pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Is towing a car trailer REALLY that difficult?
I've checked out my licence and insurance, I can borrow a Volvo 740GLE Estate 2.3 Turbo so up to the job, it's to pick up a car without an engine in (so a light load).
Is it really that difficult? I've towed Dad's "junk" trailer a few times and gunna have another go this week, but is there much more to it?
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mattk
Member
Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
User status: Offline
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have you dont the test to tow trailers? Im gonna need to do it to drag my bike around I think
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Nope, you can tow a trailer up to 750kg's or a combined weight of 3.5 tonnes - car and trailer and load.
[Edited on 10-03-2009 by pow]
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Nic Barnes
Member
Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
User status: Offline
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always and always keep checking your mirrors and be safe distances to be able to stop. thing with towing i find is, its not the person doing the towing thats the problem. its the other road uses.
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mattk
Member
Registered: 27th Feb 06
Location: St. Helens
User status: Offline
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really! aw sweet, I didnt know that
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Nic Barnes
always and always keep checking your mirrors and be safe distances to be able to stop. thing with towing i find is, its not the person doing the towing thats the problem. its the other road uses.
It,s 90% motorway so i'm just gunma take it steady. But i think i'm a fairly switched on driver, keep checking the mirrors and allow the extra room and all should be alright yeah?
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Nic Barnes
Member
Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
User status: Offline
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yeah. also make sure 100% all the lights work on the trailor.
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Okies.
I'm gunna take some wire and some croc clips with just incase it doesnt work! 
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Mike GSi
Member
Registered: 3rd Jan 07
Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Drives:Astra VXR
User status: Offline
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Mirrors, and as the trailer is as wide as the volvo you will have no problems reversing too 
and dont forget to take manuvers wider etc 
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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I plan to do no reversing manoovers 
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AK
Member
Registered: 5th Jul 00
Location: Aberdeen City
User status: Offline
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a car and a trailer is over the limit
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VegasPhil
Premium Member
Registered: 16th Jan 05
Location: Fareham, Hants Drives: Octavia VRS
User status: Offline
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I didn't think we were allowed to at our age 
Corsa 2.0 16v Vegas - Sold
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AK
Member
Registered: 5th Jul 00
Location: Aberdeen City
User status: Offline
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Motor vehicles with a MAM not exceeding 3500kg having not more than eight passenger seats with a trailer up to 750kg. Combinations of towing vehicles in category B and a trailer, where the MAM of the combination does not exceed 3500kg and the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen mass of the towing vehicle
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Colin
Member
Registered: 4th Apr 02
User status: Offline
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I thought a seperate test had to be done if you passed arter 1998 or something. I wasnt allowed to tow at my old work as didnt have it on my license!
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Graeme
Premium Member
Registered: 26th Jul 04
Location: Northampton
User status: Offline
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if the car hasent got an engine u may be just under weight but very close to the limit i would say.
A trailor test isnt the easiest thing to do either but if you are going to be towing it just take ur time, and hopefully the trailor will be a braked trailor.
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richc
Member
Registered: 24th Mar 07
Location: Ilkeston
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Colin
I thought a seperate test had to be done if you passed arter 1998 or something. I wasnt allowed to tow at my old work as didnt have it on my license!
2001 i think or was it 1999!
God knows somewhere around the so called millenium
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richc
Member
Registered: 24th Mar 07
Location: Ilkeston
User status: Offline
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also at corners, dont cut in tight to the curb......run a little wide to compensate for your back end
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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You'll be close to both limits so right on the edge of your licence conditions. Train weight will probably be just on 3.5t.
Car without an engine isn't a light load - the weight of the trailer far outweighs the engine. Unless it's a particularly light trailer and stripped car it'll be more than the Volvo which weighs in around 1.4t.
And the loaded trailer must weigh less than the Volvo. So an 700kg trailer only leaves you 700kg for the car - which is very light indeed.
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andy1868
Member
Registered: 22nd Jun 06
Location: Burscough, Lancashire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by richc
run a little wide to compensate for your back end
story of my life 
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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I can do this trailer test anyway so I'm wondering if I should wait.
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stubbsy05
Member
Registered: 23rd Oct 02
User status: Offline
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What car are you collecting?
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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A corsa with no engine.
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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HO0LY SHIT £105 to do a towing test 
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Stu_22
Member
Registered: 25th Mar 02
Location: Luton
User status: Offline
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What about a towing frame so the car is the trailer.
I towed a heavy MK3 Supra back with a towing frame no problems
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Doesn't it have to be taxed and MOT'd and insured to do that?
Does a Corsa without an engine + A frame = <750kg's?
[Edited on 11-03-2009 by pow]
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