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GRUFF
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 24 Mar 2007
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PostPosted: 02:46 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Trailer help Reply with quote

Hi, me & my friend recently got a trailer from a relative. The trailer is in good condition.

Now here's the problem. What exactly do we need to put on the trailer to make it legal for the road?

I know we need a number plate but do you need lights as well & thats it to be road legal?

Sorry to ask a stupid question but we're newbies when it comes to trailers Embarassed
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spooney
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 22 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: 02:51 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

are you talking car or bike trailer?

1 Yes you need lights, brakes indicators etc (usually you buy the whole light bar as one and hook up the electrics and add a number plate)
2 you need a beeping unit that sounds in the car to let you know the indicators are working
3 Not 100% clued on this one but i think if you passed your test after a certain date you need to do a test to allow you to tow and have it listed on your license.

hope that helps
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GRUFF
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 24 Mar 2007
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PostPosted: 03:01 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry yeah it's a bike trailer for our motocross bikes. Maybe a quad.

It's my girlfriend who will be doing the driving, her car came fitted with a towbar so we thought we should make use of it.

As for the part about passing your test on a certain date she passed her test about 5 years ago.

I'll look on ebay for a light bar soon but what about the bleeper units, what sort of price are they? Are they hard to fit? Do you think there will be some of those on ebay?

Sorry about all the questions! Very Happy
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spooney
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 22 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: 03:10 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

The bleeper unit should be built into the car if its modern p reg onwards depending on make etc (it will just automatically annoy you when the electrics are hooked up Very Happy ) if its not already fitted it is simply a wire from the lightbar to a speaker that will sit in the boot really simple. to be honest if its not fitted dont do it they really are annoying just check your lights regular.

5 years ago sounds like she wont be able to tow legally (again im not sure on this i suggest looking into it on the dvla website)
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GRUFF
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 24 Mar 2007
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PostPosted: 03:14 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for your replies. I'll check the DVLA website but it would be just my luck to find out she can't tow Evil or Very Mad Damn it!!!
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spooney
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 22 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: 03:16 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

ok mate should have done this before my last post:

the way i understand this you should be fine towing (from https://www.eclipse.co.uk/samwise/towinglaw2.htm) also check out https://www.ntta.co.uk/law/index.htm

Licence gained after 1 January 1997
If you gained your licence on or after 1 January 1997, then you will be restricted to driving or towing with a car (or light commercial vehicle) with a maximum weight of 3500kg. Note this is not the actual weight as loaded, but the vehicle’s maximum allowable weight, or gross vehicle weight, as set by the manufacturers – you will find this in your car’s handbook.
You can tow a trailer or caravan with this licence, but its maximum weight must not exceed 750kg – giving a total possible maximum outfit weight of 4250kg. If you wish to pull a caravan weighing more than 750kg (in practice, this covers all conventional caravans), you must follow the restriction that the maximum allowed weight of the car-plus-caravan combination weighs no more than 3500kg, and that the caravan’s maximum weight does not exceed 100 percent of the car’s unladen weight (this is not the same as the car’s kerbweight – have a look at the panel on this page for a full explanation).
What makes this rule appear rather odd is that if you wish to tow a trailer that weighs over 750kg, you actually end up with a lower total limit for the car-plus-caravan outfit than you would if you were towing a trailer under 750kg, where the total can be 4250kg.
If you want to exceed any of the above limits, you need to take a further driving test. For post-1997 drivers, a B+E test (E refers to entitlement to tow trailers over 750kg) can be arranged to give you the same rights as the pre-1997 car driver. It is not a hard test for a seasoned caravanner, but a novice would need some instruction. Professional tuition is advisable but not compulsory, though you will need to do a lot of homework on the test details and minimum test vehicle requirements if you do this yourself. Some test details are available to view on the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) website (www.dsa.gov.uk – go to the Learners’ section) and on the Driving Instructors Association (DIA) (www.driving.org, which has a search facility for driving instructors by postcode).
Tests take place at Goods Vehicle Test Centres, but finding an instructor to help you practice may be hard. For advice on finding tuition and on arranging a test, your best bet would be to contact the DSA or DIA.
There are currently European Union (EU) proposals to change the maximum weight of trailers that can be towed by a car licence holder – at least so the regulations are easier to understand – so although existing rights will probably be preserved, future licence entitlements may well be different from those that currently exist. Concerned that any further changes will be a disincentive for young caravanners, the caravan industry in the UK is campaigning for ‘no change’, or at least only a minimal change, but as this article goes to press the outcome is still undecided
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GRUFF
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 24 Mar 2007
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PostPosted: 03:21 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahh well that's good to know. Should be fine then. Thanks a lot for your help, i will read up a bit more info too though.

Thanks again & it's good to know i'm not the only person up at this time Smile

P.S. i am at work though Crying or Very sad
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spooney
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 22 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: 03:27 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

cctv operator so i see thats a pretty cool job! im just an out of term student bum so im awake because i have nothing to do tomorrow (waster)

how strange i was talking about trailers and stuff only today with my dad and then this? at least now i can tell him he's wrong and i can take the trailer for a spin Question Confused whenever i want to.
damn i should go to bed!
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KTM Gordo
Brolly Dolly



Joined: 19 Sep 2006
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PostPosted: 13:02 - 25 Jun 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

Trailer pulling is an acquired skill - especially reversing. Take a bit of time to practice because you never know when you might need to reverse and it can get very messy...!

If your car has a towbar fitted then it should have a warning device to let you know the indicators are working - either a buzzer (which mine has) or a light on the dashboard.

If you're towing you're restricted to a lower speed than when solo: 50mph on single carriageway roads and 60mph on dual carriageways and motorways. Also, on motorways, you must not use the outside lane if there are three or more lanes.

HTH Smile
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KTM 990 Adventure | KTM EXC 250 Racing | Land Rover Freelander SE Td4
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GRUFF
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 24 Mar 2007
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PostPosted: 01:13 - 04 Jul 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another trailer question, i've heard from a few people that if you are using a flatbed trailer you dont need a lighting kit as the cars brake lights etc can still be seen. Thinking

Now this sounds like utter crap to me. Especially if i was to take a quad.

Also i'm being told not to bother getting a numberplate made for it & too just write the number on a piece of card lol

I just wanted to double check though! Smile
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spooney
Borekit Bruiser



Joined: 22 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: 17:20 - 04 Jul 2007    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would think the light board is essential like you say if you were carrying things it would cover the cars lights plus im pretty sure its a legal requirement

the number plate..... again pretty sure its required by law however come on, you see people all the time probably with borrowed trailers, using felt tip number plates. At the moment I only have the numbers in felt tip on the light board. I can't see any coppers pulling you for it and I would think a quick excuse would get you off with a warning anyway (then id fit a proper one!)
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