Joey 1.6 sport
Member
Registered: 23rd Oct 11
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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Hi guys for the amount I use my Corsa I've been thinking about trailing it track / shows but I've heard something about trailer test is this true
If so do you know places were / price thanks 
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scottyp1989
Member
Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
User status: Offline
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Depends what you are towing it with, could just get away with it if its something light
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Joey 1.6 sport
Member
Registered: 23rd Oct 11
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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What do you meen if it's a light car trailer or vehicle I'm towing with ?
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Col004
Member
Registered: 25th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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Dependent on when you past your test mate. After 98 then you need to do a trailer test to tow a car properly. Before 98 and you can tow anything within reason but if you are after 98 then you are only allowed to tow a max towing weight combined (car and trailer/load) of 3500kg, the object being towed including the trailer can only be 750kg. Anything more and you need a trailer licence. The trailer has to be braked now by law. That even goes for a-frames. Solid ones are now illegal. You Will have no chance with a trailer and car and you would probably be over limit (750kg) with a corsa and a braked a-frame.
Best to do the test buddy.
[Edited on 07-03-2012 by Col004]
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Mike
Organiser: North West and North Wales
Premium Member
Registered: 20th May 06
Location: nr. Skipton, North Yorkshire
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If you passed your test after 1st Jan 97 then you can tow a trailer with a maximum gross weight more than 750kg as long as the combined maximum gross weights of the tow car and trailer don't exceed 3.5t and the maximum gross weight of the trailer is less than the unladen weight of the car.
To get it right you generally need a light single axle trailer and a Passat, A4, Vectra or similar but different specs can mean different weights so you really do need to do your homework to remain legal.
I had to do the trailer test because I only had my Transit to tow with, which is 3.5t gross on its own. I found a guy through Yell iirc. I spoke to a few and liked the sound of how he worked, I did 2 days with him, 1st day was 6 hours training, mostly just driving, getting back to test standard (which I found the hardest part) and we spent maybe 3/4s of an hour practicing the reverse maneuver. Next day was another 4 hours training followed by the test which involves the reverse maneuver, as shown below, unhitch and re-hitch the trailer followed by an hour long drive.
It cost me £450 all in and the way I see it, if you've got a trailer and you can tow, you will end up wanting to use the trailer for moving other things which you may not be able to do without taking the extra test, plus you get the elite feeling of being that bit better than most people who passed their test after 1st Jan 97 
The reverse
[Edited on 07-03-2012 by Mike]
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Nick-S
Member
Registered: 3rd Mar 04
Location: Leigh. Drives: RS Megane 230 F1 Team R26
User status: Offline
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Do your C+E and you get your B+E for free  
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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You need a light Corsa on a light trailer and a tow car which only just weighs more than the car on the trailer, and you won't need the licence.
Its possible but a bit of a juggle to get the weights right.
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Joey 1.6 sport
Member
Registered: 23rd Oct 11
Location: Kent
User status: Offline
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Thanks for the replys so what ur saying is aslong as the trailer and car on it ways know more than 3.5 kg then I'm fine to tow as long as the tow car ways more than the car on the trailer correct ?
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scottyp1989
Member
Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
User status: Offline
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the tow car, trailer and car on the trailer has got to weigh less than 3.5 T for you to get away with it.
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Col004
Member
Registered: 25th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by scottyp1989
the tow car, trailer and car on the trailer has got to weigh less than 3.5 T for you to get away with it.
Thats wrong mate.. Your allowed to tow a combined weight of 3.5t. But... you are only allowed to tow 750kg without a licence. This means your towing vehicle can be 2750kg and the trailer can be 750kg (3500kg).
It's VOSA on the motorways you have to worry about. They will do spot checks more than the plod as they are on the ball and clamping down these days. If your towing local then you would probably get away with it as VOSA dont hang around on B roads, but if you have a bump, you will be uninsured if you shouldnt be towing.
[Edited on 08-03-2012 by Col004]
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
User status: Offline
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I did me B+E test so I can tow my astra/corsa on a trailer using my Caddy van.
Trailer is double axle and is about 500kg, astra/corsa is easily around a ton and is stripped out.
To be honest if you havent towed before I think doing lessons is a wise idea, it can be abit daughting and looking back at it I wouldnt want to tow unless I had some lessons.
I used Steve @ http://www.bensonschoolofmotoring.co.uk/ - he trains everyone from girls towing horse boxes to royal mail truck drivers. Very nice guy and I managed to pass on my second test.
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Chris F
Show Staff
Organiser: East Anglia
Premium Member
Registered: 26th Dec 05
Location: Newmarket Drives: Escort Van 1.8
User status: Offline
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I'm going to tow my corsa on a light trailer with my escort turbo van. Will just be under 3.5 tonne
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Chris F
Show Staff
Organiser: East Anglia
Premium Member
Registered: 26th Dec 05
Location: Newmarket Drives: Escort Van 1.8
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Col004
quote:
Originally posted by scottyp1989
the tow car, trailer and car on the trailer has got to weigh less than 3.5 T for you to get away with it.
Thats wrong mate.. Your allowed to tow a combined weight of 3.5t. But... you are only allowed to tow 750kg without a licence. This means your towing vehicle can be 2750kg and the trailer can be 750kg (3500kg).
It's VOSA on the motorways you have to worry about. They will do spot checks more than the plod as they are on the ball and clamping down these days. If your towing local then you would probably get away with it as VOSA dont hang around on B roads, but if you have a bump, you will be uninsured if you shouldnt be towing.
[Edited on 08-03-2012 by Col004]
I went over the dvla site, the trailer and car can't weigh more than the thing towing it. As long as whole thing is under 3.5 your ok.
I might risk it
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scottyp1989
Member
Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Col004
quote:
Originally posted by scottyp1989
the tow car, trailer and car on the trailer has got to weigh less than 3.5 T for you to get away with it.
Thats wrong mate.. Your allowed to tow a combined weight of 3.5t. But... you are only allowed to tow 750kg without a licence. This means your towing vehicle can be 2750kg and the trailer can be 750kg (3500kg).
It's VOSA on the motorways you have to worry about. They will do spot checks more than the plod as they are on the ball and clamping down these days. If your towing local then you would probably get away with it as VOSA dont hang around on B roads, but if you have a bump, you will be uninsured if you shouldnt be towing.
[Edited on 08-03-2012 by Col004]
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073
acording to that, im rite. When you do your B+E you can got to 4.5 tons.
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Steve
Premium Member
Registered: 30th Mar 02
Location: Worcestershire Drives: Defender
User status: Offline
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i passed march 3rd 1999
what does this mean i can do?
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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Col - under 3.5t for the combination is fine so long as the car weighs more than the trailer for a braked trailer
In addition you can tow an unbraked trailer with any vehicle in class B (<3.5t) up to 750kg, giving you a combination of 4250kg.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by scottyp1989
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/CaravansTrailersCommercialVehicles/DG_10013073
acording to that, im rite. When you do your B+E you can got to 4.5 tons.
Where you getting that from? B+E has no upper limit.
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scottyp1989
Member
Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
User status: Offline
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so i could be driving with a weight of over 6 Ton with the disco and still be fine on B+E?
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Nic Barnes
Member
Registered: 5th Apr 04
Location: nowhere near ginger people
User status: Offline
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Fuck it and plead ignorance when you get stopped. Never been asked for my lisence yet and i use a dolly which is very frowned upon.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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Yeah its a bit of an anomoly with B, the upper limit is dicated by the rating of the tow car so you could do 3500kg on the back of the Disco and still be legal.
C1+E is 8250kg if you got it before 97, 12000kg after which is why I went in for another C1+E even though I've already got it.
Dolly is fully illegal Nic, its over 750kg but not braked and should only be used for recovery to a place of safety. Which is probably blaggable.
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scottyp1989
Member
Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
User status: Offline
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ohh i always thought there was a limit on b+e,
just out of interest how much was it to do the C1+E? iv been thinking about doing it.
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Col004
Member
Registered: 25th Jun 03
User status: Offline
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mmmmmm.. intresting lol. The papers and little booklet i've got with my licence doesn't go into depth like that link, it only states what I put.
Good bit of gen that. You learn something new everyday lol.
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by scottyp1989
just out of interest how much was it to do the C1+E? iv been thinking about doing it.
£600, two and a half days and that included the test fee.
Do you already have C1?
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Ian
Site Administrator
Registered: 28th Aug 99
Location: Liverpool
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Col004
mmmmmm.. intresting lol. The papers and little booklet i've got with my licence doesn't go into depth like that link, it only states what I put.
Good bit of gen that. You learn something new everyday lol.
Its a proper minefield. Don't even get me started on the legal definition of MAM
Some say plated weights, some say actual weight...
I try and stay legal for both and at least it doesn't matter you interpret it.
That also technically means that my trailer can never be used without +E because its plated to 1750kg and the tow car must be heavier than it, which at 1751kg would be 3501kg and too much.
Or if you interpret it as actual weights you could do if it was empty as its 500ish unladen. Which is also the situation you'd be in if the trailer didn't have a plate because it was too old or home made.
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scottyp1989
Member
Registered: 29th Jul 07
Location: Warley, West Midlands
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Ian
quote:
Originally posted by scottyp1989
just out of interest how much was it to do the C1+E? iv been thinking about doing it.
£600, two and a half days and that included the test fee.
Do you already have C1?
No would have to do both parts
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