Quick Trailer Question

[R Mac]

So 1500kg max.

 

That includes the trailer, spare wheel, corner steadies, covers, extra sides, tail gates ect.

 

The weight on the trailer plate will be for the basic equipment it comes with as standard.

 

Your front / rear axle weights dont have much room for maneuver, just 20kg variance between fully loaded & the two axles added up.

 

You also need a B+E to tow the 1500kg plated trailer even if empty. In fact any trailer plated over 1360kg needs a B+E.

 

I have a pre 97 licence so I think I'm ok on that, could you explain the part about front/rear axle weights.

[Richard 1234]

I have a pre 97 licence so I think I'm ok on that, could you explain the part about front/rear axle weights.

 

 

The car will have a nose weight limit for the tow bar. Plus the front and more importantly the rear axle have weight limits too. So if boot is full and nose weight is too much you would be in bother if you went over the limits. It's worth checking out

[Justme]

You car can weigh up to 2140kg

 

The front axle can have up to 1090kg on it

The rear axle can have up to 1070kg on it

 

The combined axle limits = 2160kg so just 20 kg more than the car can be max.

 

So when loading it (inc the nose weight) you only have up to 20kg that can float front to rear & still be within the axle limits.

 

So you could load up the car to an all up weight of say 2100kg but have overloaded one of the axles & still get done for an overloaded vehicle as you have to much weight on one of the axles.

[R Mac]

So how would I go about checking it out? the vertical load on the coupling (towball?) is 100kg.

 

Isn't the load on the towbar dependant on how the load is distributed on the trailer, i.e. weight centered over the axle/axles would reduce the load on the towball/ towing vehicle rear axle, wouldn't a twin axle trailer have a lower vertical load on the coupling (everything else being equal) compared to a single axle?

[Richard 1234]

So how would I go about checking it out? the vertical load on the coupling (towball?) is 100kg.

 

 

 

Isn't the load on the towbar dependant on how the load is distributed on the trailer, i.e. weight centered over the axle/axles would reduce the load on the towball/ towing vehicle rear axle, wouldn't a twin axle trailer have a lower vertical load on the coupling (everything else being equal) compared to a single axle?

 

 

The short answer is yes to both points. But you need to have positive weight on the tow ball.

For example if you were to load a car onto a trailer the car should be driven on forwards so the trailer has more weight forward than back(the engine )

[Justme]

The nose weight limits on your cars spec, the tow ball, the tow bar, the trailer hitch should never be exceeded. The lowest one wins.

 

You measure it either with a nose weight scale or some bathroom scales & a bit of wood. The hitch must be at the height it would be if actually connected.

 

You can judge it quite well by lifting the hitch by hand if your good at judging the weight of things you pick up.

 

Cant lift it then its over 100kg, two hands needed 40+kg ect.

 

You should always have some positive weight on the hitch.

 

Yes the loading is critical.

 

Heavy in the middle & low down. Balance the trailer to get the right nose weight by placing the bulky but lighter items as needed.

 

Never ever have a tail heavy trailer its deadly.

[R Mac]

Thanks guys, the CR-V obviously isn't going to make the best use of the trailers I have in mind but I'm kinda looking at the trailer as a once only buy that'll suit a bigger 4x4 pick up at a later date if need be.

 

So I should be ok given I have a pre 97 licence to go ahead and look at 8x4/8x5 trailers in the 2500-3000kg capacity/400 - 450kg unladen weight bracket.

[Alycidon]

Depending on what you want to use the trailer for you may also need a tacho installing into the towing vehicle.

 

A

[Richard 1234]

Thanks guys, the CR-V obviously isn't going to make the best use of the trailers I have in mind but I'm kinda looking at the trailer as a once only buy that'll suit a bigger 4x4 pick up at a later date if need be.

 

 

 

So I should be ok given I have a pre 97 licence to go ahead and look at 8x4/8x5 trailers in the 2500-3000kg capacity/400 - 450kg unladen weight bracket.

 

 

Yes 👍 do yourself a favour and go for the 8 by 5 not 8 by 4 it makes a big difference. It will help keep centre of gravity lower as you won't have to stack as high.

[R Mac]

Well I was actually considering a Brian James CarGo Compact which has the wheels underneath the bed so the bed itself is actually higher than the Ifor Williams GD84 which I was also considering.

 

The 3000kg Brian James has a bed height of 52cm but the 2600kg version has a bed height of 60cm due to bigger wheels I guess, 12" rather than 10". The CarGo Compact is essentially a 'Flat Bed'

 

The IW GD84 has a bed height of 43cm but isn't classed as a flat bed however the IW LT/LM85 which is a flat bed has a load height of 60cm.

 

So for a flat bed the 3000kg BJ CarGo has the lowest bed height at 52cm, it's slightly heavier than the GD84 at 400kg compared to 395kg but has double the gross max load.

 

Obviously adding sides etc to any of the flat beds will increase the gross weight and consequently lower the max load capacity that I can carry.