Sub 750 towing rules

[ArborClimber]

Good evening, ladies and gents!

 

Just a small question causing much debate amongst my workmates: If one is driving a 3.5t truck (Ford Transit, Iveco Daily), can one then tow a SUB 750kg chipper WITHOUT the need of a BE license?

 

I have always understood it that you can, others seem to think not. I have a BE license, albeit German, but EU rules apply regardless. I ask because the boss may need to invest in a new chipper in the near future, and often asks us for ideas or recommendations. And because of the need to send all the young lads that may potentially start with us to get at least a BE license, a Sub 750kg chipper could take the pressure off to get the license so quickly.

 

I, of course, see it also as an opportunity to get a nice Timberwolf 230:thumbup: And not have to use our bashed up old Jensens all the time....

 

Cheers chaps

[Jimmay]

 

Just went through all this myself

[Suffolk-Matt]

Unless you passed your test very recently you can drive 3500kg and tow upto 750kg on a normal license.

 

I 'believe' the new rules make it so that combined weight must be 3500kg, so if you just passed you test you would be useless without b+e.

 

EDIT - beaten to it.

[Al Mondz]

I always understood it to be a gross train weight of 3500. Must check on that. Also is there not an issue in regards to the trailer/chipper being braked or unbraked ?

[dan494]

Doesn't have to be braked under 750. Police tried doing me for towing a chipper on a normal licence behind a transit ( I'm 33 and being doing it for years ) had him show me the legislation and they sent me on my way... Muppets

[Al Mondz]

I thought trailers over 750 had to be braked and if so, could not be towed on a standard license. Doesn't say anything about that on the pictures above though. Luckily I have a C+E so any traffic officers who pull me can suck my balls....unless I'm overload that is....which is always.

[billpierce]

its basically worded in way that you have to nearly be a lawyer to understand, but i think;

 

3.5t plus 750kg is ok on standard post 97 licence (not really recent either) as long as your vehicle is rated to tow up to 750kg (most vehicles have a braked and un braked trailer rating, for my old hilux this was a whopping 450kg unbraked and about 1450kgs braked).

 

however the laden weight of said hilux was about 2500kg (1500 unladen) and i could i think there for tow a braked trailer with the max load (including its own weight) or 1000kg as this then took me up to 3500kg. but with this there are rules about your kerbweight vehicle v.s laden trailer weight and i forget them.

 

don;t quote me on this check it for your self, but this is how i interpretted it

 

"A full car licence already lets you tow trailers weighing no more than 750 kg. You can also tow heavier trailers with a car as long as the total weight of vehicle and trailer isn’t more than 3,500 kg."

-https://www.gov.uk/towing-rules

[Al Mondz]

its basically worded in way that you have to nearly be a lawyer to understand, but i think;

 

3.5t plus 750kg is ok on standard post 97 licence (not really recent either) as long as your vehicle is rated to tow up to 750kg (most vehicles have a braked and un braked trailer rating, for my old hilux this was a whopping 450kg unbraked and about 1450kgs braked).

 

however the laden weight of said hilux was about 2500kg (1500 unladen) and i could i think there for tow a braked trailer with the max load (including its own weight) or 1000kg as this then took me up to 3500kg. but with this there are rules about your kerbweight vehicle v.s laden trailer weight and i forget them.

 

don;t quote me on this check it for your self, but this is how i interpretted it

 

"A full car licence already lets you tow trailers weighing no more than 750 kg. You can also tow heavier trailers with a car as long as the total weight of vehicle and trailer isn’t more than 3,500 kg."

-https://www.gov.uk/towing-rules

 

 

Mind blown ! 😂

[Justme]

I 'believe' the new rules make it so that combined weight must be 3500kg,

 

 

No they dont.

 

Everyone can tow a 750kg trailer with a cat B licence using a cat B vehicle.

(if the vehicle specs allow it)

 

A 750kg trailer can have brakes so cars with a low un-braked capacity can still tow 750kg if you use a braked trailer & the car can tow that weight.

 

Cat B vehicles weigh 3500kg or less.

 

Or

 

Everyone can drive a combination of 3500kg plated weight. Again specs permitting.

 

So no towing trailers with little or no load that have a high potential weight.

 

There used to be a condition that the cars unladen weight must be more than the trailers MAM but that has been removed.

 

Its also worth knowing that if you travel outside of a 100km radius & your combination is over 3500kg you need a tacho too. (this is a simplified rule & even under that distance you could need one depending on circumstances)

[billpierce]

it may also get more complicated if you have landy or something which laden could way 3500kg, that it might only be weighing 2500kg at the time of use, but that wouldn't mean you could pull a 1000kg trailer even though the landy is rated to as this would put your GTW at 4500kg?