How strict are VOSA on towing weights?

[Woodworks]

Dont have the hydraulic oil filled to max and have a can of diesel in the truck rather than the chipper tank. Not ideal i know, but an option.

 

Would get it closer to legal but not a 50kg saving.

[openspaceman]

Would get it closer to legal but not a 50kg saving.

 

It's not something I have had direct experience of but one of our contractors was stopped and weighed with a trailer behind a 4WD. Despite almost certainly being overloaded on the nose of the trailer because the sum of the axle weights was under the GTW he avoided a penalty. Had they separated the trailer it would have been over the trailer gross weight. So on that basis and not knowing the legal position a 800kg trailer with 50kg of nose weight may get past without comment as long as the tow vehicle has the 50kg to spare on its MAM.

[Justme]

It's not something I have had direct experience of but one of our contractors was stopped and weighed with a trailer behind a 4WD. Despite almost certainly being overloaded on the nose of the trailer because the sum of the axle weights was under the GTW he avoided a penalty. Had they separated the trailer it would have been over the trailer gross weight. So on that basis and not knowing the legal position a 800kg trailer with 50kg of nose weight may get past without comment as long as the tow vehicle has the 50kg to spare on its MAM.

 

 

Good point.

[Marc Lewis]

Would get it closer to legal but not a 50kg saving.

 

Kick the dirt out from under mud flaps.

[Treemover]

Why don't you add a second axle, or run it up onto a tandem axle trailer?

Are you trying to keep below the 750kg limit and licence??

If so just do the test?

[Justme]

Why don't you add a second axle, or run it up onto a tandem axle trailer?

Are you trying to keep below the 750kg limit and licence??

If so just do the test?

 

 

Replace the single axle with a braked single axle.

 

Unless the tow vehicle is over 2600kg (ish to allow for extra weight of brake kit) then they still wont need a trailer licence.

[wills-mill]

Replace the single axle with a braked single axle.

 

Unless the tow vehicle is over 2600kg (ish to allow for extra weight of brake kit) then they still wont need a trailer licence.

 

New build trailers (and this would be one) should go through an SVA test now.

[Justme]

New build trailers (and this would be one) should go through an SVA test now.

 

Not sure if this would be a new trailer or an alteration of one.

 

Also trailers that are fixed plant could be exempt anyway if I am understanding the regs correctly.

 

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Edited July 31, 2016 by Justme

[Justme]

This is a quote from the guideance.

 

Its is very open to interpritation.

 

1.9 When does IVA not apply?

• Agricultural or forestry tractors, their trailers and interchangeable towed machinery, together

with their systems, components and separate technical units and trailers designed and

constructed specifically to be towed by them.

• Quadricycles.

• Tracked vehicles.

• ‘Incomplete’ vehicles (except until October 29th 2014 in respect of an incomplete Heavy Goods Vehicle)

• Old vehicles (i.e. passenger cars and light goods vehicles over 10 years old and large goods

vehicles over 25 years old).

IVA does not apply but is optional for the following :

• Vehicles designed and constructed for use principally on construction sites or in quarries, port

or airport facilities.

• Vehicles designed and constructed for use by the armed services, civil defence, fire services

and forces responsible for maintaining public order.

• Mobile machinery.

 

Can a trailer with a machine permanently fixed to it count as mobile machinery?

 

I will have to ask DVSA re this.

[Gary Prentice]

This is a quote from the guideance.

 

Its is very open to interpritation.

 

 

 

Can a trailer with a machine permanently fixed to it count as mobile machinery?

 

I will have to ask DVSA re this.

 

I would have thought that, by definition, a trailer is something that carries something (goods). Therefore a chipper isn't a trailer but mobile machinery. A tracked chipper in a trailer would be a load and wouldn't be.