Trailers help

[wisewood]

I’m hoping for a definitive answer to this query.

Current vehicle has a max towing weight of 1800kg.

Is it an offence to tow a higher rated trailer, say 2000 or 2700kg but staying under 1800kg loaded?

Obviously there’s a risk of going over weight with 2700 trailer but I’d sooner have a 2000kg than down size to 1600kg.

1800kg are hard to come by.

[Treewolf]

It is not an offence provided that the gross weight of trailer and load does not exceed 1800kg, and the overall gross train weight does not exceed the gross train weight allowed for the vehicle.

[billpierce]

Me and a pal thought this also. He got pulled in Scotland once and the coppers were having none of it. Prosecuted him for it, points fine court case etc. Doesnt mean they were right mind you .

Any sense in just buying a blank trailer plate off Ebay and stamping 1800kg on it? Obvs unsure of legality of doing this but essentially it's just a label. Wonder what is required to down rate a trailer?

[woody paul]

8 minutes ago, billpierce said:

Me and a pal thought this also. He got pulled in Scotland once and the coppers were having none of it. Prosecuted him for it, points fine court case etc. Doesnt mean they were right mind you .

Any sense in just buying a blank trailer plate off Ebay and stamping 1800kg on it? Obvs unsure of legality of doing this but essentially it's just a label. Wonder what is required to down rate a trailer?

The only way the could of prosecuted was put it over a weigh bridge to find out what it weighed.

[donnk]

54 minutes ago, woody paul said:

The only way the could of prosecuted was put it over a weigh bridge to find out what it weighed.

i know the frock wearers north of hadrians have some funny laws but to convict a defacto underweight trailer is rather silly.

I would be using the legal assistance with the insurance.

 

More likely this was magistrates (if jocks have these) and they are clueless about most things I've found.

 

Solicitors in Mag court are to law as lidl chainsaws are to stihl.

[eggsarascal]

I thought it went a what the trailer was capable of carrying, not what it's actually carrying. I stand to be corrected mind.

[john k]

My understanding is that if it’s about the towing vehicle then actual weight applies. However if it’s about driver licensing then it’s the maximum allowed weight that counts.

[wisewood]

Thanks for the replies[emoji106]
I’m still not sure haha but will look into down plating to 1800 to cover my back

[josharb87]

I’m 99% certain that the rules changed a few years ago and now it’s the actual weight that counts rather than plated weight

[Ratman]

Plated weight