33 replies to this topic

[mattsbmw]

when did you pass your test ?

if you are a youngster you might not be able to tow very much

if your not sure check your license

If you passed your test after the 1st January 1997 you can only tow an unbraked trailer with a maximum authorised mass of 750kg without doing another test

http://www.direct.go...cles/DG_4022564

I haven't got a clue what you can legally tow with a mini, I looked it up, and it started talking about train weight, etc and I didn't have a clue what it meant!

Incorrect -after 1997 you can tow any trailer (braked or unbraked) as long as the overall max gross weight (i.e max permissable weight) is below 3500kg. I have looked in to this as i tow a caravan (not with the Mini ) and i can legally do this (with my car) on my post 1997 licence without passing an additional test

[johnnyspencer]

when did you pass your test ?

if you are a youngster you might not be able to tow very much

if your not sure check your license

If you passed your test after the 1st January 1997 you can only tow an unbraked trailer with a maximum authorised mass of 750kg without doing another test

http://www.direct.go...cles/DG_4022564

I haven't got a clue what you can legally tow with a mini, I looked it up, and it started talking about train weight, etc and I didn't have a clue what it meant!

Incorrect -after 1997 you can tow any trailer (braked or unbraked) as long as the overall max gross weight (i.e max permissable weight) is below 3500kg. I have looked in to this as i tow a caravan (not with the Mini ) and i can legally do this (with my car) on my post 1997 licence without passing an additional test

as long as the caravan/trailer is not more than 80% the kerbweight of the tow car and and the whole lot doesnt weigh more than 3500kg. i tow a lot of caravans with my focus and i passed in 98.

[Wil_h]

Wouldn't bother me knowing how much i could tow it would worry me about how fast i could stop.
Think that although there is a recommended towing weight you can legally tow i always thought it also went on the braking capacity of the towing vehicle

No it's done on pulling away up an incline. Which is why Landrovers and such with selectable low ratio gears have massive capacities.

[PhilipGCaldwell]

I've never been keen on the Mini tow bars anyway. They mount from the subframe and boot floor. This rigid mount is in conflict with the rubber mounted subframe

Not true, mine bolts to the rear valance and the boot floor, doesnt touch the subframe

here is what I tow with a 998 mini 30, its a Dandy trailer tent approx 350kg, tows very well and is a braked unit

[Carlos W]

DVLA website says Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.

I'd go and read what it says because if you're towing illegally (and i'm not saying you are, you're looking at committing offences of driving otherwise than in accordance of your licence and no insurance!

[bode5997]

I've never been keen on the Mini tow bars anyway. They mount from the subframe and boot floor. This rigid mount is in conflict with the rubber mounted subframe

Not true, mine bolts to the rear valance and the boot floor, doesnt touch the subframe

here is what I tow with a 998 mini 30, its a Dandy trailer tent approx 350kg, tows very well and is a braked unit

Thanx Phil,i have a combi-camp,which is of similair size,so i should not have any problems,out of interest,who fitted your towbar?

[bode5997]

Thanx all with helping to clarify a few things,very interesting,maybe we should hold a file on what Mini's can,and cannot tow and keep it on record,thanx all.

[LESTA MINI]

Just a comment im 19, and last summer when i was 18, me and my 1894 mayfair 998cc towed a 16.5ft dinghey from the south coast over 200 miles back to the midlands.

No problems, got followed by the police and they followed me for about 10 mins then overtook and gave me a thumbs up as they went past.

[PhilipGCaldwell]

Thanx Phil,i have a combi-camp,which is of similair size,so i should not have any problems,out of interest,who fitted your towbar?

I fitted it myself, really quite easy
It is this type of towbar, the one that doesnt attach to the subframe This One

All I needed to fit it was a drill and spanners

[Broomer]

DVLA website says Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.

I'd go and read what it says because if you're towing illegally (and i'm not saying you are, you're looking at committing offences of driving otherwise than in accordance of your licence and no insurance!

I always thought you may also tow a braked trailer/caravan, provided that the Max Authorised Mass (MAM, gross weight) of the trailer is less than the MAM of the towing car, and also that the Gross Train Weight (total weight of combination) is less than 3500kg.

So in practise, a 500kg trailer rated at MAM of 1500kg (so 500kg empty trailer, plus 1000kg payload), with such as a mini/metro/fiesta/ etc on at 900kgn MAXIMUM, behind a towcar of MAM 1500-2000kg i.e my 406, all comes below 3500kg, and is legal???

[mattsbmw]

DVLA website says Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.

I'd go and read what it says because if you're towing illegally (and i'm not saying you are, you're looking at committing offences of driving otherwise than in accordance of your licence and no insurance!

I always thought you may also tow a braked trailer/caravan, provided that the Max Authorised Mass (MAM, gross weight) of the trailer is less than the MAM of the towing car, and also that the Gross Train Weight (total weight of combination) is less than 3500kg.

So in practise, a 500kg trailer rated at MAM of 1500kg (so 500kg empty trailer, plus 1000kg payload), with such as a mini/metro/fiesta/ etc on at 900kgn MAXIMUM, behind a towcar of MAM 1500-2000kg i.e my 406, all comes below 3500kg, and is legal???

Youi are correct, carlos has quoted only part of the story, see link below under Category "B"

http://www.direct.go...ions/DG_4022547

[mini-geek]

DVLA website says Category B+E allows vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes MAM to be combined with trailers in excess of 750kgs MAM. In order to gain this entitlement new category B licence holders have to pass a further practical test for category B+E. There is no category B+E theory test. For driver licensing purposes there are no vehicle/trailer weight ratio limits for category B+E.

I'd go and read what it says because if you're towing illegally (and i'm not saying you are, you're looking at committing offences of driving otherwise than in accordance of your licence and no insurance!

I always thought you may also tow a braked trailer/caravan, provided that the Max Authorised Mass (MAM, gross weight) of the trailer is less than the MAM of the towing car, and also that the Gross Train Weight (total weight of combination) is less than 3500kg.

So in practise, a 500kg trailer rated at MAM of 1500kg (so 500kg empty trailer, plus 1000kg payload), with such as a mini/metro/fiesta/ etc on at 900kgn MAXIMUM, behind a towcar of MAM 1500-2000kg i.e my 406, all comes below 3500kg, and is legal???

not sure if i've miss understood how you explained it... but you can tow a trailer that's MAM is less than the unladen weight of the tow car.

so trailer MAM 999kgs car kirb weight 1000kgs is legal... as long as it''s under the 3.5 ton thing and it's not exceeding the cars recommended tow limit.

[valve bounce]

i towed this for shap in cumbria to santa pod last year and back again 230+ miles each way with my tuned 998 mini on drum brakes with a homemade tow bar and never had a problem, i has sevral police cars pull along side smile wave,thumbs up etc and never got pull over etc.


mines the blue mini

[PhilipGCaldwell]

thats a lovely looking teardrop trailer, i was always tempted to try and make one myself but decided to go for a dandy trailer tent
nice work

[chrisandsarah]

I went to my local police station a couple of weeks ago, and they said that I could pull whatever the hell I wanted as the car would not be able to pull anything too heavy / large.

If I felt concerned, then I can take my car down to the police station to have the trailer looked over.

The jist, I can as a 22 year old with a standard licence with no trailer licence, pull whatever my mini is capable of. In my mind is nothing larger than the base of a washing machine.