Towing limits and your licence

[The Lovely Boyo]

Hello,

Just some general info.

I recently totted up what the Surf weighs when I'm towing my daughters ponies around.

The box weighs 975kgs, two ponies about 850 - 900 kgs, sundry horsey and camping gear another 150 - 200 kgs, say about 2000kgs. An empty Surf weighs about 1900kgs (I think). So all up, a good 4 tonnes.

An interesting discussion has taken place with a mate who insists I am not allowed to be towing this much. Check out DVLA for the actual facts - if you passed your test after January 1997 then it gets really complicated.

But in any case, if you tow a heavy load (horses, big caravan, plant trailer, etc), then check out this info:-

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/dl_towing_trailers.htm

Now, whether I should tow a load as heavy as the Surf, I suppose, is a different argument...................... .

Best regards

[dirtydog]

when did you pass your test?

[da SLUG man]

befor 1997you automatically get B+E (car and trailer) after 1997 you only get B which will only allow a trailer up to 750kg (i think)

good thing is, you get a lot of horsey girls up at the test centre learning to tow trailers and drive 7.5 tonners!

[Gamedawn]

We've got a sticker in our work Hilux that says if the gross weight is more than 3.5t you could need a tacho. There's another complication for you

[stormforce]

We've got a sticker in our work Hilux that says if the gross weight is more than 3.5t you could need a tacho. There's another complication for you

this is the same as us at work our welders vans are normally overloaded and as i am a H&S rep i am trying to get 3.5ton flat beds for the welders and they have to be on tacho so i have been informed

[dirtydog]

We've got a sticker in our work Hilux that says if the gross weight is more than 3.5t you could need a tacho. There's another complication for you

Also any gross train weight over 3.5t for hire or reward needs a tacho too.

[da SLUG man]

Also any gross train weight over 3.5t for hire or reward needs a tacho too.

i got put right on that a while back... it's only if the gvw of the towing vehicle exceeds 3500kg that you need a tacho.
most of you can go up to 8250kg train on a std license

[dirtydog]

i got put right on that a while back... it's only if the gvw of the towing vehicle exceeds 3500kg that you need a tacho.
most of you can go up to 8250kg train on a std license

nice one... just proves how confusing it all is!

[M35A2]

We've got a sticker in our work Hilux that says if the gross weight is more than 3.5t you could need a tacho. There's another complication for you

My mate has got a down rated Bedford MJ 4 tonner Military truck. It's rated at 7.5T. But as it's a private goods vehicle, it doesn't require a tacho. The weight's are also different for a 4WD, as these are classed as a multi purpose vehicle. My Defender is a class 4 MOT. If it was a van it would be a class 7.

[da SLUG man]

My mate has got a down rated Bedford MJ 4 tonner Military truck. It's rated at 7.5T. But as it's a private goods vehicle, it doesn't require a tacho. The weight's are also different for a 4WD, as these are classed as a multi purpose vehicle. My Defender is a class 4 MOT. If it was a van it would be a class 7.

of course... this will all be out of date again next week with the EU rule on banana length / working time = screw the british

[marky.b]

My mate has got a down rated Bedford MJ 4 tonner Military truck. It's rated at 7.5T. But as it's a private goods vehicle, it doesn't require a tacho. The weight's are also different for a 4WD, as these are classed as a multi purpose vehicle. My Defender is a class 4 MOT. If it was a van it would be a class 7.

Hasn't the bedford MJ always been rated at 7.5t?

I was always under the impression that any vehicle over 3.5t gvw had to be fitted with a tacho (which is why the transits 3.5t are rated at 3.49t)

[The Lovely Boyo]

when did you pass your test?

I passed my test 20 odd years ago so the 1997 thing doesn't affect me. Looking at the other threads it all seems a total nightmare.

Even though the the horse box is a double axle braked trailer (making it quite stable), I'm still concerned. I thought accepted practice was to not tow more than 85% of the vehicle gross weight, which I think I am over.

Any comments?

Regards

[Ian Davidson]

Hello,

Just some general info.

I recently totted up what the Surf weighs when I'm towing my daughters ponies around.

The box weighs 975kgs, two ponies about 850 - 900 kgs, sundry horsey and camping gear another 150 - 200 kgs, say about 2000kgs. An empty Surf weighs about 1900kgs (I think). So all up, a good 4 tonnes.

An interesting discussion has taken place with a mate who insists I am not allowed to be towing this much. Check out DVLA for the actual facts - if you passed your test after January 1997 then it gets really complicated.

But in any case, if you tow a heavy load (horses, big caravan, plant trailer, etc), then check out this info:-

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/dl_towing_trailers.htm

Now, whether I should tow a load as heavy as the Surf, I suppose, is a different argument...................... .

Best regards

Thank you for this information could you help me on a more basic level what is the official towing limit for a 3L Diesel Both Braked and Unbraked. What is the weight of a 3L Surf, (Old Shape L Reg.)
Thanks Ian

[Chiko]

My mum drives a 7.5T Ford Iveco horsebox on her license. Although it is probably slightly over this with a full compliment of horses, fuel and equipment.

I'm going to have to look through this quite thoroughly because I passed my test in 2001, and want to tow a 900kg car on a trailer.

[TonyN]

Thank you for this information could you help me on a more basic level what is the official towing limit for a 3L Diesel Both Braked and Unbraked. What is the weight of a 3L Surf, (Old Shape L Reg.)
Thanks Ian

Not much, better to pretend you don't know, then Plod will have to find out and it'll take ages as Toyota UK don't know.

(US V6 2nd gen 4Runner's are factory rated at 3500lbs, which is a little over 1500kgs.)

Any unbraked trailer is 750kg max by law.

a 2nd gen 4runner weighs approx 1900kg, this is for a V6 petrol, the deisel engine probably weighs a little more.