A Towing Question. Whats Legal?

[goodcat]

is it worth ringing toyota? their headquaters is only down the road from me and ive always wanted a reason to go in there! they have toyota's haning from the ceiling! lol

[cabbage]

personally i'd not tow anything weighing more than the tow car due to braking "issues" and trailer snaking. i once towed a 190 LWB high top transit on a trailer behind my surf, no problem actually pulling the lump but anything over 30mph the trailer would snake and due to the wieght it wasnt easy to control..... that was a hairy drive home, didnt help i took a wrong turn and had to do an Austin Powers style 100 point turn!!


plus it looks obviously dodgy having a bigger vehicle on a trailer, even the dozyest traffic plod is likely to want to stick there nose in!!

[cabbage]

they have toyota's haning from the ceiling! lol

not like the top gear one is it??

[24Seven]

Worth asking just to see what Toyota say, but without the information stamping on the Vin Plate I'm still not sure its legal????


Anyway looking around the net, it seems that the 4Runner was around 1785kg Kerb weight, 2475KG max tow weight giving a GVM of 4260KG but you may need a tachograph if you were towing over 3500KG for gain.

[da SLUG man]

you may need a tachograph if you were towing over 3500KG for gain.

no, only if the "prime mover" has a GVW over 3.5t

[Predictable Bob]

While I was nosing about I read that, if requested, the UK Head Office of the various manufacturers would supply a letter stating the weights and limits for imported vehicles and the letter would be acceptable to the Politzei ....

PS
I can't find the post now either !

[24Seven]

no, only if the "prime mover" has a GVW over 3.5t

Wrong it's based on the total weight of trailer + tow truck exceeding 3.5t

[stormforce]

i have towed over 3t with my truck.Ask Vince about going to his place.
I used to hire a trailer that was a 3.5t gross and would carry i think it was 2.5t
The trailer i bout is a 2.5t gross and i can pull a surf on it no problem.The trailer itself is 500kg

[goodcat]

i have towed over 3t with my truck.Ask Vince about going to his place.
I used to hire a trailer that was a 3.5t gross and would carry i think it was 2.5t
The trailer i bout is a 2.5t gross and i can pull a surf on it no problem.The trailer itself is 500kg

but is that legal s what im asking mate. im not doubting what the surf can pull.

[stormforce]

i know 3t aint legal
I had never been pulled up over towing that and even going pass the vosa pull ins.I don't know if by my truck being lifted so much it don't look if its pulling much behind as theres not much sag on the rear of the truck

[Calos]

You can pull a carvan full of bricks with a mini metro and not break the law, so long as you don't go over 50mph or enter the outside lane of a motorway as far a I know.


peace
cal

[coolsv650]

last time i enquired about hiring a trailor to transport another surf the salesman said to me that by law you can only tow 1 and a half times the weight of the car doing the towing.
this meant that technically i cant even tow a surf using another surf because the weight of the trailor puts me just over the legal limit?
is this true? surely not.
if this is true then what a load of rubbish. who made that law!?

from direct gov

Category B: Vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM and with up to eight passenger seats

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.

For example:

a vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.25 tonnes could be driven by the holder of a category B entitlement. This is because the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes and also the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle
Whereas

the same vehicle with an unladen weight of 1.25 tonnes and a MAM of 2 tonnes when coupled with a trailer with a MAM of 1.5 tonnes would fall within category B+E. This is because although the combined weight of the vehicle and trailer is within the 3.5 tonnes MAM limit, the MAM of the trailer is more than the unladen weight of the drawing vehicle
Vehicle manufacturers normally recommend a maximum weight of trailer appropriate to their vehicle. Details can usually be found in the vehicle's handbook or obtained from car dealerships. The size of the trailer recommended for an average family car with an unladen weight of around 1 tonne would be well within the new category B threshold.

For MAM read Gross Train Weight.

Toyota should be able to supply these figures, as the surf was also imported into austraila. I dont think towing trailers is allowed in japan

[BUSHWHACKER]

i know 3t aint legal
I had never been pulled up over towing that and even going pass the vosa pull ins.I don't know if by my truck being lifted so much it don't look if its pulling much behind as theres not much sag on the rear of the truck

I think it's because you had a four wheeled, braked vehicle trailor, and you looked like a professional.

[murph]

Goodcat, sent you a pm with all the specs to the surf for a 3.0 including the towing specs. Hopefully it will be of some use to you. I think the key issue is to use a trailer with brakes. Let me know you got them.

[goodcat]

cheers coolsv650 and murph!