Little help with towing please guys

[dubber36]

Red diesel is for use off road, or for using the road to get from one field to the next. When tractors are being used like lorries towing a massive bulker trailer full of taters from the farm, 50 miles to the crisp factory, they 'should' be using the same stuff we all have to.

 

[ChrisBell]

Changes to HGV and bus driving tests and allowing car drivers to tow a trailer without an extra test

www.gov.uk

 

[ChrisBell]

Interesting article above. Again a poll suggested. This would definitely benefit a lot of people with licenses obtained after 1997 and who wish to tow trailer / caravan with towing vehicle and mass Greater than 3500kg!

 

[ChrisBell]

Well... Sat and passed my b+e test today. So chuffed. I had been unknowingly using a jeep + caravan combo which was in excess of my license.... I'd 100% recommend anyone in doubt to look at either VIN plate or V5 doc to see what actual weight of vehicle is plus allowable mass. Thanks to a few posts on this forum I should now be OK! @dandan88 did you get sorted?

 

[Minimilo]

Well... Sat and passed my b+e test today. So chuffed. I had been unknowingly using a jeep + caravan combo which was in excess of my license.... I'd 100% recommend anyone in doubt to look at either VIN plate or V5 doc to see what actual weight of vehicle is plus allowable mass. Thanks to a few posts on this forum I should now be OK! @dandan88 did you get sorted?

Congratulations! What did B+E test involve? Was it straight forward? Maybe useful for some on here. I am an old bugger so I am ok

 

[ChrisBell]

Congratulations! What did B+E test involve? Was it straight forward? Maybe useful for some on here. I am an old bugger so I am ok

Thank you! Lots of info on Internet but quick summary below!

5 or basic questions about car functions like checking reflectors working, adjusting headrest, checking lights, tyre tread depth and how to ensure trailer loaded correctly and then secured correctly.

Then involved a controlled reverse from position on rhs back diagonally into bay on left, stopping at set distance. Only one shunt forward allowed and all measured out based on length of towing vehicle and trailer. Then unhitch pull up beside and rehitch doing all checks. Followed by approx 50min drive, combo of guided by instructor and following signs!

The first reversing exercise seems easy but in test environment slightly different with nerves and inevitably different to practice attempts! Driving bit is basically car driving test but with trailer on back! All with the luxury of a face mask on!

 

[JOG]

Thank you! Lots of info on Internet but quick summary below!

5 or basic questions about car functions like checking reflectors working, adjusting headrest, checking lights, tyre tread depth and how to ensure trailer loaded correctly and then secured correctly.

Then involved a controlled reverse from position on rhs back diagonally into bay on left, stopping at set distance. Only one shunt forward allowed and all measured out based on length of towing vehicle and trailer. Then unhitch pull up beside and rehitch doing all checks. Followed by approx 50min drive, combo of guided by instructor and following signs!

The first reversing exercise seems easy but in test environment slightly different with nerves and inevitably different to practice attempts! Driving bit is basically car driving test but with trailer on back! All with the luxury of a face mask on!

I presume you bring your own trailer to the test? I wouldn’t fancy reversing a skippy Halford wheelbarrow trailer! (Also an old fart, so not impacted by licence limitation!)

 

[DaveD]

I presume you bring your own trailer to the test? I wouldn’t fancy reversing a skippy Halford wheelbarrow trailer! (Also an old fart, so not impacted by licence limitation!)

That's the only good thing about them, you take it off and push it where you want it.
I've been doing a bit of trailer reversing this last few weeks;



That's powered by an old school straight 6, 8.1 litre turbo diesel, exhaust gases go through the turbo and straight up the pipe on the side of the cab, lovely noise, don't tell Greta!



It's a doddle to reverse, much easier than a small trailer!

 

[JOG]

That's the only good thing about them, you take it off and push it where you want it.
I've been doing a bit of trailer reversing this last few weeks;

View attachment 129707

That's powered by an old school straight 6, 8.1 litre turbo diesel, exhaust gases go through the turbo and straight up the pipe on the side of the cab, lovely noise, don't tell Greta!

View attachment 129708

It's a doddle to reverse, much easier than a small trailer!

Proper rig!

 

[ChrisBell]

Proper rig!

Defo! Bigger trailer the easier, I am OK with caravan, but wouldn't even attempt to reverse another I have the size of wheelbarrow. Twin axle 8x4 type job really versatile!

 

[ChrisBell]

I presume you bring your own trailer to the test? I wouldn’t fancy reversing a skippy Halford wheelbarrow trailer! (Also an old fart, so not impacted by licence limitation!)

Afraid not.... Very specific in terms of trailer requirements! Prob on a par with getting van reclassified! Needs to be of certain dimensions (height length breadth etc) , and is more like a rig with a certain weight in it (usually ibc filled with water). Lessons for me were £35 per hour and needed to hire jeep and trailer for 4 hours to do test! All in around £500 for the pleasure (that did include a slight hiccup during first attempt! )

 

[DaveD]

Proper rig!

It's 20 years old, no touch screens in there, but it has a 20 speed power shift gearbox and air conditioning, and a little fridge for my sarnies and drinks!

 

[ChrisBell]

Afraid not.... Very specific in terms of trailer requirements! Prob on a par with getting van reclassified! Needs to be of certain dimensions (height length breadth etc) , and is more like a rig with a certain weight in it (usually ibc filled with water). Lessons for me were £35 per hour and needed to hire jeep and trailer for 4 hours to do test! All in around £500 for the pleasure (that did include a slight hiccup during first attempt! )

Not sure I'd even have managed in my x trail! Very tight on first manoeuvre with white lines you cannot cross. Another learner who wanted to use automatic X5 cannot as impossible to do first bit of test with space constraints! Test centre is mad just now with trailers, hgvs etc....

 

[ChrisBell]

It's 20 years old, no touch screens in there, but it has a 20 speed power shift gearbox and air conditioning, and a little fridge for my sarnies and drinks!

You've kept it in good condition! Bet you wouldn't like to fork out for a new one nowadays! Sure half them on some sort of hire purchase, unless there are a lot of rich farmers running around!

 

[DaveD]

Defo! Bigger trailer the easier, I am OK with caravan, but wouldn't even attempt to reverse another I have the size of wheelbarrow. Twin axle 8x4 type job really versatile!

Yes, trouble is once people know you've got one there's always something you could help them with!

 

[DaveD]

You've kept it in good condition! Bet you wouldn't like to fork out for a new one nowadays! Sure half them on some sort of hire purchase, unless there are a lot of rich farmers running around!

It's not mine, it belongs to a farmer mate of mine who bought it ten years ago, it's worth more now than he paid for it!

 

[ChrisBell]

View attachment 129718

Yes, trouble is once people know you've got one there's always something you could help them with!

I'm very fortunate to live next door to a farmer with lots of great things I can borrow!

 

[ChrisBell]

It's not mine, it belongs to a farmer mate of mine who bought it ten years ago, it's worth more now than he paid for it!

I did a quick autotrader search! Around £25K for a 1997 model! New model looking at £150K plus! (just rough numbers!) Big money in the big toys!

 

[JOG]

Afraid not.... Very specific in terms of trailer requirements! Prob on a par with getting van reclassified! Needs to be of certain dimensions (height length breadth etc) , and is more like a rig with a certain weight in it (usually ibc filled with water). Lessons for me were £35 per hour and needed to hire jeep and trailer for 4 hours to do test! All in around £500 for the pleasure (that did include a slight hiccup during first attempt! )

Wow! That’s quite an expensive hurdle for younger drivers to overcome, especially as they’re invariably paying top whack for insurance etc.

 

[ChrisBell]

It is.... Test in Northern Ireland was £66 during week and £110 at weekend I think. @JOG Like you said in earlier post though... Best just to sit! Not worth thinking about consequences of not being covered with license or insurance! What I did learn though is if you have provisional b+e on license can drive as long as you have L plates on with an older driver (pre 1997 license) sat next to you or someone else who has passed b+e or has hgv license etc!