Advice please!

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Turboman said:
Not what I have heard, but if you are happy to do so is up to you :)
That trailer is actually loaded, those mini tracs aint light.
Im always really surprised at these freds, to me the legislation is irrelevant, as has been posted by some others, if you want to tow heavy stuff, especially livestock, surely it is much better to have a rig that comfortably exceeds the requirements.
So much at stake, your safety, safety of others, welfare of livestock, insurance premium. The legislation should be regarded as a minimum safe requirement, not what is desirable.
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This^
Im sure we had to downplate our plant trailer at work to make it suitable for towing by transit which is rated at 3000 kg irrelevant to if it was loaded or not.
 
goonarmy said:
This^
Im sure we had to downplate our plant trailer at work to make it suitable for towing by transit which is rated at 3000 kg irrelevant to if it was loaded or not.
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We were always taught to use the max laden weight of the trailer in all calculations, either for legal or practical purposes.:)
I suspect that anyone thinking about towing livestock right on the edge of safe limits has never had the dubious pleasure of shooting a beast that has broken its neck in a trailer overturn. :(
 
Yes I thought that was the case too, but it seems on checking it might not be.

The legal and safe argument is one I have been having for a long time with Rog from the HHO clinic. He has never towed livestock and really doesn't understand how much they can de-stabilise a trailer
 
suew said:
Yes I thought that was the case too, but it seems on checking it might not be.

The legal and safe argument is one I have been having for a long time with Rog from the HHO clinic. He has never towed livestock and really doesn't understand how much they can de-stabilise a trailer
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If hes never towed them why is he debating it?
Even if they don't destabilise it there are limitations to control and performance due to the fact of the unpowered trailer being far heavier than the tow vehicle. Particularly the long braking distances and very cautious cornering so as not too upset the beasts.
Surely it must pay to err on the side of caution as far as possible?
 
Technically, the year you passed is irrelevant. It depends what categories you have on your licence. The relevant one is B+E. If you passed your test before Jan 1997, you will automatically have B+E on your licence, if you passed it after this date, you will need to take an extra test in order to have it added to your licence. If you have B+E on your licence, then you can tow any trailer provided that the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the max towing capacity of the tow vehicle. This can be worked out by subtracting the vehicles max gross weight figure from the max train weight figure. In the case of the Freelander 1, the max towing capacity is 2000kg. This means that you cannot tow a trailer with a plated MAM of more than 2000kg.
If you do not have B+E then things are slightly more complicated. In this case, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of 750kg behind a vehicle with a MGW of 3500kg or less. You can also tow a trailer of more than 750kg provided that the combined MAM of the trailer and the MGW of the tow vehicle does not exceed 3500kg. Again going back to the Freelander 1, this means you can tow a trailer with a MAM of not more than 1450kg.
(Freelander 1 MGW = 2050kg)
3500kg MGTW - 2050kg MGW = 1450 trailer MAM.
 
martin1512 said:
Technically, the year you passed is irrelevant. It depends what categories you have on your licence. The relevant one is B+E. If you passed your test before Jan 1997, you will automatically have B+E on your licence, if you passed it after this date, you will need to take an extra test in order to have it added to your licence. If you have B+E on your licence, then you can tow any trailer provided that the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the max towing capacity of the tow vehicle. This can be worked out by subtracting the vehicles max gross weight figure from the max train weight figure. In the case of the Freelander 1, the max towing capacity is 2000kg. This means that you cannot tow a trailer with a plated MAM of more than 2000kg.
If you do not have B+E then things are slightly more complicated. In this case, you can tow a trailer with a MAM of 750kg behind a vehicle with a MGW of 3500kg or less. You can also tow a trailer of more than 750kg provided that the combined MAM of the trailer and the MGW of the tow vehicle does not exceed 3500kg. Again going back to the Freelander 1, this means you can tow a trailer with a MAM of not more than 1450kg.
(Freelander 1 MGW = 2050kg)
3500kg MGTW - 2050kg MGW = 1450 trailer MAM.
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:confused: I think the issue is about trailer weights. Not sure if licences were under discussion.
Not sure about op, but I passed my test in 1980, so always had towing entitlement. And used it :D
 
martin1512 said:
If you have B+E on your licence, then you can tow any trailer provided that the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the max towing capacity of the tow vehicle. This can be worked out by subtracting the vehicles max gross weight figure from the max train weight figure. In the case of the Freelander 1, the max towing capacity is 2000kg. This means that you cannot tow a trailer with a plated MAM of more than 2000kg. .
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That is the point that is in dispute. What you said is what I always understood to be the case. But after some research this afternoon it appears that it is not. I cant find anything which says the plated MAM even has to be considered if you have a pre 1997 licence.
 
suew said:
That is the point that is in dispute. What you said is what I always understood to be the case. But after some research this afternoon it appears that it is not. I cant find anything which says the plated MAM even has to be considered if you have a pre 1997 licence.
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If you have researched it sue, I am sure that is the case. Presumably the MAM has to be considered as regards being under 3500kg, which I think is max permitted for any trailer without independent braking.
 
Turboman said:
If you have researched it sue, I am sure that is the case. Presumably the MAM has to be considered as regards being under 3500kg, which I think is max permitted for any trailer without independent braking.
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Sorry what I meant was you can use a trailer which has a plated MAM higher than the vehicle would allow. You cant load it up to the maximum though, only up to the Gross Train Weight allowed for the particular vehicle.

Apparently with post 97 licences you cant do that, you have to actually have the trailer down rated.

Seems dammed strange to me, perhaps someone else knows better.
 
suew said:
Sorry what I meant was you can use a trailer which has a plated MAM higher than the vehicle would allow. You cant load it up to the maximum though, only up to the Gross Train Weight allowed for the particular vehicle.

Apparently with post 97 licences you cant do that, you have to actually have the trailer down rated.

Seems dammed strange to me, perhaps someone else knows better.
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Well, that is most interesting, not what I had thought :) Until recently we also thought that my daughter, who passed test in 2001, could not tow at all, but we have recently discovered that she can in fact tow small trailers.
My own policy is quite the reverse of most of the peeps who post about towing. My vehicle is 3500kg rated, but my trailer is only 2700kg rated. Fully laden this gives some margin of error with the handling, and has the added advantage that we can ram as much stuff as we like in the 90 without worrying about train weight. I often tow 3500kg on the flatbed, that is different, it is only local journeys and you can hit the brakes if needed.:D
 
Turboman said:
Well, that is most interesting, not what I had thought :) Until recently we also thought that my daughter, who passed test in 2001, could not tow at all, but we have recently discovered that she can in fact tow small trailers.
My own policy is quite the reverse of most of the peeps who post about towing. My vehicle is 3500kg rated, but my trailer is only 2700kg rated. Fully laden this gives some margin of error with the handling, and has the added advantage that we can ram as much stuff as we like in the 90 without worrying about train weight. I often tow 3500kg on the flatbed, that is different, it is only local journeys and you can hit the brakes if needed.:D
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Same with me :D I like a tonne in reserve at least, especially with horses. Absolutely cringe at some of the advice Rog gives. Telling folks how to get away with towing a large trailer and horse with a car on a post 97 licence and no experience at all.

Thats why we have fallen out in the past over legal v safe

However the questions on here were about legality, I think everyone should experience a horse going nuts in a trailer before they are allowed on the road :D:D
 
suew said:
Same with me :D I like a tonne in reserve at least, especially with horses. Absolutely cringe at some of the advice Rog gives. Telling folks how to get away with towing a large trailer and horse with a car on a post 97 licence and no experience at all.

Thats why we have fallen out in the past over legal v safe

However the questions on here were about legality, I think everyone should experience a horse going nuts in a trailer before they are allowed on the road :D:D
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I know, sue, I have read your posts about towing before, and you do know your stuff :)
Rog sounds like a real dickhead, wonder how he will feel if someone is killed as a result of his "advice"!:mad:
I was aware that the fred was originally about legality, never think it does any harm to point ut that tha law is just a framework to try and prevent the actual reality of broken spines and huge compo, which can happen all too suddenly to the unwary :eek::D
 
88efi said:
Replacing the clutch fluid would be the first step, brake and clutch fluid is hygroscopic it absorbs water over time. It is the water in the fluid that boils and creates bubbles which compress as the pedal is pushed, I.e no movement at the clutch itself causing drag and difficult gear changes. Hope this helps.
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And how precisely does one replace the clutch fluid on a 1.8 freelander?

I await your response eagerly.
 
bushwwacker said:
And how precisely does one replace the clutch fluid on a 1.8 freelander?

I await your response eagerly.
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Never had one, but I would think same as changing the clutch fluid on anyting else. Run the old fluid out of the slave cylinder and replace with new into the master cylinder.
IMO his post is completely accurate. I always change clutch and brake fluid every year myself, always do on all vehicles. I might do two yearly on a disposable car, but always yearly on good motor
 
Turboman said:
Never had one, but I would think same as changing the clutch fluid on anyting else. Run the old fluid out of the slave cylinder and replace with new into the master cylinder.
IMO his post is completely accurate. I always change clutch and brake fluid every year myself, always do on all vehicles. I might do two yearly on a disposable car, but always yearly on good motor
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It's a sealed unit [apart from the rubber cover on the expansion/master cylinder with no provision to bleed it.

Arse!! I've given it away... :eek::eek: :D
 
bushwwacker said:
It's a sealed unit [apart from the rubber cover on the expansion/master cylinder with no provision to bleed it.

Arse!! I've given it away... :eek::eek: :D
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Well, you certainly learn something new every day on lz. Is that a good setup? Do they use silicone fluid? I have read that it is much longer lasting than the usual fluid.
 
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