ferguson_tom Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) Hi again I am planning on using a car transporter trailer to move my ferguson t20 tractor and 3.5 ton tipping trailer (weighs about 750kg empty) around to country shows and things. The trailer has a max weight of 3500kg so i think i will be fine gross weight wise but problem i might have is the axle weights as expect one to be higher than the other. I will take the whole set up to the local weigh bridge to see what I am actually running but it got me thinking what are the actual fines for overloaded car trailers I have had a look online and cant find any information on them. Please nobody assume I am going to be running illegally, i need to weigh the unladen weight of the trailer anyway so plan on taking it down there empty and driving the tractor down as well and loading it up at the bridge. Its just it got me thinking of how big the telling off is. Thanks in advance, Tom Edited April 24, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 If its not for business use the penalties are less and you would probably just get a prohibition notice if you were found to be severely overloaded on one axle, so have to unload one and come back for it. Odds on being stopped are pretty low though its worth checking and going from there, 3.5t is a fair load to tow so they would probably be more intent on checking you legally could tow it and the vehicle towing was up to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) If its not for business use the penalties are less and you would probably just get a prohibition notice if you were found to be severely overloaded on one axle, so have to unload one and come back for it. Odds on being stopped are pretty low though its worth checking and going from there, 3.5t is a fair load to tow so they would probably be more intent on checking you legally could tow it and the vehicle towing was up to it. Yer i heard the commercial fines are pretty horrendous it would just be for private use. I got a discovery and the full license so all good on that front. Edited April 24, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 are your axle weights plated on the trailer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 are your axle weights plated on the trailer? No it just has the gross weight as its an old trailer. My theory is 3500kg gross means 1750 on each axle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 the interesting bit with that is some gets transferred to the tow vehicle and depending on length of trailer, drawbar length axle spacing etc it can vary between the axles. If they aren't plated with a max load I'd be tempted to load the tractor first then the trailer and as long as not over the max weight you may well be fine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex2 Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 police around my way are pulling cars etc pulling trailers as many are not coverd on thier car insurance to pull trailers, so worth checking youre insurance as well as weights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 No it just has the gross weight as its an old trailer. My theory is 3500kg gross means 1750 on each axle. very often each axle can have a higher capacity, if there is nowt specified on the plate have a look at the axle itself they sometimes have a tag with the design weigh on or a tag identifying the axle to which you should be able to find data for, if all that is a no go then look to the tyres, they should be a commercial type tyre and will have a load & speed rating on them which usually looks like two or three figures and a letter (some tyres will also show the load rating in a clear ish kgs of max weight at x psi). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sx3 clay breaker Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 On our bale trailer it's plated for 5 ton each axle and 3 on drawbar so you axle weight might be higher than you think I very much doubt you'll overload with a fergie tho they only weigh about ton anyway ps there's a good show on in July which we take a couple of fergies too it's in stourport on Severn called coney green steam rally there's also a road run that takes place on the Saturday if you want to no more drop me a pm Rgds scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 (edited) I will get under the trailer and have a look and see if there are any markings for the axles. My main concern with the fergy axle weights is it will be going on first then behind that will be the fergy tipping trailer, so the tractor will be sitting quite far forward. Thanks for the invite to the show unfortunatley we are already out that weekend with the steam roller. So does anyone know the fines you can get for being overloaded or ever been caught? Edited April 24, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 up to 5k per axle http://www.dvtani.gov.uk/uploads/compliance/VOSA_VehicleSafety_DangersofOverloading.pdf but if it is not overloaded just axle weights it does look like you get the option to move the load about etc so assuming all your plated weights are fine and you are only axles then its likely to be nothing. However get over your GVW or GTW and it might be another matter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGHT SEARCHER Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 A mate has just been done for 20% over weight on a LDV 3.5 ton tipper. £120 and 3 points on his licence. He is not trade he is just doing his house up and digging out for a garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 20% is well over on a light commercial guess that looked very iffy when it got pulled at over 4t Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B725 Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 20 odd years ago I was done for being 1cwt over on the back axle of a transit van,overall weight was under.I was fined £300 and the guy I worked for where both fined £300 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topshunt Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 where i work we have a weighbridge that the police have an a arangement with the company to use to weigh vehicles they believe are overloaded. and they pull over a fare few so your right to be checking, you never know especially if you say its going to sit lower on one end. something they look for. not sure if it applies to the vehicle(car) that will be towing your trailer but also need to check the axles on the prime mover are not overloaded. on another note you would not believe the amount of people that think you can load 7.5ton on a 7.5ton riged. crazy. i believe commercial vehicles can be fined up to £1000 per tonne, thats driver and company. private as been said 3points and £120 sound about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 Thanks for the responses everyone so by sound of it could be officially up to 5k but more likely to be like a speeding ticket sort of money with 3 points and a fine. Probably one of those things that varies a bit depending on the mood of the VOSA man is in and how much you are overloaded. Will get it on the trailer in a couple of weekends and have a look how it sits, tbh the tractor and trailer might not even fit as i know its gonna be close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeds chimp Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 (edited) Also thinking about it and remembering your age you can only pull Upto 3.5 ton Max due to the driving licence changes unless you do the trailer test That means that if the car is 2 tons you can only pull 1.5 tons including the trailer weight and what you have on it Think it's B +E cat I know this due to the horse box and putting hay bales in and I got stopped... only just got off but it was very boarder line Edited April 25, 2013 by leeds chimp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted April 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 (edited) Also thinking about it and remembering your age you can only pull Upto 3.5 ton Max due to the driving licence changes unless you do the trailer test That means that if the car is 2 tons you can only pull 1.5 tons including the trailer weight and what you have on it Think it's B +E cat I know this due to the horse box and putting hay bales in and I got stopped... only just got off but it was very boarder line I done my test back end of last year so all good on that front If you havent got the license it all gets a bit funny but basically the GVW (max plated weight) of the trailer must not exceed the Unladen weight of the towing vehicle. Also the max gross weight (as on the plates) of both car and trailer combined has to come under 3.5 ton. Basically this allows most people to tow a standard size caravan with a ford mondeo sized car on a standard license. Stupid thing about it is you can tow the caravan with a mondeo but not a landrover discovery or similar big 4x4 as this then puts you over the gross train weight of 3.5 ton. Edited April 25, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armsid Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 be carefull confusing gross weight and gross train weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic Posted April 26, 2013 Report Share Posted April 26, 2013 (edited) being over the weight gives you a headache with a relatively small fine and points.... when it all goes pete tong and someone dies then they look and say dangerous driving and its holiday time courtesy of her majesty dont think it doesn't happen, I used to investigate fatals Edited April 26, 2013 by nic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted April 26, 2013 Report Share Posted April 26, 2013 be carefull confusing gross weight and gross train weight the system confuses the two, it's a right mess to be fair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted April 29, 2013 Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 You must consider all four axle weights, laden weight of trailer, train weight of all. If the train weight of the towing vehicle is not shown on a plate the weight of the towing vehicle must clearly be enough, in comparison to the the trailer and load, so that the tail does not wag the dog due to weight alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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