Towing with freelander tips

Singvogel · Jun 18, 2012

A.J.M said:
Thanks. Can now feel happy about towing as long as I don't fill the trailer over 1 ton of weight.

Just be careful that you know the max gross permissible weight of the trailer, as that's what a VOSA, HATO, or Traffic Police Officer would check.

It's the max allowable weight that matters - not what is in it at any given time.

You couldn't tow an empty 2 tonne trailer with the excuse that empty it's only 640kg for example, or say that you only have a tonne in it so it's underweight.

The max of the trailer should be on a plate riveted to it's chassis. This is why home-built trailers are not liked by the police in other countries as in their experience it should have to be inspected by the authorities before being plated and allowed to be used on the road.

It's also useful to understand the plate/sticker on the tow vehicle.

My TD4 has a plate on the passenger door pillar which gives 4 figures:

2080kg which is the max gross of the vehicle.
4080kg which is the max train weight. (Car plus trailer)
1100kg which is max front axle
1120kg which is max rear axle

Note that you can't add the axles together and get 2220kg for the car on it's own.

Hopefully things should be starting to be clearer than mud now.

S.

A.J.M · Jun 18, 2012

jamesmartin said:
why wouldnt someone that drives a tractor be not experienced at reversing ?

I've only drove it 4 times but was only going forward really with it. So reversing is something quite new to me. Shall take it slow and if I start to make a mess of it then I have plenty of space to move forward and try again.

Will check the plate on the trailer to see how heavy it is then take the weights from there.

Thanks again.

jamesmartin · Jun 18, 2012

tractor and trailer are good things to get basics of reversing on

Mainwaring · Jun 18, 2012

jamesmartin said:
why wouldnt someone that drives a tractor be not experienced at reversing ?

You misunderstand what I meant:

John Deere + Tractor trailer = possible reversing into barn/ on field to get in position + (he said he'd not had much experience at towing)-> simples

Freelander + Twin Axel trailer = probable reversing on road (to avoid imbecieles) + possible reversing into gateway/ driveway-> not quite so simples

jamesmartin · Jun 18, 2012

usually those used to tractors etc make the best reversers

Kizzeh · Jun 20, 2012

my apology's for confusing the issue. I dont know where i got the single axle bit from. I am sure i read it a few years back and that was always my understanding of it but i am obviously wrong.

A.J.M · Jun 25, 2012

Well tow bar got fitted last week and wired up last night.
Towed the trailer I'll be using today on a 14 mile round trip. Down dual carriages and back roads with some town driving.
Couple of pictures as well.

Freeby is a stable platform for it, no issues with pulling away on Tarmac or in mud.

jimbo2107 · Jun 25, 2012

Make sure you get some one else to carry the slabs, that should ease things for you.

Mainwaring · Jun 25, 2012

nice trailer! :clap2:

The one I used to tow was almost exactly the same but a fair bit longer. Ifor Williams are brilliant, you cant go wrong

keiron · Jun 25, 2012

jimbo2107 said:
Make sure you get some one else to carry the slabs, that should ease things for you.

iam with him best tip so far

Ifor Williams are 1st class

The Mad Hat Man · Jun 25, 2012

if its an auto, get in uprated after market oil cooler.

A.J.M · Jun 25, 2012

I have a farm mate, who's dad owns the trailer who wants the slabs, both intact and broken ones, so we are both going to move them all.
Should be interesting going up the local hill, which very steep and long.

Yeah, the trailer is superb, braked tipper effort which is really stable at speed and rides the shambles that is the local potholed roads well.

Reversing was straight forward as well, no real issues with it, but will be practicing it more to get better and more confident in it.

Singvogel · Jun 26, 2012

Handy little tipping trailer there AJM.

I'm sure you'll get used to it in no time.

Here's a couple of pics of mine.

Empty it's 475kg, and it's plated at 2 tonne gross, so can carry just over a tonne and a half, and I have towed it to Wales and back at that weight - which is right on the max for a Freelander.

Normally it's for bulky stuff rather than needing the weight capacity.

Longest I've done was a round trip of just over 4000 miles with 1250kg in it.

It's as aerodynamic as a brick though - the worst thing about it is cleaning the flies off when you get home.

I should really get one of those caravan 'windjammer' spoiler things.

If you're pulling a heavy load of slabs make sure the brakes are adjusted right - too much slack and the trailer will tend to snatch when you brake gently.

Enjoy the towing experience.

Singvogel.

A.J.M · Jun 26, 2012

That's a big trailer! How to you find your MPG figures react to towing that thing?
Towed with it today again, picked up the bosses 200kg wood burning fire for the living room. Took the back roads with it, no real issues and the reversing is getting better.

Yeah, the slabs will be interesting as i can see me labouring up the hill in 2nd with the load as the hill is a bitch to get up.

Singvogel · Jun 26, 2012

Yes, it's big but it's not difficult to manoeuvre as it's got a fairly long draw-bar, which is an advantage for everything except the ferry fares.
It's 1.79 metres wide and 4.05 metres long + draw-bar, so the standard mirrors are fine.

The mpg can drop as low as 22 if I'm pushing on. The weight doesn't make much difference - it's the wind resistance that's the killer.

On the way home from abroad I'm usually empty (apart from the obligatory beer supplies) so have the frame and tilt folded down, and then I don't know it's there as far as performance is concerned, and the mpg is then around 33.

I like trailers - better than having a pick-up truck and there's little or no depreciation.

S.

A.J.M · Jun 26, 2012

I like the trailer as it will save me carrying everything in the back of the car, already done 2 trips to the local recycling centre with a car full of grass, and then of brick.

So trailer saves the interior getting ruined.

The trailer is plated at 2700kg if im reading it correctly. Will check the brakes though as i don't things to get out of shape with the weight of the slabs etc on the back.

Singvogel · Jun 26, 2012

Plated at 2700kg ??? Are you sure? Seems a bit high.

If it really is 2700 kg then you're way over the max for a Freelander, remember it's the max permitted weight that matters - not the actual weight. So it would be illegal even if empty!

If the polizei or VOSA catch you with that then you're in trouble.

I'd check that asap.

S.

A.J.M · Jun 26, 2012

Will double check, there's a few plates and one is in German for some reason.

Singvogel · Jun 27, 2012

A.J.M said:
Will double check, there's a few plates and one is in German for some reason.

Das ist kein Problem. (That is no problem)

Take a pic of the plate if you can.

S.

A.J.M · Jun 27, 2012

Singvogel said:
Das ist kein Problem. (That is no problem)

Take a pic of the plate if you can.

S.

You have a PM.

Towing with freelander tips

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