Towing more than the braked towing limit

MikeHiow

MikeHiow

MikeHiow

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ie. the one set out by the manufacturer.

I'm talking 100-200kg over - not a huge amount. It would also be a rare occurrence.

What are the potential issues?

Is it something that's ever going to be checked, how does someone determine the weight of your trailer and load at the road side?
 
More common that you think that you will get checked

They make you go to the nearest weighbridge to check the weight, I wouldn't advise it
 
Rare occurrence means more than once. Once you may get away with / chance it.

I would imagine there is equipment such as scales that can measure this. I bet it would take no more than a phonecall, or rtaking your trailer and load to a weighbridge to check it.
 
If you have an accident the I would expect the insurance to be void (if they check it) and you could expose yourself to legal consequences if the police discover it.
 
I seem to remember its done from the weight the trailer is plated for. EG moving a trailer plated for 2000kg with a car that can tow 1000kg is illegal irrespective of whether there is even anything on the trailer. I'd check that though, I think it's a recent thing.
 
Sin_Chase said:
I personally would never something that weighs more than/close to the pull vehicle...irrespective of legal standpoint.
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The car weighs 1300kg (so around 1600kg by the time you add passengers and kit), but the braked towing limit is 1000kg.

There are plenty of people around that have reported towing caravans and cars/trailers that are over the limit and have claimed it is fine.
 
burns said:
I seem to remember its done from the weight the trailer is plated for. EG moving a trailer plated for 2000kg with a car that can tow 1000kg is illegal irrespective of whether there is even anything on the trailer. I'd check that though, I think it's a recent thing.
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Some googling suggests I may be talking BS.
 
That's good, but it looks like the only option is to get the clio down to 725kg (assuming a 275kg car trailer).

Never going to happen. Doh!
 
Firestar_3x said:
Do it then... I really do think you and DannyW got separated at birth.
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I'm not suggesting that is justification for it.

If it's one of those things that are never enforced or checked, and it happens once in a blue moon, I wouldn't have had an issue chancing it every now and then.

People's responses on here seem to indicate that it is an issue though, so I probably won't :)
 
I've seen it checked a few times on 'cops' tv shows, tbh unless you totally take the wizz i don't think they will pull you over to check, i think the points against are more from a safety / insurance standpoint.
 
whats the regs for towing it with a dolly rather than a trailer?


give you an extra 200kg to play with for the clio then if you can use a dolly with a car with no tax/test(check this out i'm not sure of the law on this)
 
hmm a 172 is only 1035kg. sure you could shave 150kg off that if you try hard enough :)


what tow car are you using? might be worth changing your tow car as an easy option? for example my vectra diesel is rated at 1600kg braked towing weight
 
I would say it depends a lot on the car/vehicle you're using.

Ignoring that it would probably void your insurance and any legal aspects of doing it, they have these recommended limits for a reason. If you get a wobble on, which can easily happen if you're not used to towing, the effects of having more weight on the trailer than is recommended could be very dangerous.
 
MikeHiow said:
A dolly is unbraked, the limit of which is 500kg.
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there are plenty of braked dollys out there but a quick google states a dolly is for recovery only not transportation so thats that ruled out

oh and the maximum would be 750kg for an unbraked trailer not as you state 500kg
 
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