Vehicle towing limits

[ollie989898]

Are them fifth wheels legal in the uk. I see a winnebago caravan down the road from me on a similar idea but thought that wasn't possible in the uk.

I have seen one in the UK but you have to have a proper license/tacho for this I understood?

 

[ford 7810]

customer of mine has a 2010 hilux,took tub off,shortened chassis,fitted air bags and one of those small 5th wheels to tow a caravan,to get it replated to tow 3500 all he had to do was fit a genuine toyota 3500kg tow bar that he'll never use go figure

Shortened the chassis as in chopped the back of the chassis off and fitted air suspension or shortened the wheel base , they,Ed even be better with the ball hitch with a shorter chassis, instead of all the overhang behind the rear axle

 

[PI Stsker]

I would like to see a series of the Grand Tour filmed in say South America. Each of the presenters has to have a endurance race outfitted Subaru Forester. Coupled to each will be a tri-axle Ifor with a stolen 5 tonne excavator strapped on top.

Their objective is to go as far as possible in as short a time as possible whilst being pursued by a police helicopter. It will settle this argument about vehicle towing limits.

I’ll Go down my local diddy camp and get one of them to play the role of the stig, how far they get there 2wd (stolen) vehicles when coursing sometimes has to be admired.

 

[PI Stsker]

I have seen one in the UK but you have to have a proper license/tacho for this I understood?

I’d also imagine you’d need a HGV licence; which if you’re going this far you’d be better off just having a HGV to start with!

 

[ollie989898]

I’ll Go down my local diddy camp and get one of them to play the role of the stig, how far they get there 2wd (stolen) vehicles even coursing sometimes has to be admired.

It's easy to go off-roading when you have 6 folk on board who can get off and push.

 

[Rich_ard]

I’d also imagine you’d need a HGV licence; which if you’re going this far you’d be better off just having a HGV to start with!

I think this is the case but age may help older drivers with being able to drive a 7.500 t vehicle on there licence. I couldn't after getting a licence after 97.

 

[PI Stsker]

I think this is the case but age may help older drivers with being able to drive a 7.500 t vehicle on there licence. I couldn't after getting a licence after 97.

Not sure that would be the case as you wouldn’t have grandfather rights on a HGV with a trailer? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’d imagine you’d need a class one as it’s technically a traction engine and trailer combination…? IE class one

 

[PI Stsker]

I think this is the case but age may help older drivers with being able to drive a 7.500 t vehicle on there licence. I couldn't after getting a licence after 97.

Correction, does the back of your licence show C1E which is what you’d need to drive that combination I believe

 

[Rich_ard]

Not sure that would be the case as you wouldn’t have grandfather rights on a HGV with a trailer? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’d imagine you’d need a class one as it’s technically a traction engine and trailer combination…?

I don't really know. Just what I read online about b e licence and c e licence. And I think some will get round that by age. I was more interested as it looks a safer way and better weight distribution but don't see it in the uk.

 

[PI Stsker]

I don't really know. Just what I read online about b e licence and c e licence. And I think some will get round that by age. I was more interested as it looks a safer way and better weight distribution but don't see it in the uk.

Chap I know has a foot trimming crush on it but that dosnt weigh bugger all so it dosnt matter.

having it on a fifth wheel coupling will make it a much better combination all round for weight distribution and traction/handling but I reckon in typical British road law fashion it won’t be practical.

you see the Yankee trucks (granted much bigger than our version) but there towing 8t diggers round on a swan neck trailer!

 

[Rich_ard]

Correction, does the back of your licence show C1E which is what you’d need to drive that combination I believe View attachment 1168194

 

[scottrac]

don't need class one,they both drive them on car licence (grandfather rights up to 7.5 tonne)
no tacho needed either as personal use

 

[scottrac]

Shortened the chassis as in chopped the back of the chassis off and fitted air suspension or shortened the wheel base , they,Ed even be better with the ball hitch with a shorter chassis, instead of all the overhang behind the rear axle

cut off overhang (cut at back of rear spring hangers)

 

[Rich_ard]

Chap I know has a foot trimming crush on it but that dosnt weigh bugger all so it dosnt matter.

having it on a fifth wheel coupling will make it a much better combination all round for weight distribution and traction/handling but I reckon in typical British road law fashion it won’t be practical.

you see the Yankee trucks (granted much bigger than our version) but there towing 8t diggers round on a swan neck trailer!

As someone said brakes would need to be different but I can't see why a simple oil or air system could be used if the towing vehicle had a way of coupling to it.

 

[Blue.]

There was a thread ram on here regards 5th wheel towing,brakes seemed to be the stumbling block as you couldn’t use overrun brakes like we currently use.

 

[Nearly]

@TripleSix

 

[Oscar]

There was a farmer near to Exford on Exmoor who maybe 15 years ago started doing a cut job on Discos and fitting a 5th wheel ( made nice job) and I know that Land Rover were involved and he was trying to get" type approval" . He even managed to get I think I William's to make a specialist 5th wheel livestock trailer . It was in the press and he seemed to be progressing well and use to see him at markets with it but suddendly it all stopped but can t remember why?
I assume now that he failed to get DVLA or whoever to approve it . Maybe @tinsheet or @exmoor dave knows what happened or can remember ?

 

[tinsheet]

There was a farmer near to Exford on Exmoor who maybe 15 years ago started doing a cut job on Discos and fitting a 5th wheel ( made nice job) and I know that Land Rover were involved and he was trying to get" type approval" . He even managed to get I think I William's to make a specialist 5th wheel livestock trailer . It was in the press and he seemed to be progressing well and use to see him at markets with it but suddendly it all stopped but can t remember why?
I assume now that he failed to get DVLA or whoever to approve it . Maybe @tinsheet or @exmoor dave knows what happened or can remember ?

I know who had the trailer not sure what happened though, if I remember I'll ask a mate who knows him well!

 

[Robt]

I have no idea how the Series 3 was ever rated to tow 3.5 tons. I seem to remember though that they were rated to 3 tons anyway, which was also beyond the strength of short wheelbase vehicle’s driveshafts and brakes and indeed their weedy power output.
However, that was then, back in 1972 when the Series III was launched. A different age and far different standards applied to vehicles and vehicle safety. Series II didn’t even have dual circuit brakes, collapsible steering column or seatbelts for instance. They would not pass crash tests or roll over tests for years before production ended, only getting away with it because they did not change the structure of the vehicle since the 90/110 were introduced in 1984 and 83 respectively. They relied on early ’80’s safety standards until they were forced to comply and end production, only doing the bare minimum necessary, like fit an airbag and ABS in very late built models.

What about the dihatsu four track…. That was never safe on 3.5 ton

 

[Robt]

I have known of a couple of FLs with knackered haldex units, probably due to heavy towing.

Nope , they knacker for fun around 120k due to the owners want to fix them and blog about it…. Mine is now on 116k. I’m getting a gimble a wobbly tripod for just that experience….