Trailers, trailers, trailers

[Deanspoors]

I am looking to buy a trailer as I would like to visit some more distant tracks, I have driven to Croft twice now and I'm always worried about what might happen to the car and how I'd get it home if I were to break down/crash. Could you guys please point me in the right direction regarding a trailer purchase. I'll be looking to tow on standard post 1997 driving licence, which means;

 

If you passed your car driving test between 1 January 1997 and 18 January 2013, you can:

• drive a car or van up to 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
• tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

 

​​I will be looking to do the latter, probably hiring a van from the very local van rentals company. 

 

So my first thoughts were to find a trailer with an internal sizing only slightly longer and wider than my car itself to reduce the footprint on the road as well as weight, also I would like a tyre rack. Do I go for single or double axle? What manufacturers are better/worse and are there any recommendations? I am looking to buy new. Brian James and Ifor Williams seem to be popular. 

 

Thanks, 
Dean

[Terry Everall]

PTG are good trailers. Most, even covered trailers, can be towed with a car. You need a twin axle trailer and note that most companies I know do not hire cars or vans with tow bars

[Deanspoors]

Thanks Terry, in the long term I will be getting a car to tow with, the rental option is something I was considering for the nearer future. Why do I need/should I get a twin axle?

[Arm]

I'd have a PRG over a Brian James

[B.RAD]

The theory behind twin axles is that they tow better and in the event of a puncture, you have three other tyres to prevent anything going badly wrong.

On the flip side, single axle trailers are lighter and much easier to manoeuvre on your own, if that's something you'll be doing. I have to drag mine in and out of my garage on my own every time I use it and could not manage it with a twin axle, but the single axle is just fine.

Not experienced a trailer puncture so no idea what it's like, but my single axle Brian James trailer tows beautifully and is easy for me to drag around, was cheaper than a twin and fits in my single garage!

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

I have always had twin axles as I've heard they tow better (no weaving) and also they are safer just in case this happens, which i did on my old trailer before I sold it 

 

 

and tbh, I didn't even feel it go, just shows the worth of having 4 wheels over 2 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Have had a slow puncture on a twin axle, and had no idea the tyre was flat till I got out of the car and saw it.

Oh and Twins not weaving is a myth; I suspect it's as much down to the tow car combination as anything. I've never had it before when using big heavy tow cars, but towing with a Suzuki Grand Vitara (the long wheel base version, not the short jeep), was utterly terrifying. Hit a certain speed and the trailer would just go into mad weaves. Ended up driving the whole way back from Blyton doing forty or less to be on the safe side.

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

I have a single axle Woodford and it tows like a dream. I've had plenty of twin axle trailers over the years and I consider this one to one of the best balanced when towing and the most easy to manoeuvre of all of them. I used to be blinkered into only wanting a twin axle but my experience with this one has dispelled that theory.

If you are serious, there is a nice one here for sale - http://www.uphillracers.com/showthread.php/woodford-single-axle-braked-trailer-13002.html

[XTR2Turbo]

I think if a single axle I would invest in a tyre monitor system for around £120

 

 

You need to check the licence requirements if using a van.  Does it then become plated weights rather than actual weights?  It is all a bit of a minefield.

[Beez]

I have a different option to the standard options, as wanted something be under 750kg take a look at the thread for dome pics Aluminium Trailer Company

 

It has 4 wheels but in a side by side config like airplane undercarriage rather than one in front of the other.

[Kit Car Electronics]

I have a single axle Woodford and it tows like a dream. I've had plenty of twin axle trailers over the years and I consider this one to one of the best balanced when towing and the most easy to manoeuvre of all of them. I used to be blinkered into only wanting a twin axle but my experience with this one has dispelled that theory.

If you are serious, there is a nice one here for sale - http://www.uphillracers.com/showthread.php/woodford-single-axle-braked-trailer-13002.html

I also love my Woodford single axle. I did have a (rather old and slightly perished) tyre fail on a previous single axle at 60mph and it was noisy but not too dramatic.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

+1 for Woodford. This one was mine, size wise perfect for a Westfield and was light and very easy to tow.

http://forum.wscc.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic/119640-sold-woodford-10ft-x-5ft7-lightweight-trailer/

[Pistol Pete]

I swear my single 1300kg caravan is easier to manoeuvre than my old twin axle trailer with nothing on (the trailer that is not me), even with the jokey wheel lifting off the front two wheels it was a pain.

 

We renewing out suspension on the trailer (from cart springs) we were recommended by to go with units that come with left and right wheel joined with a beam axle, apparently if they are completely separate units it is very difficult to get all four wheels aligned exactly resulting in some interesting towing characteristics!

[iowlee]

I am looking to buy a trailer as I would like to visit some more distant tracks, I have driven to Croft twice now and I'm always worried about what might happen to the car and how I'd get it home if I were to break down/crash. Could you guys please point me in the right direction regarding a trailer purchase. I'll be looking to tow on standard post 1997 driving licence, which means;

 

If you passed your car driving test between 1 January 1997 and 18 January 2013, you can:

• drive a car or van up to 3,500kg MAM towing a trailer of up to 750kg MAM
• tow a trailer over 750kg MAM as long as the combined MAM of the trailer and towing vehicle is no more than 3,500kg

 

​​I will be looking to do the latter, probably hiring a van from the very local van rentals company. 

 

So my first thoughts were to find a trailer with an internal sizing only slightly longer and wider than my car itself to reduce the footprint on the road as well as weight, also I would like a tyre rack. Do I go for single or double axle? What manufacturers are better/worse and are there any recommendations? I am looking to buy new. Brian James and Ifor Williams seem to be popular. 

 

Thanks, 

Dean

Go Careful Dean as I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but my understanding is that the MAM is the maximum possible weight not actual weight.

So most car trailers have a mam of between 2 and 3.5T So depending on your tow vehicle you could be sailing very close to the 3.5T Max licence limit (below is the exact wording from the gov website)

Now I may have misunderstood the wording but you might want to check before buying a trailer that you are not licensed to tow.

I know several people that have taken the trailer test to avoid a possible run in with an officer of the law/dvla spot check.

 

Personally I am an old git so don't have to worry too much, unless they change the rules again.

 

Hope this helps, or if I misunderstand the situation then I apologise in advance.

 

 

Maximum authorised mass

Maximum authorised mass (MAM) means the weight of a vehicle or trailer including the maximum load that can be carried safely when it’s being used on the road.

This is also known as gross vehicle weight (GVW) or permissible maximum weight.

It will be listed in the owner’s manual and is normally shown on a plate or sticker fitted to the vehicle.

[Deanspoors]

Thanks everyone.

 

Iowlee, I will be looking at downrating the trailer plate so I will be well within the 3.5tonne maximum. Unfortunately the rentals company only have a LWB transit with a tow bar, so I'm going to have to bite the bullet and move on from the M5 it looks.