Pre-regulation trailers: Trigger's Broom?

[ShinyShoe]

So my understanding of the rules are that anyone could home build a trailer until October last year. There was a suggestion when the regulations first appeared that there could be a lot of Trigger's Broom Trailers appearing...

As such it didn't require a builder's plate or a weight.

I have a small ancient box trailer that probably pre-dates any reg's. I've just reconfigured its lighting to bring it in line with current regs, and replaced the tyres etc. It has tyres with a capacity of 350kg and a 500kg MAM stamped on the tow hitch, so I know I shouldn't exceed 350kg.

I've just been offered an 18year old boat trailer. Looks in good nick, but was a custom build so not plated and has no weight limit. Its unbraked so i know I am limited to 750kg. I haven't yet been able to study it up close so don't know if the hitch is rated. Assuming the tyres are rate above 750kg, and the hitch is how do I determine the maximum load of a home built trailer...?

If it had a 500kg hitch but the wheels could take 750 can I just switch the hitch? At what point will I be deemed to have built a new trailer?

[SW Boat Transport]

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

So my understanding of the rules are that anyone could home build a trailer until October last year. There was a suggestion when the regulations first appeared that there could be a lot of Trigger's Broom Trailers appearing...

As such it didn't require a builder's plate or a weight.

I have a small ancient box trailer that probably pre-dates any reg's. I've just reconfigured its lighting to bring it in line with current regs, and replaced the tyres etc. It has tyres with a capacity of 350kg and a 500kg MAM stamped on the tow hitch, so I know I shouldn't exceed 350kg.

I've just been offered an 18year old boat trailer. Looks in good nick, but was a custom build so not plated and has no weight limit. Its unbraked so i know I am limited to 750kg. I haven't yet been able to study it up close so don't know if the hitch is rated. Assuming the tyres are rate above 750kg, and the hitch is how do I determine the maximum load of a home built trailer...?

If it had a 500kg hitch but the wheels could take 750 can I just switch the hitch? At what point will I be deemed to have built a new trailer?

Any trailer (including home builds) made since 1982 must clearly display the gross weight in KG.

The tyres must match the gross weight of the axle (I was pulled up for this myself by VOSA). If they dont, you would either need to uprate your tyres or downplate your axle and gross weights. Are you sure that 500kg isn't just the hitch rating, not the gross weight of the trailer?

If you had a 750kg axle (with matching tyres etc) and 500kg hitch, the traier should have a gross weight of 500kg marked on it. Assuming the chassis etc was upto it, I don't think there would be anything to stop you changing the hitch for one rated at 750kg and increasing the gross weight of the trailer to 750kg.

[HughN]

If only there was someone who had built themselves a trailer and could offer some advice...

[paintman]

Hadn't seen that before.
Thank you for brightening my day up considerably

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by SW Boat Transport

Any trailer (including home builds) made since 1982 must clearly display the gross weight in KG.

So by box trailer doesn't but I have no idea how old it is. Its well old! Built on Mini Wheels as are a million other old box trailers. I don't think there is a date of the hitch and there is definitely no date on anything else.
So that leaves me wondering do I self "plate it" (presumably can be painted on rather than a plate) or do I say its pre 1982...

The tyres must match the gross weight of the axle (I was pulled up for this myself by VOSA). If they dont, you would either need to uprate your tyres or downplate your axle and gross weights. Are you sure that 500kg isn't just the hitch rating, not the gross weight of the trailer?

It is the hitch rating. So I need the lowest rated of hitch, tyres, axle for my plate. But if they are un-marked how would I know.

Assuming the chassis etc was upto it, I don't think there would be anything to stop you changing the hitch for one rated at 750kg and increasing the gross weight of the trailer to 750kg.

How do I know if the chasis is up to it?

[ShinyShoe]

Originally Posted by HughN

If only there was someone who had built themselves a trailer and could offer some advice...

I did fear that post was gonna come back out.
I think that post single handedly resulted in all the new EU red tape for trailer builders!!