simon stolly Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 If a trailer was 2.6m wide, (5m long, 4 wheeled, braked, plate says it can carry 2.5 ton) what is the law concerning the towing of it by vehicles under 3.5 ton and over 3.5ton and over 7.5 ton? The width is my main question, but also would it need to be plated if towed by a Hgv? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 A trailer must be no more than 2.55m wide (2.6 m if refrigerated). It is my view that such a trailer would need to be a SPECIAL TYPES wide agric vehicle (agricultural trailer) , or SPECIAL TYPES for indivisible loads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papav66 Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Some useful info on this site for the National Trailer & Towing Association http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/law/dimensions.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Auck Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 I was done in Nothumberland (almost made the border!) on my way back to Scotland from Beltring. I was towing a 3.5ton trailer with my staff car on it. No problem with weight etc. I was pulled over for a different number plate on the trailer from the towing vehicle (my mistake forgot to change it over!) and the emergency breakaway chain was attached to the towing ball and not the towing bracket that is attached to the towing vehicle (this I didn't know). I thought it would be better for the trailer to when it becomes unattached to be braked and separated from the towing vehicle. Aparently not! The trailer should continue to be attached to the towing vehicle so it can then pull it over and injure its passengers and/or any others that it may collide with!!! I know there are arguments for both sides and I took my fine (no points thank goodness) and learnt from it. I was just wondering if everyone else knew about it. Nigel (so close to the border too! I think he was waiting for us!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilitantGraham Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 I can't answer the original question, but are you sure you've got that right about the breakaway cable ? Surely the reason the cable or chain should not be attached to the tow ball is that if the tow ball mounting bolts shear and the tow ball falls off, the cable will go with it and not operate the trailer brakes. There's no way those little breakaway cables are intended to keep a 3500kg trailer attached to a vehicle after the tow hitch has failed. By having the cable attached to another part of the vehicle it will pull the trailer brakes on, before breaking itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Auck Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Some trailer have chain connectors and not the wire strand. The point is that it should be attached to the towing bracket not the ball. This is obviously only for braked trailers and not the wee bouncy castles we all have!!! Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted angus Posted May 1, 2009 Share Posted May 1, 2009 Nigel The feds seem to have their cables muddled a breakaway cable is designed to apply the parking brake and then snap It is not recommended to put it on the ball but it is acceptable. There is another cable but only for unbraked trailers it is called a secondary coupler. This is designed NOT to break the idea is it keeps the trailer attached to the towing vehicle whilst the towing vehicle brakes to a halt. http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/trailers/brakes.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Auck Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Nigel The feds seem to have their cables muddled a breakaway cable is designed to apply the parking brake and then snap It is not recommended to put it on the ball but it is acceptable. There is another cable but only for unbraked trailers it is called a secondary coupler. This is designed NOT to break the idea is it keeps the trailer attached to the towing vehicle whilst the towing vehicle brakes to a halt. http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/trailers/brakes.htm Hi Ted nice to hear from you, hope all is well. All I can add is the cop fined me for both offences and made me connect the breakaway cable to the ball hitch mounting plate! It was at a VSA? checkpoint. He had the cheek to say my Ford Staff Car on the trailer was in better condition than my Toyota 4x4 (which had just passed its MOT). Rather than give him cheek back I agreed with him! Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted May 2, 2009 Share Posted May 2, 2009 Do I need to fit a breakaway cable to my sankey? If so, how? Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean101ryan Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 No you don't. The regs aren't retro-respective and provided the pin in your hitch is in it's impossible for the trailer to detach (assuming rear xmamber isn't rotten). Some owners have gone to the extent of fitting them by extending the brake operating mechanism, not sure how they got brake to stay on. The new Penman trailers used by the MOD have breakaway cables as the MOD seems to comply with regs these days despite them being pointless with a NATO hitch (bit of a grey area anyway, won't find hook and eye hitches mentioned in the regs) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliefarley Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Can anyone please tell me the difference between military and civilian trailer air brake systems. Im told that the air hose couplings are different .. and that the military trailers have THREE ??? hoses ???? Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Hi all, as modern vehicles are fitted with a fitted loop to attach a breakaway cable to i would belive it illegal not to use it. But the term `break way` cable is that if the trailer becomes unattached it will apply the brake. We at work have not attached a cable to the tow ball for several years but always the tow bar itself. Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon_M Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Getting longer and more complex by the day, too. Everyone seems to have taken the point that if a BRAKED trailer becomes detached, then the breakaway cable needs to apply the trailer brakes and then shear. Breakaway cable should not be attached to the tow ball or whatever, but this is acceptable if there is nowhere else to attach it. Secondary couplings ( drag chains to the likes of us ... ) are compulsory on UNBRAKED trailers, and as far as I know nothing to stop them being fitted to BRAKED trailers in addition to a breakaway cable setup, but not instead of it. Laden weights or maximum gross weights or whatever come into it too. You can tow a trailer empty or part loaded that would be too heavy for your vehicle to tow legally when fully loaded, but if it looks like it is near the limit you'll get pulled, especially if the towing vehicle looks fully loaded too. My daily driver can tow 1500Kg legally, I tow an Ifor Williams that weighs 500Kg and is rated at 2000Kg, but I have to make sure I never put more than a ton on it to keep under the 1500Kg. Prosecution decisions would depend on the actual weights of both bits. So, jeep trailer, towed with hitch and drag chains, loaded, but not exceeding 750Kg, should be fine. Ben Hur towed empty would have to be near the 750Kg limit for an unbraked trailer. Can't think of any way to tow a Ben Hur legally with a full one ton load in it unless you butcher the hitch and fit an overrun brake plus breakaway. There are all sorts of new regs that apply to post-1990 trailers, such as having a VIN cut or stamped into them, hydraulically damped couplers, etc, don't even want to go there. Any lights not working or mismatched tyres and the officer would go straight to DC ( Dangerous Condition ) which is the standard backup plan in case your trailer does happen to be almost legal. If you have a large old MV trailer that is being towed by a vehicle that was originally designed to tow it, and it is all in sparkling condition, much less likely to get pulled. For example a Signal Corps Chev radio truck towing a fully-equipped ( and hence well over 750 KG ) Ben Hur generator trailer in good order with all the original lights would give you a decent chance in court, despite being over the 750Kg limit for unbraked. Don't get me started on the hoops you have to jump trough to get a trailer with electric brakes to comply - can be done, but not easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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