Anyone aware of a decent Brian James tilt bed for sale?

[Captain Furious]

So, let me have one last go at getting this straight..

 

If you have a pre-97 licence with B+E, as I do

 

You can tow a trailer even if the MAM plated weight exceeds the train weight of the vehicle, providing the actual weight is less.  eg if the cars train weight allows for 1800 KG and the trailer is plated at 2200KG it is OK as long as the actual weight on the trailer doesn't exceed 1800

 

If you have a new(er) licence - 97-2013 with just B entitlement

 

You can tow a trailer as long as the PLATED MAM of the trailer and car don't exceed 3500KG combined - eg if you had a car with a MAM of 1800KG and a trailer with a MAM of 2000KG then you couldn't tow it, even if it was only loaded with balloons and the actual combined weight was less than 3500KG

 

If you have a really new licence, 2013 onwards

 

I have no fucking idea...

[Faker]

So, let me have one last go at getting this straight..

 

If you have a pre-97 licence with B+E, as I do

 

You can tow a trailer even if the MAM plated weight exceeds the train weight of the vehicle, providing the actual weight is less.  eg if the cars train weight allows for 1800 KG and the trailer is plated at 2200KG it is OK as long as the actual weight on the trailer doesn't exceed 1800

 

If you have a new(er) licence - 97-2013 with just B entitlement

 

You can tow a trailer as long as the PLATED MAM of the trailer and car don't exceed 3500KG combined - eg if you had a car with a MAM of 1800KG and a trailer with a MAM of 2000KG then you couldn't tow it, even if it was only loaded with balloons and the actual combined weight was less than 3500KG

 

If you have a really new licence, 2013 onwards

 

I have no fucking idea...

Correct!

[Faker]

Post 2013 tested require C1+E to exceed 3.5ton gross. Pre 2013 only require B+E.

[Captain Furious]

So basically, without B+E, you aint towing a car trailer legally.  The lightest ones they hired near me were MAM 1800KG and even if you had a car light enough to keep you below 3500KG its train weight won't be high enough to tow it.

[Faker]

There are lightweight transporters out there. Single axle Brian James and Woodford with mam of 1300 / 1400kg. They usually weigh about 300 - 400kg, which give a payload around a ton. Correctly positioned and loaded on the bed with a suitable tow car would keep you legal.

 

Eg. Find a suitable vehicle with 2ton gross vehicle weight, that has a train weight of 1400kg. It's near the knuckle though.

[overrun]

Maybe I should just stick to illegal A-Framing!

[Captain Furious]

Another interesting (not interesting) fact I've just learned from the gov.uk website about the trailer test

 

If you have a manual licence but take the test in an automatic car, you can only tow with an automatic car, but can still drive manual or auto cars when solo

 

If you have an automatic licence but take the trailer test in a manual, you can tow with a manual or auto and also drive a manual or auto from then onwards.

 

So possibly a good way to get your licence upgraded from automatic only, if anyone has such a thing.

 

https://www.gov.uk/car-trailer-driving-test/car-rules

[overrun]

and get dry bummed for that when /if they decide to pull you over ...

or perhaps shock horror , you could display some maturity and personal responsibility and take the appropriate test ...

 

Woah! It was a joke. I have done a bit, but nowhere near the amount of some folk.

I plan to take my trailer test. The law says I am alright for now though, if I don't exceed their limits.

[Faker]

Listen folks. I apologise for hijacking the thread somewhat. Didn't mean to wind anyone up or cause a stir. Just trying to give some professional advice regarding a topic which a hell of a lot of folk have very little knowledge of. Even I learned today that changes came in to force recently.

[cort16]

Does it help if you drive in reverse and claim the trailer was towing the car?

[Cavcraft]

All that mass train weight/MAM/Class C licence stuff is a load of unfathomable bollocks, to the great unwashed (me) it's honestly impossible to get my head round. Legal or not I think if something needed towing I'd just do it and run the risk of getting done.

[Mally]

Listen folks. I apologise for hijacking the thread somewhat. Didn't mean to wind anyone up or cause a stir. Just trying to give some professional advice regarding a topic which a hell of a lot of folk have very little knowledge of. Even I learned today that changes came in to force recently.

No need to apologise. People need to know, and can then decide for themselves.

It is difficult to get you head round and even the places you would expect to get it right often don't.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Yeah don't apologise Faker, I certainly appreciate your input here. Most interesting.

[Mally]

All that mass train weight/MAM/Class C licence stuff is a load of unfathomable bollocks, to the great unwashed (me) it's honestly impossible to get my head round. Legal or not I think if something needed towing I'd just do it and run the risk of getting done.

 

Been towing for 50 years, only recently became more legalities.

Been stopped twice. First time I was wrong but they didn't realise. Second time no problems.

Unless you are involved in an accident or your trailer has no lights you may well be fine.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

why don;t you jump in a LGV that weighs under 3.5 or 7.5 t unladen and drive that around , or a bus less than 30 years old but not with any passengers on and see how you get on ...

Sorry chief you've lost me here. What point are you making?

[Faker]

Sorry chief you've lost me here. What point are you making?

Poster was trying to make a point. If you drive a 3.5ton or 7.5ton vehicle without the appropriate licence category you'd get hammered. There are exemptions for driving classic busses, a c1 / d1 will cover an historic bus so long as it's not being used for hire and reward, or carrying passengers. Basically you'd again be in bother if the bus wasn't 30 years old or you didn't have the appropriate license. I think he's saying why expect to get away with towing offences by bluffing or arguing the point.

[overrun]

 

Tows nicely, very happy with it.

[Captain Furious]

Very nice, might I be so bold as to ask how much?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Oooofffffff!! Hot!!

[panhard65]

Nice trailer I would personally get something better to pull it with. They do tow well but can get scary if you get a bit of weight on it with a light tow car. I found Disco tdi's about the best compromise really  as they are dirt cheap and can pull 3.5 ton which means that pulling 2 ton is very confortable for them. A ton and half on the back of a Mondeo would not be a nice towing experience.

[overrun]

I do need a better tow car, yeah. Would rather stick to a large estate car if possible, but I know there is only so much they can pull comfortably.

 

It was £1950. Not the cheapest, but also not the most expensive.

It is in good order, has a few new bits, 5 as new tyres and the bent lip at the rear of the bed and the additional assistor ramps sold it for me. You barely need any angle on the bed if you have the ramps out, so all of my trevved up motors will fit on there like a dream.

 

The sellers were private trailer dealers, I got paperwork and it has a VIN etc (obviously), so I was comfortable purchasing from them.

Just dragged it back from Stoke, with filthyjohn riding shotgun, and you cannot even tell it is there, it is silent and very well behaved.

 

I plan to hinge the wheel arches before I use it too much, as I know that is a worthwhile, almost essential mod.

[Captain Furious]

£2k seems like a sensible price and I'd have been surprised if it was less

 

Well bought

[DodgeRover]

the funny thing with all these grown men bitching is the number of young girls out there who as well as coping with a tonne of flesh between their (jodhpur clad) thighs also quite happily get B+E, C , tractor and telehandler licences to play with their equine buddies ...

Funniest thing I've seen was years ago when was of my sisters friends dropped in to see us when her tacho timed out. She had her class 1? from driving articulated horse transporters and had just done her dangerous goods bit, things were a bit quiet horse work wise so she was doing a bit of lorry driving, not at all what you expected to see climbing down from the cab of a knackered old wagon...

[Captain Furious]

I think one of the most amusing situations I've seen first hand re towing rules was during my breakdown caper at Santa pod earlier in the year. The first driver that came couldn't take the caravan because his truck only had 24v electrics, the 2nd driver that came had 12v electrics but no class 1 licence so couldn't legally tow the caravan with his truck

 

Solution? Well, simple really..

 

 

Bet the AA were loving the invoice for that recovery

[overrun]

I think one of the most amusing situations I've seen first hand re towing rules was during my breakdown caper at Santa pod earlier in the year. The first driver that came couldn't take the caravan because his truck only had 24v electrics, the 2nd driver that came had 12v electrics but no class 1 licence so couldn't legally tow the caravan with his truck

 

Solution? Well, simple really..

 

 

 

Bet the AA were living the invoice for that recovery

 

I remember reading your tale of woe. What a chew on! Great pic, though.

[Jim Bell]

This trailer is rated 18. Posible scenes of a sexual nature and situations of mild peril.

[Captain Furious]

Heh, yeah, in actual fact they were the 4th and 5th drivers respectively who had turned up, but let's not go there! Fond memories now looking back, even if at the time it was doom and gloom

 

Crouches were gr8 though, 9/10 would break down with again.

[overrun]

You may not have quite so much fun if you do it without a caravan in tow, mind.

[surprisingskoda]

lovely looking trailer. The only one I've seen that has both tilt and ramps apart from the Woodford dfdsdf7898324249 or whatever it is. I've got one which has done an incredible amount of work and needs replaced, but I paid £1300 for it and I'm not buying a new one at £3350 + vat...

[Mally]

Have just sold a Woodford single axle LWT-042. On its way to Holland tomorrow.

Had ramps only but we made it tilt as well because when we raised the bed to clear our sloped drive  the car wouldn't load as the ramps were too steep!