Van Weight Question

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS OWNER AND FLEET OPERATORS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hey all

perhaps not the best place for this question but im sure that i will get a decent answer.

i’m in the process of saving up for a van and trailer combo, for my hobbies.

i have worked out that i will need to carry about 1 - 1,2t on the van, and the tailer will be around 1,6t.

my question is is it possible to have just a bog standard 3,5t van with a maximum train weight high enough to tow the trailer ? - or do i have to get a van with an uprated plate ?

hope that you can make sense of my question.

many thanks

2

dont know if this helps but this is off one of the government sites

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

3

to me that says i can have a van upto 3,5 tonnes, and then tow a trailer of upto 0,75tonnes, so that i have a gross laden weight of 4,25tonnes.

but i thought that it was possible to drive with a heavier trailer than just 750kg seams a bit pointless. unless if the 750kg refers to an un-braked trailer.

me thinks that i need to do much more investigating.

thanks for the help biggus.

4

this is where i got it from, theres a bit more detail on there.

direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Dr … G_10013073

5

Dont forget the tacho either…

6

HGV_Mikey:
to me that says i can have a van upto 3,5 tonnes, and then tow a trailer of upto 0,75tonnes, so that i have a gross laden weight of 4,25tonnes.

but i thought that it was possible to drive with a heavier trailer than just 750kg seams a bit pointless. unless if the 750kg refers to an un-braked trailer.

me thinks that i need to do much more investigating.

thanks for the help biggus.

category B +E gives you more

(these are driving licence categories )

7

Double post. Oops

8

WildGoose:
It’s easy to get confused, as everyone seems to be an expert when it comes to driving related advice.

The legislation is actually quite simple, just got to find the right place to read it from. Naturally, as proved by Working Time Directive legislation the source is always the best.

I assume you will have a category B+E on your licence. This allows you to drive a vehicle up to 3500kgs with a trailer.

If you have the B+E category, you need NOT be concerned with the 750kgs max trailer rule, that is purely for category B ONLY drivers.

The max trailer weight for category B+E should be determined by the towing vehicles manufacturing plate, this will give you the Maximum Train Weight allowed.

Allow me to use my own van for a quick example. 1995 Ford Transit SWB 120 (the 120 indicates the max payload of 1.2t in the case of the Transit range). The maximum gross weight of the vehicle is 2830kg, the maximum Train Weight is 3500kgs.

So this particular van, can tow a combination not exceeding 3500kgs, for example if the van was empty, kerb weight circa 1600kgs, it could tow a trailer of 1900kgs. If maximum payload was carried in the van, the maximum weight of trailer would be reduced to less than 700kgs.

The above is just an example of my own van. Larger vans will likely have a greater Maximum Train Weight.

If you go above a maximum authorised mass of 3500kgs with a vehicle and trailer combo for commercial use, a tacho will need to be fitted to the towing vehicle. Of this aspect, i’m not 100% sure on the details. I.e If you need it all the time, or only if using for hire or reward.

My interpretation of the EU rules is that if the vehicle or combination is under a maximum permissable mass of 7.5t and used for non-commercial carriage of goods, you are exempt from the EU drivers hours rules.

Concerning the specifics of trailers. Unbraked trailers can not exceed 750kgs, braked trailers can go up to 3500kgs. Most modern trailers will have a plate fitted to indicate maximum weights.

Hope this helps, fairly sure it is current and correct, but feel free to correct any mistakes.

9

HGV_Mikey:
i have worked out that i will need to carry about 1 - 1,2t on the van, and the tailer will be around 1,6t.

I’m new round here, have you found an answer yet?

Bog-standard Iveco Daily plated as 7t GTW. But they are rather underpowered at max train weight!

I thought the Transit was plated around 7t GTW, but less sure following Wildegoose’s post

Sprinter probably would be OK as well, i guess, but not sure.

10

biggusdickusgb:
dont know if this helps but this is off one of the government sites

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

Do you do everything your MAM tells you? :laughing:

11

limeyphil:

biggusdickusgb:
dont know if this helps but this is off one of the government sites

Category B vehicles may be coupled with a trailer up to 750kgs MAM (allowing a combined weight up to 4.25 tonnes MAM) or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM.

Do you do everything your MAM tells you? :laughing:

I thought it was someone asking for information on another Dutch company :wink:

12

,
A Trailer fitted with over run brakes can have a max weight of 3500 kgs

This is a fantastic website for towing trailers and matching weights with a huge section on the law

ntta.co.uk

this is the section on weights

ntta.co.uk/law/law/identification_plates.htm

be warned though you may have to have a tacho fitted if it is for business use