Thread: trailer breaks/kits

Yes that's correct, 7m/30Km/H flat standard-friction ground.

Legal requirement is one thing, the one that tends to create the most issues at the moment is insurance compliance and getting them to pay out if you have a whoops. Insurance companies damn well know that there are issues with the regulations and make a point of hunting them to look for the easy out. The towbar regulations for towing vehicles are the main out for them, if you go over 750Kg unbraked most likely congrats here's your refusal for claim #xxxxxxxxx (and thanks for your continued business) - especially if you slide into someone else's rear bumper. The issue we had was just that - it doesn't actually matter what the trailer regs say in terms of insurance as most people don't actually separately insure their trailers (with the exception of boats or machinery) but include them under the towing vehicle policy. That's where the insurance companies have you by the balls.

Easy way to make it difficult for the insurance company that holds the policy on your vehicle is not going over 750Kg unbraked, keeping to the loading recommendations for towball downforce (10% to a max 350Kg), max towed mass staying within the GCM limits (which means in a lot of cases you can't load the tow vehicle up and drag a large loaded trailer), and staying within the coupling and equipment ratings. Also as someone mentioned up above towball max load (some vehicles with max 1600Kg towed weight limit are fitted for 3/4" shank towballs which can be limited to 2000Kg, 1" shanks are often 3500Kg rated although this varies), and the other is correct rated safety chain(s) with rated shackles and not hardware chain and shackles from the local dairy...

Another good one is interchangeable towball setups where the wrong ball is used, or duofit (1-7/8 or 50mm) couplings with the 50mm setting used on a 1-7/8 ball... I see this so often it isn't funny!

And a last mousetrap - especially 3500Kg trailers is cracking 6000Kg on a Class 1 car licence. Easy to do, and good for a walk home too.