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Say I upgraded the power and braking on a vehicle, does that legally permit me to tow a greater weight? Does the age of the vehicle (mfr date 1970) have any bearing on the answer?
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I thought it was all based on the weight of the towing vehicle, regardless of its power or ability to stop.
Are you putting a V8 into an old Landie by any chance? They are designated as multi-purpose vehicles, so are allowed to pull much more. The limitation then is simply your nerve, and the rating of the tow hook, afaik.
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Surely the Gross Train Weight as plated on the VIN plate would still be a limiting factor?
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Terry
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Just to be perverse I'm putting a flat six Corvair engine into a VW T2 (Bay) Camper, with a kerb weight of about 1400 kg. The OE handbook suggests a max braked trailer weight of 800 kg, but with a 50 bhp engine that makes sense. The Corvair lump should produce about 140 bhp.
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Gross weights of vehicles and trailers are derived from their brake specification. Pulling power is irrelevant.
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Gross weights of vehicles and trailers are derived from their brake specification. Pulling power is irrelevant.
They're not they derive from the ability to start from standing on a given hill incline. Braking doesn't come into it, this is why some tow cars are better than others.
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The successor to the T2, the T25, has a max towing weight of 2250 in the 4x4 Syncro , with only 109 bhp. I can't see that 4x4 makes any difference to the incline start, particularly in a rear-engined vehicle.
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In the old days brake legislation used to be fairly easy to understand.
Along came EEC Regs that tied in the Con and Use and to understand one needs a degree in gobbledegook.
If a serious consideration is being contemplated then I would suggest you pose the question to the 'experts' at VOSA :
www.vosa.gov.uk/vosacorp/contactus/contactus.htm
dvd
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They're not they derive from the ability to start from standing on a given hill incline. Braking doesn't come into it, this is why some tow cars are better than others.
Recommended towing weights are derived fron hill start data. Gross vehicle and train weights are the legal maximum - a completely different thing.
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Actually, I think you'd have a hard job convincing VOSA (or a court) that the maximum gross train weight was in any way altered.
At a guess, the replacement engine is heavier, so the total permitted load is less, not more.
But, and I don't know what year is the cut off, there is a difference in the legal standing depending on the age. Modern stuff, the manufacturer data is the limit, and go over, and in theory you can be prosecuted. Over a certain age, the manufacturer data does not have the same weighting - and in some cases, does not even exist.
Other thought, and this would be a minefield, SVA?
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>the replacement engine is heavier - About 40 kg as it happens. Just means the driving wheels will have more holding them down. The front end won't be too light once my good wife and I are strapped in...
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I was told by a lorry driver once that there is a rule that it should be 10bhp to every tonne at gross.
For instance if the gross weight of a loaded truck was to be carrying 40tonne theoetically (pardon the spelling) the power output should be 400 bhp, but isn't always a case as many trucks used in distribution are usually 360 bhp or under.
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Its not what you drive, its how you drive it! :-)
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