Second hand ‘homemade’ trailers

Technical Area Motorsport & Trackday Preparation
2

im wanting to buy a trailer to take the 5 to track days.

i’ve seen a nice one listed locally online which does not have a vosa plate so it’s gross weight is not defined. Guy says it has ‘tags on the axles’ whatever that mean. He uses it to cart a stock car about which looks a lot heavier than an mx5.

Read lots online tonight and can’t really work out what the rules are.

can anyone enlighten me please?

 

 

3

Have you had a look here? 

https://ntta.co.uk/safe-legal-towing/

 

Barrie

4

Quote from that site…

1982 regulations demand that all trailers, including unbraked ones, must be clearly marked with their maximum gross weight in kg. This may be checked at any time by the police at a weighbridge. Since 1st January 1997, all unbraked trailer plates must show the year of manufacture.

To comply with the D.o.T. Code of Practice for the recall of defective trailers less than 3500kg G.V.W. it is desirable that a trailer should carry a manufacturer’s plate clearly showing:

 

 

So if it’s homemade no one knows it’s safe weight.  Must be hundreds of illegal trailers on the road then?

5

When I have purchased trailers it has always been a recognised manufacturers make. Brian James, Ivor Williams, BRG etc. When I have sold them the price has always been fairly close to the purchase price.

Good known manufacturer trailers are the only way to go.

6

You can buy the plates. Stamp your own.

 

I have an Alko chassis with my own design top on. Each axel has a 1100kg tag on it. I am the manufacturer.

 

When the tow car was a Passat I stamped it as 1700kg as thats the towing weight of the car.

The latest “old” tow car I own is an E Class estate that can tow 2100kg, so I stamped another plate an put that on.

It also discourages “friends” from asking to borrow it. 

 

Only new(ish) trailers need an IVA so as long as the trailer doesn’t gleam with new galvanising no one knows how old it is.

 

HTH 

Paul G

7

Great stuff Paul, a very quick search brought this up?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/172990161858?chn=ps&adgroupid=47842945425&rlsatarget=pla-380312373811&abcId=1129946&adtype=pla&merchantid=6995734&poi=&googleloc=1006849&device=t&campaignid=974959912&crdt=0&ul_ref=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F710-134428-41853-0%2F2%3Fmpre%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.ebay.co.uk%252Fi%252F172990161858%253Fchn%253Dps%26itemid%3D172990161858%26targetid%3D380312373811%26device%3Dt%26adtype%3Dpla%26googleloc%3D1006849%26poi%3D%26campaignid%3D974959912%26adgroupid%3D47842945425%26rlsatarget%3Dpla-380312373811%26abcId%3D1129946%26merchantid%3D6995734%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMIgbGzzJeH2QIVy5ztCh3F-w7aEAQYASABEgJs4PD_BwE%26srcrot%3D710-134428-41853-0%26rvr_id%3D1430788100803

Barrie

 

Apolgies for all the extended wording, tried to make it into a link, unsuccessfully though 

8

 

Just searched the eBay number. That’s spot on, perfect. Letter stamp or engrave what suits your trailer / tow car limits.

I’ll add a photo in a mo.

 

Paul G

Edit

The bottom line says the trailer was made in 2009

 

 

9

or if you really want to confuse the issue…

Trailer commission plate

10

Clearly a professional build going by that exposed wiring

11

 

 

Thanks.

Yes, never missed a beat in 9 years and still going strong. Todays load was a Volvo back to the workshop for a custom turbo exhaust.

The car will be on display in the spring at East Anglia’s premier car show. The cars vivid orange so bound to attract attention.

Paul G