 | Home > Technical > Pre and post 1997 licence trailer towing clarification. |
 
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| AJC Member Since: 30 Nov 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1364  
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So glad I have my class 1. Makes life easier.
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7th Mar 2016 9:31pm |
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| Cupboard Member Since: 21 Mar 2014 Location: Suffolk Posts: 2971 
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It's not helped by the rules changing (or at least what's written on the relevant website) last year with nothing being said
I still find it ridiculous that I can legally tow more with a little car than I can with my Defender, and that I can quite happily tow many, many things behind a tractor with a bog standard car licence. I'd be much happier if you needed a ticket for *any* trailer. |
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8th Mar 2016 7:46am |
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| blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17450 
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+1  |
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8th Mar 2016 8:42am |
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| Nostromo Member Since: 17 Jul 2015 Location: The Mendip Hills Posts: 73
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Don't know if I'm the only one - but I dont find that Ifor Williams "Licensed to Tow?" poster very clear at all . . ???
I think I can grasp "Trailer MAM" = The maximum combined unladen weight of the trailer and the permitted load it can carry. I've got a medium sized builders trailer that can carry 2 Tons . . . I'm not sure how heavy the actual trailer is but I'd estimate it at 5cwt . . . so I'm estimating my Trailer MAM would be Two and a quarter Ton fully loaded ? . . is that correct ? As for the definition of Vehicle MAM on the poster . . . . . Vehicle MAM = The combined vehicle kerb weight unladen weight and load capacity . . what on earth does that mean ? . . . . and could anyone tell me what these three figures add up to for a Defender 90 XS ? . . . sounds like a high number ??? Could anyone say what the rules are for pre 1997 licence holders ? And I guess the final questions have to be can pre (or post) 1997 license holders tow my loaded trailer with a Defender 90XS ? Yours confused ? 
Thanks. |
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13th May 2016 12:25pm |
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| Disco_Mikey Member Since: 16 Nov 2014 Location: Dundee Posts: 531  
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And then Operators Licence and Tacho's add even more confusion
Only for business use, obviously |
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13th May 2016 12:35pm |
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| ARC99 Member Since: 19 Feb 2013 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 1831 
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Looking at the poster and checking the D.V.L.A. site it would appear to me that the poster is for cat C licence holders. Don't make old people mad.
We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to  us off.
Richard |
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13th May 2016 1:42pm |
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| Nostromo Member Since: 17 Jul 2015 Location: The Mendip Hills Posts: 73
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I'm still confused . . . . any further comments here would be much appreciated . . .
In relation to an ordinary car licence, as most of us hold . . . Have any readers got an understanding of what is the max weight a pre 1997 licence holder can tow behind a Defender 90 ? And also, have any members got an understanding of what is the max weight a post 1997 licence holder can tow behind a Defender 90 ? |
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15th May 2016 7:59am |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763 
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Pre 1997 you have B+E entitlement, allowing you to tow the full 3500kg that a 90 is plated to tow.
Post 1997 you are governed by the 3500kg train weight limit (trailer gross + vehicle gross) I believe a 90 has a gross weight around 2500kg. This would allow you to tow a trailer with a gross weight of 1000kg. Gross weight: maximum permitted weight according to rating plate of vehicle/trailer + cargo |
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15th May 2016 8:36am |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2656
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The MAM (gross weight) of my 90 is 2,400kg so I will use that figure. Yours will be on the VIN plate if different. Plated weight for the trailer is the maximum gross weight, or MAM.
Pre-1997 license holders can tow anything up to a gross train weight of 8,250kg, with a 90 this comfortably accommodates the vehicles maximum towing capacity so you can tow a trailer plated up to 3,500kg. Gross train weight in this instance would be 2,400kg + 3,500kg so 4,900kg. Post-1997 license holders can tow a trailer plated up to 750kg with a vehicle up to 3,500kg MAM. This would imply that 750kg was the maximum but they can also tow a trailer plated over 750kg as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg. With a 90 this means in practice that you can tow a trailer plated up to 1,100kg. Note that the above is all done based on plated MAM figures for car and trailer, so for example my trailer weighs about 600kg empty but I could not tow it on my standard post-1997 license as the MAM is 2,600kg which, combined with that of the vehicle, pushes me over the 3,500kg limit for standard licenses. It changed again post-2013 but I'm not familiar with those rules not falling into that category. If you're post-1997 just do the B+E, it's really easy and then you can tow anything a Land Rover will pull. https://www.gov.uk/towing-with-car/driving...ou-can-tow |
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15th May 2016 8:47am |
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| Disco_Mikey Member Since: 16 Nov 2014 Location: Dundee Posts: 531
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One reverse manoeuvre, a few safety checks, an hour of driving, and observation
Surprising just how easy it was |
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15th May 2016 9:25am |
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| Riccarton Member Since: 10 Aug 2015 Location: Gods' Own Country Posts: 280 
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It may be worth you checking your numbers on your trailer for peace of mind. It's very unusual for a trailer manufacturer to specify the load capacity of a trailer over and above the weight of the trailer itself. For instance, a 3.5te Ifor includes its own weight in the 3.5te figure - it cannot carry 3.5te legally. Also, 5cwt (250kg) seems pretty low for a trailer capable of carrying 2te. For example I have an 8'x4' single axle trailer which is built very light weight but to carry a 1te payload - empty it weighs 270(ish)kg and rides on a 1300kg Alko axle. |
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15th May 2016 11:18am |
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| Si Member Since: 07 Sep 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 51
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Any ideas on the cost of the course and test for the B+E
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8th Sep 2017 4:14pm |
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| miker Member Since: 13 Sep 2015 Location: Surrey Posts: 1763
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I paid £450 last year.
This included a morning of training, test in the afternoon. Test fee and use of the instructors vehicle+trailer included. |
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8th Sep 2017 4:20pm |
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| Si Member Since: 07 Sep 2015 Location: Hampshire Posts: 51
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Thanks
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8th Sep 2017 4:21pm |
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