Is there a way of working out the nose weight that doesn't involve any special equipment?
Yiu shouldn't need to work it out, as long as the trailer load is balanced, then it is likely to be OK. If you can just lift the front of the trailer by grabbing the towhitch, then it is going to be about right. If it feels like it is welded to the ground, it's probably too heavy......
I think it's a no but is someone able to confirm if a driver who got their license in 2006 can tow this trailer using a P38?
I would say no, as the plated max weight of the trailer is 1500kg and the RR 2780kg it would put you over your limit of 3.5tonne.
Definitely no. Nothing to do with the combined weight, you're only allowed to tow a trailer of up to 750 kgs, so that is too heavy.
In saying that, a 750 kgs trailer behind a P38 has as much affect as a couple of passengers in the back, you don't even notice it's there! They are a bugger to reverse though, give me a full sized 6m job any day.
Cheers guys.
It's our club trailer containing all the canes and kit for our events. Seems like I can't set up events on my own then as the trailer needs to be collected and taken to each site.
Sounds like you need to do the test to get BE on your licence. Dina wants to do it too so she can stand in for me on our longer runs, maybe we can find somewhere that will do a block discount......
I did mine three years ago. I was advised after to have got a medical done a C1 in an automatic 18tonne then the following day do the C1+E and get a fully loaded license!
It would have cost about £1k for all that but just the B+E cost £800. Now I still can’t drive a 7.5tonne truck.
Local place quoted Dina £450 to get BE so she can drive the P38 with a big trailer. Apparently they do a roaring trade in the children of caravan owners so the kids can drive the outfit if they need to any time.
I've just had a look at my licence, as it was converted from a NZ one after I moved here.
I have BE on mine, which is nice.... They couldn't convert my truck licence (I believe as the weight categories are different - there is no 'like for like') but I'm not too bothered about that! I was able to drive the equivalent of an 18T truck in NZ, but given the roads and a lot of drivers over here, I'm really not losing sleep over it!
But handy to know I could legally tow a P38 on a proper car trailer, with a P38.
£495 here with a £250 refund if you pass first time!
http://jcoates.co.uk/training/category-b-e/
They have a few locations dotted around the country.
Looked at my licence and its a bit scary what old farts like me got as standard.
B+E of course but when you consider it also has things like C1 and C1E which, theoretically, let me loose with 7 tons or so of lorry or 8 tons with trailer (ish) with no checks .....
Especially as its thirty odd years since I've hauled a trailer of any serious description. And that was only the once when a (then) workmate was running off with the postman's wife (don't ask) and a Transit Luton was clearly going to be insufficient for all his goods and chattels.
I shall sign up for a training course should I ever have to go haulin' but how many wouldn't if the extra training and test weren't mandatory.
Clive
Like you, my licence allows me to drive up to 7.5 tonnes, or 8,250 tonnes if towing a trailer but I've only ever done it once. I hired a 7,500 tonne Ford Cargo with a 20 foot long box with tail-lift on the back. Went into the office, showed them my licence, gave them the money, they handed me the keys and left me to it. I remember thinking at the first road junction, who the hell thought 7.5 tonnes was a good cutoff point? I'd driven things like Transit Luon box vans and they drove like a bigger, slower, car, but the Ford Cargo was a completely different thing entirely. It took me at least 200 miles to start to feel even remotely confident. Admittedly, I've since driven a 6 tonne plated car transporter with a loaded 3.5 tonne trailer which I'm not actually licenced to drive......
RutlandRover wrote:
£495 here with a £250 refund if you pass first time!
http://jcoates.co.uk/training/category-b-e/
They have a few locations dotted around the country.
Have a look at the calculator on that website - the £495 is just the test reattempts.
You have opted for the following:
LGV Category B+E
You require the following course components:
Category B+E Course Learn to drive a car with a trailer. 3 days of practical training. Requires Category B licence. £722.20
Total £722.20
Would you be interested in the following?
Two additional test attempts at a discounted rate. You will get training and test fees for two extra attempts and if you pass first time you will get a £250.00 refund. (Pass Protection) £495.00
I will say though, there explanation of what you can and can't do makes a lot more sense and for easier reading than the DVLA's wording does.
On a different note though, Does that mean you could drive one with L-Plates with a passenger in the front seat with a B+E license? I would suspect so, though don't know what other restrictions that might mean you end up with in that situation?
Passed my test at 17 in 1987 after about 4 lessons.. But in 1984 I was driving Landrovers towing one boat on the back and pushing one boat from the front (front towbar mounted towball), not on public roads though,. But dad did used to send me into town by myself on public roads to buy fuel for said boats.
I have a Nissan Elgrand Jap import... Lots of confusion over whether or not it's even legal to tow anything with the import(?) but I towed my caravan to Cornwall with it...
I've moved several P38's on trailers behind P38's. Total distances covered is probably nearing 1000 miles doing so.
Our trailer weighs just under a ton when I take the sides off so a P38 on the trailer is within the 3500kg towing limit. So legally it's not an issue. Be careful though, any play in steering, bushes and brakes that aren't perfect will be massively highlighted when towing a load like that.
I'm only 32 so had to go and do a separate trailer test to allow me to do it legally.
David.
BrianH wrote:
RutlandRover wrote:
£495 here with a £250 refund if you pass first time!
http://jcoates.co.uk/training/category-b-e/
They have a few locations dotted around the country.
Have a look at the calculator on that website - the £495 is just the test reattempts.
You have opted for the following:
LGV Category B+EYou require the following course components:
Category B+E Course Learn to drive a car with a trailer. 3 days of practical training. Requires Category B licence. £722.20
Total £722.20Would you be interested in the following?
Two additional test attempts at a discounted rate. You will get training and test fees for two extra attempts and if you pass first time you will get a £250.00 refund. (Pass Protection) £495.00
I will say though, there explanation of what you can and can't do makes a lot more sense and for easier reading than the DVLA's wording does.
Good spot, I didn't actually go through to the calculator.
I read the bit on the main page about £495 getting two extra attempts and assumed it meant the course costs £495, includes two additional tests and gives a refund if the extra attempts aren't needed.
It did seem a bit too good to be true!
I've towed all sorts behind mine, each just under a 1,000 miles a time and can confirm what David says. The slightest slack in any suspension or steering joints and inbalance in the brakes will really make themselves felt when towing. The same goes for tyre pressures and wheel balance.
This was last week,
Only a lightweight one, 1,200 kgs for the car and a further 800kgs for the trailer so only a couple of tonnes all in. Could cruise at 70 mph on the flat no problem (although took a bit longer than normal to get up there). None of this 60 mph limit when towing on the continent like there is here.