Towing guide

By Dave Pollard

March 2008

As summer approaches, many of us are likely to take to the road with a trailer, whether it’s to tip garden waste, ferry bags on holiday or enjoy a weekend caravanning. But plenty of regulations apply when you hitch up – so, here’s how to keep everything legal.

You can only pull a trailer on a full licence. Anyone who passed their test before 1 January 1997 is generally entitled to drive a vehicle/trailer combination up to 8.25 tonnes maximum authorised mass (or MAM, also known as permitted maximum weight). This covers all but the biggest combinations of a 4x4 plus a caravan or boat trailer.

It’s important to check your car’s towing limits, of course – there are usually two figures in its handbook, for trailers with and without brakes.

If you qualified to drive after the start of 1997, you need to check your car’s weight, too: you are limited to vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes with a trailer up to 750kg (4.25 tonnes MAM).

For heavier trailers, the combined weight must be under 3.5 tonnes and its MAM less than the tow vehicle’s weight. Most caravans and trans­porters will come under these limits with a car capable of pulling them, although it pays to be sure.

If you are over the limit, you can upgrade your licence by passing an extra test, which costs £89 (weekdays) or £107 (evenings or weekends). With the car and trailer sorted, the tow bar is next. Bars fitted to vehicles regist­ered after 1 August 1998 (S plate) must have an EC type approval plate with the relevant number fitted to the des­ignated mounts. A non-approved bar may invalidate your insurance cover.

In the vehicle handbook, find the max­imum ‘nose weight’ – the load put on the towbar itself. Distribute the trai­ler’s contents to stay a little below this; check by sitting the jockey wheel on bathroom scales. Trail­ers should also have a plate detailing their limits.

Tyre rules are the same as for cars, but don’t only check tread depth and sidewall damage; age is also key. Rub­ber on rarely used trailers can deteriorate faster than their tread wears as anti-ageing agents in it need movement to work well. The date of manufacture is a four-figure code on the sidewall, with the first two indicating the week and the last two the year – so 0308 is week three of 2008. Con­sider replacing tyres over five years old.

Another problematic area which is worth looking at is lighting. Lamps are prone to failing, often due to mois­t­ure. Check them all before a trip.

On the road, towing can take some getting used to, especially with a big trailer. The Caravan Club runs two courses covering all aspects of owning and manoeuvring. These take place at 14 centres across the UK, and are priced £90 or £75, according to your needs.

TOP TIPS

1. Check and adjust tyre pressures to suit the load.
2. Inspect all lights before using the trailer.
3. Secure your trailer’s load carefully.
4. Practise manoeuvring in a quiet car park, especially reversing.
5. Trailers are valuable; secure with a good hitchlock when left.
6. Apply a little grease to the towball occasionally.
7. Spray WD-40 into light housings and the plug and socket to keep damp at bay.
8. Overloading could lead to prosecution and invalid insurance.
9. Always carry a spare trailer wheel or at least tyre repair foam.
10. Different speed limits apply when towing.

USEFUL CONTACTS

Autow: 01738 627272 (www.autow.co.uk)

The Caravan Club: 01342 326944 (www.caravanclub.co.uk)

DVLA: 0870 240 0009 (www.dvla.gov.uk)

Halfords: 0845 057 9000 (www.halfords.com)

Indespension: 0800 720720 (www.indespension.co.uk)

MotorWorld: 0845 050 5000 (www.motor-world.co.uk)

Slidetite: 0141 416 3639 (www.slidetite.com)

Towsure: 0870 609 0070 (www.towsure.com)

Witter Towbars: 01244 284500 (www.witter-towbars.co.uk)

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