the plated weight wasn’t the same, they had to be pulled by 6x2’s, the trailer and unit combos used to weigh in at 32-36t depending on the orders.
LOL
ROG:
Own Account Driver:
it’s a 10 second job to change the plate.The only legal way to change a plate is to have the manufacturer of the trailer do it for a trailer not more than 3500 MAM so are you stating that the law is being broken?
The manufacturer just post the plates out to customers and we have blanks also. We’re an authorised repair centre for one trailer manufacturer so customers that don’t want to fit them themselves would be directed to us anyway.
The situation is thus
Is it legal to tow a trailer with your car plated above it’s tow capacity?
Yes
Is it an urban myth people have got fp tickets from police that don’t know the law?
No - people definitely have
If you want to buy a trailer plated above the tow capacity of your car, it’s up to you what you want to do but, for the negligible cost and effort of downplating and replating back again, if you sell the trailer, I know what I’d do.
Own Account Driver:
ROG:
Own Account Driver:
it’s a 10 second job to change the plate.The only legal way to change a plate is to have the manufacturer of the trailer do it for a trailer not more than 3500 MAM so are you stating that the law is being broken?
The manufacturer just post the plates out to customers and we have blanks also. We’re an authorised repair centre for one trailer manufacturer so customers that don’t want to fit them themselves would be directed to us anyway.
The situation is thus
Is it legal to tow a trailer with your car plated above it’s tow capacity?
YesIs it an urban myth people have got fp tickets from police that don’t know the law?
No - people definitely haveIf you want to buy a trailer plated above the tow capacity of your car, it’s up to you what you want to do but, for the negligible cost and effort of downplating and replating back again, if you sell the trailer, I know what I’d do.
If the up or down plating has been authorised EVERY time by the trailer manufacturer then you are legal 
… if not …
Please ask at least one of those who states they have got tickets what the charge was - i’ll bet whatever you like that you never get an answer … because there is not one
How do the manufacturers go about changing the plate under the new rules?
A lot of Police officers have no idea about the law - in many areas.
It doesn’t surprise me to hear that they issue FP notices based on error. 
ROG:
Own Account Driver:
ROG:
Own Account Driver:
it’s a 10 second job to change the plate.The only legal way to change a plate is to have the manufacturer of the trailer do it for a trailer not more than 3500 MAM so are you stating that the law is being broken?
The manufacturer just post the plates out to customers and we have blanks also. We’re an authorised repair centre for one trailer manufacturer so customers that don’t want to fit them themselves would be directed to us anyway.
The situation is thus
Is it legal to tow a trailer with your car plated above it’s tow capacity?
YesIs it an urban myth people have got fp tickets from police that don’t know the law?
No - people definitely have
If you want to buy a trailer plated above the tow capacity of your car, it’s up to you what you want to do but, for the negligible cost and effort of downplating and replating back again, if you sell the trailer, I know what I’d do.
If the up or down plating has been authorised EVERY time by the trailer manufacturer then you are legal
Please ask at least one of those who states they have got tickets what the charge was - i’ll bet whatever you like that you never get an answer … because there is not one
rog it’s just the same as my mate with only a cat B who got stopped towing a caravan behind his vito, he was told by the copper you can only tow a small garden type trailer, the caravan was recovered. he didn’t know at the time but he was legal by about 20 - 40kgs. i can’t defo remember if he had the option of a fpn, but i think he did, but after working out he was legit went to court, the copper didn’t show up. the copper didn’t know the rules.
Legally if the op exceeds 3.5 tonnes as he is commercial enterprise then he a tacho and o licence fitting to the van as long as the comibation weight is under 3.5 tonnes ie both van and trailer are empty no olicence and tacho will not be needed
In this case you are wrong. If the van has a gvw of 3.5 tons and a train weight of 6 tons this does not mean that it can only tow a trailer with a Max capacity of 2.5 tons It just means that the combined loaded weight of the van and trailer cannot exceed 6 tons. So therefore if the van was only weighing in at 2.5 tons then you could load the trailer to its Max capacity of 3.5 tons and still be legal as you wouldn’t be exceeding the 6 ton train weight. As long as neither van or trailer is loaded heavier than its gvw and the combined weight of the two is less than or equal to the train weight permitted then it is legal.
And as far as I know its supposed to have a tachograph fitted that must be used when towing a trailer for commercial purposes.
My mate has a light haulage company and got caught out by that.
stevieboy308:
rog it’s just the same as my mate with only a cat B who got stopped towing a caravan behind his vito, he was told by the copper you can only tow a small garden type trailer, the caravan was recovered. he didn’t know at the time but he was legal by about 20 - 40kgs. i can’t defo remember if he had the option of a fpn, but i think he did, but after working out he was legit went to court, the copper didn’t show up. the copper didn’t know the rules.
How come the driver did not know the rules he was towing under before he set out?
ROG:
How come the driver did not know the rules he was towing under before he set out?
C’mon Rog, we that do this for a living get caught out with the myriad of rules and regs we must adhere to. Can you imagine your normal car driver type person knowing the ins and outs of regs we argue for hours over?
And yes, I do know that ignorance of the law is no defence.
the maoster:
ROG:
How come the driver did not know the rules he was towing under before he set out?C’mon Rog, we that do this for a living get caught out with the myriad of rules and regs we must adhere to. Can you imagine your normal car driver type person knowing the ins and outs of regs we argue for hours over?
And yes, I do know that ignorance of the law is no defence.
Those towing on a B licence tend to look into whether they are legal or not to do it - many think they cannot tow over 750 kgs or tow at all until they get BE
ROG:
Those towing on a B licence tend to look into whether they are legal or not to do it - many think they cannot tow over 750 kgs or tow at all until they get BE
Really? Personally I imagine that they’re the same B licence holders who overtake you in lane three while towing the caravan to Cornwall!
the maoster:
ROG:
Those towing on a B licence tend to look into whether they are legal or not to do it - many think they cannot tow over 750 kgs or tow at all until they get BEReally? Personally I imagine that they’re the same B licence holders who overtake you in lane three while towing the caravan to Cornwall!
Are they B or BE holders?
Wouldn’t have a clue. I can drive a bendy, a car and ride a motorbike therefore I have never bothered to work out what class is what as it never has or will affect me. As far as I’m concerned I have a HGV1 and that’s the extent of what I need to know.