Trailer licences.

SailorSam

The tent went in the trailer.
But i can't take the tent to the dump.
I bought one of those little jockey wheels to help take take the weight, but it's still in the corner of the garage and on the 'to do' list.

Herzlos

Depending on the car/trailer combination you may not need the new license. As mentioned if the total MAM is under 3500kg you'll be fine, and depending on your requirements you can get lightweight trailers from about 500kg.

But your standard family saloon (~2000kg MAM) towing your standard 4 berth caravan (~1400kg) should be fine.

If you've got a particularly heavy or light car, you might need to look at folding caravans / trailer tents - much smaller trailer but still plenty of cheap space at the expense of a bit of set up. You can get some that can be towed by pretty much anything.

Rover_Driver

Herzlos wrote: »

Depending on the car/trailer combination you may not need the new license. As mentioned if the total MAM is under 3500kg you'll be fine, and depending on your requirements you can get lightweight trailers from about 500kg.

But your standard family saloon (~2000kg MAM) towing your standard 4 berth caravan (~1400kg) should be fine.

You need the unladen weight and the MAM of the car plus the MAM of the trailer to work it out, if the trailer MAM is more than the unladen weight of the car, you will need a B + E licence. eg. If the car MAM is 2000kg, the unladen weight will be lower, if the caravan unladen weight is 1400kg, the MAM will be higher, and may exceed the unladen weight of the car.

There are car/caravan combinations that meet the above, and still be under 3500kg total MAM, but they tend to be on the small side.

Technical_Dave

Get a job where you are required to tow a sensible size trailer, get your new employer to pay for you to do the test = FREE.

muddyl

Technical_Dave wrote: »

Get a job where you are required to tow a sensible size trailer, get your new employer to pay for you to do the test = FREE.

Although it would be free, i think changing jobs just for that to be a little extreme.


I have not yet found out my cars MAM weight, but i do know its unladen weight is around the 1700kg mark (people carrier).



Is there anyone here in caravan clubs? Do you get discounts for the licence through them?

Paperbird

The caravan club and the Camping and Caravanning club both do training sessions but I think you have to be members for it.
There will be a weight plate on your car either under the bonnet or on the front door frame. The last two weights are the maximum front and rear axle loads, add these together and subtract them from 3500. This will give you a near enough maximum trailer weight you can pull without doing the extra test.
If you go for an older caravan ( pre 2005 ish ) you can find a 5 berth with a max weight of under 1250kg.

[Deleted User]

NeverEnough wrote: »

But nothing to stop you just booking a test and going with a suitable trailer, then it will just be the cost of the test

Not forgetting you will need to display L-Plates, and be accompanied by a driver who has a BE Licence.

forgotmyname

Having a people carrier is a problem. The gross weight must not exceed 3500kg.

The heavier the towcar the less you can tow. If the combined mass exceeds 3500kg.

And its the gross trailer weight that counts.

muddyl

I understand (at least well enough) what the weight limits are.
My problem is getting the licence cheaply, not if I need it or not.

NeverEnough

Caravan Club course is a good idea, they even loan you the caravan for the course which includes reversing and manoevering of the van. Cost was about £150 a few years back, plus £30 membership of the CC. But then you will still need to loan a suitable trailer for the test. I know the trailer needs to meet certain specs for the B+E test, it can't just be an average garden trailer.

It would probably still work out cheaper in the end to go via a driving school - maybe do the CC course, then just have an hourmor two with the driving school and the test with their trailer, which meets the specs.