When you tow heavy trailers, you need to take special precautions first. You cannot just hook it to your truck and pray that it tows safely. To help you figure out the right way to tow a heavy trailer, the following guide will set you on the right path.
First, you should pay attention to the recommendations of the trailers’ manufacturers when it comes to tow setups. This is because different manufacturers can give varying forms of advice. For example, Subaru has set a maximum mass for towing any of their trailers (whether braked or un-braked). They also have a maximum limit set for the tow ball down mass. This manufacturer’s guide also warns against going over the tow truck’s maximum permissible weight and maximum permissible rear axle weight. Ford, on the other hand, advises that the tow truck operator must not go over the gross vehicle mass in their towing guide. Toyota’s recommendation is that a customer should not go over their vehicle’s gross vehicle mass or the limit of their axle weights which is specified in the owner’s handbook.
There are plenty of other examples from car manufacturers that could be expressed here, which further highlights the importance of referring to your specific vehicle towing instructions. What all car manufacturers seem to agree on is that you should check the owner’s handbook to find out the proper towing information for your vehicle.
As a tow truck operator, you must use the information appropriately based on your own expertise. After all, an owner’s manual doesn’t teach you how to drive, it is only a reference manual of information. Therefore, you cannot expect car manufacturers to know which trailers you are going to be dealing with. It can be confusing to consider these various figures and weights. Often, people would rather be told the proper legal and safety information from a professional. In fact, many people would rather just pay a tow truck Perth, like Executive Towing Services, to do the setup or job for them. That way, they don’t need to concern themselves with GVM or GCM.
Between the dynamics and regulations of the trailer, it can be difficult for someone who doesn’t tow regularly to understand. Additionally, anyone who accepts money for setting this up will take on liability if there is an accident or other problem.
If you own the trailer and towing vehicle and you want to set it up correctly, you cannot take any shortcuts, always consider the towing limitations to avoid any issues. You can learn about these limitations and other aspects of towing yourself. If you decide to do it yourself it is advisable to hire an independent towing professional to complete the job or assist you with setting up the trailer. Even if you are familiar with one type of trailer and car combination, there are so many different combinations that you might not be familiar with, especially if you have hired the trailer for a specific task. Hiring a towing company may save you time and money.
Trailer Types
The two types of trailers are dog trailers and pig trailers. Despite the names of these trailers, they are not referring to any kind of animal. Instead, they refer to the configuration of the axle.
Dog trailers have multiple axles and therefore the wheels of the dog trailer support all its weight. The axles are positioned at the front and rear of the dog trailer. Because of this, the towing car can steer the trailer and give it the power it needs to move. Dog trailers are suitable for transporting loads that are big and weigh a lot. Dog trailers are often towed behind a heavy truck what is transporting a large load.
Dog trailers due to their multi-axle construction are by nature expensive. Since they are heavier trailers, it is also hard to reverse them. Turntable models may become unstable when reversing in a tight turn. These are big reasons that dog trailers are not more popular. They are not very attractive to your average consumer. However, since dog trailers have little to no tow ball mass, they are simple to hook up and are simple to move because they have front wheels.
Pig trailers, however, have their axle or axles positioned in the rear. This means that unlike dog trailers it is the towing car that provides the stability for the trailer as the towing car carries some of the trailer’s weight.
The Forces of Trailers and How-to Setup a Safe Tow
The center of gravity of the trailer is in front of the axle. The back of the towing car will then have a force generated at this point. This will cause the front axle to have an upward force placed on it, which will then pivot around the rear axle. This force on the rear axle force is about 30% higher than the tow ball mass.
There must be dynamic stability as you tow a trailer. That way, if you drive over bumpy roads or have a gust of wind blow in your direction, the trailer will go back behind the towing car in its original position. If you do not have this kind of stability, then your trailer would not be able to return to its original position.
To have stability, the center of gravity’s position in relation to the axles must be considered. The center of gravity depends on the towing car and trailer.
If a tow is set up and has the center of gravity in the middle, if the trailer is disturbed in any way, it will go back to its original position behind the car. This is a stable setup and is easier to maneuver.
Adding the load to the very front of the trailer will make it extremely stable. However, because the center of gravity is forward too much it may make it hard for the towing car to turn. This is explained in more detail in the next section.
If the trailer has the center of gravity near the axle, while it may make it easier for the towing car to turn there will be less stability in the trailer. This will be highly pronounced at high speed and should not be loaded like this. This set up is better for performing off-road type jobs where you don’t need to drive very fast.
It is crucial to shift the center of gravity past the axles. The tow ball mass will be increased as a side effect. The towability of a trailer can also be made better without needing to alter the tow ball mass or weight. But if you increase the tow ball mass, you can fix a lot of your stability issues. Just be aware of the risks involved.
What if there is a forward center of gravity and a heavy tow ball mass?
The farther the center of gravity is moved in front of the axles, the more straight-line stability you will have. The only problem is the tow ball mass will increase too, which puts more pressure on the car’s rear axle. The front axle will have less weight because of this. Overall, it will make handling the vehicle much more difficult.
- The downforce of the high rear axle puts a lot of stress on the chassis, especially on rougher roads. The chassis is not always designed to handle these stresses.
- Since the front axle will have less weight, you won’t be able to brake and steer the vehicle as well. You will have better trailer stability, but that will cause reluctancy when turning around corners. In other words, it is harder to make turns with a towing car under these circumstances.
- The slightly compressed rear suspension cannot tolerate bumps all that well. Extra caution should be observed so that this does not cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
If you have an unstable trailer, it may help to increase the tow ball mass but there will be downsides to doing that too. It is better to boost stability by doing things like centralizing the load of the trailer or using weight distribution hitches.
Rear Axle Loading
There are load limitations on every vehicle’s rear axles and front axles. This means you cannot go past these limits or else you will face the risk of a problem. These imposed limits are separate from the gross vehicle mass of the vehicle. For instance, you can still go past the axle limit even if you are under the gross vehicle mass.
The bad thing is that when you attach a trailer, the tow ball mass increases the load on the rear axle. This is due to the tow ball mass force being farther in back of the rear axle.
The tow ball mass forces down the back of the towing car. The front axle has less weight because the rear axle will have the chassis pivot on it. This places the weight onto the rear axle, since it has nowhere else to go.
The following is the formula for figuring out the load on the rear axle:
Tow ball Mass = (Overhang / Wheelbase) * Tow ball Mass
For instance, if you have an overhang that is 1,200 mm, a tow ball mass that is 130 kg, and a wheelbase that is 2,750 mm, then your front axle will have a 57-kilogram weight reduction. Now add this 57 kg to the 130kg of tow ball mass and you will have a rear axle with a load of 187 kg. In another example with the same dimensions, a tow ball mass of 350 kg would cause the front axle to have a weight reduction of 152 kg. This would give the rear axle a 502 kg load, which is huge for any vehicle with 4-wheel drive. You won’t achieve this with stiffer springs either because they could cause your chassis to crack.
This should give you an idea of the importance of a long wheelbase and a short overhang. If the overhang is short, you will have a low weight load on the rear axle. This means better control of your trailer because the towing car will not be disturbed by the trailer.
Modern utes have lengthy overhangs, which are not compensated by their lengthy wheelbases. Utes are suitable for turning in circles when their rear wheels are near the rear doors. However, they are not good for towing or carrying any kind of load in the back. The only way utes could tow better is if their wheels were positioned roughly 250 mm back more. For this reason, you should use short tow bar tongues.
Example
Land Rover has outlined certain specifications which pertain to the Defender. They are as follows:
Towing (Kilograms)
| Land Rover 90 | Land Rover 110 | Land Rover 130 | |
| Braked Trailer | 3,500 | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| Unbraked Trailer | 750 | 750 | 750 |
| Max Nose Weight for Trailer | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Rear Axle Weight Effect | 201 | 204 | 206 |
Maximum Axle (Kilograms)
| Land Rover 90 | Land Rover 110 | Land Rover 130 | |
| Front Axle | 1,250 | 1,250 | 1,580 |
| Rear Axle | 1,500 | 1,980 | 2,200 |
| Gross Vehicle Weight | 2,750 | 3,050 | 3,500 |
There are varying overhangs and wheelbases for the 90, the 110, and the 130. Therefore, the tow ball mass of 150 kg will affect the rear axle differently.
If the nose weight needs to be increased to a 250 kg mean, then you should reduce the load on the vehicle accordingly. This way you won’t go past the rear axle load or gross vehicle mass limits. Because of this, the vehicle can tow with a tow ball mass of 150 kg at gross vehicle mass. If you go past 150 kg, the payload must be reduced.
Usually, the tow ball mass will have a greater impact on the rear axle than on the tow ball mass itself because the tow ball is positioned in back of the rear axle. Customers should use a weigh bridge to measure their vehicle if they think they’ll go past their rear axle mass.
Kerb Weights and Tare Weights
Kerb weighs and tare weights might seem similar, but they have varying definitions. Below are some samples of these definitions:
- According to EC Directive 95/48/EC, kerb weight refers to any vehicle in good driving condition, a gas tank that is 90% filled with gas, a driver in the driver’s seat who weighs 68kg, and 7kg worth of luggage.
- According to General Motors, kerb mass refers to any vehicle with a 100% filled gas tank and all other fluids present. Tare mass is configured the same as kerb mass. The difference is tare mass has 10 liters of fuel only.
- Kerb weight refers to the vehicle’s total weight, including its regular equipment, gas tank that is 100% filled, and all other consumable items which sustain its operation (like coolant and motor oil). The weight does not include cargo and passengers. The kerb mass also factors in the accessories that are attached to the vehicle. These accessories increase the kerb mass.
- Kerb weight (or the kerb mass) is the total vehicle weight, including the 100% filled gas tank, options, and fluids. It does not include the accessories.
- Tare weight is similar to the kerb weight. The difference is that tare weight accounts for a vehicle with 10 liters of gas in the tank rather than a vehicle with a full tank.
- The minimum amount of kerb weight is equal to the mass of the vehicle plus any extra features, 10 liters of gas, no driver, spare wheel and tools.
- Unladen mass refers to the vehicle’s mass with no driver, no load, and in proper working condition. Each fluid reservoir contains a normal amount of fluid. This includes the fuel too. All the equipment in the vehicle is standard.
National governments and car manufacturers all have their own standards. For instance, car manufacturers will not always obey Australia’s standards. This makes it more confusing for people who are trying to figure out the correct standards. Some manufacturers will even apply a different standard to each model.
From a technical standpoint, a tare weight refers to the vehicle when it has barely any fuel, no passengers, and is hardly in proper driving condition. Kerb weight refers to the vehicle when it can be driven and operated. People mix these terms up so regularly because they don’t understand these distinct definitions.
Just remember when you come across terms like unladen mass, kerb weight, or tare weight, think of them as referring to the load of people in the vehicle and the amount of fuel in the tank.
A Common Major Trailer Loading Mistake
Let’s say you have a trailer that is 3,500 kilograms and has a low tow ball mass. To bring the tow ball mass back within proper limits, you move or put on more weight to the trailer’s front area. With the rear and front of the trailer having more weight, the limits can be reached. Sadly, in this case, the dynamics of the trailer are damaged.
You can perform a fun test to prove this!
Find 2 items that are heavy, such as wine bottles. Go to the middle of the room and stand there. Extend your arms out and stretch them wide while the bottles are in your hands. Quickly spin your body 180° and then stop. Repeat this process but while holding the wine bottles over your chest this time. It is easier to rotate with the bottle at your chest.
Trailer loading has the same concept. When the weight of a trailer is over the axles, it is easier to tow it safely. If the weight is distributed on both sides of the trailer, it is more difficult to tow. It doesn’t even matter if the tow ball mass is less or the same. Trailers like this are difficult to turn. When you do get it to turn, it will be hard to get it to stop turning. The trailer will also move up and down, which impacts the towing car a lot because the towing car will have trouble keeping its traction on the road.
If you want more tow ball mass, the weight in back of the rear axles needs to be shifted forward. Do not shift the weight in front of the axles forward even more. You’ll want to centralize the weight as much as possible. If the weight is not centralized, you’ll have an increase in tow ball mass. This may give your tow set up greater stability, but it will put the towing car under more stress and limit its ability to make corner turns.
The stability of the trailer is affected by the yaw inertia, trailer axle position, and the nose mass. The trailer mass doesn’t independently impact stability while moving at high speeds. The way in which the weight is distributed in the trailer is more crucial than how much the trailer weighs in total.
To demonstrate the weights of trailers yourself, if you have access to one try taking a 4-wheel steer trolley and pack it with a couple of 20-kilogram weights. Now try to turn the trolley around corners. Then try to move it straight at a fast pace while wiggling it. This will give you an idea about stability and what it takes to achieve it.
Overall, you must consider weight centralization if you want stability. Do not concern yourself with the total weight of the rig. A poorly balanced trailer that is lightweight could still be worse than a heavy trailer which maintains good balance.
Rear Overhang: Another Reason Why it is Bad
A lengthy rear overhang will increase the loading of the rear axle past the tow ball mass. The horizontal and vertical stability of the trailer also decreases.
No one ever sees a towing car and comments on the quality of the small rear overhang. What you must understand is that towing is not just about having stiff springs and a great torque figure.
The Tow ball Mass & the Payload
The gross vehicle mass is the most weight that a vehicle can be. Some factors of this weight include extra accessories, the driver, and fuel in the tank. Basically, any extras that are added to the vehicle will factor into the weight. The payload is the amount of weight that a vehicle can carry. This is the difference between the gross vehicle mass and the kerb weight.
The tow ball mass is theoretically associated with the payload because it puts pressure on the vehicle. Vehicle anufacturers like to make this point. For instance, if you have a 700kg payload and a 300kg tow ball mass, the remainder left is 400kg. Don’t forget that a tow ball mass that is 300kg causes the rear axle to have over 300kg. However, the payload is 300kg as the weight of the front axle decreases while the rear axle increases.
The tow ball mass rule does not get used all the time. Many manufacturers, such as Land Rover, state clearly that you cannot exceed the tow ball mass, rear axle loads, and gross vehicle mass. For example, this is mentioned in the Discovery 4 manual. It states that the maximum gross vehicle mass while towing can be increased up to 100kgs. The speed of the vehicle must be limited to 100kph.
The Nissan Navara D40 has this to say about:
| Single and King Modeled Cabs | |
| Tow ball Download | Vehicle Mass |
| 80kg | Gross Vehicle Mass (Every Variant) |
| 100kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 30kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 150kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 110kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 200kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 185kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 250kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 250kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 300kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 310kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 4WD Dual Cabs | |
| Tow ball Download | Vehicle Mass |
| 150kg | Gross Vehicle Mass (Every Variant) |
| 200kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 60kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 250kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 130kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 300kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 200kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 2WD Dual Cabs | |
| Tow ball Download | Vehicle Mass |
| 70kg | Gross Vehicle Mass (Every Variant) |
| 100kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 40kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 150kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 110kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 200kg | Loaded vehicle mass reduced by 180kg under gross vehicle mass |
If you reduce the rear mass of the loaded vehicle as described in the tables above, it will increase the corresponding tow ball download. So, if the gross vehicle mass is 180kg more than the laden mass, then a 200kg tow ball download will be approved. You will find different tow ball downloads with various trailer manufacturers and types of trailers. The customer should call the trailer manufacturer to request additional tow ball download information. Nissan does not make recommendations when it comes to using weight distribution or load-leveling devices on vehicles for fitting purposes. Only the manufacturers that created these devices can provided customers with additional information. You must always check your vehicle specs from the information supplied by the manufacturer.
You can reduce the payload by a lesser amount than the tow ball mass. Here is what the Navara NP300 features:
| Diesel Models (5-Link Suspension) | |
| Tow ball Download | Vehicle Mass |
| 0kg | Gross vehicle mass |
| 100kg | Vehicle mass reduced by 130kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 200kg | Vehicle mass reduced by 280kg under gross vehicle mass |
| 300kg | Vehicle mass reduced by 410kg under gross vehicle mass |
- The Gross Vehicle Mass is the most laden mass that a vehicle has.
- Tare mass is a vehicle’s unladen mass plus 10 liters of fuel. With cab chassis vehicles, this does not include the tray body.
- Premium paints cost extra.
- Calculated figures stay in accordance with combined fuel consumption data. The driving conditions will determine the actual fuel consumed. Other factors include the behavior of the driver, the accessories which were fitted, and the vehicle condition.
- The towing capacity depends on the vehicle laden condition and the tow bar capacity. You can reduce the capacity if you fit an authentic Nissan tow bar. The download that is permitted correlates with the vehicle laden mass. The most tow ball download for Diesel models is 300kg.
- iPod is an Apple trademark.
- Synthetic material may exist in leather upholstery and accented features.
- Contact your local Nissan dealership and ask them what their schedule services cover. You can get serviced up to 6 years or when you reach 120,000 kms, whichever one of these happens first.
- When you purchase a vehicle with a New Vehicle Warranty, it will expire after 36 months from the registration date or once you have exceeded 100,000 km. The first one to occur will be when it expires.
- To find out about the terms and conditions, go to Nissan.com.au/roadside assistance
Overall, just make the assumption that the tow ball mass is a portion of the payload, despite the strange exceptions. Don’t forget the tow ball mass is less than the rear axle load.
Determining If a Trailer is Legal and Safe
When you see the terms “within limits,” “safe,” and “legal,” they mean three separate things. For instance, something might be safe to do but it might not be legal to do. When you look at the previous example of having weights on the both ends of the trailer, this is something you can legally do. However, that doesn’t mean it is safe to do because it is not.
To figure out if your towing car and trailer fall within limits, use the following instructions to approximate your calculation. This doesn’t mean it will be safe, though. Whatever the limits are on your trailer and towing car, the process must be amended.
Here is what you need to know:
- Towing car gross vehicle mass and kerb weight: The driver’s side door will have a placard with the weight of the vehicle on it. Let’s say the former is 3,000kg and the latter is 2,200kg.
- Payload of Towing car – Kerb weight minus the gross vehicle mass. This could be 3,000 minus 2,200 equals 800kg.
- Load Limit of Towing car Rear Axle – Look on the manufacturer’s website or in their handbook. Let’s say the limit is 1,800kg.
- Towing car Gross Combined Mass – This is the most amount of weight that a trailer and towing car can weigh. You will find this information in the owner’s handbook. Let’s say the weight is 6,500 kg.
- Vehicle Wheelbase – Look at the website of the manufacturer or search the handbook. Let’s say it is 2,800mm.
- Vehicle Overhang – Use the definition above for this and then measure. It is the distance between the tow ball and rear axle. Let’s say it is 1,200mm.
- ATM of Trailer – The trailer will have a placard with this on it. Let’s say it is 2,500kg.
- Locate the Weighbridge – A tip in your area could have it. Big BPs and other servos currently are running them.
Here is what must be known:
- The Tow Ball Mass Needed – This will likely be 10% of whatever the trailer weighs. So, if you have a 3,000kg trailer, then it will be 300kg. Of course, this is only an example. There is no set rule here.
- The Payload Available Following the Trailer Hookup – Take the tow ball mass and subtract it from the payload total. 800kg minus 300kg equal 500kg. This is what’s left of the payload. Add the 2,200kg kerb weight to the 500kg, which equals 2,700kg. The vehicle cannot weight more than this amount prior to hooking up the trailer to it. Do not double count tow ball mass in relation to gross combined mass. A 300kg tow ball mass puts 300kg of trailer weight onto the towing car. This makes the tow ball mass a portion of the payload. However, it does not affect the gross combined mass.
- Rear axle trailer load – You can find the formula by looking above. There is a 398kg rear axle load in this example.
- Rear Axle Load Availability – Take the rear axle load and subtract it from the load which exists on the rear axle. This would be 1,800kg minus 398kg equals 1,402kg. This is the amount of rear axle load left.
- Gross Combined Mass Limits – Add gross vehicle mass of vehicle to the trailer ATM. For instance, a 2,500 ATM plus 3,000kg gross vehicle mass equals 5,500kg. The gross combined mass is 6,000kg, which is good. When the gross vehicle mass and ATM is more than the gross combined mass, it is possible to still conduct a tow. However, you cannot load the trailer and towing car to their maximum weight. Most likely, the towing car cannot load to the max to begin with.
Things We Learned
The vehicle cannot weigh over 2,700 kg if you are towing this particular trailer. There is 500kg remaining for the gear, accessories, driver, and all the other things. The rear axle endures an extra 398kg in weight from the trailer, allowing 1,402kg to be readily available. Take 2,700kg and divide it by 2. This should equal 1,350kg, which is almost what’s left if there is even weight distribution on the front and rear axles. The front axle doesn’t rate as much as the rear axle. The Gross combined mass falls within limits, since the rig and car is less than 6,000 kg.
Many manufacturers will claim the tow ball mass is associated with the payload. But, the extra rear axle weight is more than the tow ball mass. This does not make a difference for the payload weight because the front axle has a weight reduction off it.
You’d probably realize that you’re beyond the limits at this point. 500kg is not much for a payload. Two 80kg adults added onto two 50kg kids equals 260kg. This means there is 240kg remaining.
With a touring 4-wheel drive vehicle, it is worse. You will have a total weight of between 250 and 400kg when you add the bulbar, second battery, winch, aftermarket suspension, tyres, roof rack spotlights, and cargo system. This means there is 100kg left for the camping gear, occupants, food, and so on. This is not enough in many cases.
Of course, what you just read was an exercise. Real measurements are always the most dependable. But the importance of the exercise is to see where you are or whether you want to buy a towing car and trailer. Now to examine the real scenario, you need to set up the towing car like normal. You can have the driver in the vehicle at minimum. It could have all the 4-wheel drive touring gear, fishing gear, and horse gear. Any gear you typically would use. Next, hook the trailer up as if you were going to tow it like normal. Visit the weighbridge. This is what you should see:
1) Weight of Vehicle – Vehicle weight with the load and all occupants, but no trailer. This should be under the gross vehicle mass.
2) Weight of Trailer – Trailer weight with no vehicle. At the most, this is the ATM.
3) Tow ball Mass – Measure the weight of only the jockey wheel. This won’t exactly be the tow ball mass since the jockey wheel is not right underneath the tow ball. However, it will be good enough for the measurement. Add an extra 5% to make it closer.
4) Rear Axle Vehicle Load – Do not attach the trailer. Just weigh the towing car’s rear axle. To do this right, attach the trailer and drive on the front axles only. Keep track of the weight and then drive on the rear axles up until the point where you’re about to come to the weighbridge. Keep track of the weight and then subtract the weight from the weight of the front axle.
The front axle has weight taken away from it, so it is not really a concern. The center of the weighbridges has the most accuracy. This allows you to centralize the loads as much as you can. This involves all passengers too.
Here is what you should look for in this exercise:
- Weight of the vehicle without a trailer is lower than the gross vehicle mass.
- Weight of the vehicle with trailer connected is lower than the gross vehicle mass. (tow ball mass is factored into the payload).
- Weight of the trailer is lower than the ATM.
- Tow ball mass is roughly 10% of the ATM.
- Rear axle load is under the limit of the rear axle load.
- Trailer and towing car combined weight is under the gross combined mass.
If these are within limits, then it could possibly be legal and safe. If they’re not within limits, then it is not safe or legal.
What to Do When Over the Limit
You can either increase the capacity or lower the weight. In other words, use a towing car that is higher rated or lower the towing car’s weight. It can be helpful to use a weight-distribution hitch, but that just transfers rear axle weight to the axle of the trailer and the front axle. Distribution is the focus here rather than reduction. Weight-distribution hitches are not compatible with all vehicles. Usually, people will add them to cover up a poor setup that is overloaded. Plus, you can use the trailer stability control for emergencies. Don’t use them for towing larger trailers.
Other Things to Know
Many factors can impact the safety of a vehicle and trailer setup. Weight is one factor, while others include:
- Tyres – Aged tyres are common with trailers because they are not used all that much.
- Tyre Pressures – Necessary for the trailer. Should be a different pressure than the towing car tyre pressure.
- Suspension – High-quality suspension is needed for the trailer and towing car.
- Driving Methods – Affects safety immensely. Maneuvering a trailer is a skill in itself.
What is Happening in Other Nations?
Since January 19th, 2013, the United Kingdom has introduced a towing license. This is some information on that:
After January 19th, 2013, if a driver takes a category B test and passes it, then they can tow the following:
– smaller trailers which weigh up to 750kg.
– a trailer more than 750kg (the combined weight of the towing car and trailer must not be over 3,500kg).
For anyone wanting to tow a trailer which weighs over 750kg while the combined weight of the trailer and towing car is over 3,500kg, another test must be passed. Your license must have B+E entitlement.
This would be good for Australia. They have the biggest trailers anywhere in the world, with the exception of the United States.
Are Big Trailers Good?
There are certain manufacturers of bigger trailers which use sling wheels and a drawbar to create a block of flats. Consider the trailer’s heaviest components, like the bathroom, fluid tanks, gas bottles, kitchen, and spare wheels. Is their location in the center?
There are a lot of valid reasons for their location to not be center. This does not mean it is a good thing. There is not much proof of braking, weight distribution or the design of cornering dynamics. There is no evidence of scientific testing done either. If any car manufacturers out there can provide this proof, it will be very helpful.
If you need any assistance with a tow please contact Executive Towing Services who can assist you with any towing requirement.