hi, I passed my test in 2006, as far as I am aware I can tow up to 3.5 ton combined weight towing [towing vehicle+caravan}, but I have been told I can tow only 750kg. can someone please enlighten me?
Quote: Originally posted by leekong100 on 11/1/2015
so im ok towing my 1200kg caravan then with my 2 ton car?
It all depends upon what the plates on the car and caravan say. The weight plate on the car has four values on the largest is the train weight, the next is the Max a Gross weight (mgw ) this is the one you need, then you want the max weight on the caravans plate, add the two together and if the sum is 3500 or less then you can tow it with your licence.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
Quote: Originally posted by jay1976 on 12/1/2015
is that max train weight of the car?? if so yes
Incorrect, you would be right if you had said max gross weight, but the max train weight is the biggest value that the actual weights of the car and caravan may add up to with that car.
------------- Bill
For a licence dated 1997 or later you must add together the plated max weight of the caravan and trailer, if the total is 3500 or less you can tow it. You may even tow a caravan with a MAM greater than the cars unladen mass the restriction was removed in 2013
If the OP is using the outfit in his profile I expect the GTW would be well over 3500kg. Our Focus and Ranger have a GTW of 3100kg and I'm sure a Ford Ranger is considerably heavier.
UK Gov law states:
If you passed your driving test AFTER Jan 1st 1997, a category B (car) licence allows you to drive a vehicle up to 3.5 Tonnes (or 3,500 kg)MAM (Maximum Authorised Mass), towing a trailer up to 750 kg MAM, PROVIDING THAT the combined weight of the trailer and the towing vehicle does not exceed 3,500 kg.
For anything heavier, you need to take a category B+E driving test.
Hope this helps.
Bertie.
Quote: Originally posted by leekong100 on 12/1/2015
Just checked and the ford ranger weighs just under 1200kg, the caravan weighs 1050, and 1300 max weight, so I should be ok yes?
I think you may be getting confused here. Somehow I think the Ranger weighs a bit more than 1200kg however the figure you should be looking at is gross maximum weight which will be about 2200kg. That is the maximum weight allowed in the vehicle. Add on the weight of the caravan to that figure and ittakes you ro about 3230kg. All this depends on the specification of the vehicle.
Look on your V5C log sheet.The weight that matters is next to F.1 then add this to the maximum technical permissible weight of your caravan and you will find the weight that applies.
You do not show the model of your bessacar, but a 495 shows 1550kg, even if you have this you will need a B+E license
The lightest model in the current Ranger range has a kerbweight of 1827kg and a gross vehicle weight of 2925kg allowing you to tow a caravan with an MTPLM of 575kg within your licence restrictions.
Check your weights as mentioned above and tell us the MTPLM of the caravan and we'll be able to give a definite answer on the legality of using this outfit.
Yes, even the smaller, older model Ranger up to 2006 has 2.8tonne gvw so cannot really tow any resonably sized caravan without driver holding B+E licence.
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Topic: towing laws
