23 replies to this topic

[minidaves]

trailers and minis
1) any mini after 1997 its illegal to fit a tow bar let alone tow, as no fiqures were given by rover to say what a mini was able to tow safely.

2) as a guess and lets just say its a guess approx 320kg braked and 160kg unbraked

remember

safety chain
dont go in outside lane or a 3 or more lane motorway
speed limits
the max axle weight of your car, so loading the car up and then putting a trailer on the back will proberly mean the car will be overloaded and if vosa pull you, they wont let you go anywhere

dave

[wolfie]

2) as a guess and lets just say its a guess approx 320kg braked and 160kg unbraked

I hope you will turn up in court and pay for someones defense after they have been stopped after giving out that advice


"Please be careful when answering peoples technical questions that you do not misguide them into taking inappropriate action.

Not only is this annoying, but it can also be costly and could even be dangerous if the wrong information is given.

This is why we ask that only first-hand and factual information is posted in reply to peoples queries."

[lrostoke]

http://www.dft.gov.u...c... Feb 08.pdf

Trailer type
1. Trailer with braking system
Where the trailer has a braking system, it is recommended that the trailer and load does not exceed 80-85% of the weight of the towing vehicle

2. Trailer with no braking system
Where the trailer does not have it's own braking system the trailer and load should not be over 1/2 the kerbside weight of the motor vehicle it is being towed by to a maximum weight of 750kg

Seems pretty clear

Kerbside weight of a mini saloon is 638kg, you can legally tow half that weight using an unbraked trailor so 319kg , for a braked trailer it gives an 85% recommendation which gives you 542kg

Edited by lrostoke, 28 May 2010 - 10:31 AM.

[wolfie]

you can lead a horse to water..................

[PhilipGCaldwell]

the trailer im towing is braked so i think i will be well within the weight limits

I know this topic has prob been covered before, but as is the uselessness of the search function I decided to start a new thread I generally never use the search

[wolfie]

sounds like all you need to worry about is the weather!

[PhilipGCaldwell]

Haha, yeah Wolfie, i bet as soon as i start putting it up it will pour down

Well, im guna put my towbar on this weekend, here is a picture

Just wondering, how does it fit on?, i have offered it up, and it looks like it bolts onto the lip under the rear bumper, is this right, can it take the extra weight??

[bmcecosse]

Yes - and I strongly advise using a good spreader plate in the spare wheel well - inside and outside! And obviously - the rear bumper mounting lip must be in tip top condition too. There is absolutely no point bolting it on to rust!

Edited by bmcecosse, 28 May 2010 - 08:41 PM.

[minidaves]

towed trailers for longer than enough, and lets just say it was an engineers guess as in under the guide lines and sensible proportion to weight of a mini, not something pulled out of fresh air, having 500kg moving at 60mph floating behind a mini that is 800kg does not sound safe to me.