confusion, brakes and mudguards? - Page 2

9D280 · 03 December 2009, 09:36

I guess you might have seen this?

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=33250

If it came out form under a 5.4 Searider, it's likely going to fit a 5.3 Humber....... and probably cost roughly what it will take to get that thing legal.

wavelength · 03 December 2009, 09:47

from the dept for transport site:

Quote:

Braking requirements are prescribed in Regulations 15 and 16 of The Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 as amended and essentially require a trailer with a maximum design laden weight of more 750 kg to be braked and allow an inertia (overrun) type braking system to be used up to a maximum permissible laden weight of 3500kg. In use it is not permitted to use an unbraked trailer the laden weight of which exceeds 50% of the kerbside weight of the towing vehicle. For trailers up to 1500kg laden weight it is permitted to use a secondary coupling, which in the event of separation (NOT failure) of the main coupling will retain the trailer attached to the towing vehicle, prevent the nose of the trailer from touching the ground and provide some residual steering of the trailer. Above 1500 kg laden weight the trailer must be fitted with a device to stop the trailer automatically in the event of separation (NOT failure) of the main coupling and this is normally achieved by a breakaway cable attached to the parking brake mechanism - the trailer becomes detached from the towing vehicle.

now that did surprise me cos I thought a braked trailer had to have a breakaway cable but apparently can still have a secondary chain coupling up to 1500kg. Given the state of many boat trailer's brakes that is perhaps not a bad thing. Makes a mess of the back of your motor but at least it doesnt cross the carriageway and write a complete family off before the brakes become effective!

m chappelow · 03 December 2009, 10:31

seems to be a saga nowadays just keeping up with the ever changing rules ect ,,,,,i just found out last week that in order for me to keep my hgv licence ,, not that i have needed it it for many years but seeing as i hold one ive kept it up ,that come 2014 ,i will then have to take a c.p.c test or prove that i have had 35 hours training every 5 years ,,,,it will finish up the way things are going where i can drive a truck and trailer but not a car and boat , ,,,,some one told me a lot of newer cars are not rated for towing anything and a few cannot be fitted with tow hitch even some 4/4 s,,,,,,wonder if these laws effect the pikeys or will they be exempt for some reason .

9D280 · 03 December 2009, 10:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

some one told me a lot of newer cars are not rated for towing anything

Usually the tiny wee "town" cars - (e.g Ford Ka, Fiat 500, Smart kind of thing) , mainly due to the profit margin on them is so small that when you consider the number of preople who would actually use them to tow, and then realise that the biggest thing they could tow is about as heavy as the trailer weighs before you even load it, it's just not worth certifying them for towing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by m chappelow

cannot be fitted with tow hitch even some 4/4 s,,,,,,

I assume we're talking the "pose mobiles" rather than a "useful tractor" type 4X4?

wavelength · 03 December 2009, 11:47

Quote:

some one told me a lot of newer cars are not rated for towing anything

sommat to do with the floor pan etc being sorta glued together and not welded as well on some cars I seem to remember

J S · 03 December 2009, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavelength

sommat to do with the floor pan etc being sorta glued together and not welded as well on some cars I seem to remember

James

chewy · 03 December 2009, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by wavelength

sommat to do with the floor pan etc being sorta glued together and not welded as well on some cars I seem to remember

Good old Sikaflex!

wavelength · 03 December 2009, 13:41

yeah glue is good! After all on courses your life depends on a glued bag of wind and thats not just the rib in my case!!!!!!!!!!!!!

adamdavi3s · 03 December 2009, 18:47

Thanks for the abundance of info chaps!

Taking it to the boat yard to get her weighed etc and then will have a ponder!

Poly · 03 December 2009, 20:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nic

Hi The point I was trying to make and you've probably seen it is when people put a massiff chain connected to the brake lever connected to the tow bar with no breakaway possibility.

I've actually never seen that. I have just such a massiff chain (two in fact) but no brakes. What I have seen which is probably scarier - is unbraked trailers with a thin "brakeaway" cable used as a "secondary coupling"...

Bigmuz7 · 04 December 2009, 23:19

Bigmuz7 · 04 December 2009, 23:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Polwart

I've actually never seen that. I have just such a massiff chain (two in fact) but no brakes. What I have seen which is probably scarier - is unbraked trailers with a thin "brakeaway" cable used as a "secondary coupling"...

Ah Polwart you have an equal command of the queens .. good to know young man