Trailer Questions

Hi i should know the answers to these questions really, but i dont, i have a trailer which is 3ft wide, you can clearly see the van lights , so am i still required by law to have a lighting board fitted, also how would i find out the max weight of my trailer as its home made, cheers

Ryan its not a case of seeing the lights on the van its using the lights a rear marker so others drivers notice the extra distance. Same as having rear reflectors when parked in the dark there a distance marker. The only way to check the weight is by knowing what suspension is fitted. As a home built trailer is it leaf spring or independant suspension units ? If you don't know I would think to stay in the law is to take it as the least weight and I think in independant units the smallest units are 350kgs. Also trailers over 750kgs should be braked. Hope that helps.

Stu.

cheers stu, your very knowledgable

Thank you Ryan, but i'm not if stopped by the law for overloading . Like the time I had to put 55p.s.i. into the mini wheels on my trailer as the engine was to heavy for it. I was about 3/4 ton overloaded. (I know people will think that i'm talking bull chit well I cross my heart when I say it was one heavy engine. It had 2 flywheels both measuring 5inchs wide.)

Stu.

i seen a couple of axles today identical to the ones i had, these were brand new, they had a label on each axle that said max weight 250kg, does anyone know if that would mean the trailer could support 500kgs or 250kgs over the pair , thankyou

Ryan, they will be 250 each and therefore 500kg the pair.

iansw wrote:Ryan, they will be 250 each and therefore 500kg the pair.

i did think that, just wanted to confirm it before loading then engine and it clapsing

ryan wrote:Hi i should know the answers to these questions really, but i dont, i have a trailer which is 3ft wide, you can clearly see the van lights , so am i still required by law to have a lighting board fitted, also how would i find out the max weight of my trailer as its home made, cheers

Ryan,

As a Hoffizer of the law, I can assure you that you will deffinately require a trailer light board with a number plate that matches your vehicle. Be very careful as sometimes the vehicle inspectors (VOSA) monitor the main routes from some rallies just to check vehicles who are not driving / towing within the law.

Also, I used to have a 5ft L x 3ft W trailer until recently when I purchased my new Anssems one. The old trailer was on 2 x 8" wheels and was ok up to 500kg, this weight includes the trailer itself.

Just to give you some idea, my set up weighs in at approx 140kg.

Cheers

Mart.

i have bought a trailer board and number plate now, my trailer is 5ftx3ft as well, i think that is on 8"s aswell, if i was to take engine and trailer to public weigh bridge, would they weigh it for me, and if it was over weight would they make me unload it there and then cheers

No becouse the only bodys are those new fellers in there day glow jackets, the Police and the Ministory Men.
Your just jo public
Chris

HI RYAN
your best bet is take it to your local scrap yard (if there's one near you of course)
ask them if thay mind weighting it
my local on knows me so its ok

hope this helps

mike.

ryan wrote:i have bought a trailer board and number plate now, my trailer is 5ftx3ft as well, i think that is on 8"s aswell, if i was to take engine and trailer to public weigh bridge, would they weigh it for me, and if it was over weight would they make me unload it there and then cheers

Ryan,

The reason I sold my old trailer was the 8" tyre walls kept splitting. The only thing That I could put it down to was the weight of my engine bouncing up and down, but was now where near the limit of 500kg. My new one is great, nice 13" wheels and tows like a dream, its now 4ft 6 wide x 7ft long, so hope fully should be able to put a couple of engines in. Only down side was it cost me £750 and that was in a sale with £200 off.
A weigh bridge would be the answer, they can tell you the weight of the the trailer unloaded and also what you engines weigh as well. I know there is one on Par Moor Road St Austell, but not too sure about down your way.

regards

Martin

no what you mean about the side walls

ryan wrote:no what you mean about the side walls

Got fed up buying new tyres every year, not only that i wanted to get a bigger trailer. Had to do some major creeping around her in doors to get that one. Had to take her shopping and everything................!!

I wonder why 8" tyres split, maybe they are just nor man enough for the job.

regards

Mart.

Mart I've never had anything to do with 8 inch tyres, so you can maybe tell me. Are they rated the same as a trailer / van tyre for the extra weight they carry? A lot of people think that the tyre on a trailer is just a car tyre well they are different. A trailer tyre has stronger side walls and more plys in the tyre construction. A normal car tyre is 4 ply yet a van tyre is 6 ply some are even 8 ply for higher weight carrying capacities. I might be wrong in the plys as it's a few years since I had anything to do with them but thats the basics even if the plys are different now.
So Martin if you were just using normal tyres this would explain the tyre side wall failure.

Stu.