Towing Questions

[FarmerPug]

I passed the trailer test yesterday, it was the second attempt, the first ended in failure after i backed the trailer into the bay (

If i was to use a trailer which belongs to my uncle which has the numberplate of his jeep on the back will it work on the 406 or is a numberplate of the car doing the towing required on the trailer?

[GingerMagic]

Trailer test....???

You need the number plate of the towing car, I presume so the Police following you can do a 'vehicle check'

Also. in the old days, you didn't need lights on a trailer if you could see the towing vehicles rear lights, but this is now untrue - you need trailer lights regardless as this is the 'rear most' part of the whole vehicle...

[Doggy]

+1 Don't know if it was ever strictly true, but many people used to say it didn't have to match so long as both numbers were registered to the same keeper / operator

[Welly]

But what happens when you hire a trailer? they don't rush around printing a new plate to match your car do they? you used to see some bit of cardboard or wood scribbled-on but I haven't noticed so much now. Bit of a grey area but I would say it must match the car.

[scotty73]

I always make sure the plate on the trailer/ caravan match the car but I'm the only one who tows mine so it never changes..... However I did tow the caravan with the C5 for the first time with the 406 number plate still on the van... Only a few weeks ago and I had just had a new plate printed it was sat in the boot by the dog.

Trailer test you say? Shouldn't a question like this be covered in a test like that?

[Bailes1992]

It's suprising what you can tow without a trailer test.
Many people missunderstand the law and say they can only tow 750kgs which is wrong.
You can tow anything providing it doesn't weigh more than the unleaden weight of the car and together the trailer and the car doesnt weigh more than 3.5T.
If you are driving a car or van that weighs 3.5T then you can tow a 750kg trailer.

I used to tow with my 406s. I always got away with my numberplate scribbled on a piece of wood or cardboard. I did get a numberplate made up for my last 406 but neve got chance to use it. I try to avoid towing as I've not had much practice at reversing.

[lozz]

There was a young chap up here ..stopped not long back.
trailer and a small smart car thing on the back..
iwatched him drive away with a ford 4x4 thing and the trailer..went away with recovery.

iguess he passed his test after jan 97 .

[binnzy]

It's best to check your license, if you haven't got category BE on it you cannot tow anything

[scotty73]

It's suprising what you can tow without a trailer test.
Many people missunderstand the law and say they can only tow 750kgs which is wrong.
You can tow anything providing it doesn't weigh more than the unleaden weight of the car and together the trailer and the car doesnt weigh more than 3.5T.
If you are driving a car or van that weighs 3.5T then you can tow a 750kg trailer.

I used to tow with my 406s. I always got away with my numberplate scribbled on a piece of wood or cardboard. I did get a numberplate made up for my last 406 but neve got chance to use it. I try to avoid towing as I've not had much practice at reversing.

Where's the scratch my head smilie?? You're not old enough to be able to tow without taking the test... Unless you passed when you were about 8?

Or is that just caravan rules?

[lozz]

ifind the rules of towing confusing:
the main part of it im confused with is insurance.
eg car trailer..for say your car insurance is fully comp then the trailer wouid be coverd for 3rd party damadge/injury.. y/n ?
but what if the car came off and rolled down a hill and bent a posh Audi?

caravans= it goes walkies whilst you stop off for a egg n bacon butty.. does your car insurance cover it ?

[Bailes1992]

It's suprising what you can tow without a trailer test.
Many people missunderstand the law and say they can only tow 750kgs which is wrong.
You can tow anything providing it doesn't weigh more than the unleaden weight of the car and together the trailer and the car doesnt weigh more than 3.5T.
If you are driving a car or van that weighs 3.5T then you can tow a 750kg trailer.

I used to tow with my 406s. I always got away with my numberplate scribbled on a piece of wood or cardboard. I did get a numberplate made up for my last 406 but neve got chance to use it. I try to avoid towing as I've not had much practice at reversing.

Where's the scratch my head smilie?? You're not old enough to be able to tow without taking the test... Unless you passed when you were about 8?

Or is that just caravan rules?

Wrong!

Taken directly from the directgov website!

Licences held from 1 January 1997
If you passed your driving test after 1 January 1997 and have an ordinary category B (car) licence, you can:

drive a vehicle up to 3.5 tonnes or 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined weight of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car

[grasmere59]

Here's another one,if you tow a trailer for hire or reward and your gross mass is over 3.5tonnes you need to have a tachograph fitted.So when you see these builders with big 4x4's towing a trailer with their mini digger on it they could potentially need to have a tacho fitted.

[D4B]

But what happens when you hire a trailer? they don't rush around printing a new plate to match your car do they? you used to see some bit of cardboard or wood scribbled-on but I haven't noticed so much now. Bit of a grey area but I would say it must match the car.

Yes they are required to supply you with the correct plate, here's a photo from when I hired a trailer (in my pre 406 days)
which clearly shows the hastily written plate supplied by the trailer hirer!